Today, January 7th 2023, marks the official last day of operation for the iconic Planet Hollywood restaurant at Disneyland Paris, as part of previously announced plans to completely revamp the Disney Village This overhaul includes many other changes and closures, such as the transformation of Planet Hollywood’s neighbor King Ludwigs, also closing today, to reopen in February as “The Royal Pub”. For many guests visiting Disneyland Paris, Planet Hollywood has been the first thing they saw upon arriving at the resort for the last 27 years, due to its impressively large exterior globe and proximity to Marne-La-Vallée station entrance.
When the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain opened its first location in New York in 1991, it was an instant success — with huge celebrity names attached to the brand, such as Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger joined by a plethora of other celebrity endorsements. The Planet Hollywood franchise came at a time when novelty restaurants were booming in the late 80s and early 90s, following in the footsteps of chains such as the internationally known Hard Rock Cafe franchise and even Disney’s own experimental trial of unsuccessful “Mickey’s Kitchen” restaurants between 1990 and 1992.
After opening a number of locations across North America — including at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs (then Disney Village Marketplace) in 1994 — Disneyland Paris announced the opening of a Planet Hollywood location at the Disney Village, in an attempt to expand on a sparse dining and shopping area, with the hopes of attracting more locals and encouraging longer stays due to severe financial difficulties since opening in 1992.
Disneyland Paris’ Planet Hollywood first opened its doors in 1996, hosting a “premiere” with a true 90’s style ceremony, having Sylvester Stallone and legendary French thespian Gérard Depardieu parade through crowds of excited fans in a vintage cherry red convertible. Speaking to M6 France, Stallone reported that opening a location at Disneyland Paris was “an ideal situation” following the success of the branch at Walt Disney World.
Since its inception at Disneyland Paris, Planet Hollywood has been a fan favorite among guests – serving delicious American-style classic dishes, accompanied by an energetic bar, family-friendly atmosphere and intriguing props from movie and music history, keeping an interesting focus on pieces from the period surrounding the restaurants opening — making what some would call an outdated venue into a brilliant time capsule of sorts, celebrating the early Disneyland Paris era.
While many guests today have mixed reviews about the restaurant — likely attributed to a failure in maintenance over the years, leaving parts of the exterior bare and celebrity cut-outs peeling off the sides — it still remains a beloved, easy-going place to grab a bite, right up to its closure.
In preparation for their closure, the lobby of Planet Hollywood has been decorated with a farewell red carpet photo opportunity, and a thick guest book packed full of guest comments sharing their appreciation for the location and family memories. The restaurant has also been selling farewell merchandise for a few months now – including everything from keyrings, to shirts, to custom champagne bottles and glasses you can choose to take home with you after your meal (for a fee).
The closure of Planet Hollywood — and rehaul of the Disney Village entirely — is sure to affect guest’s future trips, as the absence of restaurants like Planet Hollywood, King Ludwigs, Café Mickey and Rainforest Café will leave the Disney Village quite an empty shell as work progresses, and a temporary noticeable lack of after-hours entertainment and dining options.
In its absence, Planet Hollywood at Disneyland Paris will always be fondly remembered by families who visited over its almost three decades in operation. At this time, Disney has yet to disclose any further information about the fate of the area and building following Planet Hollywood’s closure.