Construction is continuing on multiple projects at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn as part of an ongoing refurbishment of the resort. Crews are touching up guest room balconies, as well as the façades of the various BoardWalk buildings. The new Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers is also taking shape.

The Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers

This new table-service and quick-service restaurant is replacing the former ESPN Club. While the building’s basic shape will remain the same, many of the walls and the tower were demolished for this re-theming.

A new tower has been constructed with a slightly different shape. Concept art promises it will have large windows.

The entire exterior will be mostly white, with several lights and golden accents.

The concept art, as well as previews of Cake Bake Shop food items, is posted on construction walls.

Guests will enter the main table-service restaurant at the front of the building’s rounded section, while the quick-service bakery entrance will be on the right.

The entire interior was gutted. A permit for the “buildout of the Cake Bake Shop” was filed in March and contracts Johnson-Lancaster and Associates, Inc. The Clearwater-based company provides and installs food service equipment.

The Cake Bake Shop is set to open at Disney’s BoardWalk later this year, but two locations already exist at Broad Ripple Village in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Carmel City Center in Carmel, Indiana. The combination restaurants and bakeries are known for their lavish decor, artfully composed dishes, and afternoon tea experiences. Online ordering is also available.

Judging by the state of construction, it will be open much later this year.

No new paneling has yet been installed on the walls.

Work Around Trattoria al Forno

Last time we checked on construction, crew members were working on the guest room balconies overlooking this section of the BoardWalk and on the exterior of BoardWalk Deli.

Now, progress has moved down to the façade of Italian restaurant Trattoria al Forno, where temporary green fencing surrounds two cherry-picker vehicles.

The sidewalks are still open for guests to walk around the machinery.

We saw no crew members out and about during this trip, but the cherry-pickers and ladders suggest that they are repainting more balconies and the restaurant façade.

The main entrance to Trattoria al Forno has scrim in a tunnel around it.

Trattoria al Forno and the Pizza Window will be closing for a brief refurbishment next week.

Lobby Area Repainting

Closer to the BoardWalk Inn lobby, work seems to be wrapping up on repainting guest room balconies in this area.

Again, no crew members were out on this day, though a cherry picker is still parked behind green fencing for use.

Looking up at the building, we didn’t see any materials on balconies or unfinished paint jobs.

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn is modeled after turn-of-the-century boardwalks in such mid-Atlantic coastal landmarks as Coney Island and Atlantic City. Disney has stated they intend to keep this theme throughout all of their refurbishment projects happening at the resort.

The lobby of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn was remodeled earlier this year with minimal changes. In December 2022, the new Carousel Coffee shop and seating area opened, replacing Dundy’s Sundries, which closed permanently in October. Decorations continued to be added over the following weeks.

Have you ever visited or stayed at Disney’s BoardWalk? Are you excited to see these updates and renovations? Let us know in the comments.

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