Disney theme parks are currently in an ambitious period of growth, with 7 new lands coming worldwide. While much of the attention is rightfully on the new rides and attractions Disney is building inside its theme parks, like a Monsters, Inc. roller coaster and a Lion King log flume, Disney isn’t neglecting to expand and strengthen its portfolio of hotels to accommodate an influx of park guests traveling to experience those new rides.
Disney is currently undertaking 9 hotel projects worldwide to be completed in 2027, including new builds and significant makeovers to existing properties. We have the list of what’s coming and where you might be resting your head for the night soon. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the full menu for the new two-story bar at Disney Springs and Disney’s hints of resort hopping restrictions.
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Disney Lakeshore Lodge Opening
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is a new hotel opening at Walt Disney World in Florida in summer 2027. It will be nature-themed, with design motifs inspired by Bambi, Pocahontas, and Brother Bear.
Lakeshore Lodge will be located along the beachline of Bay Lake, just a boat ride away from Magic Kingdom and right next to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
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This is the spot where the defunct River Country water park sat abandoned for years after its 2001 closure. This makes it appropriate, then, for Lakeshore Lodge to boast one of the most elaborate pool areas of any Disney World hotel, complete with a lazy river and slides.
Lakeshore Lodge will be a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property, so we expect it to be priced in Disney World’s “deluxe” hotel tier for non-DVC members booking a stay here.
Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel Opening
Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel, a deluxe property, is under construction at Shanghai Disney Resort, joining the existing Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel.
The new lodging’s design was inspired by architectural stylings of Shanghai’s early 20th century, with an Art Nouveau feel. Disney says that guests will see motifs of the “fabled wishing star and the enduring idea that wishes are part of every Disney story.” The hotel will contain 9 floors with 400 rooms and suites.
Construction on the Shanghai Disney Enchanted Star Hotel began in mid-2023. Disney says it will open this winter, so an opening may happen either at the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027.
Disney has also announced a fourth hotel for Shanghai Disney Resort, opening later and located “steps away” from the theme park entrance.
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Refurbishment Beginning
Guest rooms at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in Walt Disney World will be refurbished starting in 2027.
Art of Animation is relatively new compared to some of Disney World’s other hotels, having opened in 2012, and this will be its first renovation of this scale.
The rooms and suites will continue to be themed to The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Cars. Those movie themes aren’t changing.
The photos above show what some of the room features currently look like. We saw concept art for the updated rooms during a presentation with Disney executives, and it looks like the changes will modernize some of the amenities while retaining the whimsy this colorful resort is known for.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Sweeping Refurbishment Ending
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at Walt Disney World has been undergoing a sweeping renovation since 2021, which will finally be complete in early 2027.
During this time, Disney has refreshed standard guest rooms, Disney Vacation Club rooms, the lobby, Narcoosee’s restaurant, the 1900 Park Fare character dining location, and The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience.
In the coming months, Disney will complete the six-year refurbishment project with work on Grand Floridian Café and the hotel’s main entryway.
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Disney Sequoia Lodge Renovations Beginning
Disney Sequoia Lodge at Disneyland Paris has been undergoing major refurbishment work throughout 2026 and will unveil the first phase of its transformation in the first quarter of 2027.
This first phase includes all guest rooms in the hotel’s five outdoor lodges, with new interior designs inspired by the forest settings of Bambi, Pocahontas, and Brave.
After that, Disney will continue phased renovations of the hotel’s other guest rooms, along with the lobby, restaurant, shopping, and recreation.
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort Room Refurbishments Ending
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort at Walt Disney World is in the process of refurbishing its guest rooms. Disney began this work in May 2026 and will complete it by January 2027.
The hotel’s most recent refurbishment was less than a decade ago. During that renovation, All-Star Movies introduced a fold-out bed from the wall, new flooring, and an updated aesthetic in the style of Disney Channel’s 2010s Mickey Mouse cartoon series and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Disney hasn’t shared what will specifically change in the 2026/2027 update.
Disney is working on small groupings of rooms at a time across the property’s sections: Toy Story, Fantasia, The Love Bug, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, and The Mighty Ducks.
The lobby and food court of All-Star Movies received a makeover a year ago, as did those at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort, and Disney’s Pop Century Resort, all fellow value hotels.
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Disney’s Contemporary Resort Refurbishment Ending
Disney’s Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World will complete its multi-year refurbishment in late 2027.
Since 2024, Disney has gradually updated various components of the Contemporary’s main building and Bay Lake Tower, including exteriors, pools, and guest rooms, which are now themed to The Incredibles.
Disney says the work will continue for at least another year, but has not announced specifically what else is on the agenda.
Disney Believe Cruise Ship Setting Sail
Disney Believe is the name of Disney Cruise Line’s ninth ship, and the next in the fleet’s Wish-class, following the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, and Disney Destiny.
The Disney Believe will include experiences based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid, Frozen, Moana, and Encanto. While specifics are yet to be announced, we might expect dining, entertainment, or room décor to reflect the stories and design motifs of those films.
The new ship will set sail in 2027 and is part of a huge Disney Cruise Line expansion that will bring its total number of ships to 13 by 2031.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort Renovations Ending
Disney’s Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World will complete a multi-year exterior maintenance in late 2027. Guests staying at the Beach Club this year may have noticed heavy scaffolding in place. Setups of this nature will continue for at least another year.
Next door at the Beach Club’s sister hotel, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney is performing a similar exterior refurbishment. However, the Yacht Club’s work will be finished by late 2026.
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