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Crews Tear Down Final Remnants of Disneyland California Location

in Disneyland Resort, Food

Posted on by Jess Colopy
Decorative blue entry arch bearing the "downtown disney" sign above a walkway leading to various shops and eateries, with people walking and green trees under a clear sky, where Disneyland employees at the Lego store plan to unionize.

Credit: Drew Tarvin, Flickr

On Thursday, construction crews were spotted tearing down the last remaining structures of the old Tortilla Jo’s restaurant in the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort. After over two decades serving guests, the Mexican restaurant closed in March 2024 to make way for two new dining locations.

Tortilla Jo's at Downtown Disney
Credit: Disney

Tortilla Jo’s first opened at Downtown Disney (Disneyland Resort’s equivalent of Walt Disney World Resort’s Disney Springs) in 2004. The Table Service restaurant offered a variety of classic Mexican dishes, including tacos, nachos, burritos, and enchiladas, but it was most famous among Disney Parks fans for its fresh guacamole. Employees hand-prepared and customized each bowl tableside, making it some of the freshest guacamole at Disneyland Resort.

Construction walls surrounded Tortilla Jo’s shortly after it closed last spring, but Disneyland Resort didn’t file permits to demolish the location until September. Construction didn’t begin until earlier this year, when crews began tearing apart the 20-year-old restaurant. Work has steadily progressed in the months since.

A group of adults and children enjoy their time outdoors at an amusement park, with some standing and others sitting around a table with colorful drinks. One child wears Minnie Mouse ears, smiling and gesturing animatedly. Nearby, a band performs on a stage reminiscent of those at Downtown Disney.
Credit: Disney

On May 15, X (formerly known as Twitter) user @laughing_place shared two videos of a large construction vehicle knocking down the remaining Tortilla Jo’s structure at Downtown Disney. The Disneyland Resort guest even captured part of the building coming loose and falling. This is a rare sight for Disney Park guests, as Disney typically prefers to do major construction overnight when guests aren’t there to watch.

Watching them knock down part of the remaining Tortilla Jo’s structure. #DowntownDisney #DisneylandResort

I could feel the seismic reverberations as it came loose. #DowntownDisney #DisneylandResort

Disneyland Resort has announced that two new restaurants will replace Tortilla Jo’s: Arthur & Sons Steak and Bourbon and Pearl’s Roadside BBQ. Disney hasn’t announced an opening date for either dining location. Follow Inside the Magic for updates on this and other projects at Disney parks around the world!

Are there any restaurants you think should have locations at Downtown Disney? Share your ideas with Inside the Magic in the comments! 

in Disneyland Resort, Food

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

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