Thunder Falls Terrace Appears to Have Closed at Islands of Adventure, With July 19 Reported as Its Final Day Before a 2027 Return

Universal told everyone this was coming but never announced the day it would happen. Thunder Falls Terrace, the big thatched-roof counter-service restaurant in the Jurassic Park section of Islands of Adventure, appears to have quietly closed, and the date it went dark seems to have been Sunday, July 19.

Thunder Falls Terrace in a file photo taken while it was still operating. Image credit: WDW News Today

How we know

WDW News Today reported the closure on Monday, hedging appropriately. In the outlet's words, "It seems July 19 was the final day of Thunder Falls Terrace as we knew it." The restaurant is reportedly closed, and searching for it on the Universal Orlando Resort website or in the app now leads to blank pages. We checked the restaurant's official Universal Orlando page ourselves and it no longer resolves to a listing.

Universal filed a permit for interior renovations at the restaurant back in April, so the paperwork has been in place for a while.

What it is turning into

This is the part Universal did announce. Back in May, Inside Universal reported that Thunder Falls Terrace would permanently close this summer so the location could be transformed into an all-new dining concept, one that will become the new signature full-service restaurant at Islands of Adventure when it debuts in 2027. Inside Universal reported that additional details, including the concept, the menu, and an official opening timeframe, are expected at a later date.

That promotion exists because the park's current fine dining flagship is on the way out. Mythos Restaurant, which Inside Universal describes as one of the resort's most recognizable dining locations, is set to close permanently in 2027 as Universal closes The Lost Continent in phases. For now, Mythos remains open, though construction walls have gone up outside.

Mythos Restaurant in an earlier photo, taken before the construction walls went up. Image credit: Orlando Informer

The Hammond's theory

There is one piece of speculation worth flagging, clearly labeled as speculation. WDW News Today notes that, though it is not confirmed, Thunder Falls Terrace could become Hammond's, a table-service restaurant in the Jurassic World land at Universal Beijing Resort. WDW News Today describes the two buildings as having a similar appearance, and both do carry that same wide round roof on heavy timber. Hammond's is named for John Hammond, the founder of Jurassic Park.

Nothing about that is official. It is a resemblance, not an announcement.

Hammond's at Universal Beijing Resort, the restaurant WDW News Today compares to Thunder Falls Terrace. Image credit: WDW News Today

Jurassic Park is having a quiet summer

Jurassic Park River Adventure is also closed for a major refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen on November 20, 2026, per Inside Universal. With the restaurant going dark too, the land is currently without its headline ride and Thunder Falls Terrace. The ride is due back in late November. The restaurant is not due back until 2027.

Sources

• WDW News Today, "Thunder Falls Terrace Now Closed for Full-Service Transformation at Universal Islands of Adventure"
• Inside Universal, "Universal Orlando Closing Thunder Falls Terrace in Jurassic Park for New Signature Restaurant" (May 2026)
• Inside Universal, "Universal Orlando confirms Lost Continent Closing Plans; Mythos Restaurant to close by 2027" (May 2026)
• Inside Universal, "What's Happening at the Universal Parks, Week of July 20, 2026"
• Universal Orlando, Thunder Falls Terrace page (no longer listed)

Image credits: Thunder Falls Terrace entrance and Hammond's at Universal Beijing Resort via WDW News Today. Mythos Restaurant exterior via Orlando Informer.