2022 Disney World Hotel Reopening Dates
Walt Disney World continues to update the resort reopening timeline for 2022, with revised dates for hotels that were TBD. This looks at the schedule, how refurbishments and construction are delaying opening dates, and offers predictions for what’s next. (Updated December 22, 2021.)
As a quick recap, all Disney Vacation Club resorts welcomed guests back during the summer, before the parks even reopened. This included the DVC units in hotels that were–and still are–otherwise closed. The most extreme example of this is at Animal Kingdom Lodge, which is operating at about ~10% occupancy because the hotel rooms are not in use.
In the months since the parks reopened, Walt Disney World has resumed operations at numerous hotels, starting with those on the Skyliner gondola and monorail routes, and also opening some other properties that are only connected to the parks via bus transportation.
Let’s start with a look at the resorts that are currently operating at Walt Disney World, followed by the hotel reopening timeline for 2022…
Walt Disney World Resorts – Now Open
Here are the Disney Vacation Club & Deluxe Villa resorts that are currently open at Walt Disney World:
- Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
- Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
- Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort
- Beach Club Villas
- BoardWalk Villas
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge
- Old Key West Resort
- Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
- Riviera Resort
- Saratoga Springs Resort
- Villas at Grand Floridian Resort
Here are the hotels open at Walt Disney World:
- All Star Movies Resort
- Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House
- Art of Animation Resort
- Beach Club Resort
- BoardWalk Inn
- Caribbean Beach Resort
- Contemporary Resort
- Coronado Springs Resort & Gran Destino Tower
- Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Polynesian Village Resort
- Pop Century Resort
- Wilderness Lodge
- Yacht Club Resort
Note that it might appear some hotels are listed on the ‘currently open’ list above and the ‘reopening timeline’ below. However, that’s because some resorts have both standard hotel room wings and Disney Vacation Club villa wings. In many cases, only the DVC wings of the properties are open, with the hotel side yet to open.
2022 Walt Disney World Resort Reopening Timeline
Since our last update, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside, and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter all reopened as scheduled. These were 3 of 4 major hotels scheduled to reopen in the last quarter of 2021.
The only hotel left to reopen at Walt Disney World is now All Star Sports Resort, which was pushed back from its original return date. However, during the week of Christmas, Walt Disney World announced that All Star Sports Resort will reopen on March 31, 2022.
Note that if you have a stay booked at All Star Sports prior to then, Walt Disney World will relocate you. Usually that means to another Value Resort, but it depends upon where there’s availability.
Back when All Star Movies reopened, there was a lengthy stretch when that hotel was overbooked and Disney was regularly moving Movies guests to Grand Floridian as that was the resort with the best availability. Don’t count on that happening again, but the point is that upgrades are possible!
The likely reason that All Star Sports is reopening so much later than the other hotels is to accommodate its room reimagining. As noted above, this was scheduled but had not yet started when the closure occurred.
Undertaking this overhaul while the resort is not operating would expedite the project and mean that it doesn’t negatively impact guests. No one likes active construction at a hotel where they’re staying. So, bad news that All Star Sports won’t be back until 2022, but good news that it’ll be freshly-refurbished upon returning.
Additionally, Walt Disney World has announced revealed what offerings and experiences will be available when Disney’s All Star Sports Resort reopens:
Dining
- End Zone Food Court
- Grandstand Spirits
Shops
- Sport Goofy Gifts and Sundries
Activities
- Pools
- Poolside Activities
- Movies Under the Stars
- Playground
Transportation
- Bus transportation is available from this Disney Resort hotel to the Disney theme parks, Disney’s Blizzard Beach water park and the Disney Springs area
To our knowledge, that’s pretty much everything!
Prior to this, All Star Music Resort reopened as scheduled.
During the closure, All Star Music’s renovations project was finished. (See our Photos & Video: Newly Reimagined Rooms at the All Star Resorts post for more on the room overhaul.) In addition to the guest room overhaul, All Star Music also received a lobby refresh.
Additionally, the sister Port Orleans Resorts–Riverside and French Quarter both reopened.
Walt Disney World has expedited the return of the College Program and has gone on a hiring blitz, which facilitated the return of both hotels shortly after Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration kicked off.
Before that, Animal Kingdom Lodge returned. This might seem insignificant since the Disney Vacation Club villas in Jambo House have been open for over a year. However, the vast majority of Jambo House is hotel rooms (~1,200 hotel rooms v. ~200 villas), so this is a lot of inventory for Walt Disney World to bring back online.
Along with the hotel rooms reopening, Boma – Flavors of Africa and Victoria Falls Lounge have both reopened, while Jiko – The Cooking Place remains closed. See our Boma Review: Walt Disney World’s Best Buffet is BACK! for more on our recent experience eating there.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort returned in late July. We stayed in the new rooms at the Poly following its reopening, and share our thoughts, photos & video in Review: New Moana Rooms at Polynesian Village Resort.
Note that the porte-cochere, entrance, and monorail station are all finished, as well. Moreover, monorail service is now operating at the Poly!
Ultimately, it’s great to see almost all hotels at Walt Disney World now have returned. With the Port Orleans and All Star Resorts now back, that means another ~10,000 hotel rooms can come back online if those hotels book to capacity.
Obviously, this is a very significant number of rooms, and Walt Disney World does not have the staff to fill all of them. Hopefully, that will change in 2022 if the company is able to hire more housekeepers, food court workers, and other Cast Members.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about these reopening dates for Walt Disney World hotels? Any surprises on this list for you? Excited that Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter now have dates? Happy more Value Resorts are returning with the remaining All Stars set to reopen? Will you be attempting to visit Walt Disney World this year, or are you waiting until 2022? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Also hoping they re-open Toledo’s, Cape May + O’hana by the fall! I don’t see why they haven’t at least opened Toledo’s since Three Bridges has been a 3 hour wait on weekends.
We have a trip booked for September. I’m really hoping they add a resort discount for that month as in years past. If so we may extend our trip by a few days
Missed our April 2020 WDW trip, and October 2021 would have been our next visit. Our preferred destination is POFQ which is still not open, but with this blog we have decided to reserve at A of A hoping POFQ will open soon and we can change our resort, rather than waiting until 2022. We are 2 retired seniors who still look forward to experiencing the “magic”.
Courtney: I know that DVC villas aren’t held back, at least after 11 months out. I’d bet the other resorts aren’t holding back anything either, especially since there are still some hotels still closed. Those might be the only hold out and who knows when they will reopen.
Tom: Is there something wrong with the Reply button? Did you change something?
I’m planning a November trip, and room reservations look more limited than I would expect. Are they holding back some of their inventory, and if so, when do you think it will open up?
Any indication as to why they aren’t opening the AKL hotel rooms? They already completed renovations and I’m dying to stay there. It’s my favorite hotel!
Lack of demand. I’d expect hotel options to increase dramatically once attendance caps are dropped.
We r staying at POP in September 2021. Specifically for the Skyliner (first time seeing it).
We stayed at ALL STAR SPORTS in 2017 and Loved it. We were hoping for POFQ just for a Change, but that Resort reminds us Of HOME Too much. We r on Vacation. We hope to stay at Coronado Springs eventually. I am Hoping to b able to bring my Lil One to AKL to see animals
We are keeping our fingers crossed for Port Orleans French Quarter for opening this year. I agree with Wendy totally.
Are the animals out on the safari at Jambo House even though its only partially opened?
Hello, is there any information on when some of the nicer hotel restaurants will open? We are staying at The Beach Club starting September 12th and I’m wondering if all the restaurants will be open by then? Thanks, Michelle
Tom…..Any comments on this past Friday’s Park Hours time release? Looks like staying with the longer hours……….Is that a bad sign as far as crowds are concerned?
I’d say it’s an “in between” sign. Longer hours is always better and spring break crowds were not *that* bad–but also definitely not off-season good.
Park Pass reservations are already booking up for April and May at DHS and MK (some days), suggesting to me this is more about people getting comfortable traveling and less about spring break. The fact that so many people can work and learn remotely right now really blurs the lines on school breaks, vacation seasons, and the rest of the year. With that said, spring break crowds were still only moderate by historical standards, so you’re definitely not looking at peak crowds or anything even approaching that.
They are waiting demand to increase to reopen hotels at the same time they are encouraging guests to stay off site by taking away all the perks.
I hope they begin to bring back the benefits soon, and I am sure if they do so, they can easily fill up rooms.
Lack or more dining expansion makes no sense to me.
Unlike hotels – they already have massive excess demand for dining.
I’ve been keeping my eyes on the Patina Jobs board. A decent number of listings for their Disney restaurants but nothing that suggests major expansion.
Enhanced unemployment can create difficulty filling low wage positions until September this year. Many people are earning more by staying unemployed.
Any expectations or rumors of increasing dining? As in both re-opening more closed restaurants and increasing capacity at restaurants?
With restaurants around the country going to 100% capacity, surprising Disney is still so limited.
They’ve thoroughly defied all of my expectations at this point and I haven’t heard any credible rumors, so no.
One potentially plausible scenario is that they’re already running into staffing issues. I know this is true for certain roles, but I highly doubt it’s a widespread issue…yet.
Any news on when club levels at the hotels will reopen?
Thank you for a great update. Do you think O’hana + Cape May Cafe will re-open when those resorts open this summer? I’m also anxiously awaiting the reopening of Toledo’s. We have a trip planned late summer and hoping these are open by then
Is there any information on when club level amenities will reopen at Wilderness Lodge?
Any new updates concerning the All Star Resorts? Only asking because my daughter is scheduled to compete in a cheer competition (The Summit) at the ESPN Wide World of Sports beginning April 30 and when we are supposed to be staying at an All Star Resort. In the past, this competition has occupied rooms at all 3 All Star Resorts. I can’t imagine only one All Star Resort being open for this competition. Wondering if anyone else has heard anything.
Read all that had been moved to Universal
12:26 AM EST 2/3 and the Priceline app is showing All Star Movies available for our 2/13-2/17 trip at an average of $171/nt. Yes, we already have our resort booked but I’m always looking. Guess Priceline didn’t get the message.
Does anybody know when Jelly Rolls on the Boardwalk will reopen? Or where any of the performers there might be appearing in the Orlando area?