Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Resort has seen several changes and updates over the past couple of years. The hotel got a lobby refresh a few years ago, along with room updates. The Cake Bake Shop opened in October 2024, and Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs opened in August 2024 at the resort.
But along with these openings came a few closures. One restaurant closed in January 2024, and it’s STILL sitting empty years later. What is going on with this place, and does Disney have any plans for it?
If you make your way down the BoardWalk, you may notice a blank facade. This area was once home to Big River Grille and Brewing Works. Here, you could find beers, burgers, steaks, nachos, and more. Big River Grille actually brewed its own beer on-site!
A third-party company ran Big River Grille, and its closing announcement happened suddenly, as it was made only a few days before its actual closing date on January 22nd, 2024.
Disney did not make any announcements regarding what would take the restaurant’s place, so it seemed odd that it had to close so suddenly. A third-party food truck operated outside the old location of Big River Grille for a limited time, but now that is gone, and there has still been no word of a new permanent restaurant opening in its place.
This is not the first time that Disney has closed a restaurant on the BoardWalk. The ESPN Club closed in 2022 after not reopening when the parks reopened after the pandemic. The difference with this closure is that a replacement was announced soon after. Although construction seemed to drag on, The Cake Bake Shop opened towards the end of 2024 in the old location of the ESPN Club.
Most recently, Jellyrolls also closed at the BoardWalk in April 2025. The popular dueling piano bar was open for 30 years in its same location, but now it will be reopening in a new spot that has yet to be announced.
As far as Big River Grille & Brewing Works goes, this restaurant has been sitting abandoned for years now, and we still have yet to hear about a replacement. We are not really sure why Disney decided to close Big River Grille so suddenly, without any word about what would take its place. It would be nice if a new experience, shop, or restaurant took its place, but we’re still waiting to learn about anything coming to the hotel.
We’re frequently at the BoardWalk Inn, trying the new cake and desserts at The Cake Bake Shop, along with all the fun foods on a stick at Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs, so we’re keeping a close eye on any updates coming to this abandoned restaurant. Be sure to keep following AllEars while we wait for an announcement from Disney!
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What do you hope takes the place of Big River Grille and Brewing Works? Tell us in the comments!
They need to use that space for a Quick serve restaurant, I love Boardwalk and it is my home resort but that it is the one drawback when it comes to food.
All Big River Brewing and Grille locations have closed. The restaurant originally started in downtown Chattanooga next to the Tennessee River, thus the name. They expanded to a second location in Chattanooga and the Disney Boardwalk location. The ownership expanded to include other restaurant brands across the country, but they got into financial trouble. They started closing locations all over the country of their various brands. Big River Brewing and Grille held onto two locations for a short time after the pandemic, but in the end, the Disney and original locations were both closed near the same time.