Drivers heading to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are about to get their first truly permanent approach road in months. On September 10, the resort will connect to a new roundabout on Floridian Way, replacing the temporary connector roads and blue directional signs that have guided guests since the corridor first reopened. If you haven't been out that way lately, expect the area to look nothing like you remember.
The new entrance ties into the northernmost of two completed roundabouts, located on the western edge of the resort near an overflow and cast member parking lot. The temporary patch that's been routing guests to the Grand Floridian since Floridian Way opened last month will go away once the permanent connection is in place. A new entrance for the Wedding Pavilion is also planned south of its current location, though no opening date has been announced for that piece yet.
One change that won't be reversed: the old Seven Seas Drive intersection at Floridian Way is permanently closed, in both directions. For years that turn was the quickest way to move between the Grand Floridian area and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort — including popular dining spots like 'Ohana and Trader Sam's Grog Grotto. Drivers will now need to continue to North World Drive and loop back around. Any GPS or navigation app with an outdated map will send you the wrong way, so checking the current road layout before you leave is genuinely worth the extra minute.
All of this is part of Phase III of Disney's World Drive North project, a multi-year corridor overhaul that includes new bridges, widened roads, added lanes, and redesigned intersections. The full project is expected to wrap in late 2027. A third roundabout, near the Magic Kingdom parking lot, is still to come, as is a recently permitted expansion of Grand Floridian parking. Guests using Disney transportation — monorail, buses, or boats — won't be affected by any of the road changes.
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This story was first reported by Disney Fanatic.