Lost Walt Disney World Restaurants We Still Miss

When it comes to Walt Disney World, the only thing that seems to be constant is change. With attraction updates and new lands being added, it may be difficult to remember that even the restaurants go through some pretty significant changes over time.

Even Cinderella Castle is not immune to changes!

We aren’t just talking about menu changes. Disney World has had several restaurants, bars, and lounges that have closed completely or have gone through some radical refurbishments leaving them looking nothing like their former selves.

Let’s look back at some restaurants of Disney past that we wish we could visit once more!

Main Street Bakery — Magic Kingdom

While technically portions of Main Street Bakery still exist today, this location along Main Street, U.S.A., has become the resident location for Starbucks in Magic Kingdom. Since then, much of the menu has changed to where now fans consider the two versions completely different from one another.

Main Street Bakery

Top of the World — Disney’s Contemporary Resort

These days, the fifteenth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort is home to California Grill and its adjacent California Grill Lounge (which, by the way, is a great option to ‘hack’ a meal from California Grill without a reservation). But when the Resort first opened in 1971, its resident lounge was quite literally “top of the world.” The Top of the World Lounge was the resident restaurant and lounge until 1993. The  all-new Top of the World Lounge is now located at Bay Lake Tower.

California Grill

Writer’s Stop — Disney’s Hollywood Studios 

Tucked into a corner of Disney’s Hollywood Studios was Writer’s Stop, a unique hybrid bookstore and coffee shop. This Quick Service dining location was a big hit with fans and is perhaps one of the most missed coffee locations in Disney World. It closed in 2016 to make way for Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Writer’s Stop

The Adventurers Club — Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney)

The fan-favorite Adventurers Club was a nightclub that lived in the former Pleasure Island section of what was at the time Downtown Disney. This was a lively destination for those looking to enjoy a cocktail or two. Its signature drink, Kungaloosh, is one of the many cocktail recipes you can learn to make on AllEars! The Adventurers Club closed permanently in 2008.

The Odyssey — EPCOT

Wedged between Test Track  in Future World and the Mexico Pavilion in World Showcase is The Odyssey, which was once a dining location within EPCOT. Guests can still visit the Odyssey building to this day, where it is sometimes used as food booth locations for various EPCOT festivals.

The Odyssey during Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival

Pizza Planet — Disney’s Hollywood Studios

While the food at Pizza Planet was nothing to write home about (nor is the food of its replacement, PizzeRizzo), there was no denying just how COOL it was to dine in the Pizza Planet from the Toy Story franchise. If you were a kid growing up in the 90’s, then you may be well aware of the awesome pizza shop-arcade hybrid that was Pizza Planet in Hollywood Studios, opened then when the park was still MGM Studios.

PizzeRizzo is fun, but we miss Pizza Planet!

Kouzzina — Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Chef Cat Cora had her own restaurant at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn called Kouzzina. Opened in 2009, the restaurant featured a Greek-inspired menu and was a fixture of the BoardWalk until it closed in 2014. It has since been replaced by Trattoria al Forno.

Kouzzina

Starring Rolls Cafe — Disney’s Hollywood Studios

If you were looking for a quick bite to eat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Starring Rolls may have been your former go-to option. Often a popular spot first thing in the morning, this counter service dining location closed in 2017. We still miss their sweet cupcakes and sandwiches that were bigger than our heads.

Starring Rolls

Minnie’s Menehune Breakfast at Papeete Bay Verandah — Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

These days, famous Disney World all-you-care-to-enjoy character meals include Chef Mickey’s, Crystal Palace, and ‘Ohana. But one of the first ever character buffets was Minnie’s Menehune Breakfast at Papeete Bay Verandah. This restaurant opened with Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort in 1971 and remained in operation until 1994, when it was replaced by ‘Ohana.

Town Square Cafe — Magic Kingdom

Before it was Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, the restaurant at the start of Main Street, U.S.A., was simply known as Town Square Cafe. Free from any references to Lady and the Tramp, the former version of this Table Service location featured a Victorian-era theme that was a beloved dining location up until it was refurbished in 1989 to what is now Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. You can read more about the history of Tony’s Town Square Restaurant here!

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant Patio Seating

Despite many former restaurants closing for good, a lot of Disney World’s OLDEST restaurants are still open! Click here to learn more.

What former Disney World restaurant do YOU miss the most? Let us know in the comments!

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35 Replies to “Lost Walt Disney World Restaurants We Still Miss”

  1. We miss Fireworks Factory! It was such as great BBQ restaurant with an awesome bloody Mary! It was at pleasure island!

  2. I miss Electric Umbrella at EPCOT. It was nice to sit outside in Future World for a quick meal and they had kid-friendly food, which many places do not have.

  3. We miss the Catwalk Bar above the Brown Derby in MGM Studios. It was a nice, quiet place for reasonably-priced snacks and drinks. I hear they may be turning it into Club 33

  4. What??? Where is the love for Concourse Steakhouse and Alfredo’s??? Those were fantastic restaurants. I mourned their closing!!!

  5. I went to my first character breakfast at the Polynesian Hotel in 1986. I think Goofy came to the table. Not a buffet, not price fixe, I also enjoyed the Mickey Barbecue at Fort Wilderness.

  6. I miss King Stefan’s Banquet Hall that was in place before Cinderella’s Royal Table. I miss the food and being able to get in and being called Princess by the Cast Member serving us.

  7. You forgot Ariel’s at the Beach Club. That was one of the finest eateries in the entire complex. Sure, I’m dating myself, but it was on par with the California Grill.

  8. I miss The Gulf Coast Room…used to be on the second floor of the Contemporary. Was a wonderful special event restaurant.

  9. what i really miss is any thing and everything at pleasure island in downtown disney. too bad they had to close everything down there and now its way too busy with too many differant stores

  10. Every original restaurant they have turned into “prix fix”. They simplify the menus and the quality of the food goes down. We used to love Artist’s Point and Be Our Guest Dinner. We stopped going to both. The prix fix may cater to the dining plan crowd, but those of us who like a deluxe restaurant meal are losing out. They got more money per meal from us the old way. Now, our got to lunch at MK, Liberty Tree Tavern is the same. I hope the bring back the lunch menu soon, I do not want a lunch of a faux Thanksgiving meal in the FL heat.

  11. I loved the red velvet cheesecake cupcake at Starring Rolls and am always bummed when I walk by where it used to be. I don’t object to Starbucks but Jofferys was already in the parks, why obliterate purely Disney parks things with another coffee place? Plus the Starbucks in MK is poorly placed. You are basically leaving the park to get to it, or waiting in line to get in right after entering the park. It should have been where the under used Gaston’s Tavern is (it has an identity crisis anyway) or over near LTT for a more central location and let Main St Bakery stay.

  12. The Bonfamille Restaurant at Port Orleans, The French Quarter, which was situated to the left of the Scat Club Lounge. I will never forget the Blackened Sea Scallops with the never ending salad bowl that was brought to the table.

  13. Don’t forget Bonfamilles @ POFQ and the original Chef Mickey’s where Rainforest Cafe is in Disney Springs!

  14. Pinocchio’s Village Haus use to serve burgers. Grab the table with the view of It’s A Small World and dig in!

  15. To me it’s funny because the social media went nuts when they announced Starbucks, now there’s lament that it’s a Starbucks. I preferred when Disney ran everything and there were lots of unique options.

  16. Oh, man, adventurer’s club was a lot of fun. My 16 yr old works have loved it when she turned 21, alas…

    Main Street Bakery was way better than what they have there now…

  17. Tucker House counter service was one of my favorite in ALL of Disney World until they took the same food, doubled or tripled it in price and called in a character buffet. Use to get the 1/2 rotisserie chicken with string beans and mashed potatoes. No way I’m paying almost $40.00 for the same meal

  18. Tangorah Terrace at the Polynesian. It was our favorite buffet. Now it’s a conference center the last we heard.

  19. Starring Rolls Cafe was my go to breakfast and coffee shop. Starbucks is too crowded and the food just generic. There outside table was the perfect place to relax while kids rode Tower of Terror.