A new notice provided to guests at one Walt Disney World resort indicates that the latest road expansion project will soon begin in the Magic Kingdom resorts area.
Tikiman's Unofficial Polynesian Resort Pages posted a notice regarding upcoming road work which was provided to guests at Shades of Green resort. The notice indicates that the latest phase of the World Drive Expansion Project is set to begin on May 1, 2023. During the project, walkways between Shades of Green and Disney's Polynesian Village Resort will be closed to guests.
Starting Monday, May 1, 2023, the World Drive Expansion Project will begin between Shades of Green and the Grand Floridian Resort. We know that it's a lovely stroll on the walkway from our hotel to the Polynesian Village Resort unfortunately, it will no longer be accessible.
But don't worry, we've got your back! We're adding extra buses to the Transportation and Ticket Center route, so you can still easily get to your destination. And the best part? It's totally free!
This appears to be part of a project which was revealed back October 2021. The project would see roadways between Magic Kingdom parking lot and Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa re-routed and exapanded to 4 lanes. It also includes the addition of three roundabouts.
On February 24, the Orlando Business Journal reported that Reedy Creek Improvement District had approved the road project with an expected budget of $176 million. This is a 73% increase over the original budget of $101.5 million.
The project includes approximately 1.6 miles of roadways, a 100-foot vehicular bridge, retaining walls and the three roundabouts. The project is expected to be funded via a series of existing and future ad valorem bonds issued by the district. The district currently has about $1 billion in existing bonds which are to be repaid via property tax collections from District residents--primarily The Walt Disney Company and Disney Vacation Club owners.
Orlando Business Journal reports that the project will take approximately 2 years to complete. Other projects in the area include construction of the Polynesian's new Disney Vacation Club tower which is expected to open in late 2024, and renovations to guest rooms an the main lobby at the Grand Floridian.
