It’s not every day that this blog does standalone posts for restaurant refurbishments. But it’s also not every day that the best value dinner in all of Walt Disney World announces that it’s closing for refurbishment.
And as I’ve said/promised/threatened before, this blog will also find any excuse we can to sing the praises of Sebastian’s Bistro at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. This is a location that makes our list of the 25 Best Restaurants at Walt Disney World for 2025 and our list of the Best Value Table Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World.
We’ve also reviewed the current menu twice: Sebastian’s Bistro Family Style Meal is the Best Dinner Deal at Walt Disney World and Review: Sebastian’s Bistro is Better, Cheaper & Easier Than ‘Ohana! Those titles more or less sum up how we feel about Sebastian’s Bistro, but you should probably read the full reviews (the second one is newer and better) so I have an excuse to write yet another review of Sebastian’s Bistro despite nothing having changed.
As for the refurbishment, here’s the message posted on DisneyWorld.com about the upcoming closure of Sebastian’s Bistro:
Beginning March 24, 2025, Sebastian’s Bistro will be closed for refurbishment and is expected to reopen at the end of March. Guests may see and hear construction in the area until work is completed. While the restaurant is closed, we invite you to enjoy the many other dining options at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
Assuming this is accurate, it suggests that the refurbishment will be brief. However, I’m wondering whether the announcement is correct. For one thing, Walt Disney World doesn’t exactly have the greatest track record with website updates in the last few months. (Looking at you, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and other ride operating schedules during hard ticket events.)
For another thing, there have restaurant closures and reopenings that have been flat-out wrong (Tortuga Tavern) or taken significantly longer than originally announced. Everything POP Food Court has had its project extended on three separate occasions. It was originally scheduled to end last September, and now it’s April 2025.
Finally, Sebastian’s Bistro still has hours listed throughout all of March despite the banner warning of the closure. Also, if it’s a project lasting only a few days, it seems like maybe the blurb would reflect as much, calling it a brief refurbishment or listing an exact reopening date.
With all of that said, Sebastian’s Bistro closing on March 24, 2025 and reopening only a few days later is the most likely scenario. We don’t want to suggest otherwise–we’re only pointing out that Walt Disney World doesn’t exactly have a sterling track record with recent projects. In all likelihood, Sebastian’s Bistro will reopen before April 2025.
Given that this closure is only scheduled to last a week or less in the first place, it’s presumably smaller scale. While a tight timeline does mean that delays of a day or two are possible, the more limited scope also provides less opportunities for the wheels to fall off, so to speak, resulting in a multi-week or month delay.
What we don’t know is whether this refurbishment will impact the kitchen at Sebastian’s Bistro.
In the past, it’s been possible to order select items from the Sebastian’s Bistro menu while dining at the adjacent Banana Cabana (one of our favorite bars at Walt Disney World). This has a nice option for those with smaller appetites who didn’t want the full family-style experience or wanted to try a variety of items.
If this project somehow results in Banana Cabana also serving a limited menu, we’d advise making the walk over to Disney’s Riviera Resort for Primo Piatto or Bar Riva as opposed to settling for Centertown Market or Spyglass Grill. (Of course, there’s also the exceptional Topolino’s Terrace, but that’s not exactly an on-a-whim substitute for a bar or counter service restaurant.)
Ultimately, my big hope is that Sebastian’s Bistro is only closed for a few days and reopens with almost the exact same menu–maybe a couple of changes, at most–and a bit more colorful decor on the interior of the restaurant. Basically, what I want is very light positive enhancements that “force” my hand to revisit and re-review the restaurant.
Other than that, don’t fix what isn’t broken, Walt Disney World. Sebastian’s Bistro might be a hidden gem, but it is a gem, and much more popular in its family-style form than it ever was with the a la carte menu. The original menu was very good, but this is the rare instance of family-style better suiting a restaurant. We’ll continue to do our part to raise awareness about Sebastian’s Bistro. Consider this your routine reminder that you need to eat at this better-than-Ohana restaurant!
When it comes to Caribbean Beach Resort’s restaurant lineup, Sebastian’s Bistro plus Banana Cabana are an excellent one-two punch, with both offering formidable menus and a ton of range. If Disney feels like meddling with menus at CBR, they should focus on Centertown Market and Spyglass Grill, both of which could use shots in the arm.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on Sebastian’s Bistro closing for a brief refurbishment in late March 2025? Have you done the family-style feast at Sebastian’s Bistro? What did you think of the cuisine? If you’ve done this restaurant as well as ‘Ohana or other family-style meals at Walt Disney World, which did you prefer? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? If you haven’t dined here, does this sound appealing to you or not? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
