Ugh..Don't eat at Rainforest Cafe

[pixiewings71]

I would have been excited too. I get excited just seeing the cats inside the park. If I saw a possum (I've never seen a possum before!), I would have cried and tried to take a picture.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience, OP. I wonder if any other restaurants in DTD with outdoor seating has possums too?

I would imagine they do Courtney. We have eaten outside many times in DTD, at RFC and Tortilla Joe's, sitting on the benches, at the Uva Bar, etc etc and we've never seem a possum. Sure, I would jump but I wouldn't hold it against the restaurant or DTD, there's nothing they can do about a wild animal. It's sort of like going camping and complaining that there are birds in the trees, or going swimming in the lake and complaining about the fish in the water.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I would imagine they do Courtney. We have eaten outside many times in DTD, at RFC and Tortilla Joe's, sitting on the benches, at the Uva Bar, etc etc and we've never seem a possum. Sure, I would jump but I wouldn't hold it against the restaurant or DTD, there's nothing they can do about a wild animal. It's sort of like going camping and complaining that there are birds in the trees, or going swimming in the lake and complaining about the fish in the water.

Yeah, seriously. It's not Disney's or the restaurant's fault at all. I wonder if people complain about the feral cats in the parks?

We just ate at Naples outdoors and I didn't see any possums or anything else exciting like that.

But I do think that was really really nice of the RFC's manager to give the OP a refund being it wasn't RFC's fault.

 

[Gisele]

I agree Courtney 100% !

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I agree w/ you & also had a bad time at Trattoria. UGH.

The food affected us all in some way, the service wasn't poor - the food was. Don't get me started on Trattoria. There was cheese food on the pizza & it left HORRID taste in your mouth. DH's suasage was the only good thing between the 4 of us.

Our only love was Blue Bayou.

 

[PinkBudgie]

In our area we have possums (one got trapped in our garbage can once- he was not happy! ), racoons, deer, skunks, rattlesnakes, and vultures to name a few off the top of my head.

I'm sure I would have been surprised or maybe even eaten with my feet on my chair but I would figure we were outside. We had a mice problem in our house a few years ago and I turned into one of those silly women on tv who stand on a chair. This coming from a girl who had pet rats and think they are cute. There is a difference between a pet and wild animals.

That said, the waiter could have been a bit nicer about it when he saw your concern. We've eaten there a couple times at lunch and just had quesadillas. Actually, I liked it so much, it inspired me to make some like it at home.

 

[Sherry E]

I agree w/ you & also had a bad time at Trattoria. UGH.

The food affected us all in some way, the service wasn't poor - the food was. Don't get me started on Trattoria. There was cheese food on the pizza & it left HORRID taste in your mouth. DH's suasage was the only good thing between the 4 of us.

Our only love was Blue Bayou.

I am the opposite - I love Wine Country Trattoria and their meatball sandwiches (do they serve pizza? I was just there a week ago and didn't see any pizza on their menu), I love Naples (they have lots of pizza) and I love Rainforest Cafe! And I love to sit outdoors at all three places! The critter would have scared the @#$% out of me if it scurried past or over my feet, but I wouldn't have blamed RFC for it. If it hung around and started biting me, I may have been less understanding, but if it just ran by quickly and left, then it would be a non-issue for me. Sounds to me like that critter is VERY accustomed to people and probably eats the crumbs from the ground regularly. I am sure RFC knows about the possum - this was probably not the first sighting of him/her there, but they never know when or IF it is going to reappear so they don't do anything. I am an animal lover, so even though I would not try to pet this rodent, I wouldn't want to see it harmed in any way either, and I would feel bad for it that it had to scrounge for food underneath the RFC tables!!!

I really like the food at RFC - their chicken fried chicken rocks!! And the DTD location of RFC does serve breakfast, but I like their lunch/dinner menu offerings better. The breakfast is good only because you can enjoy the ambience without the long wait for a table! The food is much better at lunch and dinner.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

RFC's food was great! And our server was pretty cool too..(well servers..one left in the middle of our meal LOL)

I wouldn't have been upset over it..i mean..it IS the RFC hehe

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I am the opposite - I love Wine Country Trattoria and their meatball sandwiches (do they serve pizza? I was just there a week ago and didn't see any pizza on their menu), I love Naples (they have lots of pizza) and I love Rainforest Cafe! And I love to sit outdoors at all three places! The critter would have scared the @#$% out of me if it scurried past or over my feet, but I wouldn't have blamed RFC for it. If it hung around and started biting me, I may have been less understanding, but if it just ran by quickly and left, then it would be a non-issue for me. Sounds to me like that critter is VERY accustomed to people and probably eats the crumbs from the ground regularly. I am sure RFC knows about the possum - this was probably not the first sighting of him/her there, but they never know when or IF it is going to reappear so they don't do anything. I am an animal lover, so even though I would not try to pet this rodent, I wouldn't want to see it harmed in any way either, and I would feel bad for it that it had to scrounge for food underneath the RFC tables!!!

I really like the food at RFC - their chicken fried chicken rocks!! And the DTD location of RFC does serve breakfast, but I like their lunch/dinner menu offerings better. The breakfast is good only because you can enjoy the ambience without the long wait for a table! The food is much better at lunch and dinner.

OMG! I MEANT Naples!!! I'm so sorry. TY for saying this & setting it straight SherryE! Naples had icky pizza that left an icky taste, NOT Trattoria.

 

[pixiewings71]

Yeah, seriously. It's not Disney's or the restaurant's fault at all. I wonder if people complain about the feral cats in the parks?

We just ate at Naples outdoors and I didn't see any possums or anything else exciting like that.

But I do think that was really really nice of the RFC's manager to give the OP a refund being it wasn't RFC's fault.

I agree 100% It was VERY nice of the manager to give a refund!

I agree w/ you & also had a bad time at Trattoria. UGH.

The food affected us all in some way, the service wasn't poor - the food was. Don't get me started on Trattoria. There was cheese food on the pizza & it left HORRID taste in your mouth. DH's suasage was the only good thing between the 4 of us.

Our only love was Blue Bayou.

OMG! I MEANT Naples!!! I'm so sorry. TY for saying this & setting it straight SherryE! Naples had icky pizza that left an icky taste, NOT Trattoria.

Ok, Naples has pizza. LOL I was confused too. I'm sorry Naples was yucky for you. We went to Napolini one night and it was the best pizza. OMG, we ate every bite and the kids wanted more. LOL It was only the 3 of us and we ordered a medium pizza! LOL I agree on BB, I love it there too. We have our PS for there already and I'm excited!

 

[Leofoenget]

He totally should have offered to move your table. I think if he had done that it would have been ok.

 

[DangerMouse]

Possums at Rainforest Cafe? How rainforesty!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Earlier this month on our return walk back to HoJo's (we were on HoJo property) I saw a employee standing near a garbage can (outside) holding an umbrella (closed) which he had aimed at the garbage can ~ upon glancing at the garbage can I saw a bushy black and white ringed tail. I learned from the HoJo employee that animal control was on the way to take care of the racoon ~ I hope he was set free somewhere in the wilderness. The kids and I thought that was pretty neat.

I think it's silly you got a free meal. We ate @ the DTD RFC in April of this year ~ it was OK ~ I didn't think the food was all that great.

 

[Gisele]

I think it's silly you got a free meal.

I totally agree with your sentiment!
I hope that the raccoon was released somewhere proper too. The only way to know for sure, is to find out which shelter picked him up, and what their policy is. It is not the fault of the animals, coming out to human inhabited areas. Between the encroachment of man, and people feeding the little guys, one can see how one will see them, at Dl or elsewhere, there are people. The animals were here first, then we came along, then cars, pollution and everything else. Animals do have rights too. I really do hope that animal control did not put him to sleep. If an animal is healthy,and is wild, they should be released where they will be happy, and as safe from humans as possible.

 

[Sherry E]

OMG! I MEANT Naples!!! I'm so sorry. TY for saying this & setting it straight SherryE! Naples had icky pizza that left an icky taste, NOT Trattoria.

Well, I do like Naples a lot (but others beside you have stated their dislike for it, however, so you are not alone!), but I will say that my pizzas have been different each time I ate there. First of all, their 'small' pizza is big enough for two people. It is a good-sized pizza! But one time I got it the cheese was not melted enough and it was a little lukewarm. However, it had a great flavor to it, and to have them heat it up again would have only meant that I would have to wait for it to cool down to eat it! The second pizza I had was baked a little TOO long, and was piping hot for a while. But it still had a great flavor. It's not like the pizza you get at a chain restaurant, that's for sure! But I guess it is just a matter of personal taste and preference!

 

[SplashMountainJunkie]

Sounds like another critter escaped from Ralph Brennans Jazz kitchens boiling pot, just be glad it wasn't a croc!

We ate at Naples once, the cheese slid off the paper thin pizza. Is all the pizza like that?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Possums at Rainforest Cafe? How rainforesty!

Sounds like another critter escaped from Ralph Brennans Jazz kitchens boiling pot, just be glad it wasn't a croc!

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Why hasn't jackoman posted in this thread again? It's funny how people start hot topics but don't respond to all the comments about it.

 

[Sherry E]

Sounds like another critter escaped from Ralph Brennans Jazz kitchens boiling pot, just be glad it wasn't a croc!

We ate at Naples once, the cheese slid off the paper thin pizza. Is all the pizza like that?

That's funny! I had images of the cheese sliding off and onto the floor! Hmm, I am trying to remember whether mine slid or not. Again, both of my pizza experiences at Naples have been different - one underbaked and one overbaked - but I liked the crust and the flavor each time. The pepperoni was good, and we had pretty good service too. I guess I should say that I like Naples well enough to eat there again, BUT it is not mandatory for every trip. I can skip it for a trip or two and not feel bad. But I do like it. I have seen plenty of comments about Naples on DIS that were not favorable, though, so they should do a secret poll and find out from customers what is wrong and how to fix it!! People LOVE pizza, so it's a built-in customer base, but if enough folks are telling them that their pizza isn't good, maybe they will tweak the recipe or something! Or at least keep the cheese from sliding off the crust!

 

[Califgirl]

Why hasn't jackoman posted in this thread again? It's funny how people start hot topics but don't respond to all the comments about it.

Geeze, can you blame him? He encounters a very large rodent while dining, the servers don't return to either serve him and his party or relocate him to another area of the restaurant, and most posters are skewering him. yikes!

Of course he should have complained! Both about the service and the possum. If you saw a large rat scurrying around in a restaurants dining area (even if you were outside), would that not creep you out? Possums are scavengers, like mice and rats so who knows if they've been in or around the kitchen. It is still unusual to me that there was a possum out amongst the people. I would be concerned that the animal was sick. I live out in the 'country' so to speak and like some others here, we see possums, raccoons, skunks, rattlesnakes, even a bobcat on our property. But I would not like to see any of those things while I am dining at a restaurant in a populated area, unless they are a part of an 'exhibit' and are being handled by a professional.

 

[Lynzer Torte]

Geeze, can you blame him? He encounters a very large rodent while dining, the servers don't return to either serve him and his party or relocate him to another area of the restaurant, and most posters are skewering him. yikes!

Of course he should have complained! Both about the service and the possum. If you saw a large rat scurrying around in a restaurants dining area (even if you were outside), would that not creep you out? Possums are scavengers, like mice and rats so who knows if they've been in or around the kitchen. It is still unusual to me that there was a possum out amongst the people. I would be concerned that the animal was sick. I live out in the 'country' so to speak and like some others here, we see possums, raccoons, skunks, rattlesnakes, even a bobcat on our property. But I would not like to see any of those things while I am dining at a restaurant in a populated area, unless they are a part of an 'exhibit' and are being handled by a professional.

Perhaps he has more to add to the story that might change some minds?

He should have complained about the service. The animal? The restaurant has no control over that. They should have offered to move him, however.