Disneyland Resort has quietly delayed the reopening of its flagship resort’s fanciest restaurant, Napa Rose, which closed again in April for a prolonged refurbishment. This shares up to date dates & particulars, plus our ideas on the fantastic eating expertise and the way its adjustments could possibly be good and dangerous.
For starters, the Napa Rose refurbishment is a part of complete plans introduced earlier this 12 months for all three Inns of the Disneyland Resort. Along with the Napa Rose reimagining, these new additions and enhancements embrace two new Membership Degree lounges, refreshed visitor rooms, and opulent new themed resort suites.
Forward of its closure, Disney introduced that Napa Rose was slated to reopen someday in Fall 2025 for its prolonged eating room reimagining. Effectively, because it seems, the undertaking might be longer than anticipated, with Disney quietly updating the restaurant web site to point that Napa Rose is now deliberate to reopen in early 2026.
Past just a few web site updates, there haven’t been any new official public-facing updates on Napa Rose in September 2026. Right here’s precisely what Disney has acknowledged: “Napa Rose is at the moment closed for renovation. To ship the best high quality expertise potential, the restaurant is now slated to reopen in early 2026. Extra particulars might be introduced at a later date.”
One factor we need to underscore is that the language used throughout Disney’s web sites is considerably noncommittal. One web page says “now slated to reopen” and one other says “an anticipated grand reopening in early 2026.” These aren’t precisely agency dates which are value planning round or placing vital weight on.
In all probability, Fall 2025 was an aggressive goal date, as Napa Rose is extremely common with Southern California households and Disney followers between Thanksgiving and New Yr’s. I might hazard a guess that October by means of December are the most important months for the restaurant and resort as a complete, and doubtless by a reasonably extensive margin.
Accordingly, it’s possible that the purpose was to have the grand reopening of Napa Rose happen earlier than Thanksgiving, after which trip that wave to some extremely profitable months, versus lacking out on that enterprise and reopening in the course of the winter lull. (After all, it received’t be a winter lull now, as Napa Rose goes to see a lift in bookings each time it reopens–it simply could not get pleasure from fairly the identical visitor spending.)
Throughout the reimagining, development crews most likely encountered sudden delays or even perhaps anticipated ones, that precluded a Fall 2025 reopening. I doubt there’s a extra thrilling or fascinating clarification–undertaking delays have develop into par for the course, and while you couple that with a reopening date that was most likely at all times overly optimistic, the grand opening slipping just a few months is the unsurprising finish end result.
When it does reopen, the award-winning Napa Rose will take its eating expertise to the subsequent degree with a brand new look that celebrates Craftsman design with a watch towards fashionable Californian luxurious and approachability. The brand new-look Napa Rose could have a country class and might be a tapestry of California’s storied historical past of wine and wine making.
To make manner for these enhancements, there might be non permanent updates to eating choices at Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge & Spa. The restaurant, identified for its refined California delicacies made with very good components, will introduce a brand new menu and can nonetheless characteristic fan-favorites such because the Smiling Tiger Salad, together with an impeccable wine assortment of greater than 1,500 labels.
When it reopens, the restaurant inside will use pure textures comparable to reclaimed French oak flooring and columns (a sort of wooden used to make wine barrels), hand-pinged artisan metals, leathers, deep colours of cabernet, and an attention-grabbing chandelier impressed by California’s Mission grapevines.
Together with its present dynamic exhibition kitchen, the restaurant will increase the counters the place friends can watch the masters in motion. Outdoors, the patio is being enhanced with extra seating for pretty al fresco eating. The truth is, right here’s newly-released idea artwork of the outside:
Simply final month throughout Vacation spot D23, Disneyland Resort culinary director John State unveiled a never-before-seen artist idea rendering of the improved patio house from Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge & Spa.
The outside patio is being thoughtfully enhanced to welcome extra friends for al fresco eating. Think about settling into a cushty seat surrounded by lush greenery and tender lighting, the California breeze enhancing the flavors of your meal. The house invitations you to calm down and savor every chew whereas taking within the lovely outside setting.
Two new fireplaces will forged a heat, flickering glow throughout the patio, including a comfy and welcoming contact to the environment. Because the solar units, you’ll be able to collect across the hearth, reflecting in your Disney day and having fun with the ambiance.
I’ve blended emotions concerning the reimagining of Napa Rose.
Usually talking, I feel facets of the Grand Californian obtain undue criticism about being dated, when actually, that’s the Arts & Crafts model. This comes up so much with Storytellers Cafe, which is richly-detailed and crammed with nods to literary legends, California tales, and folklore from the Golden State, all with a heavy craftsman affect. That doesn’t at all times comport with visitor expectations after they’re paying premium costs for a luxurious resort, although.
Napa Rose is a little bit of a distinct beast, and there are components of its design the place it’s troublesome to discern the place the Arts & Crafts model ends and the early 2000s design sensibilities start. It undoubtedly wants an replace, however I’d most likely select a lighter or much less modern refresh if I have been in cost. However my figurative area as a blogger solely covers this literal area.
What I concern with this idea artwork and the accompanying description is that it’s going to commerce one distinct model blended with an period (Craftsman plus early 2000s) for an additional. The “fashionable Californian luxurious” is one crimson flag within the announcement, and there are facets of the idea artwork which are paying homage to design-flourishes you’d see when watching some fashionable present on HGTV in 2025.
This isn’t to say the idea artwork seems dangerous–it’s truly a pleasing shock–however I’m unsure why Napa Rose must chase traits, interval. The Craftsman model is timeless, and distinctly Californian. Ultimately, although, I’m keen to take a wait and see perspective on this, as I might see it turning out effectively (or not). I simply want Napa Rose wasn’t shedding the murals.
Regardless, it’s honest to say that Napa Rose might use a shot within the arm. We’ve dined at Napa Rose numerous instances, doing every little thing from Thanksgiving dinner to the superlative Chef’s Counter at Napa Rose.
For the longest time, we thought of Napa Rose to be the second-best Disney restaurant at which we’ve dined, behind solely Victoria & Albert’s at Walt Disney World. There’s a motive it ranks extremely on our our Record of the 25 Greatest Eating places at Disneyland Resort.
Nevertheless, Napa Rose’s standing had fallen barely pre-closure and considerably since reopening. Maybe we’ve simply been unfortunate, however I’d now fairly dine on the subsequent restaurant on this checklist–together with two others in Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge–over Napa Rose. It’s nonetheless worthy of advice, however not what it as soon as was, in our view.
That may most likely change with the reimagining of Napa Rose, which is an efficient factor. The dangerous aspect of that is the probability that, like Victoria & Albert’s, Napa Rose will return from its reimagining chasing a Michelin star. It is going to intention even additional upmarket, going from fantastic eating to haute delicacies (or no matter is a tier above “common” fantastic eating).
All of that is to say that Napa Rose will possible reopen with a fancier and modernized eating room plus a greater menu (all good issues!) and considerably greater worth (dangerous factor!). I’d be extra shocked if there’s a sub-$200 prix fixe menu than I might if Napa Rose breaks the $300 barrier, which might put it on par with Victoria & Albert’s. During which case, we received’t have to fret about all of this, as Napa Rose might be off the desk for us!
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site motels in our Anaheim Lodge Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the delay to Napa Rose’s reopening? Excited for the restaurant’s luxurious reimagining or are you fantastic with the model because it was earlier than? Anxious that the new-look Napa Rose will open with a costlier menu, or would you like a Michelin-star expertise, even when it’s $300 per particular person? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!