Guests approaching Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are being rerouted this week, as Walt Disney World Resort closes off a major walkway for the latest phase of ongoing construction at the beloved Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotel.
New Barriers Appear Outside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
WDWNT reported on September 10 that Walt Disney World Resort had installed rolling planters and tarps along a walkway situated in front of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, sharing a photo of the newly blocked-off section on social media.
Nearby signage directs guests to use an alternate walkway and points to the bus stop serving Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney Springs, and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. Importantly, the construction doesn’t affect the upstairs walkway leading to the Monorail, which continues providing access to Magic Kingdom Park and EPCOT as usual.
WDWNT also observed cast members actively working on the Deluxe Disney Resort hotel’s iconic white railings bordering the paved walkway, as well as nearby landscaping. The work appears focused on refurbishing those railings, likely limited to a paint refresh and structural maintenance rather than any dramatic visual overhaul.
Walt Disney World Resort hasn’t formally acknowledged this specific project, though it fits into a broader wave of construction currently underway throughout the Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotel.
A Hotel Mid-Transformation
This latest closure follows a string of recent changes at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The resort debuted a reimagined lobby in late 2025, alongside The Perch, a distinctive birdcage-shaped lobby bar unlike anything else at Walt Disney World Resort. Elsewhere on property, the Grand Floridian Café remains closed for refurbishment through November 2, and broader renovations — including work on the hotel’s porte cochere — are expected to continue through 2027.
Walt Disney World Resort’s official website for the hotel warns guests that they “may see or hear work during daytime hours and may need to take alternative routes.” The hotel’s beloved life-sized gingerbread house display also won’t be returning for the 2026 holiday season, a decision Disney says will “help keep the lobby flowing smoothly” for overnight guests.
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