Walt Disney World maintenance teams are performing major construction across several resort hotels. We recently heard from representatives from these teams on their wide-ranging plans. Disney just updated its refurbishment calendar with a dining change happening as part of a long-term refurbishment project at a hotel.
Disney World’s flagship hotel will temporarily close one of its table service restaurants for renovations, and Disney is approaching this refurbishment with a unique short-term replacement. We have details on the closure date and what’s happening in the interim while the eatery is closed. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including construction impacting guests at a popular Disney World hotel and a change to a Disney World offer for kids.
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Grand Floridian Cafe Refurbishment
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is in the middle of a sweeping renovation project that began in 2021 and will conclude in early 2027.
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As part of these plans, Disney will “refresh” Grand Floridian Cafe, a table service restaurant, starting on July 20, 2026, according to Disney World’s operating hours calendar.
Ordinarily, we would now tell you that this means the final day to dine at Grand Floridian Cafe before the refurbishment would be July 19, but that’s not completely true in the case of this unique refurbishment.
The physical space of Grand Floridian Cafe is indeed closing for a refurbishment, but Disney will continue to offer the restaurant’s brunch experience during the downtime.
Starting July 20, the Grand Floridian Cafe’s brunch will be offered at Cítricos, another restaurant at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Cítricos is typically only open for dinner. The Grand Floridian Cafe brunch menu includes chicken and waffles, eggs Benedict, miso-glazed salmon, and other favorites. Once Grand Floridian Cafe reopens, brunch will return to its original location.
Grand Floridian Cafe’s dinner menu will be unavailable during the refurbishment.
Disney says Grand Floridian Cafe will reopen sometime in October 2026. An exact reopening date has not been announced.
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Details about what may specifically change as part of Grand Floridian Cafe’s “refresh” have not been announced. Disney currently describes the restaurant as “elegant yet unpretentious.” We captured the photos in this story during a visit in early June 2026. Come October, we’ll see how much of this design and layout has changed.
Changes at Disney World Hotels
As part of the six-year refurbishment of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney reintroduced The Garden View Lounge – Tea Experience earlier this year.
Next door at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, widespread construction is impacting guests with scaffolding and equipment taking up large portions of the hotel’s grounds.
Looking ahead, Disney recently announced a 2027 refurbishment for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and confirmed new shopping and dining tenants are coming to Disney’s BoardWalk.
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