A Crane Has Arrived at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Closing Most of the Fourth Floor Observation Deck
A large crane was spotted on the north side of Disney's Contemporary Resort on August 26, with the majority of the fourth floor observation deck blocked off by rolling planters directly beneath its arm. The exterior refurbishment, which began in September 2024, is now scheduled to run through the end of 2027.
A large crane is now on site at Disney's Contemporary Resort, and it has cost guests one of the resort's best free views. Spotted on Wednesday, August 26 on the north side of the property, the crane sits in the northern service area, and the majority of the fourth floor observation deck has been blocked off by rolling planters, because that section of deck sits directly beneath the crane's arm.
The Buzz
The Contemporary refurbishment has now slipped twice, from September 2025 to July 2026 to the end of 2027, and every new piece of equipment on site restarts the conversation about how long guests will be booking a flagship resort wrapped in scaffolding. Losing most of the fourth floor observation deck makes it tangible.
What Is Visible on the Ground
The black and white crane is parked in the northern service area, ringed by orange and white cones. The observation deck closure is the practical consequence for guests: rolling planters have been used to fence off the portion of the fourth floor that falls within the crane's swing radius, which is standard safety practice when a lifting operation is working above an accessible space.
The north side is not the only front. Beige scrim and scaffolding remain on the front of the resort, though the scrim has shifted position since earlier reports, an indication that the crews are progressing across the facade in sections rather than working one elevation to completion.
Earlier this month, the exterior work had moved to the Bay Lake side of the resort, which brought its own scaffolding structure and dark green construction walls.
Refurbishment Timeline
- Began: September 2024
- Originally scheduled to finish: September 2025
- Revised to: July 2026
- Now scheduled through: The end of 2027
- Currently affected: Most of the fourth floor observation deck; the resort's front facade and the Bay Lake side
A Two-Year Job That Has Become a Three-Year One
The schedule is the real story. Work started in September 2024 with a September 2025 finish. That slipped to July 2026, and then again to the end of 2027, more than doubling the original duration. Guests booking the Contemporary for 2026 or even 2027 should assume scaffolding somewhere on the building for the length of their stay.
Exterior work on this particular building is genuinely difficult. The Contemporary's A-frame tower opened with the resort on October 1, 1971, and its distinctive shape means crews cannot simply run a straight scaffold up a flat wall. It is also a working hotel with the monorail running directly through the Grand Canyon Concourse and no ability to close for the duration.
What This Costs Guests Right Now
The fourth floor observation deck closure is the one to plan around. It is the free, uncrowded vantage point over Seven Seas Lagoon and toward Magic Kingdom that resort guests and monorail riders use for fireworks, and most of it is now behind planters. Disney has not said how long the crane will remain in place or when the deck will reopen in full, and there is no published stage-by-stage schedule for the remaining facade work. Anyone booking a Contemporary room through 2027 should ask about the current construction elevation at the time of check-in, with crews moving between the front, the north side and the Bay Lake side, which view a room faces determines whether it looks at the lagoon or at scrim.