Credit: DisneyThe relationship between theme parks and quick-service dining has evolved dramatically over decades, moving from basic concession stands offering limited options to sophisticated food and beverage operations featuring everything from internationally recognized chains to celebrity chef concepts.
Disneyland Paris, like its American counterparts, has always balanced the tension between maintaining Disney’s themed environment standards and providing familiar dining options that international guests expect and actively seek during park visits. McDonald’s presence in Disney Village represents this compromise perfectly, offering recognizable menu items and predictable quality that appeals particularly to families with children who may resist more adventurous dining experiences regardless of how beautifully themed the alternatives might be.
The current McDonald’s location has served Disney Village guests for years, becoming a reliable option for visitors who want quick, affordable meals without venturing far from park areas or who simply crave the comfort of familiar food during European vacations that might otherwise push culinary boundaries beyond their comfort zones.
However, the existing restaurant’s infrastructure, capacity, and design no longer align with Disney’s evolving vision for Disney Village as the shopping, dining, and entertainment district undergoes comprehensive modernization aimed at creating more contemporary, visually appealing, and operationally efficient tenant spaces. The decision to close the current McDonald’s and replace it with a new, larger, architecturally distinctive location reflects both McDonald’s commitment to maintaining presence in this high-traffic tourism destination and Disney’s desire to upgrade the quality and appearance of Disney Village tenants without eliminating popular options that guests actively seek.
The current McDonald’s location at Disneyland Paris Disney Village closes permanently today, February 16, 2026, making way for a new, larger restaurant that will become the largest McDonald’s in France when it opens adjacent to the closing location in early 2026.
The end of an era: the current McDonald’s Disney Village location will close tonight at the end of the operating day. pic.twitter.com/vgrixpVa9S
— DLP Report (@DLPReport) February 16, 2026
The New McDonald’s Vision
The replacement McDonald’s represents a significant upgrade from the current facility in both size and design. According to announcements made in 2025, the new restaurant “features unique and innovative architecture designed exclusively for Disneyland Paris” and will include “playful nods” to the resort, integrating Disney theming elements into the McDonald’s brand in ways the current location does not.
The design emphasizes green, plant-filled spaces where families can enjoy meals indoors or on outdoor terraces, creating a more premium quick-service dining environment than typical McDonald’s locations. This approach aligns with broader Disney Village modernization efforts that have seen multiple tenants either replaced or significantly renovated to create more contemporary, aesthetically pleasing spaces.
Once operational, the new McDonald’s will serve as the flagship location for the entire country of France, a designation reflecting both its size and its unique position within a major international tourism destination. The combination of high guest traffic from Disneyland Paris visitors and architectural distinctiveness makes this location particularly significant within McDonald’s French operations.
The new restaurant is being constructed adjacent to the current location, allowing the existing McDonald’s to continue serving guests during construction before today’s permanent closure. This approach minimizes the gap between old and new locations opening, though guests visiting Disney Village in the coming weeks will need to seek alternative dining options until the new McDonald’s begins operations.
Disney Village Transformation Context
The McDonald’s closure and replacement fit within Disney’s broader Disney Village overhaul that has seen multiple locations close, renovate, or change entirely over recent months. The shopping, dining, and entertainment district is undergoing comprehensive modernization as Disney works to create a more contemporary aesthetic and upgraded tenant mix.
Other recent Disney Village changes include the closure of the vintage-style Disney Store in early January 2026, which is being replaced by “Disney Wonders,” a modern franchise-based shop scheduled to open in summer 2026. That closure eliminated one of the last nostalgic, maximalist-design Disney Stores featuring oversized character statues that many fans remember from childhood mall experiences.
The LEGO Store, Disney Glamour, and Disney Style have all recently debuted or undergone renovations in Disney Village, contributing to the district’s evolving character. These changes reflect Disney’s assessment that the shopping and entertainment area requires updates to remain competitive and appealing to contemporary guests whose expectations for retail and dining environments have shifted significantly since Disney Village’s original development.
The McDonald’s project represents one of the more substantial investments in this transformation, with the new building’s custom architecture and expanded footprint indicating both McDonald’s and Disney’s confidence in the location’s continued value despite broader retail and dining industry challenges.
Increased Canadian Interest in Disneyland Paris
The timing of the new McDonald’s opening coincides with reported increases in Canadian visitors to Disneyland Paris as some travelers shift away from U.S. Disney destinations. Travel agencies specializing in Disney vacations have noted Canadian clients redirecting bookings from Walt Disney World and Disneyland to Disneyland Paris and Disney Cruise Line sailings from international ports.
Christine Fiorelli, owner of Canadian travel agency Fairytale Dreams & Destinations, reported seeing a 30 percent shift in clients who normally book U.S. Disney vacations now turning to alternatives like Disneyland Paris. “Many travellers are still eager for that magical Disney experience but prefer to avoid supporting U.S.-based parks at this time,” Fiorelli explained.
This trend reflects broader patterns showing decreased foreign travel to the United States in 2025, with Canadian visits to the U.S. down 22 percent through November according to U.S. Commerce Department data. Political factors, trade tensions, and immigration policy concerns have contributed to some travelers choosing alternative destinations despite continued interest in Disney experiences.
For Disneyland Paris, increased Canadian visitation could mean higher demand across all Disney Village dining options, including the new McDonald’s once it opens. Canadian guests accustomed to familiar quick-service chains at Walt Disney World may particularly appreciate having McDonald’s available at the European resort, creating demand that justifies the investment in the expanded facility.
However, whether this visitor shift proves temporary or represents lasting changes in travel patterns remains uncertain, with events like the 2026 World Cup potentially affecting tourism flows. For now, Disneyland Paris appears positioned to benefit from guests seeking Disney experiences outside the United States.
What Guests Should Know
Visitors to Disneyland Paris Disney Village today and in coming weeks should be aware that the current McDonald’s has permanently closed. Alternative quick-service dining options remain available throughout Disney Village and within the theme parks themselves, though guests specifically seeking McDonald’s will need to wait for the new location’s opening.
Disney has not announced a specific opening date for the new McDonald’s beyond “early 2026,” leaving some ambiguity about exactly when the replacement facility will begin serving guests. Given that today marks mid-February 2026, the opening window appears relatively narrow, though construction timelines can shift based on various factors.
The new restaurant’s larger footprint and expanded capacity should improve the experience for guests once operational, particularly during peak periods when the current location sometimes struggles to accommodate demand. The outdoor terrace seating and green spaces also provide dining environment upgrades that may make the new McDonald’s a more pleasant option for families taking breaks from park activities.
For guests visiting Disneyland Paris in the immediate future who specifically want McDonald’s, checking Disney’s official communications or Disney Village information for the new location’s opening date will help avoid disappointment. Once open, the new restaurant should provide a quick-service option that combines familiar menu items with unique architectural elements reflecting its special position within the Disney Village environment.
If you’re visiting Disneyland Paris over the next few weeks and you’re one of those families that relies on having McDonald’s as your comfort food safety net during European vacations, just be aware the current location is done as of today and the new one hasn’t opened yet. Check Disney’s official updates for when the replacement opens because showing up expecting McDonald’s and finding it closed is a particularly frustrating way to discover construction timelines, especially if you’ve got hungry kids who were counting on Happy Meals and you now need to convince them that other Disney Village options are just as good even though we all know that’s a tough sell when children have their hearts set on chicken nuggets.