It’s a little sad when something closes in Disney World, and lately, we’ve seen a lot of permanent closures that have already happened or are happening soon.
Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
We recently had to say goodbye to It’s Tough To Be A Bug in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We also just said goodbye to Muppets Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’ll soon be saying goodbye to Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America in Magic Kingdom. Well, over at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, we were recently informed that a popular restaurant there, Shula’s Steak House, would permanently close. Now the restaurant is closed, so let’s take a look at what’s going on there now.
June 14th was the last day of operation for Shula’s Steakhouse, and now the location is permanently closed. The restaurant was named after its original owner and American football legend, the late Don Shula. Its atmosphere was indulgent, dark, and elegant, and we often called the pricey restaurant a hidden gem.
Shula’s Steakhouse
However, it’s now gone forever. We stopped by the Shula’s location to see for ourselves and saw a black curtain covering the restaurant’s entrance. While we were visiting the restaurant, though, we could already hear the sounds of construction. We recently reported that a new Michael Mina restaurant, Bourbon Steak, will be taking Shula’s place. Mina owns The MINA Group, which manages over 40 restaurants worldwide, so we’ll be interested in seeing what the new place has to offer.
It’s officially closed
So, when will this new restaurant make its debut? The opening timeline is mid-summer, which means it could open pretty soon. We’ll be keeping an eye out for progress and a specific opening date, so be sure to stay tuned to DFB for more.
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Will you miss Shula’s Steak House? Share your experiences with the restaurant in the comments!
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My wife, Lorrie, and I will definitely miss Shula’s Steak House. We are DVC owners at Boardwalk and stayed there following our marriage at Grand Floridian Wedding Chapel. We enjoyed dinner there while on our honeymoon and on many other occasions. On one of our vacations at Boardwalk, I decided to take on the Shula Steak Challange. I had my name engraved on a brass plate then displayed on the wall in the restaurant after consuming the 48 ounce porterhouse steak. Will I miss Shula’s Steak House…ABSOLUTELY ‼️
Shula’s was special to me and my husband. We celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary there December 2023. Sadly my husband passed away July 2024 but I am so grateful for the awesome service and memories. In celebration my children and their families all joined me December 2024 for what would have been our 46th wedding anniversary. I figured we made it another 1/2 year and it was worth celebrating the 46th at Shula’s. Service again was awesome and having my children with me to toast a glass of wine and spectacular dinner was special. Fond memories to keep for future.