food IS a theme park
Construction is ramping up on Disney’s newest hotel.
©Disney
Back in 2018, Disney announced that a new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property was coming to Walt Disney World. The new hotel, to be built on the long-abandoned remains of the resort’s first water park River Country – – was to be called Reflections: A Lakeside Lodge. However, with the onset of the worldwide pandemic, all work on the project stalled, and Disney dropped all mentions of it.
Something brand new is coming to Disney Springs in Disney World!
Disney Springs
Back in 2017, DisneyQuest closed down in Disney Springs, and its home on the West Side was vacant for two years before the NBA Experience replaced it in 2019. Unfortunately, the NBA Experience wasn’t as popular as Disney had hoped, and it never reopened after the 2020 pandemic. But now, LEVEL99 is moving into that same building, and we’ve got some new details about construction!
We are seeing Disney World undergo some major construction over the next few years, including updated rides and new lands.
Cinderella’s Castle
In 2025, there will be several rides that are seeing a refurbishment this year at Magic Kingdom. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently receiving an overhaul and is scheduled to reopen in 2026. Astro Orbiter also closed earlier this year and is set to reopen this summer. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin has recently been added to that list as well so here is what we know about this ride update.
One of Disney World’s coolest and most sought-after pools is still under construction.
Stormalong Bay prior to its closure
Stormalong Bay, located between Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, closed for refurbishment in January of 2025 and is set to reopen again just in time for the Summer season this June. We are seriously impressed by the amount of work going into this refurbishment, and we have a little update about how it’s moving along!
Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District (say that fast!) is in the process of a total overhaul!
Downtown Disney
While many new stores and restaurants have already opened as part of this ongoing refurbishment, even more change is on the way as a new permit was filed to demolish a longstanding Downtown Disney building.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is changing big time!
Grand Floridian Resort
Recently, the iconic Disney resort announced major changes, and one big addition is coming to the resort soon. Disney is wasting no time getting started! We stopped by the resort today to see the progress ourselves.
Disney World and Universal Orlando aren’t the only things making big changes this year.
MCO Airport
Even Orlando International Airport is getting some updates. A new parking guidance system is on the way, Terminal C is getting an expansion, and new shops and restaurants are coming to the airport soon. We previously got a list of new restaurants coming to the airport, but now Orlando International Airport has shared new concept art showcasing those new restaurants PLUS concept art of some new shops.
Over the past several years, Disney World has made some major hotel changes.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
We’ve seen updated hotel rooms, refurbished lobbies, and even entirely new buildings added to some of the resorts. But one hotel that’s been getting perhaps the biggest and longest overhaul of all of them? The Grand Floridian Resort! This hotel refurbishment has been going on for YEARS now, and they’re culminating the changes with a big update to the lobby…which includes a new lobby bar.
Disney World is undergoing some pretty intense refurbishments and adding some massive construction projects over the next few years.
Animal Kingdom construction
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be closed for refurbishment through at least the beginning of 2026, Dinoland U.S.A. has begun its transition into Pueblo Esperanza, It’s Tough to Be A Bug just closed to make way for Zootopia: Better Zoogether, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Disney more recently announced another massive closure that will take at least a year.
Epic Universe is garnering a lot of attention from theme park fans. Universal’s brand-new theme park is set to open on May 22nd, 2025, but Team Members and media have already gotten a chance to experience this “epic” park.
Epic Universe
The new park features five themed lands that allow guests to experience some of their favorite stories and characters in new ways. You can step into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk, Dark Universe, Super Nintendo World, and Celestial Park. As Epic Universe gets closer to opening, there have also been questions about how Disney World plans to compete.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
