A road-widening project that may have slowed your last trip to Magic Kingdom Park could stay under construction until late 2029. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) has requested additional time to complete World Drive North Phase 3 at the Walt Disney World Resort.
The Permit Request
The current permit for the project in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area expires on December 2, 2026. CFTOD has requested a three-year extension, which would push the new expiration date to December 2, 2029.
TLP Engineering Consultants wrote the request letter to the South Florida Water Management District on CFTOD’s behalf. The firm says work has progressed significantly, but the existing deadline doesn’t leave enough time to finish with one “minor modification”: keeping 0.16 acres of pavement on Floridian Way, originally planned for removal.
Engineers say most utility work in the construction corridor is done, a step they call a “significant milestone.” Crews are now working on the final roundabout and the road surface. Landscaping and area development work is slated to begin in late 2027.
What the Project Covers
The expansion will widen World Drive from just south of Seven Seas Drive north to Maple Road. The route runs alongside the Magic Kingdom Park parking lot and past Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort before reaching Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, where a roundabout is under construction.
When finished, the corridor will link with other infrastructure work at the resort, including the World Drive Phase 2 project to the south and the Floridian Way project to the north. Disney says the improvements should help traffic move more efficiently around the Central Florida Disney parks, especially once Piston Peak National Park and the Disney Villains expansion open at Magic Kingdom.
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