ADR's ar T-rex and Rain Forest

[Doug Means]

Hey: thanks for help in advance.

i've had ADR's at these two before and have them again for my next trip in June. On the Disney website its states as advice to arrive 60 minutes before any reservation, but it seam in my weak memory that at these 2 places they won't even take you name until 15 minutes before your reservation time. Is this correct or did i dream that?
thanks again for any information you can give.

 

[Hopefully]

You are correct. Generally the check in advice is 15 minutes before your ADR. Theymay have been advising about travel time, which is much longer.
As an aside, with the multitude of great, unique Disney restaurants why are you wasting 2 meals on basically chain restaurants? I donlt understand why

 

[figment_jii]

I can't imagine arriving an hour early for an ADR. I think that was either a mis-print or it might have been referring to travel time allowances.

 

[lilclerk]

I can't imagine arriving an hour early for an ADR. I think that was either a mis-print or it might have been referring to travel time allowances.

That's what I'm wondering too, 60 minutes seems crazy early to check in anywhere.

 

[Fletch]

The last time we tried to get to Downtown Disney it took us about 45 minutes (at about 2:00 in the afternoon) from the transportation and ticket center. Between traffic, construction, and limited parking it was a pain. I'm guessing this is why they suggest 60 minutes.

 

[Doug Means]

i would not show up that early either! i'm just trying to get a grip on the timing of it all. when i did this last time as i am this next trip, when we arrive on our first day, we are not doing a park but instead headed down to Downtown Disney(Disney Springs) to look around and kind of shop. last time we walked up to T-rex about 35 min before our time (i think and i guess i was hoping maybe to get in a little earlier) and i believe they told me that they couldn't take my name even though i had a reservation until 15 min before our time. i'm just wondering if that was correct or not or even if anything major has changed over the last 2 years.

 

[Doug Means]

You are correct. Generally the check in advice is 15 minutes before your ADR. Theymay have been advising about travel time, which is much longer.
As an aside, with the multitude of great, unique Disney restaurants why are you wasting 2 meals on basically chain restaurants? I donlt understand why

well just like anything else in the world, we tend to do things we like, and we love T-rex, and Rain Forest. we don't always do both in a trip. but we always do at least one and our family must do O'Hana's too! we love them that much. usually we travel for 5 nights, that leaves us 3 dinners to try new things, and we always try new one one those 3 nights. what's the harm in going somewhere that A. you like B. has kind of become a tradition, and C. doesn't really hurt our experiencing new places?

 

[isabellea]

You are correct. Generally the check in advice is 15 minutes before your ADR. Theymay have been advising about travel time, which is much longer.
As an aside, with the multitude of great, unique Disney restaurants why are you wasting 2 meals on basically chain restaurants? I donlt understand why

I also booked Rainforest Cafe but at AK. You know what? RC might be a chain but this chain is not where we live so for us it will be a new experience and I'm sure my kids will LOVE the theme. And who cares where someone decides to go?!? You're not the one eating there or paying the bill!

 

[Hopefully]

well just like anything else in the world, we tend to do things we like, and we love T-rex, and Rain Forest. we don't always do both in a trip. but we always do at least one and our family must do O'Hana's too! we love them that much. usually we travel for 5 nights, that leaves us 3 dinners to try new things, and we always try new one one those 3 nights. what's the harm in going somewhere that A. you like B. has kind of become a tradition, and C. doesn't really hurt our experiencing new places?

QUOTE="isabellea, post: 53468239, member: 501998"]I also booked Rainforest Cafe but at AK. You know what? RC might be a chain but this chain is not where we live so for us it will be a new experience and I'm sure my kids will LOVE the theme. And who cares where someone decides to go?!? You're not the one eating there or paying the bill![/QUOTE]

Whoa!!! Calm Down. I asked because I wondered why. I would not do that and I wondered why the OP would.
I did not criticize, I wondered.
Little sensitive folks??????

 

[bumbershoot]

The 60 minutes refers to travel time.

Why not get a Landry Select card/account? Costs $25 but then you get a $25 coupon. And the account lasts forever (or until they change the program again like they did from Safari Club to Landry Select).

with the multitude of great, unique Disney restaurants why are you wasting 2 meals on basically chain restaurants? I donlt understand why

Hopefully, the word "wasting" is a criticizing word. It's hard to NOT take it as such when that word is used.

Some people like the menu there. (I like the pita quesadillas without chicken at Rainforest; I've never had anything quite like it! T-Rex is still more of an experience place for me, there's even less vegetarian items there than at Rainforest) And for many, it's not really a chain since they don't have access to them. I believe there are only TWO T-Rexes anywhere, and not a huge amount of Rainforest Cafes. So if you like the menu and the theme, why not?

Pita quesadillas at RFC are better to my palate than quite a lot of the food on menus at the non-chain restaurants around WDW, I'll tell you that.

 

[Hopefully]

Hopefully, the word "wasting" is a criticizing word. It's hard to NOT take it as such when that word is used.

Some people like the menu there. (I like the pita quesadillas without chicken at Rainforest; I've never had anything quite like it! T-Rex is still more of an experience place for me, there's even less vegetarian items there than at Rainforest) And for many, it's not really a chain since they don't have access to them. I believe there are only TWO T-Rexes anywhere, and not a huge amount of Rainforest Cafes. So if you like the menu and the theme, why not?

Pita quesadillas at RFC are better to my palate than quite a lot of the food on menus at the non-chain restaurants around WDW, I'll tell you that.

Bumbershoot, I see your point about the word. I did not mean it to come across that way. We have Rainforest Cafes in Malls all around us here. Disney has so many truly unique offerings, so I was wondering. Didn't mean to come across judgmental - just wondering

 

[I'mfarfaraway]

You are correct. Generally the check in advice is 15 minutes before your ADR. Theymay have been advising about travel time, which is much longer.
As an aside, with the multitude of great, unique Disney restaurants why are you wasting 2 meals on basically chain restaurants? I donlt understand why

We are using our ADR on Rainforest because we don't have this restaraunt in our country and our son really wants to go. We don`t see it as wasteful but more of a guarantee that we will get to go there when we want.

 

[HopperFan]

As an aside, with the multitude of great, unique Disney restaurants why are you wasting 2 meals on basically chain restaurants? I donlt understand why

I would consider both of these restaurants highly unique, even compared to many Disney restaurants.
- T-Rex may be owned by a "chain restaurant" company but there are only TWO of them and the other is in Kansas. It's way more unique than most of the restaurants at Disney World.
- Rainforest may not be as rare but for some of us, there isn't one close by. Again, more themed than most of Disney's restaurants. Both are "interactive" and cool experiences especially for kids.

Both have good food, we prefer Rainforest, and I would say for the price you pay at these restaurants compared to similar priced ones that are Disney ... the food is in many instances much better than Disney's.

 

[creamypuffs]

We were just there 3 weeks ago and I got to T-Rex 15 min before ADR and the line to check in was so long, by check-in time, it was already our ADR time. They didn't care and we got seated probably just 10 minutes. We loved T-Rex experience more than Rainforest Cafe but I would do both anytime again because I don't have access to either of those restaurants near home. Enjoy!!