Overview
- Official Walt Disney World construction bulletins and Central Florida Tourism Oversight District filings published Friday show active refurbishments at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn scheduled through late 2026 and list two internal codenames, “Project Amazon” and “Project Bubbles.”
- Several long‑running venues have already closed or been gutted for the work, including the ESPN Club conversion, the permanent 2024 closure of Big River Grille, and the 2025 demolition of Jellyrolls, leaving large storefronts behind construction walls.
- Archival designs and commentary from former Imagineer Jim Shull reveal that early 1990s blue‑sky plans imagined a loud, ride‑filled amusement pier with mechanical midways and nightlife that were scaled back in the 1990s because of noise and zoning conflicts with premium hotel and Disney Vacation Club rooms and budget limits.
- Industry analysts and trade reporting say Disney has not confirmed final tenants and that expectations for the codenamed projects are speculative, with experts predicting an upscale, high‑capacity table service restaurant for Project Amazon and a cocktail or champagne lounge for Project Bubbles.
- The visible demolition and phased schedule signal a deliberate shift from prop‑heavy, nostalgic retail and nightlife toward a streamlined, higher‑spend hospitality model that could change the BoardWalk’s character for overnight guests and convention visitors while stretching the rollout into late 2026.