A Restaurant Unexpectedly Closed in EPCOT

Welcome back to EPCOT, where things happen that confuse us all the time.

EPCOT

Disney World is always changing — especially EPCOT! The park has so much construction going on, and we’re getting really close to the start of the Food and Wine Festival (still waiting on those menus, Disney!), so we know to expect the unexpected. However, we didn’t expect to see a popular refreshment spot completely close out of nowhere!

While we were walking around today, we noticed that the Refreshment Port is temporarily closed.

Refreshment Port in EPCOT is CLOSED ‼️ This could be in preparation for Food and Wine, or it could be an unrelated closure. pic.twitter.com/tAgnlCH95g

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) July 6, 2023

Refreshment Port is a quick-service spot outside of World Showcase that usually features meal options like chicken tenders and poutine, as well as soft-serve ice cream and various drinks. The spot is currently closed, and Disney World’s website shows it’s expected to reopen on July 27th — that’s 21 days away! (And the same day that the Food and Wine Festival begins!)

©Disney

When we spoke to a Cast Member in the area, we were told the spot had closed due to an “adjacent refurbishment,” meaning that something near this spot is also under refurbishment, and this one needs to be closed as well. A second cast member speculated that the refurbishment covers the back part of the quick-service spot where Cast Members enter.

Refreshment Port Closed

We haven’t seen this spot close before, or after a festival in the past, so this definitely was a bit of a surprise for us. For now, if you want to grab chicken nuggets or other similar snacks, you’ll want to head over to Regal Eagle Smokehouse or Connections Eatery!