Guests visiting Disney Springs right now may notice that one popular shopping location suddenly has a lot less space available.Marketplace Co-Op is in the middle of a flooring refurbishment, and the project has now moved deeper into the store. While shoppers can still enter the location and browse several areas, a large portion of the building is currently blocked off.Credit: DisneyThe closure affects the back half of Marketplace Co-Op, including three smaller shopping areas that guests normally have access to. It also creates a minor inconvenience for anyone trying to move between Marketplace Co-Op and the nearby PhotoPass studio.The good news is that Marketplace Co-Op hasn’t closed completely. Several shopping areas remain available, and Tren-D next door is also operating normally.Still, the latest phase of work shows that Disney is continuing a refurbishment that has already brought a noticeable new look to part of the building.Marketplace Co-Op Is Getting New FlooringMarketplace Co-Op has become a familiar shopping destination in the Marketplace section of Disney Springs, especially for guests looking for Disney apparel, accessories, home goods, and some merchandise that can feel a little different from what they’ll find in other stores around Walt Disney World.Right now, however, guests aren’t getting the full Marketplace Co-Op experience.Disney has closed the back half of the location as crews continue replacing the flooring inside the building. The project didn’t begin in this portion of the store. Instead, Disney previously completed flooring work in the front sections, including the area around Disney Drop Shop.Now, the refurbishment has progressed farther into Marketplace Co-Op.Large black curtains have been installed to keep guests away from the active work area. Those curtains currently block access to three smaller shops toward the back of the building. Under normal circumstances, those areas carry a mixture of apparel, accessories, and home goods.That means anyone planning to visit Marketplace Co-Op in the immediate future should expect a noticeably smaller shopping area.Part of Marketplace Co-Op Is Still OpenThis isn’t a full closure, which makes the situation much easier for guests who still want to stop inside.The front portion of Marketplace Co-Op remains accessible during the refurbishment. Guests can continue shopping for designer purses along with a selection of clothing and accessories. Disney Drop Shop also remains available.That’s an important distinction because Marketplace Co-Op isn’t disappearing behind construction walls altogether.Credit: Anthony Quintano, FlickrInstead, Disney appears to be handling the project in phases. The earlier flooring work focused on the front portions of the building, and crews have now shifted into the back.This approach allows at least some of the location to remain operational while work continues elsewhere.For guests, that means the experience may feel somewhat unusual, but it doesn’t necessarily mean skipping Marketplace Co-Op entirely. There’s still merchandise available in the accessible areas.The biggest difference is simply that shoppers won’t be able to explore the entire building as they normally would.The New Flooring Looks Very DifferentThe flooring project is also creating a noticeable visual change inside Marketplace Co-Op.The newly completed sections feature gray speckled flooring, replacing the older brown flooring that had previously been used inside the location.It’s not the kind of refurbishment that completely changes what Marketplace Co-Op is, but flooring can make a surprisingly big difference in how a retail space looks.Marketplace Co-Op has a fairly distinctive interior compared with some of Disney World’s larger merchandise locations. Rather than feeling like one enormous store, different areas can have their own identities and merchandise selections.Changing the flooring gives Disney an opportunity to refresh the space without fundamentally altering how the building operates.And based on the progression of the project, Disney seems to be working its way through the location instead of shutting everything down at once.That may make the refurbishment less disruptive overall, although the current phase does come with another change guests should know about.Guests Can No Longer Use a Familiar Indoor ConnectionThe construction curtains aren’t only blocking merchandise areas.They also prevent guests from using the hallway that normally connects Marketplace Co-Op with the PhotoPass studio.Anyone trying to move between the two locations currently has to exit the building and walk outside rather than using the interior connection.It’s a relatively small operational change, but it’s exactly the type of thing that can catch visitors off guard.Someone familiar with Disney Springs may automatically expect to use that hallway, only to discover that the route is blocked when they arrive.For now, the workaround is simple: head outside and enter the other location separately.That shouldn’t add a tremendous amount of time to anyone’s visit, but it does make Marketplace Co-Op feel more divided while construction continues.Tren-D Remains OpenThere is another piece of good news for shoppers visiting this part of Disney Springs.Tren-D remains open and accessible next door despite the work happening inside Marketplace Co-Op.That gives guests another nearby shopping option if they arrive and find that the current Marketplace Co-Op closures affect the merchandise they were hoping to browse.Credit: EMLpotography, FlickrThe surrounding area remains active, so this isn’t a situation where guests will encounter a major section of Disney Springs completely inaccessible because of construction.Instead, the work is concentrated inside Marketplace Co-Op.Disney Springs is filled with retail locations, restaurants, entertainment venues, and smaller specialty shops, so refurbishment projects can sometimes be completed without dramatically affecting the overall guest experience.Marketplace Co-Op’s current project appears to fall into that category.It’s noticeable once you walk inside, but it shouldn’t significantly disrupt a full day or evening at Disney Springs.Disney Is Keeping Marketplace Co-Op Operating During the WorkOne of the more interesting parts of this refurbishment is the way Disney has apparently chosen to tackle it.Rather than closing Marketplace Co-Op completely and replacing all of the flooring at once, the work has moved through different portions of the store.The front sections received the new flooring first. Now that those areas are accessible again, the back half can be closed for its turn.For a busy retail destination, that approach makes plenty of sense.A complete closure would eliminate the entire store from Disney Springs for however long the project required. By dividing the work into sections, Disney can continue selling merchandise and keep part of the guest experience available.Of course, the tradeoff is that visitors encounter construction curtains and temporary changes for a longer period.Guests may also find that certain merchandise isn’t as easy to access while those three smaller shops remain unavailable.Still, keeping the front open gives visitors the opportunity to shop rather than arriving at a locked entrance.Another Refurbishment Is Moving Forward at Disney SpringsFor most visitors, this probably won’t be a change that dramatically alters a Disney Springs trip.Marketplace Co-Op remains open. Disney Drop Shop is accessible. Tren-D continues operating next door. Guests can still shop for several categories of merchandise in the front of the building.But anyone who regularly visits Marketplace Co-Op will immediately notice the difference.The back half is currently hidden behind black curtains, three smaller shopping areas are unavailable, and the indoor connection to the PhotoPass studio can’t be used.Credit: Erica Lauren, Inside the MagicAt the same time, guests can already see what Disney is working toward.The completed portions of Marketplace Co-Op now feature the new gray speckled flooring, giving the interior a refreshed appearance compared with the older brown design.Once work progresses through the remaining sections, Marketplace Co-Op should have a more consistent look throughout the building.Until then, shoppers should be prepared for a partially closed store and one small detour.Marketplace Co-Op is still very much open for business, but for the time being, only part of the familiar Disney Springs shopping experience is available.The post Disney Springs Closure Expands, Blocking 3 Shops and Familiar Guest Route appeared first on Inside the Magic.