Disney Begins Early Rainforest Cafe Shutdown, Weeks Before Scheduled Permanent Closure

Disney has already kick-started the upcoming permanent closure of Rainforest Cafe.

The Walt Disney Company’s history with Rainforest Cafe stretches back to the 1990s, when the jungle-themed restaurant chain was expanding rapidly across the U.S. Walt Disney World welcomed a location at what is now Disney Springs in 1996, bringing its animatronic wildlife, thunderstorms, waterfalls, and dense tropical theming to the resort.

The relationship deepened with Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where another Rainforest Cafe opened alongside the park in 1998. The chain later expanded to other Disney destinations, while Landry’s acquired Rainforest Cafe in 2000. Today, Disney World still operates Rainforest Cafe locations at Disney Springs and Animal Kingdom, while additional locations can be found at Tokyo Disney Resort’s Ikspiari and Disneyland Paris’ Disney Village.

However, one of the restaurants is set to close later in 2026 – and it’s already started winding down operations.

Gradual Shutdown Begins at Rainforest Cafe

Guests at Disneyland Paris are reporting that operations are already winding down in specific areas of Rainforest Cafe.

The restaurant was originally slated to close forever in September, but this was later pushed to late 2026. Reports suggest that November is the most likely timeframe, meaning there’s a matter of weeks left for guests to visit the eatery.

Part of the gift shop has already been cleared of merchandise. Instead, this area has been allocated to stroller parking.

Part of the Rainforest Cafe shop has now been turned into stroller parking, with several shelves already empty ahead of the restaurant’s permanent closure in Disney Village later this year. 🍴🐘#DisneylandParis #DisneyVillage pic.twitter.com/OiyvyFkFCb

— Pixie Dust DLP ✨ (@PixiedustDLP) September 28, 2026

According to Pixie Dust DLP, the impacted area previously housed plush toys, but these have since mostly disappeared from the store.

While Disney has confirmed the restaurant’s closure by the end of 2026, it has yet to announce a final date. Guests are encouraged to visit as soon as possible if they want to enjoy one last meal. A new restaurant, Casa Giulia, is set to open at a nearby location in Disney Village around the same time period.

The Rainforest Cafe has suffered massively in recent years. While no Rainforest Cafe is renowned for its high-quality food, it usually makes up for it with animal animatronics and an immersive atmosphere. However, the Disney Village location has failed to fix several broken effects and animatronics.

Disneyland Paris has long had a patchy reputation for food, especially compared with Disney’s U.S. resorts. Visitors regularly criticize its counter service meals for being bland, lukewarm, repetitive, and expensive, while even higher-end restaurants such as Walt’s and Bistrot Chez Rémy have attracted complaints about underwhelming quality.

Those complaints have continued into 2025 and 2026. Recent visitors have described meals as overpriced and mediocre, with PYM Kitchen singled out for bland food and Bistrot Chez Rémy criticized despite its elaborate theming. There are exceptions, but dining remains one of Disneyland Paris’s most consistent weak spots among guests.

Have you ever visited the Rainforest Cafe at Disneyland Paris?

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