Monsieur Paul to Reopen Soon!

Bonjour! We have news that is simply très magnifique! After two very long years, Monsieur Paul will finally reopen at EPCOT! The France Pavilion’s signature restaurant has is one of the last restaurants in the World Showcase to reopen after the COVID closure, though the regular table service restaurant below it, Chefs de France, reopened just mere months after the rest of the Park did. 

Credit: Jill Bivins

When Monsieur Paul reopens, next week (October 18, 2022), it will do so with a brand new menu! The restaurant, formerly à la carte, will feature a prixe fixe menu. From Disney, “The new prix fixe menu offers a gastronomic meal––one in which people devote themselves to the art of ‘eating and drinking well.’ Very popular with the French and deeply familiar to them, the gastronomic meal has developed over centuries, constantly evolving, and has been passed down from generation to generation. The meal entails rites which include the search for good seasonal and local products, references to a codified repertoire of recipes, culinary skills, the setting of a beautiful table, the succession of courses and the pairing of dishes with wine.” 

To put it another way, the new menu will be French to its very core and will be a complete culinary experience from beginning to end.

We enjoy this restaurant very much, and some of our best dining experiences involve Monsieur Paul.  One stand-out experience was when our waiter, Marc,  presented our small son’s fruit-flavored soda water to him exactly as he presented our wine. He also walked him through a wine tasting with his water and explained the French significance of savoring a beverage. He made our son feel extremely special and left us all happy enough to still remember it even though said son is not so small anymore. 

Some things to keep in mind before your visit:

• The restaurant is one of the few restaurants in a Park with a dress code. While dress codes for signature restaurants in resort hotels are commonplace, it is rare to find a restaurant in Park with one. Though the dress code isn’t as strict as others, you’ll want to avoid tank tops, ripped jeans, and very short shorts. Men are encouraged to wear long pants. 
• This restaurant has one of the strictest cancellation policies at Walt Disney World.  While most restaurants require 24-hour notice for cancellation or a $10 per person fee is incurred, Monsieur Paul requires a 72-hour notice otherwise, a $100 per person fee is applied. 
• This is also the only restaurant in a Disney Park with an age limit (which is a relatively new requirement). Guests must be 10 or older to dine here. 

Credit: Jill Bivins

Don’t let these things prevent you from booking a reservation, though. The restaurant was founded in 1982 by legendary French chef, Chef  Bocuse, named Chef of the Year in 1961 and Chef of the Century in 2011. His son now runs the restaurant.  We cannot recommend Monsieur Paul highly enough. From the atmosphere to the food to the expert-level service, this is a dining experience you’ll never forget!