Thoughts appreciated....Rainforest Cafe

[blondie219]

We are 18 days away, WOOHOO! Currently our AK day we have TS plans at the Rainforest Café. We have never dined there and thought trying someplace new would be a good idea. I am now more on the fence in trying to decide rather to cancel that reservation and save the TS credit to use on a different day. As of right now our last full day I have no reservations or even plans on which park to visit. I am hoping that we will use that day to head wherever my DS8 found he enjoyed the most and will plan FP and dining earlier that week. Thoughts, should be cancel and hang onto the TS for that last day? Or is it worth the TS credit?

 

[anniebean]

I would cancel. It's been about a decade ago since I ate there, but it was THAT bad. None of my crew of 5 liked anything. We left hungry.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Yeah, don't do it.

If you want to view the last day as a flex but use a TS, book dinner at T-REX in Disney Springs. Uses a TS. Same company as RC. Giant dinosaurs, which, well, he's 8, which means automatically cool.

Use OpenTable or call for a reservation. Don't use Disney's ADR system.

(There are also other choices in Disney Springs you could consider. T-Rex is the "most like" RC and works with park flex.)

 

[maxiesmom]

I love the Rainforest Cafe. For my nephew and I, it is a must-do! The steak, salmon, and burgers are all very good.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Actually we loved Rainforest Cafe when we were there. Maybe we just hit it on a good day, but had an excellent waiter as well as a good meal. My only complaint was we were so stuffed, we didn't order dessert, and I had been eyeing up that Volcano thing for months!!!

Our friends did breakfast there and thought it was great, so booked another. I guess everyone is different.

 

[Tonberry]

My kids love both the Rainforest and T-Rex, which is the only reason we go there. The food is only average.
If we go on a trip without the kids, we would never eat there. There's just too many places that have better quality food and a better value.

 

[soniam]

Rainforest Cafe is ok. The food's not great. Some of it's ok and some of it's just bad. A good adult beverage can smooth over the food though You really go there for the atmosphere. Same for T-Rex. However, an 8 year old would probably love it. DS likes both and would eat there all of the time if he could. There are loud noises, so be aware of that. The entrance/exit is through the gift shop too. So no avoiding the souvenir thing.

 

[Vernie822]

I personally always get so stuck on my Animal Kingdom ADR's because I really like Yak and Yeti and Tusker House. I personally wouldn't waste my money or dining credits on Rainforest Cafe (we have been to them, never at WDW, but weren't really impressed).

 

[North of Mouse]

Children seem to enjoy the Rainforest, but to us the food is very meh, and the noise horrendous - have decided not to go back. Everyone likes different restaurants though, so if you've never dined there, I would suggest you keep your ressies and make your choice first hand!

 

[Jetta8300]

As 2 adults we always like the Rainforest cafe. It's a really fun atmosphere, we never have found it to be too loud. It's also really nice to go somewhere for once that has all different kinds of food. The group can get Italian food, Caribbean, steaks, dinner salads, etc. all in once place which is nice especially at the end of a trip where everything else has been so "themed". After a long week of eating like crap I'm always excited for Their AMAZING big salads. their seafood dishes have always been good as well. Coconut shrimp I think.

 

[CynBeth]

We always have good food and service. I would keep the ressie. You could always just pay OOP if you decide to do something your last day.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

The food isn't great, but DS8 and I enjoyed our experience at Rainforest Cafe!

This is what I would do - get the Landry's Select Card. It's $25, but that $25 then goes toward your meal. (you also get another credit if it's your "birthday month") The card gets you priority seating at Rainforest Cafe (T-Rex and Yak and Yeti as well). With the card, you don't need an ADR. Get the card, cancel the ADR, THEN, if you feel like going, you can make a more spontaneous decision.

 

[Dis703]

We've dined at RFC every trip to Disney as well as various other locations around the world including London, NJ, and Las Vegas.

These days we really only do it for the décor because the kids love it. The burgers we had on our last trip were not even up to par with QS burgers.

If there were other comparably priced options at AK that I thought my kids would enjoy we'd choose something else, so if you have another day you need to use your credit I'd suggest trying a different restaurant.

 

[nkereina]

I may be biased because we have a Rainforest Cafe in our home city, but we personally don't think it's worth it. It's a chain restaurant operated by a larger parent company (who also operates T-Rex), so the food is very much akin to Applebee's or Friday's. The atmosphere is cool for kids, but we always prefer to go to a place more unique to Disney.

 

[scdak]

Food at either RF or T-Rex is similar - pretty basic, I won't say outstanding but I have never had bad food there, have never left hungry either. There are better choices at AK for sure. Now at my house if I put the choices out there - my dino loving nephew would pick TRex over RF-Disney SPrings but that is because he would want to make another Build a Dino and see all the dinosaurs come to life while eating. I do like the idea someone gave about the Landry's select card if you still plan on going and then make an ADR somewhere else to use the TS credit, the $25 for the card is earned back when you dine at any of the Landry's locations for your first meal, I renew mine every few years when I make plans to go somewhere where there is a Landry's restaurant - only benefit I never get is the birthday $25

 

[DisneyHardin]

We ate at the one at AK in early November. I thought it was pretty good. DH had a burger and I had a chicken wrap. We signed up for the Landrys Club for the first time, so we had our initial $25 reward and a birthday reward, so it was a cheap lunch.

 

[Meriweather]

we always eat at RFC on AK day. We don't do the dining plan......we pay OOP
I like it there.

 

[mkla2015]

RFC is neat to experience if you have never been (same goes for TRex). Kids love it. Food isn't great but nothing terrible either. We never go to RFC at Disney though because we live very close to one. Tusker House is a must do for us on AK days.

 

[alhurricane]

We ate at RF for this first time this past May at AK. We went for breakfast and all four of us really enjoyed it.

 

[kastoney]

Definitely cancel it for Tusker House or Yak and Yeti. The ladder takes reservations directly by calling the restaurant and has lot more options open than MDE shows and better yet, no cancellation fee ; )