Disney World’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course reopens after 189 days

Walt Disney World’s third-oldest golf course is back with every green rebuilt, 17 days after the Oct. 23 date fans were given in September.

Golfers at Walt Disney World have their fourth course back. Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course reopened Monday, Nov. 9, after a refurbishment that started May 4. Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course is OPEN for play!” the Walt Disney World Golf account posted.

That’s 189 days off the tee sheet. When Walt Disney World Golf announced the project on April 7, it said the work would run from “late Spring into the early Fall.

Kenny the Pirate reported in September that the course would return Oct. 23. WDWNT reported that date was later extended. Nov. 9 lands 17 days after it. Greens, it turns out, don’t care about your tee time.

The big change is under your feet. The golf account’s post touted “18 new greens” with elevated contouring.

What changed at Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course?

Walt Disney World Golf listed five projects in its April 7 announcement:

• Greens: a complete renovation with redesigned slopes and changes in height.

• Bunkers and chipping areas: greenside updates to make them play better.

• Irrigation: upgraded watering around the greens and the chipping areas.

• Drainage: new drains in many bunkers to cut down on standing water after rain.

• Tees: improvements to several teeing grounds.

The drainage work should help in summer. Anyone who has played Florida golf in July knows what a bunker looks like after the daily 3 p.m. storm. No design firm was named.

Where is the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course?

The clubhouse sits at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, 2200 Golf Drive, near Disney Springs. The holes wind past Saratoga Springs, Old Key West and the Treehouse Villas, DVCNews noted.

Parking at the course is free. Disney’s recreation page says complimentary taxi service is available for guests of select Walt Disney World hotels.

How much does it cost to play Lake Buena Vista?

Walt Disney World Golf doesn’t post a flat dollar price for Lake Buena Vista. It groups the course with Palm and Magnolia and shows the exact rate when you book. Here’s what its rates page does spell out:

• Fall season (Sept. 25, 2026, to Jan. 7, 2027): about 20% savings off the public rate when you book up to 90 days ahead.

• Discounts: 15% off for Disney Vacation Club members, annual passholders, U.S. military and AAA Diamond Vacation guests. Florida residents get 25% off.

• Kids and replays: juniors under 18 and same-day replays get 25% off the adult rate.

• Twilight: about 45% off after 1 p.m. through Jan. 7, and about 60% off for Super Twilight after 2:30 p.m.

• Sunset 9: $55 to $65 after 3 p.m., listed for the Palm, Magnolia and Lake Buena Vista group.

Rates don’t include the 6.5% sales tax. The cart fee is included in the greens fee, and carts are required. Since it’s Veterans Day, one more note: the military discount needs proof of eligibility at check-in.

How do you book a tee time at Disney World?

Book online at golfwdw.com or call (407) WDW-GOLF, which is (407) 939-4653. Booking direct carries no booking fee.

• Group size: up to four golfers per tee time, two to a cart.

• Arrival: at least 30 minutes early for check-in and warm-up.

• Cancellations: at least 24 hours ahead, or your card on file may be charged.

• Walk-ups: sometimes accepted, and singles or twosomes have the best shot.

What’s the history of Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course?

The par-72 course opened in 1972 and was designed by Joe Lee. AllEars noted it was the third course to open on Walt Disney World property, after Magnolia and Palm.

It has hosted PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and USGA events. Its signature hole is the seventh, which has an island green.

The last big project came in 2018. Disney replaced every bunker on the course and added a Mickey-shaped sand trap by the ninth green, a feature that used to belong only to Magnolia’s sixth hole.

What other golf is open at Disney World?

Disney’s other three courses stayed open during the work, near Shades of Green by Magic Kingdom.

• Magnolia: the longest course at Walt Disney World, now with the new Grumpy’s Gauntlet section.

• Palm: an 18-hole championship course with 59 bunkers.

• Oak Trail: a nine-hole, par-36 walking course with junior tees.

Walt Disney World Golf was also named the 2026 Resort Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association. Not bad for a year with one course in the shop.

Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.

Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Hat Tips:

• Walt Disney World Golf (Nov. 2026), rates, booking rules and course details

• Walt Disney World Golf (April 7, 2026), the May 4 start and the list of renovation projects

• Kenny the Pirate (Sept. 4, 2026), the earlier Oct. 23 reopening date

• AllEars (May 2026), the May 3 last tee times, course history and the other courses

• DVCNews (April 7, 2026), the course’s route through Saratoga Springs, Old Key West and the Treehouse Villas

• Walt Disney World Golf (Oct. 2018), the 2018 bunker project and the Mickey-shaped bunker

• WDWNT (Nov. 10, 2026), the Nov. 9 reopening post, “18 new greens” and the extended Oct. 23 date

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