13/04/2026
For our date night in Paris, my wife and I had dinner at La Forêt Secrète (The Secret Forest), an upscale restaurant located on the exclusive Castle Club floor of the Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris. We had to call a Castle Club Cast Member via a telephone in a small, easy-to-miss room to get access. A nicely tailored Cast Member then arrived in the private elevator and allowed us in. Upstairs, we waited in what I assume is the Castle Club concierge. After a few minutes, we were whisked inside the doors of the restaurant by another Cast Member.
The photos really don't do the decor justice. The view of Sleeping Beauty's Castle is lovely, and the forest theme looks elegant. The Snow White story book at the table contains the prix fixe tasting menu (menu dégustation), a five-course set menu where the chef has pre-selected all dishes.
The meal started with the sommelier wheeling a cart to our table loaded with a large bucket of ice and five varieties of champagne to choose from. I picked the option with yuzu notes, and my wife selected the fruitiest option. Both were crisp and refreshing.
Then the courses and wine began to arrive, course by course. There was no wine menu, so I couldn't tell you what we had. Our amuse-bouche was a roll with little dots of colorful, flavored pastes, inspired by the movie Up. Each was delicious and completely different from the others. I remember flavors like garlic and lemon. I didn't write them down, and can't remember what they all were, but each was very good. It was served with butter shaped like the iconic Mickey clock at the Disneyland Hotel. Half the butter was rosemary and the other half was sea salt. Pro tip: get a little of both on each pat.
Our first course was Under the Sea, inspired by The Little Mermaid. This is scallops, shellfish, citrus fruits, and Imperial Sologne caviar. The caviar was surprisingly mild. The dish was briney and definitely evocative of the ocean.
The second course was Mrs. Potts' Brew, inspired by Beauty and the Beast. This is root vegetables ravioli, mushroom consommé, and black trufle. It was adorable when the consommé was poured over the dish using a teapot that looks like Mrs. Potts! This was a rich, earthy dish. The truffles weren't too strong, which my wife appreciated.
The third dish was Remy's Ratatouille, inspired by Ratatouille, made with tomato water and white balsamic condiment. As much as I like the ratatouille at Bistrot Chez Rémy, this is vastly superior. The vegetables hold their shape as you scoop them up, then practically melt in your mouth. They taste so fresh and vibrant. As someone who doesn't always love eating vegetables, I'd gladly eat this every day.
The fourth course was Tony and Joe's Spaghetti, inspired by Lady and the Tramp. This is veal confit, tomato veal jus, and Comté cheese emulsion. The spaghetti forms a tube, almost like a cannelloni made out of a spiral of spaghetti. It's so fun to eat, with each slice unraveling some of the spaghetti. The veal is tender and flavorful. The cheese balances the acid of the tomato. This was our favorite dish of the evening.
Dessert was The Enchanted Apple, inspired by Snow White. This is a realistically rendered confection apple with a passion fruit filling. The red skin manages to be firm yet tender. The inside is like a white chocolate mousse. Then you break through to the tart, passion fruit core.
As the fireworks from Disney Tales of Magic began, the music from the show played in the restaurant. We sipped the most decadent hot chocolate I've ever had while enjoying the show. As a little treat, we were given chocolates shaped like the Mickey clock.
As we left, we were presented with a Lion King diorama from which we were to take our lemon madeleine as a little "kiss goodnight." It was a magical evening, and I'm so glad we made these reservations. We'd better be careful...it seems like we're starting to enjoy this Disney fine dining.
