If you've been hoping to squeeze in one last meal beneath the animatronic animals and thunderstorm effects of the Rainforest Cafe at Disney Village, there's a small silver lining: the restaurant's closure date has been pushed back.
A Little More Time in the Jungle
The Rainforest Cafe at Disneyland Paris's Disney Village was originally scheduled to close permanently on September 15, much to the disappointment of fans. However, that date has now been delayed by two months, with the restaurant now set to close sometime in November. The exact date within November has not yet been confirmed.
A Long History with Disney
Rainforest Cafe's connection to Disney stretches back to 1996, when the first Disney-adjacent location opened at what was then the Downtown Disney Marketplace at Walt Disney World, replacing the former Chef Mickey's restaurant. A second Walt Disney World location followed at Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998. The brand then expanded to Disney Village at Disneyland Paris in 1999, Downtown Disney at Disneyland Resort in 2001, and Ikspiari at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Most of those locations are still operating today. Walt Disney World continues to have Rainforest Cafes at Disney Springs and Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disneyland Paris still has one at Disney Village (for now), and Tokyo Disney Resort has Japan's only location at Ikspiari. The notable exception is Disneyland Resort, where the elaborate temple-style Downtown Disney restaurant closed in June 2018 to make way for a planned new Disney hotel — a project that was ultimately abandoned following a dispute between Disney and the City of Anaheim. Rainforest Cafe never returned to that location.
What Makes the Disney Village Location Special
The Rainforest Cafe at Disney Village is one of Disneyland Paris's most heavily themed dining experiences. Guests are surrounded by dense foliage, aquariums, waterfalls, animatronic animals, and periodic thunderstorm effects — all designed to recreate the feeling of a tropical jungle. The menu leans into American-style comfort food, including burgers, ribs, pasta, fajitas, and sharing plates, alongside cocktails and oversized desserts.
Reviews have generally been positive about the immersive setting, though more mixed when it comes to food and value. The restaurant currently holds a 4.3/5 rating on Google and a 3.7/5 on Tripadvisor. Recent guests frequently praise the atmosphere and family appeal, while recurring criticisms point to high prices, inconsistent food quality, and occasionally slow service.
Disney Village Is Changing
The closure is part of a broader transformation of Disney Village, which has been shedding its more garish, '90s-era identity in the years since COVID-19. Planet Hollywood closed permanently in January 2023, and Café Mickey was replaced by the more contemporary Brasserie Rosalie later that same year. King Ludwig's Castle was transformed into The Royal Pub, and several of Disney Village's original storefronts have received modern makeovers.
More recently, Disney Style, Disney Glamour, and Deco by Disney have joined the lineup, while the Sports Bar & Lounge reopened with a new design in 2025. The original Disney Store closed in January 2026 and is currently being transformed into Disney Wonders as the overhaul continues.
There's still more to come: Annette's Diner is undergoing a major refurbishment, and Casa Giulia — a new two-story Italian restaurant — is set to open by the end of 2026 on the former Planet Hollywood site. As for what will replace Rainforest Cafe, that remains unclear for now.
Will you miss the Rainforest Cafe at Disney Village? Let us know in the comments!