Guests at one of Walt Disney World’s most luxurious Resort hotels have found themselves temporarily blocked from entering an iconic area of the lobby due to ongoing construction work. The changes are part of the major renovation at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, which began earlier this year.
The lobby renovation project, which was first revealed in April, promises to blend the resort’s signature Victorian elegance with new, customized touches like luxe furniture and customized carpeting. While Walt Disney World Resort has ensured that the iconic features, such as the historic cage-style elevator and grand piano, will remain, some lobby areas are being significantly altered.
One notable change is the removal of the golden birdcage, which once housed live birds and served as a centerpiece of the lobby for nearly four decades. In its place, Walt Disney World Resort will add a new lobby bar designed to echo the bird motif, featuring polished brass and stained-glass murals. The lobby bar will be the first of its kind at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Construction walls have already been set up around the birdcage, blocking access to the area where the iconic structure once stood. Guests can view the work from the second floor, where crews have been disassembling the birdcage and laying the foundation for the new bar. Meanwhile, other areas of the lobby are also being updated, with crews working on new flooring, wallpaper, and other details.. These ongoing updates have led to certain pathways being blocked off to guests.
As of August 6, Disney’s construction efforts have intensified. On Wednesday, WDWNT spotted crews working behind the plywood walls. The bar has not yet been built, but the foundation is complete. Construction walls and curtains also block off other lobby areas, including the PhotoPass studio and the grand staircase.
Crews were also spotted on the roof of the Convention Center at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. While Walt Disney World Resort has not publicly shared specifics about these updates, the Convention Center is expected to be upgraded alongside the lobby.
Disney has yet to release a timeline for when the new lobby bar will be finished. Work on the lobby is expected to continue through 2025. Due to the construction, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa’s annual life-sized gingerbread house display has been canceled.
Grand Floridian’s elegant Christmas tree and gingerbread house! 🎄📯🎁
WaltDisneyWorld 🤍🤍🤍
Do you agree with Walt Disney World Resort’s decision to build a bar in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
Bad idea Bobbby Iger! Ever heard of the expression “ if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”