6 Dates to AVOID Disney World Hotels in 2026

Planning a Disney trip is hard enough without accidentally booking your hotel during a full-blown construction zone.

There’s nothing worse than expecting a relaxing Disney resort experience and being greeted with scaffolding, pool closures, or transportation outages. While most of these projects are planned well in advance, they’re easy to miss when you’re juggling park reservations, dining plans, and figuring out which resort fits your vibe. To save you from a not-so-magical surprise, we’re calling out six 2026 dates you’ll want to avoid when booking your Disney World hotel stay.

January 25–31: The Entire Disney Skyliner is CLOSED

If you’re a fan of that quick, breezy ride to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios via the Skyliner, don’t count on it in late January. From January 25 through January 31, all Skyliner routes will be closed for refurbishment. That means no service Skyliner between Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, Riviera, or the Skyliner stations at the parks.

You’ll still have access to buses, but they’re slower, less scenic, and can get crowded. If you were booking a Skyliner resort specifically for the convenience, this week is one to skip.

January Through Late April: All-Star Sports Pool Closures

If you’re eyeing All-Star Sports for a budget-friendly stay in early 2026, heads up: the Surfboard Bay Pool and the adjacent kiddie pool will be closed from January through late April.

That’s the main pool — so you’re basically stuck with the smaller, less exciting options. And since pools are a big part of the experience at the All-Star Resorts (especially with kids), this is a pretty major drawback. If a pool day is part of your plan, this probably isn’t the right time for this resort.

January 26–Early May: Bay Lake Tower Pool Closures at Contemporary Resort

Staying in the Disney Vacation Club rooms at Bay Lake Tower? From January 26 through early May, the Bay Cove Pool, whirlpool spa, and water play area will all be closed.

You can still use the main pool over at the Contemporary, but for folks booking a DVC stay (or just paying a premium for that lakefront luxury), this definitely chips away at the experience. If you’re planning a split stay or looking for easy Magic Kingdom access, consider other options like Grand Floridian or Wilderness Lodge during this window.

Now Through Mid-February: Pop Century Room Refurbishments

This one’s a longer window that started before 2026 even kicked off. Rooms at Disney’s Pop Century Resort are being refurbished now through mid-February 2026.

Not all rooms will be affected at once, and Disney usually handles this kind of work one building at a time, but it’s still worth noting. If you’re hoping for a quiet, uninterrupted stay, you might not want to gamble on a construction-adjacent room. On the flip side, you could end up in one of the brand-new rooms — but that’s not guaranteed. It’s a toss-up. It’s also important to note that Disney does most of this work during the day, so the noise shouldn’t impact too much unless you have little ones who nap mid-day!

Through 2026: Polynesian Village Resort Construction Ongoing

The Poly is getting some serious updates — so serious, in fact, that certain areas of the resort and villas will be under construction through all of 2026.

This includes parts of the resort that are typically peaceful and scenic, so don’t be surprised if that serene tropical vibe is interrupted by construction walls or equipment. If the Poly is on your bucket list and you’re dreaming of relaxing on the beach while watching fireworks, you might want to push your stay to 2027 when the dust settles.

Through the End of February: Port Orleans Riverside Room Refurbishments

If you were hoping for a charming Southern escape at Port Orleans Riverside in early 2026, here’s what’s up: rooms in the Magnolia Bend section are getting refurbished through the end of February.

This doesn’t mean the entire resort is closed, but it does mean you might get shuffled into the Alligator Bayou section even if you were hoping for those stately mansion-style buildings. Plus, like with any refurbishment project, there’s always the possibility of daytime noise and construction activity.

Disney doesn’t always make these projects super obvious when you’re booking, so it’s important to do a little extra digging before locking in your dates. We’re all about helping you avoid those “why didn’t anyone tell me?” moments—because nothing sours a trip faster than surprise construction outside your window or finding out your resort’s best feature is out of service.

Check back with AllEars again soon for more.

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