T-REX Under Way

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Finally, after months of delay, preliminary construction has begun on the new T-REX Restaurant at Downtown Disney Marketplace. Barricades are up and the old valet traffic circle near McDonald's is blocked off along with that corner of Parking Lot E.

BobK/Orlando

 

[dvcbnd]

Thanks for the info! Did you hear anything about how long before it's going to open? As a mom of huge dinosaur fans, you can imagine how excited we are!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I was there on 10-06-07.
2) Status
. . . fences are up
. . . earth moving eaquipemtnm is on-site
. . . some dirt has begun to be moved

 

[adabob]

sounds great

But i cant wait until Yak and Yeti opens

 

[Diznejen1]

We too are waiting on any info on Yak and Yeti. I love the fact that Disney does stuff an a huge scale and is always opening new things!

Our trip is 12-14 to 12-16 and I will report on the status of both places.

 

[locon]

Thanks for the info on T-REX Restaurant. I was afraid it was going to fall through. Now I am excited!

 

[mitros]

Well, I still cannot believe that they are putting it in such a congested area of the parking lot.......

 

[CMedley78]

I almost thought it wasn't going to happen. I was there in June and my husband and I wondered what the heck was going on...why was there no construction? Plus, we couldn't quite figure out where they were going to build it. We will be down in April, so I will have to take a walk by to see the progress then. The concept of the restaurant sounds great...my little man will surely love it when it opens!

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

The location for the T-REX is indeed odd. But there really are no parcels of land available within DD for anything large. I guess they have to come out into the parking lot to get it to fit.

I wonder if this isn't just going to cannibalize customers from Rain Forest Cafe.

BobK/Orlando

 

[agnes!]

JMO, but I will never willingly darken the door of any Rainforest Cafe again and have no great hopes for the Yak & Yeti. I have never had a good/decent meal at any RC.

Are they really coming out into the DTD parking lot for the T-Rex restaurant's building? Parking at DTD is already abysmal, maybe Disney corporate will start to give out DTD Parking FastPasses.

But I am glad that other folks have a positive attitude about these new developments. I just can't.

agnes!

 

[mitros]

The location for the T-REX is indeed odd. But there really are no parcels of land available within DD for anything large. I guess they have to come out into the parking lot to get it to fit.

I wonder if this isn't just going to cannibalize customers from Rain Forest Cafe.

BobK/Orlando

There is a whole lot of room on the far end of the West Side. Past Cirque Du Soleil. It would still be in the parking lot, but not close to anything else.

 

[Jason71]

They keep adjusting traffic patterns on the "east" side of the parking lots; most recently, in the lot by World of Disney, they added a few spaces by removing a cross-lane. But I agree, it's still packed--nearly impossible to find a space east of PI--and will only be more of a mess if T-Rex starts drawing crowds.

This was argued to death months ago here, but sooner or later, WDW needs to address the fact that DTD has become a de facto free satelite lot for the parks.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

There is a whole lot of room on the far end of the West Side. Past Cirque Du Soleil. It would still be in the parking lot, but not close to anything else.

True, but that would probably just draw those with car access to it. Those that are milling about the main part of DTD would find that way too far to walk to. This is one of the reasons they opened up PI to everyone and built the new bridge from PI to Westside.....to try to draw all the pedestrians over at Marketplace over to the Westside.

And Agnes, what kind of great meal are you expecting? I'm sure T-REX will have the usual assortment of fried foods and foods heated up in microwaves or boiling bags. Isn't that what all chain restaurants offer nowadays?

BobK/Orlando

 

[agnes!]

...And Agnes, what kind of great meal are you expecting? I'm sure T-REX will have the usual assortment of fried foods and foods heated up in microwaves or boiling bags. Isn't that what all chain restaurants offer nowadays?

BobK/Orlando

Mmmmmmm-Hmmmmmmm...now that's good eatin'.

agnes!

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I love the Cracker Barrel because I have this picture of good country cooking going on back there in the kitchen. I'd hate to learn the truth about what really goes on back there!

BobK/Orlando

 

[mickeyfantroy]

I was there Sunday 10/7 and noticed the fence and had a feeling it was for T-Rex. I really don't think it will cannibalize Rainforest too bad considering there is usually a wait. What I'm more concerned about is losing parking space! Anybody else have the problem of finding a space near Market Place or Pleasure Island?

 

[flowerphoto]

Yak & Yeti is scheduled to open Nov 14th and right now everything is suppose to be running right on time.
T-Rex is 8 to 10 months out.
Both are owned and operated by Landrys.
Rumor has it at Disney the food at Yak & Yeti's tasting was amazing!

 

[agnes!]

Yak & Yeti is scheduled to open Nov 14th and right now everything is suppose to be running right on time.
T-Rex is 8 to 10 months out.
Both are owned and operated by Landrys.
Rumor has it at Disney the food at Yak & Yeti's tasting was amazing!

In my mind, a tasting is one thing.
A restaurant running with its regular staff and hours and suppliers after all the opening/pre-opening hoopla has died down is unfortunately sometimes something completely different.

agnes!

 

[mitros]

In my mind, a tasting is one thing.
A restaurant running with its regular staff and hours and suppliers after all the opening/pre-opening hoopla has died down is unfortunately sometimes something completely different.

agnes!

Absolutely! Excellent point.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

What I'm more concerned about is losing parking space! Anybody else have the problem of finding a space near Market Place or Pleasure Island?

Parking on that side can be a challenge at times. But a lot of the shoppers are leaving about the time PI gets cranking up so I've not had a problem finding a space on Saturday nights (prime PI night) since they reconfigured the parking lot last year. There is always something available.

BobK/Orlando