Walt Disney World is starting a brand new growth cycle that can end in $17 billion of spending on new lands, rides, eating places, and resorts. That final one is definitely an assumption on our half. Though WDW’s 5-year plan was laid out at D23, there was radio silence about inns–even tasks we all know are in growth.
In all chance, there’s much more on the Walt Disney World ‘resort horizon’ in 2025 and past that has but to be introduced. This could come as no shock, because the final growth cycle noticed a number of resort reimaginings, together with the development of Gran Destino Tower, Riviera Resort, Swan Reserve, and a few dozen completely different Disney Trip Membership add-ons. To not point out the shelved Reflections Lakeside Lodge, which is now a part of this growth cycle.
What’s notable about most of these tasks is that the unique bulletins weren’t made on the D23 Expo or different blockbuster occasions. They as an alternative got here by way of press releases or, on uncommon event, by way of quiet updates to the official Walt Disney World web site or bulletins to journey brokers. Level being, you must count on extra of the identical beginning in 2025, with fast-tracked resort tasks which have various levels of impression to the visitor expertise.
At its essence, that’s what this listing is all about. Walt Disney World has a ton of inns and lots of development, which may impression your trip. To assist make issues simpler, we’re going to slim down your selections with an inventory of lodging NOT to ebook, with a rundown of the worst resorts for 2025, together with a number of inns that we usually love–and one large time fan favourite!
What makes this listing of the worst inns at Walt Disney World in 2025 completely different from some other time? Every of those resorts makes the listing for a particular cause distinctive to 2025. Generally, that’s both because of the impression of development…or the shortage thereof, as time has handed by a few these resorts as their “competitors” has improved by comparability.
In a few instances, we’re additionally making an allowance for current reader suggestions, which has soured on some resorts at Walt Disney World greater than others. In different instances, we’re proactively anticipating an increase in complaints come 2025, as previous precedent is the very best predictor of future efficiency, or visitor (dis)satisfaction, because the case could also be.
With that mentioned, calling these the “worst” Walt Disney World resorts for 2025 might be a bit hyperbolic. In lots of instances, the development tasks impacting every of the resorts will probably be localized, which means that you may keep away from it with a room request. In different instances, the pertinent closures received’t even final your complete 12 months, so relying upon your 2025 journey dates, chances are you’ll not expertise any points in any respect.
In case you’re not apprehensive about closures or development, and are merely in search of how we rank the resorts at Walt Disney World with none particular consideration for 2025, we’d suggest studying our Rankings of ALL Walt Disney World Inns from Worst to Finest. Actually, that’s a greater beginning place than this listing because it covers a greater diversity of execs & cons and is simply, usually, extra complete…
With that mentioned, let’s dig into this listing of the worst resorts at Walt Disney World for 2025…
All Star Films
Walt Disney World has introduced that the Fantasia Pool at Disney’s All-Star Films Resort will probably be closed for routine upkeep from January 2025 by means of April 2025. That is the characteristic pool at All Star Films.
Friends might even see or hear development work throughout daytime hours. Throughout this time, resort company are welcome to swim within the Duck Pond Pool at Disney’s All-Star Films Resort.
Clearly, a pool challenge lasting ~4 months isn’t sufficient to maintain All Star Films on the ‘worst’ listing for your complete 12 months. However wait, there’s extra. Films was additionally the primary of the All Star trio to get solely reimagined rooms, so these are actually the oldest of the bunch, which means barely extra put on and tear. For that cause alone, ebook Sports activities or Music in 2025.
Bay Lake Tower
Bay Lake Tower is within the midst of receiving a full refurbishment. The challenge simply began in October, and is slated to take one full 12 months, which implies that it’ll be completed by October 2025. That’s assuming there aren’t any delays or pauses to accommodate peak season dates, and I wouldn’t be so positive of both.
Disney has indicated that that is going to be a “difficult” challenge, with renovations accomplished floor-by-floor, requiring a rerouting of utilities so that each one working flooring nonetheless obtain service. The challenge can even entail infrastructure work along with room overhauls. Development crews are on-site and rooms are already out of fee, nevertheless it’s unclear how a lot worse the impression will get.
Bay Lake Tower is overdue for a refurbishment, and the rooms have been worse for put on for not less than 5 years now. The rooms at Bay Lake Tower have been poorly constructed within the first place and constructed simply earlier than the present ‘wave’ of progressive lodging that marry space-saving types with well-themed ones. The studios are additionally small by Disney Trip Membership requirements, particularly when contrasted with the Polynesian.
Consequently, BLT may gain advantage tremendously from getting the Riviera therapy. We actually look ahead to returning to Bay Lake Tower as soon as that occurs…however received’t till it does! At this level, which means banking and reserving a keep at BLT for Christmas 2025 or in Winter 2026.
That is one the place a room request may suffice to keep away from the development impression, however given the standing of the outdated rooms, chances are you’ll be higher off utilizing your DVC factors on the Poly or Grand Floridian in 2025 in order for you a Magic Kingdom resort. As all the time, you possibly can rating important financial savings when renting Disney Trip Membership factors, which ought to take the sting out of costs when planning your Walt Disney World journey!
Seashore Membership
On the plus facet, the foyer refresh and room refurbishments are actually completed at Disney’s Seashore Membership Resort and Villas. This isn’t an enormous reimagining like a number of the resorts have seen–chances are you’ll not even discover most variations if it’s been a number of years between stays–however the resort feels recent consequently. It’s the kind of factor that might usually land Seashore Membership on this listing, particularly because it’s additionally a modest thematic improve.
However (and it is a large “however”), an enormous closure is on the horizon: Stormalong Bay Pool is Closing in 2025 for Refurbishment. From January 2025 by means of June 2025, Stormalong Bay and Shipwreck Pool at Disney’s Yacht and Seashore Membership Resorts will probably be closed for upkeep.
Because the #1 pool at Walt Disney World and the most important promoting level of staying right here, we simply can’t suggest Seashore Membership for the primary 6 months of subsequent 12 months. Personally, I wouldn’t ebook it for July, both. Walt Disney World normally performs these reopening dates conservatively–they usually reopen on time or forward of schedule 4 instances out of 5. That that 20% likelihood of a delay provides me pause.
Yacht Membership
Related story right here, not less than with regard to Stormalong Bay within the first 6-7 months of 2025. We wouldn’t ebook these resorts except we actually didn’t care in regards to the pool, or there have been an distinctive low cost to compensate for the important thing characteristic being out of fee.
That’s not the one sticking level for Yacht Membership, although. From January 2025 by means of Could 2025, visitor rooms at Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort will probably be beneath refurbishment. Friends might even see or hear development work throughout daytime hours.
That is attention-grabbing as a result of Yacht Membership’s “new” rooms (air quotes) have held up very well and aren’t exhibiting their age. So both it’s time for an additional delicate items refurbishment or Walt Disney World is making an as-yet unannounced change. My cash is on the previous–it’s about time for a refresh.
Even so, it’s odd that this challenge would solely final 5 months. Yacht Membership is a slightly massive resort, and a delicate items refurbishment looks as if it’d take longer. Possibly it is going to, and that finish date is mistaken, or maybe it’s not each room. Irrespective of the way you slice it, we’d suggest avoiding Yacht Membership for the primary half of 2025.
Port Orleans French Quarter
Identical thought right here as with Yacht Membership. By means of Spring 2025, “some” visitor rooms at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter will probably be beneath refurbishment. Friends might even see or hear development work throughout daytime hours.
It’s value noting that this began as lasting by means of this November, inflicting us to take a position that it was a two-phased onerous items room reimagining, with a pause within the center for the high-occupancy vacation season. After that, the second set of rooms can be redone within the first half of 2025. This has now confirmed to be appropriate, as Walt Disney World quietly “prolonged” this to Spring 2025.
We’re keen to go additional on a limb and say it may final even longer than that. Not essentially the room reimagining (though that might), however larger image tasks round French Quarter. It’s been some time since this resort had any main non-pool tasks, so it’s probably overdue. On the plus facet, the primary units of buildings are actually completed, and the brand new rooms have been properly modernized.
Port Orleans Riverside Resort
If a time-traveler got here again and advised me a decade in the past that Riverside can be making my worst of listing for 2025, I wouldn’t consider it. Largely as a result of I’m skeptical of time journey. We nonetheless love Port Orleans Riverside, however we love the thought of it greater than the precise resort. Time has handed it by.
A technique or one other, that’s why it Port Orleans Riverside makes this listing of locations to keep away from in 2025. Both as a result of time has handed it by and it feels dated as in comparison with different Average Resorts, or as a result of Walt Disney World acknowledges this and can lastly end the renovations that have been interrupted by the COVID closure.
Walt Disney World has already introduced a partial slate of room reimaginings at Port Orleans Riverside in 2025, however our guess is that there’s rather more to come back. As soon as Port Orleans French Quarter is completed with its refurbishment, typical cadence can be for these development crews to maneuver over to Riverside. That’s what occurred final time and the time earlier than that. (I’m undecided in regards to the time earlier than that–that’s again within the AOL dial-up days and web record-keeping isn’t the very best.)
The underside line is that we count on to see a large-scale refurbishment challenge at Port Orleans Riverside beginning someday between Spring 2025 and Fall 2025. Mainly, shortly after every time work wraps up at French Quarter. Keep there earlier than that if you wish to expertise a thematic exemplar of Walt Disney World, and would favor one thing that’s old fashioned Walt Disney World (and in equity, that’s what many followers favor!).
Fort Wilderness
Walt Disney World continues to be within the strategy of changing the outdated cabins with new Disney Trip Membership villas. The primary phases of cabins are actually open, however work continues.
Development impression will probably be minimal, because the cabins are pre-fabricated off-site and put in unit-by-unit, not constructed on location. This can happen loop by loop and must be completed by April 2025. Even when it’s not carried out by then, we wouldn’t suggest avoiding Fort Wilderness on this foundation.
We’d, nevertheless, suggest avoiding it on account of work resuming on Disney Lakeshore Lodge (previously Reflections). Walt Disney World lastly formally introduced this, after it being an open secret for months. We simply stayed at each Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness inside the final month, and the development from the latter was very noticeable.
It’s on that foundation that we suggest avoiding Fort Wilderness for the following couple of years. The entire level of Fort Wilderness for us is its serenity and seclusion. Development could have an outsized impression on Fort Wilderness company, as cranes tower over the Settlement to construct a tower that can even tower over the campground. Development blight and noise eradicate the principle enchantment of Fort Wilderness for us within the first place. We merely would slightly sit out the following few years there whereas this work is ongoing.
Wilderness Lodge
Wilderness Lodge makes the listing partly on account of Disney Lakeshore Lodge (assuming that really is the ultimate identify), nevertheless it’s not almost as important of an element right here as it’s for Fort Wilderness. Even the waterfront A-frame cabins and treehouse villas received’t materially impression Wilderness Lodge company, save for these staying on the far finish of the Cascade Cabins (simple sufficient to keep away from with a room request).
Formally, there are two present challenge at Wilderness Lodge: exterior refurbishment work and refurbishments to the Copper Creek Villas inside the principle constructing. Throughout this time, company might even see and listen to development work throughout daytime hours. It’s unknown when this may finish.
These are two prolonged tasks that might impression Wilderness Lodge till 2027 if permits are correct. In consequence, this resort arguably has the most important slate of development tasks in 2025. Nonetheless, as we talk about in larger element on this put up about Wilderness Lodge development, that doesn’t actually give us pause about staying there. With room requests, chances are you’ll not discover any of the work in any respect.
Wildcard: Grand Floridian Resort
We love the brand new Mary Poppins-inspired rooms at Grand Floridian and the refreshed eating places, however Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort nonetheless–in some way–a wildcard in 2025.
We are saying this as a result of nothing materials has occurred on this challenge in over a 12 months. The outer buildings are all completed, and Walt Disney World received to the principle foyer constructing and simply…stopped. It’s our understanding that work isn’t truly carried out within the foyer–it simply paused for the favored vacation season final 12 months. However then, it by no means resumed in 2024.
What occurs subsequent is unknown. It may simply be a light-weight refresh, with work resuming and ending within the first couple months of 2025. On the different finish of the spectrum, it could possibly be a protracted and concerned course of, encompassing not simply the foyer however the eating places in the principle constructing, too. It stands to cause that Grand Floridian Cafe will probably be refurbished in some unspecified time in the future, receiving a refresh just like 1900 Park Fare.
Or perhaps not! Maybe Disney has determined to hold a “Mission Achieved” banner within the foyer of the Grand Floridian and transfer on to different tasks. Actually, we’re wonderful with that. The foyer is improbable, even when it doesn’t fairly mesh with the outer buildings now.
Finally, there are lots of glorious lodging choices for 2025 Walt Disney World holidays. There are tons of recently-redone resorts and room reimaginings, most of that are considerably higher than the outdated rooms (something pre-2018). That is nice for company, and makes it simpler to be choosy about the place you keep.
The unhealthy information is that some resorts are being refreshed or could have development closures in 2025. Given the costs that Walt Disney World prices, you ought to be choosy about the place you’re paying a premium to remain and ensure all necessary facilities can be found and there’s nothing to detract out of your keep.
Our hope is that this listing of lodging helps you slim down the place you wish to keep when planning your 2025 journey to Walt Disney World. Simply remember that this listing is probably going incomplete, particularly for the second half of 2025, so we’ll preserve you posted about additional updates and development tasks which are added to the calendar at a later date.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about inns on our Walt Disney World Inns Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To save cash on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the very best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the things it is advisable to know!
Your Ideas
Which resort(s) will you be avoiding in 2025 at Walt Disney World? Suppose we’ve making an excessive amount of of the development on the Poly or Grand Floridian? What about room circumstances at Bay Lake Tower? Suppose time has handed by Port Orleans Riverside, or disagree with our tackle that? What about all of the pool and potential Skyliner closures at first of 2025? Do you agree or disagree with our selections? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
