Walt’s – An American Restaurant is a table-service restaurant in Disneyland Paris. Residing on Main Street, Walt’s is a tribute to the man who started the Disney company. The restaurant has a Victorian design and is full of relics, photos and paintings of Walt Disney and his theme parks. This fine dining spot serves American food with a French twist. In this post, we’ll review Walt’s – An American Restaurant’s atmosphere, food and value.

Even before dining at Walt’s, I was intrigued by the restaurant’s reputation. Disneyland Resort has a few restaurants that people rave about – Blue Bayou, Carthay Circle and Napa Rose come to mind. At Disney World, Victoria & Albert’s and California Grill, among others, have sterling reputations. In some cases, we’ve found those reputations to be well earned. Others don’t always measure up. I’d seen plenty of people rave about Walt’s before going but was worried that the restaurant would disappoint, especially after experiencing some of the other food at Disneyland Paris.

Those worries lasted about as long as it took to open the door into Walt’s. Dining here should be on any Disney theme park fan’s shortlist. There are other exhibits dedicated to Walt throughout Disneyland or WDW but none of them are displayed as well as what this restaurant does. Also, this one has food!

If you’re familiar with Carnation Cafe at Disneyland, Walt’s sits in a similar spot of Main Street. Disneyland Paris features a gorgeous Main Street, keeping the small town aesthetic while mixing in Victorian whimsy. Stepping into Walt’s continues that feeling. The downstairs lobby feels a bit like you’re touring a famed home. There are a few relics to welcome people – a piano, old family photos and a bust of Walt Disney. It’s a nice blend of cozy and historic.

Once your table is ready (reservations are recommended), you’ll be seated upstairs in one of 6 rooms. These rooms are themed to Fantasyland, Discoveryland, Adventureland, Disneyland Hotel, Grand Canyon and Frontierland. The theme is pretty subtle here. Guests aren’t stepping into a room that looks like Frontierland, more just sketches of the area before it was built. This keeps the museum feel alive and makes Walt’s feel more cohesive. Frankly, if you aren’t aware of the 6 separate rooms then you might have a hard time noticing which one you’ve been seated in.

That’s not to knock the theme. Going over the top in each room’s decor would be the opposite of what Walt’s is trying to accomplish. The photo above is the Adventureland room, featuring drawings of the park’s Adventure Isle as well as nods to the Arabian style in both the lighting and props on the right. Again, not over the top but noticeable enough without distracting from the classy aura of Walt’s.

Every single piece of art or relic was interesting to look at (this is where I get called a nerd). That’s especially true if you’re a theme park fan. Walt’s sets out to tell the story of how these parks came to be and does it in a quiet but beautiful fashion. The backdrop of the Victorian theme plays well, considering Main Street is just outside.

Speaking of, a number of the tables in Walt’s look out on Main Street. This is a great spot for parade viewing or people watching. Watching people walk down the park’s entrance added to fantastic atmosphere.

From a practical standpoint, tables were snug but not overly cramped in Walt’s. This is France after all, so tables might be a little closer than what we’re used to in the states but it was nothing compared to certain spots both in the resort and in Paris. Even if you aren’t a theme park buff, the setting was charming and romantic.

There aren’t many theme park restaurants that can measure up to Walt’s in terms of atmosphere and theme. Some are more transportive, like Blue Bayou or Biergarten. But that’s not this restaurant’s goal. The best comp to the American parks is like Carthay Circle in California Adventure. I prefer Walt’s thanks to the history showcased. Outside of the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, this is my favorite display of Disney theme park history that I’ve experienced.

With so much to see, it’s easy to forget about the food. I was worried that Walt’s would coast by on atmosphere with bland offerings. That wasn’t the case. Here’s a look at the menu, which shows that the restaurant offers sets like just about everywhere else in Disneyland Paris Resort.

Most of the items on the menu are a play off of “Walt’s favorites”. I put that in quotations because I find the Disney company’s use of mythologizing the founder to be a little over the top, especially on trivial things like what he ate. In this case, I think the restaurant has struck a balance of using those old favorites but putting a fresh spin on them. I started with a Mint Julep and enjoyed the refreshing cocktail. This wasn’t overly sweet and used a nice Bourbon, although I didn’t catch what kind they used.

This appetizer is a nice example of upping a classic dish. The Creamy Pea Soup is topped with a Whipped Isigny Cream (this won’t be the last time you see that) and Smoky Popcorn. I’m not a big fan of peas but this tasted more creamy than anything. The popcorn added both texture and a little bit of salt to liven the mild taste up. We both came away impressed by this comforting appetizer.

The other appetizer we tried was the Chicken Pot Pie. This played more as a chicken salad croissant than your usual pot pie. I really loved the change as the pastry was fantastic, flaky and crisp, and the filling was lighter than expected. This was served with a vegetable salad to add some acidity. Of the two appetizers we had, this was my preference while Melissa liked the soup more.

I ordered the Roasted Arctic Char for my entree. This was served with Seasonal Vegetables and an Isigny Beurre Blanc. The plating was spectacular, a big step above anything else we saw at Disneyland Paris. The Arctic Char was very similar to salmon (they are closely related, apparently) and was delicious. Perfectly cooked, the fish was buttery and paired nicely with the tomato-y vegetables and creamy sauce underneath. This was one of the best dishes I had in France.

Melissa’s entree was less memorable but still delicious. This is the Farmhouse Chicken served with Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce and Baby Vegetables. The Cranberry Sauce was more sweet than bitter, adding a brightness to the dish. As for the meat, it fell off the bone and had a great flavor. I didn’t think the dish was as creative as other ones we tried at Walt’s but it was a really well crafted comfort meal.

Moving to dessert, this is the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with Vanilla-Infused Isigny Crème Fraîche. If there was a portion of the meal we were mixed on, it was this. While the cake was moist and tasted good, there was nothing about this that really stood out. The added caramel was a nice touch. I don’t think this was bad by any means but would recommend a different dessert.

We both preferred the Caramelized Millefeuille with Praline Mascarpone Cream served with the adorable Steamboat Willie White Chocolate. The layered pastry was filled with cream, rich and sweet. The Mascarpone and Caramel gave the dish good depth and the Millefeuille tasted similar to a light cake, both in texture and flavor. I would get this dessert again!

While I expected to love Walt’s atmosphere, I wasn’t convinced the food would be worth the price. The meal was exceptional though, easily the best we had while at Disneyland Paris Resort. That does come with a 55 Euro price tag for the appetizer, entree and dessert set we had. Walt’s is one of the most expensive restaurants at the resort and for good reason. We found the price to be worth it, as it wasn’t much more expensive than other table-service restaurants while being qualitatively better.

For theme park fans, Walt’s – An American Restaurant is a must-do. Even for the more casual park goer, I’d recommend Walt’s. The food is a step above everything else we’ve tried at Disneyland Paris while the atmosphere is exquisite. This isn’t just the best restaurant at the resort, it’s one of the best Disney has ever created.

Overall Rating – 10/10

Have you been to Walt’s – An American Restaurant? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below. We’re excited to bring you more content on the resort in the coming weeks and months! Planning a Disney trip? Check out our Travel Guides to help you along the way! Thank you for reading Wandering in Disney.  Please subscribe to the blog and like our social media pages, all of which you can do on the right side of the page. Have a wonderful day!