Walt Disney World to replace Epcot's Bistro de Paris

August 13, 2012, 2:01 PM · There will be no "three-peat" next year in the Theme Park Insider Awards for Best Theme Park Restaurant. Walt Disney World announced today that two-time TPI Award winner Bistro de Paris will close.

Epcot's France pavilion
Changes are coming to Epcot's France Pavilion

For the past two years, Theme Park Insider readers have voted the ultra-fancy (and expensive) Bistro de Paris at the top in-park table-service restaurant in the world. But after more than 25 years, Jerome Bocuse - who owns the company that operates Epcot's three French eateries - said it was time for a change. A newly revamped restaurant will open in the Bistro de Paris space by early December.

"It’s all new – new name, new dining room, new costumes for the servers, new menu. We’re still aiming for haute cuisine, but with a less formal atmosphere. Guests are in the park with their families, so we want to create an elegant, nice ambience, but not stuffy. Our guests want to experience true French cuisine," Bocuse said in a statement released on the Disney Parks Blog.

The downstairs brasserie, Les Chefs de France, (also a former Theme Park Insider Award winner) will not change, but the popular Boulangerie Patisserie will be moving to a larger space, under construction at teh back of the France pavilion. The bakery's current space will become an expanded Glacier ice cream parlor.

Replies (5)

August 13, 2012 at 2:16 PM · I think I stopped breathing while reading this article and resumed once I understood I'll still be able to purchase the lemon tart from the relocated bakery.
August 13, 2012 at 3:00 PM · Well I guess my plan to eat there the next time I go to Epcot isn't going to work out well for me! I wonder who will take the awards top honors this year!?!
August 13, 2012 at 4:32 PM · They definitely need a bigger space for the bakery. It is such a crowd pleaser, and usually has a long line that wraps around quite a bit of the pavillion.
August 15, 2012 at 6:18 AM · I think (hope to be wrong) that bigger is not better. Especially in the case of the Boulangerie. That little part of France is so charming and authentic, changing it to accommodate the crowds is a mistake. The line through there always moves fast with enough people behind the counter to help out.
We'll see how it comes out.
August 17, 2012 at 6:56 PM · I sure hope when they expand the bakery they figure out something for seating both indoor and outdoor. It was a pain walking around with a tray and no place to put it down. I always thought the food at the bakery was excellent and a good value. Hope they keep up the quality and variety. It made you feel like you were in France. As for te Bistro de Paris, if it aint broke don't fix it. It aint broke!!!!

This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.

Park tickets

Weekly newsletter

New attraction reviews

News archive