Crazy dining question

[thenewgirl]

Okay, here goes...my kids and I will be in the area the weekend after Thanksgiving to look for a vacation house. I plan to drive in on Friday, look at houses on Saturday, and drive home Sunday (I know...crazy). We are not visiting any parks this time.

My kids both really want to eat at Rainforest Cafe, but I can't get reservations at the DTD one this late (AK one has ADRs, but I don't want to pay for parking). So, here's my ?. Are there any other "fun" dining choices I should try, or am I "doomed" to wait forever to get in RFC? Suggestions?

 

[goofyintoronto]

You should try TREX at downtown Disney!! no park ticket required. Its the same company and idea as Rainforest Cafe. Its very cool. check out the meteor showers in the ice room on youtube. your kids will love it way more than rainforest i think. Food is good. we never had a bad meal.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[rznhal]

Yes I agree! Trex looks so fun! We are trying it in January!

I've read that if you call them direct they have more availability than the disney ADR sight shows?!?!?

Have a fun trip!

 

[Ro Z]

Call them direct. You will have much better luck. Also get a Landry Select card. Www.landrysselect.com I think. It does cost $25 but you get that back the first time you use the card. It gives you priority seating. Good luck!!

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Are you trying to go through the ADR system to make reservations at the Rainforest Café or have you called the restaurant directly? They only release a small number of their reservations to Disney's system, so giving the restaurant itself a call may be worthwhile.

 

[thenewgirl]

Ooh, thanks for the ideas! I'll try calling RFC directly (had no idea I could do that!!!). If that doesn't work, maybe we'll try T-Rex, but DS says nothing but RF will do

 

[TruBlu]

Is parking at DTD free? Could you park there and take a bus to AKL, then to AK to have dinner at the one there?

 

[hammie59]

T-Rex is great!!!!! My kids are also RFC diehards, but boy did they love trex. We sat in the ice cave, which is just too cool. The walls glow various colors thru out the time you're there. Meteor shower is set up similar to thunder storm at RF. and the food was delicious. I have to say, I was surprised how much I liked everything. We will definitely go back next visit.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

Is parking at DTD free? Could you park there and take a bus to AKL, then to AK to have dinner at the one there?

That would be a gigantic waste of time. There are no buses directly from Downtown Disney to the theme parks, so one would have to transfer at a resort to do that. It could be up to an hour and a half of idle time waiting for and riding buses, all for a noisy, mediocre meal.

 

[Ro Z]

That would be a gigantic waste of time. There are no buses directly from Downtown Disney to the theme parks, so one would have to transfer at a resort to do that. It could be up to an hour and a half of idle time waiting for and riding buses, all for a noisy, mediocre meal.

I agree it would be a waste of time just to save the cost of parking. But I disagree about it being a mediocre meal. I like the food and if your kids are looking forward to it you should try to eat there!

 

[smiths02]

Have you tried calling RFC directly or are you making Tessie through Disney? Try calling directly.

 

[TruBlu]

There are no buses directly from Downtown Disney to the theme parks, so one would have to transfer at a resort to do that.

I know that, thus my suggestion to take a bus to AKL first, then to AK. It sounds like the kids really want to eat there. I was just trying to offer an option. MY kids would actually enjoy taking the bus to AKL and checking out the animals and resort (our favorite). The bus ride to AK from AKL is only about 5 minutes or so. Sounds like a fun night to me - not a gigantic waste of time.

 

[MHSweb79]

The bus ride to AK from AKL is only about 5 minutes or so. Sounds like a fun night to me - not a gigantic waste of time

The last time we ate breakfast at Boma we waited 40 minutes for the bus to AK. Finally gave up and went to a different park.

It can be an equally long wait at DTD for a bus to AKL- or even more. It's pretty common to hear complaints here of waits upwards of an hour for a bus to a resort from DTD.