2024 Construction and Refurbishment Progress at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn is undergoing a multi-year refurbishment, entailing considerable construction work. We’ve seen reasonable progress throughout the last year. Since we visit Walt Disney World regularly, we have been privy to seeing most of the updates as they happen. We even stayed at the Boardwalk last summer to check out the new rooms.

Overall, the updates at the resort have been positive. Many of them were long overdue. However, a few significant projects remain to be completed. For example, the construction of the Cake Bake Shop, replacing the former ESPN Bar and Grill, has moved along at a snail’s pace with delay after delay. (As of this update, things appear to be progressing.)

Thankfully, rooms on the Inn side of the resort are complete. So, if you plan a stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, you will receive an updated room. However, rooms at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas (the Disney Vacation Club side) are currently being renovated. Many of these new rooms have now debuted. But the villa’s side of the resort is undergoing extensive work.

Update: Blocks of rooms (on both sides of the resort) are undergoing extensive exterior paintwork and are surrounded by scaffolding. So, depending on the progress, some rooms might not be available. We have seen a few reports that some guests have been moved to different room categories.

Like last year, we’ll update this Disney Boardwalk construction timeline as notable changes occur. So, if Disney’s Boardwalk Inn is one of your favorite resorts, you might check back now and then for updates.

May 2024 Updates for Disney’s Boardwalk

We walked past Disney’s Boardwalk Inn earlier this week after enjoying lunch at Hurricane Hanna’s. Our last update was from about two weeks ago, but I could tell a few significant things had changed from across the lake.

As I got closer, I could see that all of the boarding from the “Crest O’ the Wave” area was being replaced.

Here is a before photo for reference. It’s the building with the decorative scalloped trim that resembles waves.

I was also happy to see that the signage for Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs had been installed. One step closer, right?

Things appeared to be progressing along with the Cake Bake Shop. The entire structure has received a coat of primer. Here are a few more photos.

April 2024 Updates for Disney’s Boardwalk

There has not been too much to report over the last two months. But I didn’t want you to think that I had forgotten you, Boardwalk fans. Below, we see a photo of the progress of the Cake Bake Shop. It appears that things are moving along in slow fashion. While we’ve made some fun of the progress of this restaurant’s construction, I am hopeful that it will be a success. I’ve been craving a slice of chocolate cake with chocolate icing lately, and after some thought, I realized there wasn’t any place among the resorts or parks to get a piece of old-fashioned layer cake with decadent frosting. (No, I’m not going to stand in line for two hours at Gideon’s, either.) But it would be nice, from time to time, to pick up a slice of cake to take back to the room or home with me at the end of a long day.

Here’s another angle.

I am likely the last person who should make fun of slow progress. But I find myself trying to come up with jokes about how long it takes to convert an existing food stand into a corn dog stand. Maybe if you have a joke, you’ll leave it in the comments. In all seriousness, when will we be able to eat corn dogs and cake at Disney’s Boardwalk?

Construction on the Boardwalk Villas side of the resort appears to be moving along. Most of the rooms around the Community Hall area appeared to be near completion.

The resort looks beautiful.

On my last couple of visits, I had been guilty of not stepping inside or around the front of the resort, so I was surprised to see this massive scaffolding covering the front of the Inn. These are the rooms that face the covered walkway to the front of the resort. You may remember we stayed in this area a couple of months ago.

I don’t know about you, but I was under the impression that this area of the resort had been completed. But I guess not. Even more surprising, I noticed a significant contrast in the paint color of the convention center and the Inn. We’ve been staying at Disney’s Boardwalk since the early 2000s, and I have never noticed this contrast. But maybe it’s always been this different, and the construction work made it noticeable. I’m not sure, and I’m sure not an alarmist. But it will be interesting to see what happens next.

Here’s a look at the convention center from the bus stop.

February 2024 Updates for Disney’s Boardwalk

We have several updates for this month. This last Friday, I was on my way to the Yacht Club for lunch and thought I would take a few photos on the way. I noticed a construction worker was painting the area between the Luna Park Pool and Community Hall. The fresh coat of paint looks good. However, I’ve noticed, depending on the light, sometimes it’s difficult to tell whether or not it’s been painted.

The villas facing the Community Hall Pool area are in the process of being renovated.

It looks like work will soon wrap up on the villas facing the Luna Park feature pool.

Rooms facing the garden have been completed, as well as rooms facing the Boardwalk.

I continued to the Yacht Club for lunch. On the way, I saw that the Cake Bake Shop looked like it had progressed enough for a few new photos. So, I decided to double back after lunch.

It is good to see things starting to come together.

As you can imagine, I have seen and heard a lot of mixed commentary about the new restaurant. I am hopeful it will be a hit.

Here’s a closer look.

The Blue Ribbon Corn Dog stand remains to be completed. I’m reminded of a quote by Thor Heyerdahl, “Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity.” That quote applies to Disney’s Boardwalk and this blog.

I stepped inside the lobby to see if anything had changed. At some point, the deck off Belle Vue Lounge received some updates. I am not sure how recent this was, but I had neglected to take any photos.

Back out on the Boardwalk, signage invited guests to visit the food truck for lunch. Since Big River Grille and Brewing Works closed unexpectedly last month, Disney has hired rotating food trucks to help fill the void.

A couple of tables and chairs have been relocated to this end so guests will have somewhere to enjoy their meal.

Had I not already had lunch plans, I probably would have stopped here. I don’t know about you, but I’m hopeful that Disney will add an elevated quick-service restaurant to the Boardwalk. It would be a lifesaver. Big River Grille’s former location would also be convenient for guests to mobile order from when spending the day at the pool.

While I was on the Boardwalk, Disney sent a notification asking me to stop at the open house. Since I was only a few steps away, I thought, why not? So, I was able to get a few photos of the remodeled villas. Below, we have a photo of the deluxe studio villa. This is also part of the two-bedroom lock-off, which combines a one-bedroom and a deluxe studio.

Here is an alternate view, which shows the fifth sleeper pull-down bed.

The artwork shows Mickey and Minnie Mouse enjoying the Community Hall Pool.

I couldn’t tell much difference in the bath area since our last stay in the villas. It looks like the fixtures were updated.

The kitchenette area had already been updated a few years ago when the villas received a light refresh. I think some of the small appliances have been changed out. For example, the coffee maker now offers the option to make an entire pot or a single cup of coffee.

Here is a look at the bathroom with a standard tub and shower combination.

The deluxe studio is connected to the living space of the one-bedroom unit. Here is a look at the floor plan.

One-bedroom and larger units have a full-size kitchen.

The sofa in the living room converts to a queen-size bed.

Here is the extra bath.

This is the second bedroom for the two-bedroom lock-off or the only bedroom for the one-bedroom unit. It has a king-size bed.

Here is the master bath with a separate soaker tub.

Don’t you love this artwork?

This was a much more significant update than I expected. But I was happy for the opportunity to tour the villas and share a few photos with you. We love Disney’s Boardwalk and will be glad to see this refurbishment completed.

January 2024 Updates for Disney’s Boardwalk

Big River Grille and Brewing Works announced they were almost immediately closing in mid-January. They are now closed. This is a place we have dined at frequently over the years. So we are sad to see them go and hate this news for their employees. Sadly, Disney did not own and operate Big River Grille, so their employees were not cast members.

From what I could tell, work is being completed on the stand that will be used for Blue Ribbon Corndogs.

The villas along the Boardwalk have been completed

It appeared the rooms in front of the garden were nearing completion. However, scaffolding remains around the Luna Park Pool. We also noticed that cranes have moved near the resort’s front on the villa side.

We’ve added a few photos of the Cake Bake Shop progress further below.

Late December Updates for Disney’s Boardwalk

Work continues at Disney’s Boardwalk as we venture into the new year. On our past few visits, we noticed that Disney’s shrubbery on rollers was masking some of the concrete work being completed.

Here is an example of the completed work. On the surface, we can’t see any notable changes other than a refreshed look. However, new concrete supports have been poured under many of these areas.

On this visit, most rooms in front of the garden facing the walkway to Hollywood Studios were out of commission. However, as of mid-December, it appears that many of the rooms have been completed. Here is a photo from October.

This next photo is from December. It appears this area has received a fresh coat of paint and new awnings.

Boardwalk To Go was also surrounded by planters in late December. This to-go kiosk has been closed for several years. Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs is expected to occupy the space. This location is slated to open in 2024.

Cake Bake Shop Updates

Unfortunately, we haven’t seen many visible changes to the Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers. This photo below was taken in mid-January of 2024. If you continue scrolling, you’ll see photos from this time last year.

Here is a photo from last month where it appears that additional time was spent adding decorative dog houses to the roof.

As you may know, the Cake Bake Shop was announced in 2022 with plans to open sometime in 2023. A few months ago, Disney announced that the project had been delayed and would open in 2024.

Here is a timeline of the progression from when we began documenting the project in January of 2023.

This next image was taken in February.

Then, in March, it looked like things took a step in the opposite direction.

This next image was taken in May, where it looks like they figured out the roof structure and crow’s nest.

This photo was taken in early July. Not much had changed.

This next photo was taken in late August. We can see that some progress has been made.

As of mid-October, we see a few more changes.

Here is a photo from the end of the year.

Since our visit last month, things have significantly progressed at the Cake Bake Shop. We hope the interior progress will move quickly.

Interior Room Updates at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

As mentioned above, interior rooms on the Boardwalk Inn side of the resort have been completed. Here are a few photos of the updates we’ve seen this last year. The resort’s interior room hallways all received a new paint color, carpet, and light fixtures.

Far gone are the former yellows and blues that greeted you on arrival. However, I think the updates are calm. Make no mistake, the mint color is bright, and so is the lighting. We had to put a towel at the foot of the door to block light from streaming in underneath it at night.

Here is a closer look at the carpet.

Silhouettes are an intricate part of the new light fixtures. I don’t know about you, but I adore these fun accents. They are accurate to the turn-of-the-century style of the Boardwalk while also paying a nod to Disney.

We stayed in one of the new rooms at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn. While our stay at Disney’s Boardwalk didn’t go as smoothly as we would have liked, we loved the new rooms. Thankfully, the former green carpet was removed and replaced by solid surface floors.

Platform beds replaced the existing beds, adding more storage space underneath. The new rooms have artwork featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, among other classic characters, enjoying the Boardwalk.

Additionally, the Innkeeper’s Club at Disney’s Boardwalk (club-level) has been completely refurbished. The entire floor has reopened with fresh updates to the rooms and lounge. Here is a photo of our room. You can preview photos of the new Boardwalk rooms along with a video in a separate article.

Exterior Updates at Disney’s Boardwalk

Earlier in August, we saw the railings were sanded for a fresh stain.

It appears that work has been completed.

Also, the popular benches along the Boardwalk appear to have received a fresh coat of stain.

A scrim covered the Boardwalk Deli’s entrance this summer. This location opened almost exactly a year ago.

However, the scrim came back down with no apparent changes.

We spent a week at Disney’s Yacht Club in August for our vacation. Several mornings, I woke up early and walked around the lake. Being up so early, I was privy to seeing some construction work.

New boards were installed on the Boardwalk.

However, it appears the work will only be completed in certain areas.

This photo below was taken in August. I didn’t notice it while on the Boardwalk, but this picture shows awnings missing from Abracadabar.

However, it appears the original awning was re-installed on a return visit.

Belle Vue Lounge

Belle Vue Lounge was updated at the beginning of 2023. Here, you can see where the interior staircase from the Boardwalk to the resort’s second floor received a new rug.

Modern furniture had been added on the lower level of the Boardwalk next to the traditional hutch with dishes near the elevators. I’m not sure any of this goes together.

At the top of the staircase, the table and chairs have been removed. I’m also curious to see if the payphone booth toward the back of this area will be converted.

Behind the staircase is where you’ll find Belle Vue Lounge. It’s always been one of the coziest spots to take a break at the resort. Here is a photo of the former traditional style.

The entire space has been completely updated. While this isn’t nearly as traditional, it has a Great Gatsby meets modern look.

Thankfully, the lounge still commands the same classy feel as before.

This is an excellent spot if you need a place to lounge outside your room. You can use the lounge anytime during the day; bar service is available from 4:00 p.m. until midnight.

Here are a few photos of the new displays inside Belle Vue Lounge.

Look closely at the rug if you’re as fond of hidden Mickeys as I am.

Boardwalk Inn Lobby

So far, we haven’t seen any significant changes to the lobby at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn. During our stay last summer, we asked multiple cast members if and when the lobby would be updated. Every response was that they didn’t know. This refurbishment at the Boardwalk began in late 2021. Going into 2024, we are curious to see if the lobby will receive any updates.

While the lobby is an excellent place to relax, it has a ton of wasted space between the sitting area and the check-in counters.

Earlier this year, most of the check-in area was behind walls.

However, that area reopened, and I’m not entirely sure much changed.

Here’s another photo of the lobby.

If you’ve visited the Boardwalk Inn, you likely remember this half-horse, half-mermaid chandelier that centers the main entrance. Will it stay, or will it go? Time will tell. But we saw an entire construction team standing underneath it taking photos and notes earlier last year.

Carousel Coffee

Carousel Coffee opened in place of Dundy’s Sundries around the first of 2023. It received underwhelming reviews because of its simple and drab decor.

Since then, Disney has added a few things to spruce the place up.

Those items include a few fun prints and a small iron table with two chairs in the front window.

One end of the lobby has been converted to tables with chairs. A few pieces of artwork and terrariums were added since the original unveiling.

Related: Carousel Coffee at Disney’s Boardwalk

Other Updates You Might Have Missed

In addition to these updates, we’ve seen some new things at Disney’s Boardwalk over the past few years. For instance, the former clown slide was removed. Now, the paneling features Mickey and Friends.

Related: The Pools at Disney’s Boardwalk

Boardwalk’s pool slide also underwent an unexpected closure earlier this year. However, that work is complete, and the slide is again open.

Related: Disney Resort Refurbishment Schedule

Last year, the Boardwalk Bakery closed to transition to the Boardwalk Deli.

Not terribly much changed other than more sandwich options are now available. It’s a reasonable counter-service restaurant for the resort. However, it would be nice if more options were available.

Related: Disney’s Boardwalk Deli Review

For now, we’ve covered the visual change at the resort. As things change, we’ll revisit the resort for more updates.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please leave them below in the comments section. We’ll happily answer anything based on what we know from our visits.

For all of our coverage of the resort, we have a guide:

• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

Or you might enjoy these individual articles:

• Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Review
• Disney’s Boardwalk Villas Review
• Transportation Options at Disney’s Boardwalk
• Disney Springs vs. Disney’s Boardwalk

For other hotels under refurbishment, you might enjoy these:

• DVC Tower Construction at Disney’s Polynesian
• Grand Floridian Renovation and Refurbishment
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort Refurbishment

In the Comments:

What do you think? Do you like the improvements at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn? Are you hopeful the new rooms will turn out nicely? Have you ever stayed here?