Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is preparing for an extensive room refurbishment that will stretch across more than a year, with work now scheduled to begin in mid-June 2027 and continue through October 2028.
The project will be completed in phases, with Disney refurbishing one themed section of the resort at a time. That approach should allow Art of Animation to remain open throughout the project, although guests staying during the refurbishment may encounter construction activity in certain areas.
Disney advises that visitors could see or hear maintenance work during daytime hours while the project is underway. Alternate walking routes may also be required at various points as crews move between buildings and themed sections.
The refurbishment will include both the resort’s family suites and its standard rooms in The Little Mermaid section. Disney has not yet released a complete look at the finished designs, but one significant functional change has already been confirmed: updated rooms will feature pull-down Murphy-style beds that can convert between sleeping and dining space.
That type of furniture has become increasingly common across Walt Disney World resorts because it allows a room to serve multiple purposes without permanently occupying floor space with an additional bed. At Art of Animation, the new configuration will provide guests with either a second sleeping surface or a table depending on how the room is being used.
Disney is expected to preserve the resort’s strong animation-inspired identity during the refurbishment. Art of Animation is divided into four areas based on Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. The first three primarily contain family suites that can accommodate up to six guests, while The Little Mermaid section offers standard hotel rooms.
The project is notable for its scale. Art of Animation opened in 2012 and has received smaller updates over the years, but the upcoming work represents one of the most substantial room refurbishment programs in the resort’s history.
Previous updates included a multi-year flooring project from 2019 through 2021 that replaced carpeting in guest rooms with laminate-style flooring. Disney has also completed maintenance and refurbishment work in public areas such as the lobby, but those projects did not represent a resort-wide overhaul of the accommodations.
Art of Animation remains one of Walt Disney World’s most heavily themed Value Resort properties. Larger-than-life character displays and detailed outdoor environments allow guests to walk through settings inspired by the four featured films, while the family suites are designed specifically for larger groups that want more space without moving into Disney’s higher-priced resort categories.
The resort is also served by the Disney Skyliner, providing direct gondola transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT’s International Gateway through the Caribbean Beach Resort hub. Bus transportation is available to other Walt Disney World destinations.
Because the refurbishment will continue from summer 2027 through fall 2028, guests booking during that period could have very different experiences depending on which section is being renovated at the time. Disney has not yet published a detailed schedule showing when work will move through the Finding Nemo, Cars, Lion King and Little Mermaid areas.
For now, the most important planning window is mid-June 2027 through October 2028. With the work taking place in phases rather than through a complete resort shutdown, Art of Animation will continue welcoming guests while Disney gradually updates rooms across the property.