Drivers heading to Magic Kingdom, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, or Island Tower at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort will encounter a new route beginning August 10, 2026. Traffic is set to move onto a newly constructed section of Floridian Way that runs between the Magic Kingdom parking area and the Grand Floridian entrance — though this is an interim configuration, not the finished road.
The change is part of World Drive North Phase III, an ongoing Central Florida Tourism Oversight District infrastructure project that is widening and replacing Floridian Way west of the Magic Kingdom resort area. According to firsthand reporting from BlogMickey, CFTOD Administrator Stephanie Kopelousos announced the August 10 date at the district's July 24 Board of Supervisors meeting. Disney itself has not issued a formal traffic advisory as of this writing.
Guests shouldn't interpret the August 10 opening as a sign the project is wrapping up. Two of three planned roundabouts have reportedly been installed, but work on the southern roundabout near Magic Kingdom parking remains unfinished. Construction will continue alongside the active roadway after the shift, and the project's contractual completion date has already slipped to December 21, 2027 — roughly 15 months later than originally scheduled — due to funding constraints, utility complications, and additional scope.
To maintain access during the transition, temporary connector driveways have reportedly been built serving the Grand Floridian's main entrance, the Wedding Pavilion, and Island Tower. None of those destinations are closing — only the approach changes. Drivers should follow posted signage rather than relying on navigation apps or memory, since the road configuration has shifted multiple times as construction has progressed and may shift again.
This story was originally reported by Disney Fanatic.
