Disney Reveals Reopening Date for Grand Floridian Cafe After Multi-Month Closure

Walt Disney World has revealed the reopening date for Grand Floridian Cafe, the fan-favorite table service restaurant that is currently in the midst of a multi-month refurbishment. Here are full details, along with what we’re expecting to come of the project once it wraps up.

For starters, this isn’t simply a one-off refresh of the Grand Floridian Cafe, similar to what we just saw with Crew’s Cup Lounge and Yachtsman Steakhouse, both of which yielded only light aesthetic updates (thankfully!). The Grand Floridian Cafe refurbishment is pretty much the final piece of the puzzle with an overhaul to Walt Disney World’s flagship resort now scheduled to conclude in 2027.

The Grand Floridian Resort reimagining has been a lengthy project, starting with Enchanted Rose in 2019, followed by Citricos around reopening, then room reimaginings and major refurbishments to the outer buildings. The project culminated last Christmas, with the debut of the new lobby and Birdcage Bar. With the reimagined Garden View Lounge finally reopened this spring after a 6-year closure, only one restaurant remained: Grand Floridian Cafe.

In a couple more months, that too will soon reopen. There are a number of ways the Grand Floridian now looks and feels fresh, and is once again worthy of being considered the crown jewel of WDW resorts. See our Review: Walt Disney World’s Flagship Hotel Finally Fits Its Status & Sky-High Prices.

As of September 2026, here’s the construction warning bulletin for the Grand Floridian via Walt Disney World:

Renovations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will continue in select areas, including the covered entrance, through early 2027. Guests may see or hear work during daytime hours and may need to take alternative routes.

From mid-July through October 2026, Grand Floridian Cafe will temporarily close for a refresh. During this time, brunch will continue to be offered at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, but it will temporarily move to Cítricos. All other dining locations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will remain during the renovations.

This holiday season at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Guests can enjoy elegant seasonal décor and festive offerings, along with new miniature gingerbread displays featured throughout the resort. To help keep the lobby flowing smoothly for resort Guests, the traditional large gingerbread house will not be offered this year.

We now have confirmation of the Grand Floridian Cafe’s reopening date…

Grand Floridian Cafe Reopening Date

Walt Disney World still hasn’t announced a reopening date for Grand Floridian Cafe, but they have indirectly revealed when the restaurant will return. (For reference, a date was never officially announced for Yachtsman Steakhouse. The calendar change was the announcement.)

Guests can now make Advance Dining Reservations for Grand Floridian Cafe beginning November 2, 2026. Currently, there is availability for all time slots, but these were just loaded into the system, so ADRs could fill up fast. In addition to the reservation availability, Walt Disney World has updated the calendar to reflect operating hours of 5 pm to 9 pm starting November 2, 2026.

Given both the calendar change and the ADR availability, this seems pretty conclusive to us that the target reopening date following the restaurant’s refurbishment is November 2, 2026.

Note that, as with all refurbishments, this is subject to change. That date is still nearly two months away, and project delays are always possible. Walt Disney World might’ve calendered a conservative reopening date, and Grand Floridian Cafe will be able to soft open a few days ahead of that.

It is also possible, as always, that the calendar is just flat-out wrong, and these hours were meant for something else. (Surprise! You actually made a secret ADR for Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater!!!)

While that can never be ruled out, we doubt it’s the case here. There are enough ‘signals’ to suggest that the early November reopening date is accurate.

Our expectation is that the November 2, 2026 date will end up being accurate or within one day of the restaurant’s return. This is the lead-up to the popular Jersey Week and Veterans Day, as well as the kickoff to Christmas, which is a popular time at Walt Disney World as a whole, and Grand Floridian in particular. Birdcage Bar opened around this same time last year.

Unlike Yachtsman Steakhouse we also anticipate Walt Disney World making a formal announcement about Grand Floridian Cafe. This seems to be a more consequential update and is likely to be an actual restaurant reimagining.

Given that, it seems likely a new menu, first look inside, or something else will be released in the months to come. There were a lot of teases with both the Birdcage Bar and Garden View Tea Room; our expectation is something on par with those, especially since Grand Floridian Cafe is a fan-favorite.

Grand Floridian Cafe closed in late July, but has been serving brunch at Citricos ever since from 7:30 am to 2 pm.

That remains the schedule through November 1, 2026. Interesting, brunch is dropped completely on November 2, 2026. Either this is an oversight, or brunch won’t return immediately once the restaurant reopens. Or perhaps the move to Citricos will continue if there’s lingering work that necessitates a morning closure at Grand Floridian Cafe.

The shift from Grand Floridian Cafe to Citricos for brunch is relatively minor. You’re just moving up one floor into a newer dining room with slightly-elevated views. The Mary Poppins-inspired dining room is nice, but the menu is the same. Brunch at Grand Floridian Cafe is good, so I recommend it on that basis, but it’s not a ‘drop everything and book this ADR’ must-do.

Grand Floridian Cafe Closure Commentary

It’s great to see Walt Disney World finally refresh Grand Floridian Cafe. This isn’t surprising; the one remaining piece of the puzzle after the Garden View Lounge reopened is Grand Floridian Cafe.

I know Grand Floridian Cafe has a legion of loyal fans, some of whom are going to hate to hear this, but it’s time. It’s beyond time. The restaurant really sticks out in the redone hotel, looking like a vestige from a different era.

Grand Floridian Cafe feels dated. And not in the way a Victorian design is inherently dated-looking. It’s as if some decorations look like they were pulled from the style pages of a 1993 issue of Country Living Magazine. It does not remind me of the casual table service restaurant at Walt Disney World’s flagship resort; it’s a fancier, less-cluttered and more Victorian Cracker Barrel.

There’s a lot going on in terms of floral patterns, textures, wallpaper, and furnishings that is less reminiscent of a Victorian meets modern Floridian design and more like a quaint but affluent farmhouse done up in a Victorian style.

Admittedly, there’s also a certain charm to Grand Floridian Cafe. It is imbued with a certain ‘Florida’ quality to the space that’s tough for me to articulate. Maybe the country style, natural light, and Victorian flourishes give it the quality of a family-run bed & breakfast?

In fairness, Grand Floridian Cafe is also cozy and comforting, especially on the rare quiet mornings or late nights. It’s like coming home again, so it’s easy to see why so many longtime WDW fans love it and have sentimentality for it. At the same time, my assessment of this space when I first reviewed it nearly 15 years ago was that it was badly dated. It has not aged like fine wine since. I’m very ready for a change, even if I now have a soft spot for the (again, badly dated) space.

Expect new carpet, curtains, tables and chairs, decorations and detail-work. My best guess is that we’re looking at an overhaul on par with Garden View Lounge when it comes to the new-look Grand Floridian Cafe.

The only wildcard is whether Disney tries to weave in some IP. If so, I’d still expect that to be on the subtle side. While I’m fine with a tasteful update and no characters, I also wouldn’t complain if Grand Floridian Cafe got a light Aristocats integration. A bunch of feline fixtures and stained glass sounds groovy to me, and it’s such an underrated movie with no representation at Walt Disney World.

Honestly, I also wouldn’t mind a menu update–so long as my beloved Buttermilk-Fried Chicken stays. At the very least, bring back the Lobster Thermidor Burger.

Ultimately, we’re cautiously optimistic about the remainder of the resort reimagining, and especially Grand Floridian Cafe. Walt Disney World’s flagship hotel has been modernized nicely, with a good balance of elegance, sophistication, charm, and whimsy. The quality finally feels commensurate to its cost.

We cannot wait to return to Grand Floridian Cafe, and are optimistic that this will be a refurbishment or reimagining that’s on par with the lobby and other common areas. Hopefully it retains the charm and exceptional menu, while feeling more flagship. My biggest fears are that it’ll become more popular or pricier in the process, but with several other Signature options, retaining Grand Floridian Cafe as the mid-tier table service option makes sense. We’ll keep you posted!

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YOUR THOUGHTS

Excited that the new-look Grand Floridian Cafe will reopen on November 2, 2026? Will you be booking an ADR at Grand Floridian Cafe in November? Looking forward to its return with a fresh look? Are you disappointed that the familiar, fan-favorite is getting redone after so many decades? Or do you agree with us that it’s (beyond) time for an update? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Other thoughts or concerns? 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!