Disney World is changing in some important ways.

A brand NEW attraction is coming to EPCOT, the 50th Anniversary celebration has ended, and 100th Anniversary touches have started to appear. And now we’ve got some hints about future changes coming to the parks and hotels!

Today we’re taking a look at some of the Notices of Commencement recently filed relating to Disney projects. These essentially signal that work on these projects could be happening soon. Let’s take a look at what’s going on.

Splash Mountain Updates

Splash Mountain has closed in Disney World and is actively being transformed into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (set to open in late 2024). You can physically see the changes taking place at this spot if you stop by Magic Kingdom, but one Notice of Commencement indicates even more work could be taking place soon.

On April 11th, 2023, a Notice of Commencement was filed for Splash Mountain. The improvement is described as “Fabrication and Installment of Show Set Items.”

The contractor listed is Icarus Exhibits, Inc. We’ve seen them involved in other Disney projects including some work related to Cinderella Castle, EPCOT’s newer gelato stand, and some other decorations placed on Cinderella Castle. They were also listed on some work at the building that houses Creations Shop and Club Cool, and they have worked with Imagineering doing theming work in the past.

We know that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set to get a big item — the water tower — this summer. And there will be lots of new animatronics featured within the ride so perhaps this could relate to some retheming on the interior or exterior portion of the attraction.

The specified end date for the Notice of Commencement is December 31st, 2024, so that could indicate that they’ll be working on this project for a long time. And unfortunately, that end date doesn’t give us any indication of when the ride may open (it is set to open in late 2024). But we’ll be on the lookout for more news!

Click here to see what NEW thing is coming to the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure queue!

A NEW Disney Springs Restaurant Is Taking Shape

We’ve also got an update about a new restaurant coming to Disney Springs — Summer House on the Lake. This is another spot that is actively under construction, but it seems more work will be in progress soon. On April 12th, 2023, a Notice of Commencement was filed to “install graphics at Summer House” in Disney Springs.

The contractor listed is Design Communications LTD. We’ve seen them involved with Disney projects before. They’ve done some sign work for Disney and were listed on a permit for the installation of a sign at the Magic Kingdom train station previously too.

So it seems some special graphics/a sign could be coming to this area soon — that’ll be something to watch out for! Summer House on the Lake is set to open in late 2023.

See more about what they’ll serve, their dessert-focused market, and more here!

Star Tours

Another interesting Notice of Commencement we spotted is one for “general construction” at the address tied to Star Tours in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The contractor listed is “MLC Theming Inc.” According to their LinkedIn, they are a “creative, specialty construction company.”

This is interesting because Disney recently officially announced that Star Tours will be getting NEW scenes in 2024. The permit has an end date of September 29th, 2023, however. Its early end date could signal that this is not at all related to the new scenes, but it could also potentially be some early work behind the scenes for things that might come into play later on. The new scenes will likely just be new digital scenes within the ride, however, so it’s unclear what work a “specialty construction company” would need to do for that. But we’ll just have to wait and see.

Click here to learn more about that Star Tours announcement

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Updates

If you’re excited about the changes happening at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, we’ve got another update for you! On April 12th, 2023, a Notice of Commencement was recorded for “general construction” at an address tied to the main building at the Grand Floridian.

The contractor is Balfour Beatty Construction LLC. That’s significant because we’ve seen that same contractor listed on construction permits for projects tied to Splash Mountain, the PLAY! Pavilion, and Reflections — A Lakeside Lodge.

Another nearly identical Notice of Commencement for “general construction” at the Grand Floridian’s main building was also recorded. Plus, a Notice of Commencement for “general construction” for an address tied to another Grand Floridian building was also recorded and lists Balfour Beatty Construction as the contractor.

There’s some construction work already underway at the Grand Floridian, but we think these newer permits (particularly the ones related to the main building) are interesting because Disney previously announced that the Grand Floridian lobby would be undergoing a refurbishment.

Disney said that the new look “will maintain the classic theming [guests] know and love with some fresh new enhancements.”

There’s nothing to specify whether these notices of commencement are for that lobby refurbishment, but it is interesting that they have been filed recently. It’s also worth noting that the two tied to the main building have specified an end date of April 27th, 2024 — that could indicate quite a lot of ongoing construction (for whatever purpose).

Click here to see what menu items have DISAPPEARED from the Grand Floridian Cafe

And More Hotel News

And finally, we have a bit more hotel news. One permit recently filed is for “general construction” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and it isn’t set to end until April 11th, 2024, so some general work could be happening there for a while. The contractor is POLI Construction and they were tied to some other projects at the BoardWalk.

Another permit was also recently filed for “general construction” at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, again with an end date of April 11th, 2024. The contractor is Ferran Services and their website shows that they do heating and cooling, electrical, and plumbing work.

We’ve also seen some notices of commencement for fiber optics installations at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and some labor, materials, and/or electrical items for construction at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn (where refurbishment of the rooms is ongoing).

So it seems a few updates, maintenance, or other changes could be coming to these spots.

Click here for our resort guide: Contemporary vs. Wilderness Lodge

And that’s all of the updates for now, but be sure to stick around for more news.

Click here to see the CHANGES made at a popular show in Disney World

Which of these projects are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments!