2023 appears to be something of a year of closures at Disney World. On January 22nd Splash Mountain ferried its last guests, and we said goodbye to Magic Kingdom nighttime spectacular Disney Enchantment, which ended on April 2nd. 

Not all of the closures are permanent, though. There are a fair amount of refurbishments happening across the resort as well. However, all of these changes aren’t limited to just attractions and shows.

A number of dining locations are disappearing from Disney World for one reason or another. Several spots closed during the pandemic and have yet to reopen, while others are closing to make way for new and improved options! Keep reading to find out if any of your favorite spots made the list.

Closures

Magic Kingdom

In Magic Kingdom there are a few places you won’t be able to grab a bite to eat anytime soon. While Be Our Guest is currently open, guests can no longer take advantage of their quick-service breakfast. The breakfast menu disappeared from Disney’s website during the pandemic and so far has not returned.

During the height of the 50th anniversary celebrations we did notice Be Our Guest had a special brunch menu served from 10:00AM to 12:00PM that included breakfast favorites like a Fluffy Savory Egg Omelet and Mickey Waffles! These items aren’t included on the menu on Disney’s website, so you may want to call before hand to see if these brunch offerings are still available.

The next two locations are technically not permanently closed but very rarely open. First, we have Aunt Polly’s Dockside Inn on Tom Sawyer Island. You may have noticed this abandoned-looking restaurant as you traipsed around the island and wondered why Disney has kept this empty location for so long! While Aunt Polly’s is closed more often than not, this Magic Kingdom dining spot is their secret to handling massive park crowds.

When the park is filled to the brim with guests, like around Spring Break or the winter holidays, Aunt Polly’s dusts off its tables and welcomes diners! Another similar spot in Magic Kingdom is Tomorrowland Terrace. This counter service spot is usually only open during the busy season, but you might find yourself seated here for the Magic Kingdom Fireworks Dessert Viewing Parties.

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom managed to make it through the past couple of years relatively unscathed when it comes to dining closures. All of their major restaurants are still open, but one snack cart has closed and might be the beginning of a larger transformation in the park. Over in DinoLand U.S.A. there used to be a small concessions trailer appropriately named Dino Diner. This charming little trailer served up standard park eats like hot dogs and churros along with more unique options like Corn Chip Pie.

The future of DinoLand U.S.A. is uncertain. Former attraction Primeval Whirl has been dismantled, and at last year’s D23 Expo Disney announced some potential ideas for re-theming the area. Whatever happens to this section of Animal Kingdom, we hope it brings even more dining options!

EPCOT

As we approach the 3-year anniversary of the park closure in 2020, almost all of the restaurants that were closed in EPCOT have reopened — all but one that is! Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco Pavilion is still closed with no word on when it will reopen. Since closing, the empty restaurant has been used as a relaxation station, lounge, pretty much everything but dining!

Hopefully Restaurant Marrakesh will return to its former glory! For the time being, if you’re in EPCOT and hankering for some Moroccan eats you can head over to Spice Road Table, a tapas-style table service restaurant.

Tokyo Dining in EPCOT has permanently closed in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion, but the great news is that when the location reopened on August 15th, 2023…

… it did so as a whole new restaurant!

That’s right! A brand new restaurant is NOW OPEN in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion: Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya! 

The menu features “Japanese delights like sushi and teppan items,” plus an open sushi bar and grill. Sushi fans can enjoy the Kobore Sushi, Tokyo Negi Roll, and Funamori. Not only that, but you can enjoy Japanese Izakaya, a type of casual pub-style restaurant that puts an emphasis on drinks and conversations with friends.

The restaurant is located in the Japan Pavilion, on the second floor — above the Mitsukoshi Department Store (where Tokyo Dining was previously located), so it boasts the same World Showcase and fireworks views that guests enjoyed at Tokyo Dining!

JOIN US for our Opening Day visit at Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya HERE!

Resorts

Closures have impacted resort dining even more than in the parks themselves. Over at the BoardWalk, plenty of spots have closed to make way for new locations during its overhaul. The ESPN Club, a sports-themed dining experience, closed in 2022 to make way for the new Cake Bake Shop by Gwendolyn Rogers.

Another BoardWalk spot that remains closed is the Funnel Cake Kiosk. This spot shows as “temporarily unavailable” on Disney’s website, so hopefully it will reopen soon!

Last on the BoardWalk is a location that is still open but missing a popular dining service. Like Be Our Guest, Trattoria al Forno used to have a breakfast event that they are no longer offering. Their Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast was a character dining experience with Disney couples, including Flynn and Rapunzel, and Ariel and Prince Eric. Breakfast dining is still available, but it’s definitely not the same.

Did you know the Polynesian Village Resort used to offer dinner and a show? The Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show allowed guests to attend a luau with hula, drumming, fire dancing, and of course tons of all-you-care-to-enjoy food. In March of 2022 Disney announced the show was closing permanently with no plans for a replacement.

At the Grand Floridian Resort, another deluxe resort, quite a few eateries are no longer with us! Another casualty of the closure, 1900 Park Fare was a table service restaurant where you could meet characters like Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland at their Supercalifragilistic Breakfast and Cinderella and her Prince Charming during the Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner. They also had a special event for younger children called the Wonderland Tea Party. It’s sad to see a spot closed that had so much character interaction! Disney hasn’t announced a permanent closure, so there is hope for 1900 Park Fare.

One of the reasons why guests resort hop is to try out different dining options and experiences. One such experience that has remained closed is the Afternoon Tea service at the Grand Floridian. Their Garden View Tea Room was the perfect setting for a lovely spot of tea, where guests could enjoy British tea packages while gazing out at the outdoor gardens. For the time being this tea room remains closed.

At the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar is still closed. Lounges are a great place to rest or enjoy a drink as you wait for your table at a nearby restaurant, like Jiko. If you couldn’t get a table, you could still order from Jiko’s menu and enjoy your food by the bar, which is one of our favorite things about lounges and why we’re disappointed Cape Town is currently unavailable. We are still holding out hope it will reopen!

Our last resort dining location is another spot that closed to make way for a new addition. The Fresh Mediterranean Market at the Swan and Dolphin Resort had a variety of foods, including Spanish, Italian, and Greek cuisine. Guests could enjoy a buffet breakfast or sit down for a table service lunch. Now, the space that belonged to Fresh Mediterranean Market has closed now is home to the new Rosa Mexicano!

That’s right — Rosa Mexicano has opened its first Orlando-area location at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin! The new restaurant offers “an elevated fiesta dining experience” which includes signature menu items and award-winning margaritas.

You can check out our very first visit HERE!

Step inside the NEW Rosa Mexicano with us by clicking HERE!

Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground closed in mid-April to undergo a MAJOR refurbishment and it reopened on July 27th! The family-style table service option is gone, and the restaurant now features “a marketplace concept with expanded quick service options.”

The “refreshed marketplace concept” includes an on-stage pizza station where you can get just a slice or a whole pie. Both chilled and hot items are offered in the Grab and Go section and include items such as pecan-smoked whole chicken or brisket, and a rack of pork ribs — and fried chicken! Sides are available by the pound — including macaroni & cheese, plant-based cowboy beans, and mashed potatoes. Homestyle meals and classic Quick Service options are also on offer. WHEW! But that’s not all…

Click here to check out the NEW Trail’s End!

Crockett’s Tavern also reopened on the same date!

Crockett’s Tavern has been refreshed as a lounge with expanded seating, both indoors and outdoors. The inside of the restaurant has new seating and continues to feature lots of charming rustic accents.

Get a FIRST LOOK at the reopened Crockett’s Tavern HERE!

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser

We have two more restaurant closures to mention. The Crown of Corellia Dining Room and The Sublight Lounge were the restaurant and lounge, respectively, aboard the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser (Disney World’s Star Wars hotel).

These restaurants closed along with the rest of the Galactic Starcruiser on September 30th. (In May 2023, Disney announced that the Starcruiser will be closing permanently.)

Read about the closure of the Galactic Starcuiser here. 

With DOZENS of places to eat at Disney World, we know it can be tough to plan your meals. That’s why we wrote the DFB Guide to Dining at Walt Disney World.

We have reviews, pictures and details about every restaurant all in one digital download – along with ALL of our best tips and strategies from decades of Disney World trips. We’ve got a special discount code for DFB readers, too! Use WDW2023 at checkout for 25% off!

Stay tuned to our site for more Disney dining updates!

First time dining at Disney World? Check out our list of the restaurants you HAVE to try!

If you could bring back one closed Disney World restaurant, what would it be? Comment your pick below!