Universal Will Close the Award-Winning Mythos for Good and Reimagine Thunder Falls Terrace as a New Signature Restaurant

Some bittersweet news for Universal fans who love a proper sit-down meal at the parks. As Universal gets ready to redevelop The Lost Continent at Islands of Adventure, the beloved Mythos Restaurant, a ten-time winner of Theme Park Insider's Best Restaurant award, is closing for good. Stepping into its shoes as the park's fine dining flagship is Thunder Falls Terrace, the Jurassic Park barbecue spot, which closes this summer to be reborn in 2027 as an all new full-service restaurant.

Mythos Restaurant at Islands of Adventure is set to close permanently by 2027. Photo: Orlando Informer

Mythos, a genuine theme park legend, is closing

If you have eaten at Islands of Adventure, you probably know Mythos. Tucked into a cave-like grotto in The Lost Continent with waterfalls and lagoon views, it has served contemporary American food with an international twist for more than two decades, and it built a reputation as arguably the best restaurant in any theme park anywhere. Theme Park Insider readers voted it Best Restaurant so many times, a run that reached ten wins, that the site eventually retired it into its Hall of Fame so other restaurants could get a look in.

Universal announced on Thursday, May 7, 2026 that The Lost Continent will close in phases to make way for a new, still unannounced themed land, and Mythos is going with it. The restaurant is set to close permanently by 2027. No specific final date has been announced yet, so if it is on your list, do not wait too long.

Thunder Falls Terrace becomes the new flagship

Rather than leave Islands of Adventure without a marquee sit-down restaurant, Universal is promoting from within. In that same May 7 announcement, the resort said Thunder Falls Terrace, currently a quick-service spot in Jurassic Park known for rotisserie chicken, BBQ ribs, and roasted pernil, will close this summer and reopen in 2027 as an all new full-service restaurant. Universal's announcement, as relayed by outlets including ClickOrlando, described it as the park's new signature dining destination. One important distinction: Thunder Falls is being reimagined and will reopen, so only Mythos is closing for good.

Thunder Falls Terrace in Jurassic Park closes this summer and reopens in 2027 as a full-service restaurant. Photo: Orlando Informer

A $6 million permit shows the work is real

This is not just talk. Back in late April, before the land announcement even dropped, a building permit surfaced in the City of Orlando's public records tied to the project. Permit BLD2026-13610 lists a Universal-owned parcel, a $6 million construction value, and a filing date of April 27, 2026. WDW News Today, citing the tracker Universally Addicted, reported that the permit is for interior renovations at Thunder Falls Terrace, that it had passed review, and that it carries an expiration date of October 26, 2026. A $6 million interior job is a serious investment, which is about what you would expect for a jump from counter service to a full-service flagship.

What it means for your next visit

If Mythos has been sitting on your Universal bucket list, treat this as your notice to book it before it is gone. And if you are visiting in the back half of 2026, plan on Thunder Falls Terrace being behind construction walls. The payoff is a brand new signature restaurant waiting on the other side in 2027, along with whatever Universal has planned for the land that replaces The Lost Continent.

Sources

• WDW News Today (Mythos closing, Thunder Falls retheme)
• WDW News Today (the permit)
• Inside Universal
• ClickOrlando
• City of Orlando permit BLD2026-13610

Image credits: Orlando Informer.