Credit: Michael Gray, FlickrIt’s the end of the era for the Golden Arches as one Disney park tears down a McDonald’s restaurant that has served guests since the 1990s.
The Golden Arches and Disney
McDonald’s and The Walt Disney Company have collaborated since the 1980s, starting with Happy Meal toy partnerships and eventually expanding to the Disney theme parks. In the 1990s, kiosks serving French fries and other McDonald’s staples appeared at Disneyland Park, Magic Kingdom Park, and EPCOT, and a full-service fast food restaurant opened in the Downtown Disney District (now Disney Springs) at Walt Disney World Resort. McDonald’s eventually sponsored the now-closed DINOSAUR ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.
You’ll still find Disney-themed Happy Meal toys at your local McDonald’s, but the brand disappeared from the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the early 2000s. Disney did not renew its contract with the brand as part of an effort to promote healthy eating for children, and the theme park kiosks, restaurants, and DINOSAUR sponsorship disappeared. The only McDonald’s on Disney property in the United States is a standalone restaurant near Walt Disney World’s All-Star Resort hotels.
Still, McDonald’s remained a staple overseas at Disneyland Paris Resort. After opening its first French location in 1972, the Golden Arches became a fast-food giant in the country. France eventually became the company’s second-largest market. In the 1990s, a giant McDonald’s opened in the Disney Village lifestyle complex.
McDonald’s Leaves Original Disney Location
Last year, Disneyland Paris Resort announced the permanent closure of the decades-old McDonald’s restaurant in the Disney Village shopping, dining, and entertainment district. The fast food giant has operated in the outdoor lifestyle complex for nearly 30 years.
The restaurant remained open while construction continued on a more modern McDonald’s nearby, but welcomed its final guests on February 16, 2026. X (formerly known as Twitter) user @cave0fwonders shared these photos and a video of the Golden Arches coming down:
✨ 🚧 A page is turning … ✨ [Translated from French]
#disneylandparis @McDonaldsFrance
✨ 🚧 Une page se tourne … ✨#disneylandparis @McDonaldsFrance pic.twitter.com/Xl8ajfRai4
— 🧞♂️ Cave 0f Wonders (@Cave0fWonders) March 12, 2026
Get Your Happy Meal Nearby
Luckily, European Disney Park guests won’t have to go far to get their Big Macs and chicken McNuggets. The new Disney Village McDonald’s opened near Lake Disney on February 17, with exclusive Disneyland Paris Resort merchandise and “an innovative architecture designed exclusively for Disneyland Paris.”
Have you ever spotted ongoing construction during your visit to Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, or an international Disney park? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments!