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!
I am planning to visit in 2022. I really want the parades to be performing to attend. I was also hoping to stay at Port of Orleans. I am bringing my four year old grand daughter who really loves frozen.
Thanks for all the info it really is a big help especially this year. Riverside and Animal Kingdom are my favorites and wonder where I should be looking for news that they are reopening?
A little early but, hoping to be going in August 2023 from the UK, only the Free Dining Plan makes a big difference – it may not be viable if it’s not part of the deal. I know there is plenty of time and can’t book before August 2022 anyway. Do you think things will be back to ‘normal’ by then if things continue to improve with Covid.
In 2010 we upgraded from POFC to the GF due to overbooking and “rebalancing” as they called it- it was the best trip EVER. our room was overlooking MK and as a young single mom I would NEVER have been able to afford that room . Most magical thing that ever !!
Wow! They are re-opening, so excited to travel again. Thanks for sharing.
We have a reservation for Coronado spring gran destino towers presidential suite. It has taken us years of saving to have this kind of a family trip. But now we find out the club level is not open. No one at Disney will give any information on if it will reopen by our July trip. So disappointed in Disney. No one seems to care that this was a once in our lifetime trip.
REALLY hoping some more of the Signature Restaurants open. We enjoy cleaning up and having nice dinners after a long park day ! It makes for a great vacation for our family:).
Hi I am hoping to travel from the UK in late august staying at coranado springs. Do you have any idea when the club rooms will reopen? Thanks
I am 61 my friend is 82 we are hoping to stay at Disney park 2 nights and go to epcot both days at some point between September 22- September 29. We live on an island whidbey island in Washington state and are visiting Florida. Any advice ? I was raised in Florida but have been gon for 42 years. We are planning on scooter for sure. Its a bucket list visit.
Planning a trip for late January 2022, and I think we are going to rent DVC points for AKL Jambo. Do you think the rest of the lodge will be open by then? Thanks!
Disney hotel rooms now remind me of Loki’s cell and after watching 2001 this evening the room that David ends up in. Bare and white.
Allison: One more thing, you could keep checking the member website daily and try to modify your reservation to a different resort if one opens up. Just go to the Member website and click on your Dashboard. Then click on the reservation you want to modify. You’ll see a box to view or modify details. Click on that box and select modify. It will resemble on line booking and you can enter your dates and select all WDW resorts to see if something else comes up for you. If it does, just select the new reservation and go through the steps to change it.
Allison: The only way for more villas to open up would be for people to cancel. October is the start of the Anniversary Celebration (I’m sure you know that), but it’s part of Fall Frenzy. You need to book your home resort at 11 months out and then see what else is left over at seven months out. You waited too late.
Inventory that is cash inventory will not be converted to points inventory. So no matter if the BWI and BC are opening, that doesn’t free up any space at the villas.
We are DVC members. When I booked our October trip in early April, our only choice for suites was Saratoga Springs. I was shocked that everything was booked, but now I’m thinking more may open up? Do you know, if something is slated to open later (like Beach Club or Boardwalk), can we book that now for the fall or are they not taking reservations yet? Saratoga Springs is probably out least favorite resort, so I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth calling frequently to try and change (especially as each phone call takes about 2 hours).
I just returned from staying at All Star Movies, it was definitely overbooked, never seen so many people at a resort, (cheerleaders galore). A housekeeping manager told us that they are working on re-opening All Star Music, he did not know when though. Loved All Star Movies, Music is where we always stay, but will stay At Movies sometimes now also, have a trip already booked at Movies again. Taking pictures with no masks was really nice. Disney is slowly getting some normalcy back. Be happy when masks are no longer required, I am
part of the fully vaccinated group. Thanks for your great blog.
Really hoping Riverside reopens. It is an amazing location. Very dissapointed if the closure of the Magical Express goes ahead . It makes transportation so easy after a long flight from the UK and it is so well organised
I am trying to book a trip for early to mid-November, and there is barely any availability outside of a few deluxe resorts that are way out of my price range. Is this accurate? Do you anticipate that all moderate resorts that are open are fully booked for the fall, or have they not released all inventory yet?
Any thoughts on when Disney World will release summer hotel discounts (if they hopefully still plan to?)
I am scheduling a trip in September and December and it appears that manu hotels are not available. Even those with scheduled re-opening dates. Is it possible they are holding off releasing availability in some resorts to get others booked?
My sister are currently booked at a value resort in early October. If Port Orleans French Quarter to open up, we’d switch to it in a minute. It’s our favorite resort! Think it will happen by August?