Disney Is Removing Guests From Its Original Vacation Club Resort Without Notice
Disney’s Old Key West Resort is removing hundreds of family photos from Olivia’s Cafe that have hung on the restaurant walls since the resort first opened in the early 1990s. The photo collection, which features real Disney Vacation Club member family photos submitted over more than three decades, is being taken down as part of an upcoming refurbishment that began February 16. For DVC members whose family photos are part of that collection, this marks the end of a beloved tradition that made Olivia’s Cafe feel unlike any other Disney restaurant.
The removal started in the back room and will work its way forward toward the check-in area where most photos are displayed. Disney confirms the restaurant will remain open throughout the process, though a portion of the dining room will be unavailable for a few weeks.
Where the Disney Vacation Club Photos Are Going
Disney isn’t simply discarding the photos. The collection is being relocated to communal albums at Conch Flats Community Hall, the resort’s recreational gathering space for DVC members and guests. The hall is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., making the photos accessible to anyone who wants to find them.
Disney acknowledged that some photos have aged and begun to fade over the years, citing preservation as part of the reasoning for relocation. Keeping them in albums protects them from continued sun exposure and humidity that has already damaged older photos in the collection.
That practical reasoning makes sense. But flipping through an album at a recreational hall isn’t the same as seeing your family’s photo hanging on the wall of a restaurant where you’ve shared meals across multiple generations of Disney vacations. The context made those photos meaningful, and that context disappears when they move to albums.
Why Old Key West Matters
Old Key West is the original Disney Vacation Club property, opening in the early 1990s. It offers a laid-back Florida Keys atmosphere that sets it apart from newer Disney resorts. With larger villas designed for families, full kitchens, separate living areas, and spacious bedrooms, it provides a true home-away-from-home experience. This emotional connection to the resort has fostered traditions like the photo wall at Olivia’s Cafe, cherished by returning guests for decades.
The Bigger Refurbishment
Disney announced a major refurbishment of Olivia’s Cafe as part of a larger project at Old Key West. The project is set to begin in 2026. This update will transform major room components in the villas, including new cabinetry, countertops, appliances, and furniture layouts.
The potential addition of Murphy beds, recently introduced in other resorts, raises questions about the traditional layouts of the villas. No confirmation has been given. Specific timelines for the work remain unclear, but it will likely unfold in sections over multiple years.
Transportation Updates
The resort will continue relying on buses and boats for transportation. The water taxi service has already returned this year following an extensive dock refurbishment. This features new decking and updated safety features. Boat rides to Disney Springs remain one of the resort’s most beloved features and continue operating normally.
Vacation Club Contract Activity
Disney has been actively buying back Old Key West contracts through Right of First Refusal over the past year. Combined with the comprehensive villa refurbishment investment, this signals Disney’s confidence in the resort’s long-term value. Major renovations at a resort with an aging contract timeline suggest Disney sees Old Key West as worth preserving.
What Comes Next for Disney Vacation Club
For DVC members whose family photos are displayed at Olivia’s Café, these photos will be preserved and made accessible at Conch Flats Community Hall. The restaurant will remain open during the refurbishment. This will allow guests to continue enjoying the dining experience. All while the photo collection is taken down from the walls.
But something genuinely irreplaceable disappears when those hundreds of family photos come down. Over 30 years of DVC member memories defined that restaurant’s atmosphere in ways that communal albums at a recreational hall simply cannot replicate. Old Key West’s oldest and most beloved dining tradition is ending this week.
