Construction walls and materials have moved to the center of the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort lobby as crews continue work on the guest floor railings.
Grand Floridian Interior Construction
Planters no longer block the view of the lobby directly in front of the Monorail station. A PhotoPass photographer was available in this space when we stopped by.
Instead, the planters are around a section of the second-floor railings at the other end of the lobby.
We saw some paneling behind the planters, potentially to be used to cover the floor.
Seating is now just available on the outskirts of the lobby and construction walls block most of the space.
Plywood covers the floor, keeping it protected from the two lifts and other construction materials.
Crews have been using the lifts to reach railings and columns of the guest floors above — replacing, refurbishing, and repainting various sections.
The top three floors have white scrim up against their railings.
The white construction walls have “white pet” signs.
We found the crew members painting white columns near the front of the lobby.
Although seating has been moved back into this area below the Monorail station, it was not yet open this morning as crews finished preparing the area.
Red velvet ropes blocked the couches and chairs from guest access.
Grand Floridian Exterior Construction
Meanwhile, scaffolding still covers the building around and above Gasparilla Island Grill.
The quick-service restaurant remains open despite construction on the guest room balconies above it.
Guests just need to walk through a tunnel of construction walls.
Another entrance in the construction walls is just for crew members.
Significantly more scaffolding has been installed, reaching all the way up to the roof and extending to a closed ramp near the Grand Floridian Café entrance.
Above, we could see construction materials on balconies and through balcony doors.
One door was lined with blue painter’s tape and had a sign taped to it. The balcony chairs were stacked and covered in plastic.
A temporary ramp has been set up at a different entrance to replace the closed one during construction.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Refurbishment
Former CEO Bob Chapek began a major overhaul of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa when he took over the Parks & Resorts division in 2015.
The updates began with the “Beauty and the Beast”-themed Enchanted Rose Lounge, which replaced Mizner’s Lounge. Cítricos followed with a new “Mary Poppins”-inspired design. When the Grand Floridian Spa reopened in January 2022, it too had been remodeled.
All the rooms of the Grand Floridian Resort are still being updated and some “Mary Poppins” theming has been added throughout guest buildings.
Narcoossee’s was closed from June 2022 to April 2023, and reopened with a revamped interior and “land and sea” menu. Read our Narcoossee’s review.
1900 Park Fare, the character dining buffet location at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, is still closed for refurbishment. The restaurant has not reopened since it closed in March 2020 with the rest of Walt Disney World Resort due to COVID-19.
Disney confirmed that the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will be refurbished but “will maintain the classic theming you know and love with some fresh new enhancements.” Though construction is underway in the lobby right now, this is just for guest rooms, and the actual lobby remodel has been delayed until 2024.
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