Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort has entered a new and highly visible stage of construction, and anyone walking the grounds this September can see it firsthand. What began as a long refurbishment project is now stretching further into the future than originally planned, with Disney confirming that work will continue through late 2027.
The renovation initiative first got underway in September 2024, starting with Bay Lake Tower before crews shifted attention to the resort’s main building. Rather than closing the property or tackling every section simultaneously, Disney has approached the project in phases, moving through different areas of the Contemporary over time. That phased approach is part of why the resort has remained operational despite the scale of work taking place.
Disney’s timeline for the project has shifted more than once. The refurbishment was initially slated to finish by September 2025, then pushed to July 2026. The latest guidance from Disney now points to late 2027 as the completion target, a substantial extension that reflects just how comprehensive this undertaking has become.
According to the official Disney World resort page for the Contemporary, guests should expect ongoing disruption for some time yet: “Through late 2027, refurbishment work will occur in phases throughout select areas of Disney’s Contemporary Resort—including Bay Lake Tower and the Main Tower atrium,” Disney World wrote. “Additionally, Main Tower exterior maintenance 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 most conspicuous addition to the site arrived in late August, when a large construction crane appeared near the resort’s Bay Lake-facing side. Positioned within a barricaded service zone marked off by orange cones, the crane rises to roughly the height of the fourth-floor observation deck, an area long favored by guests for its panoramic views.
Photos shared by WDWNT of the resort show extensive scaffolding and beige protective scrim draped across sections of the Contemporary’s A-frame exterior, the architectural feature that has made the hotel instantly recognizable since it first opened. The coverage isn’t static, either. As crews complete work in one area and move to the next, the scrim has been repositioned, leaving the building with a shifting, uneven appearance that changes from one visit to the next.
Construction barriers, including dark green paneling along the Bay Lake shoreline, have also gone up in spots that typically offer some of the resort’s best unobstructed lake views.
Importantly, this isn’t purely cosmetic work. The project touches both the exterior structure and the interiors, with guest rooms undergoing renovation alongside the visible construction outside. Much of that interior progress happens out of view, meaning the scaffolding, crane, and scrim remain the most tangible signs of the work for anyone visiting or staying at the resort.
The fourth-floor observation deck has been particularly affected. Portions of the space are currently restricted, and rolling planters have been placed around the area, seemingly to keep guests at a safe distance from active work zones. It’s a modest change, but one that speaks to how a project of this length inevitably reshapes small pieces of the day-to-day guest experience.
Despite all of this, the Contemporary Resort has not closed or scaled back its guest offerings. Pools and dining locations remain open, and monorail and bus transportation continue running without interruption. Anyone booking a stay in the coming months should simply plan for visible construction, occasional walkway detours, and more daytime noise than usual.
With completion now targeted for late 2027, the resort’s current look is far from final. More scaffolding and scrim could appear across additional sections as the project continues, meaning the Contemporary’s appearance will likely keep changing for at least another year.
The Contemporary remains one of the most iconic hotels at Walt Disney World, even as it currently wears the unmistakable markings of a property mid-transformation: cranes, scaffolding, and construction walls that hint at just how significant this multi-year investment really is.
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