Rainforest Cafe

[Dwarful]

We took the kids to Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom for dinner. well once I read the menus we decided to just do drinks and an appetizer tray because of the prices...The kids meal for example..the mini hamburger is $5.99 if your child wants fries with that its another $.99 , if your child wants a drink with that kids meal its another $1.99 so the kids meal ends up being $9.99 plus tax! I was really mad, felt like the small print was a bit dishonest...I expect a hamburger kids meal to come with more than just a hamburger! Anyway, we had the five kids includine a 2yr old who had nothing of cost, our 7 drinks...no alcohol or specialty drinks, and two appetizer trays that were $14.99 each came to a grand total of $60.72 We had 8 people so they added a 18% tip to each item one at a time and then added the tax to all of that! I complained about that...I wasnt complaining about the automatic tip, I was complaining about paying taxes on the tip and the tips being on each item instead of the total pretax bill. The manager wouldnt budge. We wont be back, but I was wondering if this is how it is at all of the RFC. We didnt remember the kids meal being alacarte prices before. Thanks!

 

[WDWspider]

RFC for me is a Disney Vacation only experience. I would never go to one outside of the Disney parks because the food is high. But it is a novelty enough experience that I will go back and I love the inside. Whether people think the Animatronics are Disney level, I personally don't care. For a Restaurant I think it is one cool experience. Outside of Disney time, I would never consider a restaurant like that, so yes, it is a matter of opinion and individual expectations. But I like RFC when I go, I always bring enough money when I go to Disney so I don't need to worry about money... how else can you fully enjoy the trip?

 

[The Mom]

I must be one of the few people NOT surprised by the food prices at WDW RESORT restaurants. I've stayed in many, many, upper end resorts, and find Disney prices to be comparable, or even lower, than most. I've paid more for worse meals; I've also gotten better meals for less. It's just the luck of the draw! I can understand how the prices can be daunting to a family on a budget, however! You do get the feeling you're being fiscally assaulted at every meal, if you haven't planned accordingly! I wish there were a way to warn people that meals are going to be at least twice what you pay at home, so either stay at a condo and eat in, or save your pennies!

 

[DisneyGal]

I used to be all excited to go to WDW to eat at the Rainforest Cafe, this is before they put one closer to me. Now I don't even bother to eat there!! I realized that they are overpriced and that the food isn't really all that great. Plus, why would I want to pay all that money just to enjoy the atmosphere? Don't get me wrong, it has great theming, but thats about all that is great!!!

 

[hadleybarth]

While the prices at Disney are high, I agree with the last post that they are no more so than at many resorts, and the food and atmosphere are generally better. In fact, we figure that the buffets and family style all you can eat places should really be compared in price to local Easter/Mother's Day/Thanksgiving, etc. buffets as their is about hte same type and quality of foods at these areas. We live near Detroit and hte average MOther's Day Brunch ranged in price from $20 to $45 per person which puts Disney well within normal range.

As far as RFC goes, if you are also interested in a character meal my suggestion would be to do the character meal. You can always go to a local RFC for a birthday or special treatr at another time--but character meals can only be had at Disney. of course, I may be biased here since I will never go into an RFC again.

 

[Dwarful]

We had always done the RFC when we left the AK. But this time I was shocked at the prices for children. My complaint was that they shouldn't say "Childrens Meal $5.99" when it is a Childrens Mini Burger for $5.99 add another $3.00 if you want fries and a drink with that burger. No other place inside WDW says "Childrens Meals" and offers only one thing, no drink etc! Also at Cinderellas, Liberty Tree and CP they did not add our tip to individual items and then add on the taxes. In fact they didnt add on the tip at all they let us do that ourselves, even though we were a group, we didnt ask about it, it just happened that way. Plus at Cinderellas and LTT it was all you can eat. I dont mind paying for a good meal. But $60 for seven sodas (4 childrens) and two appetizers was a bit much..actually $17.00 of it was a tip that was NOT earned at all! So we decided that that was the end of our tradition of RFC at AK, as we would rather do a real Disney meal...character meal or otherwise.

 

[GoofyMike29]

Rainforest Cafe rules, I do not know what you guys are talking about?

 

[DanStat]

I liked it...

I really like Rainforest Cafe. I think the food is well worth the price. There is a Rainforest Cafe Club that you can join that will provide discounts on food, and merchandise.

 

[WDWspider]

Re: I liked it...

Originally posted by disneyprep50321
I really like Rainforest Cafe. I think the food is well worth the price. There is a Rainforest Cafe Club that you can join that will provide discounts on food, and merchandise.

How? If there is a web site, could you put a link to it?

 

[DanStat]

You can't join online as far as I know...but if you go to the restaraunt, they will give you a card to fill out. It's not free either, I think it's around $10.

 

[tybroid59]

I was wondering dont you think the food in WDW would taste better just by being in Disney.......the magic atmosphere making everything taste better??????

I hope so



140 DAYS AND ILL FIND OUT SURE :slurp:

 

[savannahsmiles]

Originally posted by danamarie27
I was going to book dinner there for me and my daughter in October and now I'm not so sure. I don't mnd spending the money if it's worth it. I'd rather do a charcter meal anyway.

Go anyway! My daughter and I went last year and we are going again this year. My daughter loves it! We even booked a PS so that she can just order the Volcano desert!

As far as expensive? Maybe...but it is not any worse than the ESPN Zone or any other "theme" restaurant.

 

[WDWspider]

Originally posted by tybroid59
I was wondering dont you think the food in WDW would taste better just by being in Disney.......the magic atmosphere making everything taste better??????

I hope so



140 DAYS AND ILL FIND OUT SURE :slurp:

I can see Piglet saying those very words I quoted you on, and yes, I think so as well. I tried to imply this in my first response. Rainforest at Disney is way more magical than anywhere else. Most people hate the Planet Hollywood's, but the one at Disney does extremly well. Location, Location, Location. Of course, I still don't like them even at Disney, but if I had to eat at one, or got a free gift certificate, I would eat at the DD one only.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

At the end of the day all these themed restaurants are a conn. Most of the meals cost very little to produce, and they tend to sell at a greater volume. What youre actually paying for is the experience, or the advertising hype.
Simple facts, Mcds BK, KFC Pizza hut, all taste the same world wide. Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock (official ones) and RFC are only diferent because of there memorabilia.
Captive audiences always get ripped off, whether it be WDW, footie or gigs.
It hurts but most people still produce the wallet and part with cash. Doesnt make it right though!

So you pays youre money (or not) and you takes it like the good consumer we all are.

MMMmmmm Hard rock buffalo wings.
:drevil:

 

[DanStat]

Thank you!

Originally posted by The Mom
I must be one of the few people NOT surprised by the food prices at WDW RESORT restaurants. I've stayed in many, many, upper end resorts, and find Disney prices to be comparable, or even lower, than most. I've paid more for worse meals; I've also gotten better meals for less. It's just the luck of the draw! I can understand how the prices can be daunting to a family on a budget, however! You do get the feeling you're being fiscally assaulted at every meal, if you haven't planned accordingly! I wish there were a way to warn people that meals are going to be at least twice what you pay at home, so either stay at a condo and eat in, or save your pennies!

THANK YOU!!!! There is also an experience that goes along with your food. I would rather eat out and pay a little more that have to eat in and worry about doing dishes!

I think Disney's prices are rather cheap too! I stayed at a hotel in Ohio last year for $300 A NIGHT!!!, and it wasn't even that good...and food...$15 for eggs, toast, grits (that weren't fixed right:animwink: ), and coffee! Hello!

 

[Dwarful]

I just really wondered if the prices at other RFC's had changed so dramatically...and if so was it because of 9/11? We spent less money for food eatting at Sci-Fi cost wise per person. We had full meals, milk shakes, the kids had kids meals..souvineer cups and frisbees etc...and our total for 8 people inlcuding buying a kids meal for the 2 yr old was $100. we spent $60 at RFC for appetizers and soda. The prices were higher than they were when we went last year and the food wasnt so great. Our kids enjoyed the character meals, the Sci-Fi Theater and 50's Prime Time more than they did the RFC. If you want the atmosphere..just go walk around the place and get a better meal elsewhere. Also do all of the RFC's sell Tonga Toast now or is that only at RFC at AK....that would be the only thing that might pull me in! I thought that Tonga Toast was only available at the Poly. but its now offered for b'fast at RFC at AK...they have a large placard sign advertising it for b'fast near the entrance to the AK park..the area where you go from RFC back into AK. I assumed (yeah I know) Tonga Toast was strictly a Disney thing...so if anyone knows if its available at all RFC's I would really like to know! thanks.

 

[Dwarful]

Oh I meant to say that as a regular theme park visitor we are used to paying theme park prices...but my main complaint was the small print saying that kids meals DO NOT include french fries or drinks....I feel that is slightly dishonest...no not slightly....some people might not even be able to read that tiny print in the dark and not know that the $6 kids meal is really $9. I know its only $3 more bucks but we had five kids and they added the tip so that would have made the kids meal $11.80 plus tax because RFC adds the tip to each item and then adds the sales tax...which I still feel is cheating the large family..our service was not that good...probably because the waitress knew she was guaranteed a high tip. No other kids meal inside the parks were $11.80. we paid $9.99 for kids character dinner in MK for all they could eat... not some mini burger and fries.

 

[GoCamels]

We really enjoyed RC when it opened in Norfolk three years ago....the food was good, and you got what you paid for. I hate that it closed, we really liked going there and our two kids loved it.

And as far as the complaints people have about prices at theme restaurants and parks...if you can't afford it, go to McDonalds and stay home. Im sorry if that seems callous...but the prices are that high for a reason. As long as there are people willing to pay that price, then comapanies have every right too.

Good ol American capitalism at its best.