Art of Animation Rooms Reportedly Set for Long Refresh
Published September 2, 2026
Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World is reportedly scheduled for a major room refurbishment from mid-June 2027 through October 2028. As of Wednesday, September 2, reports say the resort is expected to stay open while work moves through one themed area at a time.
The project is described as a hard goods refresh, meaning the work is expected to include new furniture and fixtures rather than just light cosmetic updates. Reports say guests may see or hear daytime maintenance work in the active construction area.
Art of Animation has four distinct themed sections: three family suite areas and one standard room area. Working through the resort in phases would let Disney keep other areas operating while crews update rooms.
The timeline is notable because it puts the work at roughly 16 months. For a Value Resort, that is a long refurbishment window, and Art of Animation is not just any Value Resort: its bold character theming is a major reason families choose it.
What we know
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort — reportedly scheduled for a room refurbishment from mid-June 2027 through October 2028.
- Room work — reportedly described as a hard goods refresh with new furniture and fixtures.
- Resort operations — reportedly expected to remain open during the project.
- Construction phasing — reportedly planned one themed area at a time.
- Guest impact — reports say guests may notice daytime maintenance work in the active area.
What’s not confirmed
Disney has not confirmed which Art of Animation themed area will be refurbished first.
Disney has not released individual phase dates for the resort’s sections.
Reports say concept art was shown to media earlier in 2026, but Disney has not released that concept art publicly. That matters here because Art of Animation’s selling point is the look and feel of the rooms, not just the beds and bathrooms.
What it means for your trip
If you are booking Art of Animation for late 2027 or 2028, treat the resort as open but potentially uneven by section. The smart move is to pay close attention to room category, construction notices, and whether your family cares more about Skyliner access and suite space or about avoiding daytime refurbishment noise.
If you are choosing Art of Animation specifically for heavy character theming, wait for public room visuals before assuming the refreshed rooms will feel the same. A cleaner, newer room may be a win for comfort, but the trade-off families are watching is whether Disney preserves the loud, movie-specific personality that makes this resort different.
If your dates are flexible, a stay before mid-June 2027 avoids this reported refurbishment window. If your dates fall during the project, build in backup resort options and check current construction notices before locking the reservation.
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