Walt Disney World has announced a massive renovation and expansion to the resort’s popular Swan and Dolphin hotels, creating the park’s largest event space.

The three-hotel complex includes the Dolphin Resort, the Swan, and the Swan Reserve, which are located next to each other adjacent to Epcot. The expansion announced Wednesday will deliver an additional 120,000 square feet of meeting space, bringing the total amount of event space up to 469,000 square feet, GrowthSpotter reported.

The 4-star hotel complex is owned by Tishman and managed by Marriott.

The additional meeting space will be built in a new two-story annex building constructed on a portion of a parking lot next to the existing convention space at the Dolphin Resort. A rendering provided by Disney indicates that the new space will have a design and color scheme consistent with that of the existing convention building, allowing it to integrate into the existing structure.

The first floor of the two-story expansion will consist of 41,000 square feet of multi-purpose space and 24,000 square feet of pre-function space, including lobby and hallway areas, while the second floor will have 14,000 square feet of pre-function foyer space and a 41,000-square-foot ballroom with divisible event space. Guests will enter into an open atrium area with a winding staircase leading to the second floor.

The expansion will begin in November and is expected to be completed in late summer 2026. Once the expansion is complete, the Swan/Dolphin facility will be the largest event/meeting space on Disney property.

Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort’s last big renovation, at a cost of $140 million, broke ground in 2014 and wrapped up in 2017. The renovation included a revamped lobby at the Dolphin Resort and a comprehensive refurbishment of all 2,267 guest rooms at the Swan and Dolphin. The room total at the complex expanded to 2,619 rooms upon the completion of the adjacent Swan Reserve hotel in 2021.

Disney also recently finished an upgrade to the existing 330,000 square feet of meeting space and is expected to complete enhancements to the carpeting, air walls, corridors, and breakout spaces within the communal areas of the Swan in the summer of 2025. Additionally, a remodeling of all the rooms at the Swan will wrap up by the end of the year.

“These enhancements will be a great addition to our iconic and award-winning operation,” said Area General Manager Sean Verney in a press release. “It positions our property to remain at the forefront of meeting and convention venues globally.”

Despite an often rocky relationship with Gov. Ron DeSantis, Disney is poised to continue expanding in the Orlando market for years to come. In June, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s board unanimously voted in favor of a 15-year plan for Disney to spend up to $17 billion in construction and investment to improve and expand its Central Florida properties.

Disney hasn’t revealed much of what this investment could entail. The entertainment giant is planning a large expansion of Magic Kindom that could add 12 to 14 acres to the park. However, Disney hasn’t shared any further details.

The agreement that was approved earlier this year covers about 17,300 acres of Disney-owned property and allows a maximum of five minor theme parks, such as a water park, nearly 1.3 million square feet of office space, 1.7 million square feet of restaurant/retail space, and 53,467 hotel rooms. It also established a $10 million commitment by Disney to fund affordable housing projects.

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