T-Rex restaurant at Downtown Disney

[Sallyb5]

I've seen rumours around that the T-Rex restaurant may be open Oct 14th, although Disney hasn't confirmed it yet and not taking reservations. There's also video of the concept behind the restaurant and how the one in Kansas looks.....i wasn't to bothered about the new restaurant but now I can't wait to go!

[HauntedGabe]

Too me this restaurant looks to be a bit of a clone of the Rainforest Cafe.

Not odd since they are owned by the same outfit and the Rainforest has been very successful around the country and in WDW. Rainforest names their entrees cutely like this also. The theming seems to follow the same pattern just with dinosaurs & climate changes. Rainforest has a thunderstorm every twenty minutes R-Rex will have a meteorite shower every 20 minutes. This one too will also have a matching gift shop just like Rainforest and Yeti. They seem to know what works and draws visitors.

From All Ears:

T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop,
Explore and Discover is scheduled to open at Downtown Disney on
October 14, 2008. T-Rex, developed by Schussler Creative, Inc.,
and operated by Landry's Restaurants, Inc., features dining and
retail in a 30,000-square-foot, 600-seat interactive prehistoric
environment. The concept is built around water, fire and ice:
Guests will be greeted with life-size animatronic dinosaurs that
live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig
site and much more. There will be a meteorite shower every 20
minutes and an aqua bar complete with a 6,000-gallon shark tank
and a large octopus with mechanical tentacles. A full-size
skeleton replica of Argentinosaurus, one of the largest of the
dinosaurs and copied from a museum specimen about 125 feet in
length, looms over the entrance, joined by a Tyrannosaurus rex
skeleton. The theme carries over to the menu, which features
items with names such as Caesarsaurus (Caesar salad), Raptor
Ribs (Asian BBQ ribs), Pterodactyl Wings (Buffalo chicken
wings), Triassic Tortellini (tri-colored cheese tortellini) and
Gigantosaurus Burger (think really big hamburger). You will be
able to make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE (939-3463).

[Bubba88]

Anyone hear if there going to have a soft opening before october 14th?

[lorilovestigger]

I asked Disney Dining today when I was making other ADRs and she didn't have any information yet and they weren't taking any ADRs.

[HauntedGabe]

Anyone hear if there going to have a soft opening before october 14th?

If it is anything like the Yak & Yeti opening (same owners) I'd guess at yes.
Y&Y kept pushing there opening back. It wasn't until about a week before my trip when they had a firm opening date while I was there. Disney Dining was very slow to have any info until it had a hard date set. Disney Dining Plan was an issue. Originally they were not going to take the dining plan until they took ADR's in January, soft opening was mid-November. The middle of my trip they did take the dining plan. Last I heard Rainforest wasn't on the Dining Plan, so it will be interesting to see if Rex will be or not. Keep checking the boards for news releases up until your trip for a firm date of opening, odds are with it not being Disney owned Dining will not have any information until we all hear it too.

Yak's servers were one of several odd resturants that wanted to hold onto your Disney Resort Card while you dined if you were on the dining plan. I'm not sure if any are still asking this, no is my reply since it attaches to my credit card.

[elvistelth]

Rainforest Cafe is awful so I guess this will be too. I live near the Rainforest Cafe in Sunrise Florida and I ate there twice. If you go to a restaurant just for the atmosphere then I guess it's alright...but the food sure isn't anything special. In spite of this the T-Rex restaurant should be a huge hit with the pre-school set; so for me, that's another reason to avoid it.

[DTSZ]

So, should I assume that this will not be on the Dining Plan as it not owned by Disney?

[MagicMom]

I just hung up the phone with Dining. She was very nice, but told me that there was no information available regarding an opening date or dining plan status. Yak & Yeti is on the dining plan list, but neither Rainforest Cafe accepts the dining plan. I was told to keep calling every week and to frequently check the Disney Dining web site.

I agree that this will most likely be an experience that is EXACTLY like the Rainforest Cafe: Dark, loud, and with average food. My son is 4 and LOVES dinosaurs, so we will more than likely be eating there regardless of its dining plan status. I agree with elvistelth that it will be overrun with preschool aged boys. Could make for some interesting meltdowns depending on the time of day!

[ohiodisneydad]

Rainforest Cafe is awful so I guess this will be too. I live near the Rainforest Cafe in Sunrise Florida and I ate there twice. If you go to a restaurant just for the atmosphere then I guess it's alright...but the food sure isn't anything special. In spite of this the T-Rex restaurant should be a huge hit with the pre-school set; so for me, that's another reason to avoid it.

Wow. My family and I really liked the food at the Rainforest Cafe. I loved the Pastalaya and the only complaint was from my dad who thinks the portions are just too big. It's been over two months since we got back from WDW and my dad is still complaining about the size of the cheeseburger.

I'm not certain it was worth the $120 I paid for the meal but I liked it.

[Zipadeedooda]

Sounds cool!

[HauntedGabe]

And as I said before, there seems to be a major communication gap between Disney Dining Res. and the owners of these non-Disney owned restaurants.

From All Ears yesterday:

.Although official Disney press releases stated that guests could
make reservations for the soon-to-open T-Rex restaurant at
Downtown Disney, a spokesperson for Landry's, which will operate
T-Rex, has told us that this is NOT the case. The Disney
Reservation Center will NOT be taking reservations for T-Rex.

This is very much like the run around everyone was getting when inquiring about Yak & Yeti just a year ago. Lord help those who don't read the "boards".

[Bubba88]

Our there any downtown disney resturants that take disney dining res?

[MouseTunesMissy]

I also tried to call WDW DINE to make reservations but was told that we won't be able to make ADRs through Disney. T-Rex will operate much the same as Rainforest Cafe, in that you'd have to call them directly. The ADR rep was hoping they would get to make ressies, but as far as she knew, Disney was not doing them.

She didn't have any phone number of other information in her database yet on T-Rex.

We are going in October, so I will keep calling. My son loves Dinosaurs, so in spite of whether or not the food wil be great, I think the gimick will be worth it.

[MagicMom]

I just called Landry's corporate office. They said they have no information regarding a contact number, nor do they have a definite open date. But, they said the opening will be this fall, and when they open reservations will have to be made directly through the restaurant. There, of course, is currently no number for the restaurant.

It used to be that Rainforest did not accept reservations. Has that changed?

[MJMcb]

hopefully, I can get in in January