October is shaping up to be a busy month across Disney World's hotel lineup, with a handful of changes that guests staying on property will want to know about before they arrive.
The biggest news may be the October 1st opening of Hurly-Burly Lounge at Disney's BoardWalk Resort. The space fills the void left by JellyRolls, the beloved dueling-piano bar that closed in April 2025. By day, Hurly-Burly will serve as a family-friendly spot for activities and trivia; after dark, it shifts to a 21-and-up live music venue pouring coastal-inspired cocktails alongside light bites such as veal-pork-beef meatballs in tomato gravy, an antipasto board, mini pretzels with bacon-cheese fondue, oven-roasted shrimp, roast beef sliders, and mini apple cider doughnuts with miso-caramel sauce.
Guests with Animal Kingdom Lodge stays on the calendar should note two refurbishment windows: the north side lobby corridor closes September 28th through October 9th (taking the north lobby elevators and outdoor terrace observation deck with it), and the south side lobby corridor closes October 26th through November 6th, temporarily shutting Community Hall, Safari So Good Arcade, the laundry room, the Palace Library, lobby restrooms, and the outdoor terrace observation deck. Longer-running exterior refurbishments also continue at BoardWalk, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club, All-Star Movies, and Coronado Springs Convention Center, with most running into 2026 or 2027.
On the dining front, the Grand Floridian Cafe — dark since spring — is preparing to welcome guests back, with reservations now open for seatings beginning November 2nd. And as October winds down, early Christmas decorations will begin appearing at Disney's resort hotels, offering a preview of the holiday transformation that fully takes hold right after Halloween.
Planning Your Trip
Undercover Tourist is an authorized seller of Walt Disney World tickets, often at a discount off gate price.
This reporting is based on information published by the Disney Food Blog.
