Disney World Confirms Replacement for One of Two Original Resort Hotels
One of the two hotels that opened alongside Walt Disney World Resort on October 1, 1971, is undergoing its most visible exterior transformation in decades, and the work is now impossible to miss.
Scaffolding on the Main Tower
BlogMickey reported on April 28 that scaffolding has appeared on the exterior of the Main Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, visible from both the Monorail loop and the walkway connecting the hotel to Magic Kingdom Park. Photos shared by the outlet show active work on the southwest side of the building, where crews are refurbishing multiple balconies. Sliding glass doors, windows, and existing balcony structures have been demolished, with tarps, plywood boards, and other construction materials standing in temporarily while the work progresses.
No signs of construction are visible inside the Main Tower itself. Guests may hear activity during daytime hours or spot workers moving through the building, but Walt Disney World Resort schedules refurbishment work during the day while most guests are at the parks. Restaurants and venues inside the tower — including Chef Mickey’s, California Grill, and Contempo Café — are operating normally, and the Monorail continues to stop at and travel through the Deluxe Disney Resort hotel as usual.
Roughly 20 guest rooms are currently out of service while the project moves forward in phases, allowing the Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotel to remain as accessible as possible to guests throughout.
What Disney Has Confirmed
Walt Disney World Resort’s own website spells out the scope of the project in a notice displayed to guests before booking:
“Refurbishment work will occur in phases throughout select areas of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, including the atrium, Bay Lake Tower and the Main Tower. The Main Tower will undergo exterior maintenance beginning March 23, 2026, which may impact views from various locations throughout the Resort hotel and, at times, require alternate paths of travel. Guests may see or hear construction during daytime hours.
The Bay Lake Pool, the feature pool, the water play area and the whirlpool spa at Disney’s Contemporary Resort will remain open for Guests to enjoy.”
Work is expected to continue through late 2027. When complete, the entire exterior of the Main Tower building will be refreshed. However, the Deluxe Disney Resort hotel’s signature A-frame design is expected to remain intact.
Has construction ever impacted your stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!
