Original Disney Park Location Schedules Historic Demolition After Years of Planning

After years of anticipation, one of Southern California’s most beloved bakeries is finally making its way to the heart of the Disneyland Resort. Porto’s Bakery & Cafe — known for its Cuban pastries, potato balls, and long lines of devoted fans — is officially set to begin construction at its future home in Downtown Disney. But the arrival of Porto’s is setting off a domino effect of changes across the district, and the ripples are being felt from the east entrance of the shopping district all the way to the performance lawn on the west end.

A Long-Awaited Arrival

It’s been a winding road to get here. First announced at the D23 Expo in 2022, the Porto’s location was planned for the former La Brea Bakery space, right at the east entrance of Downtown Disney near the gates of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. The announcement generated considerable buzz — Porto’s has developed a cult-like following across its multiple Los Angeles County locations, and this would mark the bakery’s first-ever presence at a Disney resort.

But things stalled. La Brea Bakery closed its doors in early 2023 to make way for construction, and then… nothing. For months, fans waited for updates that never seemed to come. Meanwhile, the space was temporarily repurposed by a Disneyland staple: Earl of Sandwich.

The Shifting Sandwich Scene

While Porto’s sat in limbo, Earl of Sandwich stepped in and reopened inside the former La Brea Bakery, giving guests a convenient place to grab a hot sub near the main park entrances. But that wasn’t the only shuffle. Earlier in 2022, the original Earl of Sandwich — along with the nearby AMC Theatres, Starbucks West, and Sugarboo & Co. — was demolished to make way for a massive west end reimagining of Downtown Disney.

To bridge the gap, Earl of Sandwich opened a second temporary location on the west side of the district in 2024, operating out of a food truck-style trailer next to the Star Wars Trading Post. That means that, as of now, the sandwich shop is operating two temporary locations on opposite ends of Downtown Disney. That’s a lot of sandwiches.

But change is coming fast.

Theme Park IQ shared the information on X, “BREAKING: Disneyland has filed a permit to demolish the former La Brea Bakery (currently Earl of Sandwich) building as well as two ticket booths (#7 and #8). This is where the new Portos Bakery location will be.

Permit entry:
DTD – La Brea Bakery/BLDG #K – Ticket Booths #7/8 – Demolition: 2,610 sq ft bakery/restaurant with utilities to be capped and foundation to be removed. 865 sq ft ticket booth #7 with utilities to be capped and foundation to be removed. 865 sq ft ticket booth #8 with utilities to be capped and foundation to be removed.”

BREAKING: Disneyland has filed a permit to demolish the former La Brea Bakery (currently Earl of Sandwich) building as well as two ticket booths (#7 and #8). This is where the new Portos Bakery location will be.

Permit entry:
DTD – La Brea Bakery/BLDG #K – Ticket Booths #7/8 -… pic.twitter.com/uxloMqDznl

— Theme Park IQ (@ThemeParkIQ) April 12, 2025

Porto’s Officially Moving Forward

New demolition permits filed with the City of Anaheim confirm that construction on Porto’s is finally ready to begin. According to documents submitted to the Anaheim Planning and Building Department, the 2,600-square-foot La Brea Bakery building and two adjacent Disneyland Resort ticket booths will be torn down. Utilities will be capped, and the foundation will be removed entirely.

Porto’s previously indicated construction would begin sometime in 2025 — and while we may be slightly ahead of that timetable, the paperwork signals that ground-breaking could begin sooner rather than later.

What This Means for Earl of Sandwich

With Porto’s finally moving forward, the east-end temporary location for Earl of Sandwich will be displaced. However, a permanent new two-story location for the fan-favorite sandwich shop is already under construction and rapidly taking shape near the Downtown Disney performance lawn.

The new location is set to feature:

• A quick-service counter for grab-and-go meals

• A full-service sit-down Earl of Sandwich Tavern

• An upstairs bar and lounge space

The topping-off ceremony — marking the placement of the final steel beam — is scheduled for this week. If all goes to plan, the new Earl of Sandwich could be welcoming guests before the end of the year.

A Downtown Disney Evolution

These shifts are just one piece of the larger transformation happening throughout Downtown Disney. The west end continues to evolve with more dining, shopping, and entertainment options expected to arrive in the near future. Meanwhile, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure — mere steps away — remain packed with exciting offerings like Pixar Fest, the upcoming debut of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and evolving nighttime entertainment lineups.

And with Porto’s finally breaking ground, Disney fans can start dreaming of warm cheese rolls and guava pastries to enjoy during their park days.