Carthay Circle Restaurant is a beautiful and unique dining location in Disney California Adventure. Located at the end of Buena Vista Street near the entrance to Hollywood Land, Carthay Circle Restaurant is a replica of the original Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood. This theatre, which featured a circular auditorium, opened in 1926 on San Vicente Boulevard. Carthay Circle Theatre made movie history in 1937 when Walt Disney held the premiere of the first feature length animated film here. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs dazzled audiences on December 21, 1937 at this beautiful theatre. A few years later, the theatre had Fantasound installed for Disney’s Fantasia. Only a handful of theatres were able to install this brand new sound system to be able to show Disney’s third animated film. Unfortunately the theatre was demolished in 1969 as multiscreen cinemas became more and more popular.
The Carthay Circle Restaurant is not the only replica of the original theatre in the Disney Parks. In Disney’s Hollywood Studios there is the Once Upon a Time gift shop on Sunset Boulevard. In Shanghai Disneyland on Mickey Avenue, the Carthay Circle is an entrance to the large Avenue M store. Both of these shops are only the façade of the Carthay Circle and the interior holds no representation of the original theatre.
The restaurant itself is located on the second floor of the building. The ground floor is home to the Carthay Circle Lounge and Club 1901. There is additional upstairs terrace seating for the lounge as well. Club 1901, named for the year Walt Disney was born, is only open to Club 33 members and their guests. The inside of Carthay Circle is like stepping back into the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The furniture and decor is reminiscent of the 1930’s and black and white photos of Walt Disney and various stars, along with articles of Snow White‘s premiere, are donned along each wall of the restaurant and lounge.
The restaurant has an amazing, ever-changing menu. Their signature fried biscuits are a must! Carthay Circle is open for lunch and dinner, with lunch entrees ranging between $25 – $35 and currently includes selections such as Tuscan Grilled Skirt Steak Salad, Carthay Angus Bacon Burger, and Skuna Bay Salmon. Dinner ranges between $35 – $52 and currently includes entrees such as Maple Leaf Duck Breast, Wagyu Beef and Truffle Ravioli, and Thick-cut Berkshire Pork Chop.
It is highly recommend to make reservations for Carthay Circle in advance. Reservations can be made starting 60 days beforehand. Carthay Circle also offers dining packages for both World of Color and Frozen – Live at the Hyperion. Both packages include a three-course meal at Carthay Circle and priority seating at the respective show.
Have you dined at Carthay Circle Restaurant before? What menu item is your favourite?
Don’t forget to like Skyway to Wonderland on Facebook to keep up with all things Disney!
Leave a Reply