T-Rex Cafe: A Prehistoric Family Adventure in Orlando, Florida

During our search for places to go and things to do in the Disney area my father made up a wish list, which was quite comprehensive. At the top of it was T-Rex Café, A Prehistoric Family Adventure locate in Downtown Disney.

The T-Rex Cafe is owned by Landry's and there are only two locations in the United States: Orlando, Florida and Kansas City. It is loosely based upon Landry's popular Rainforest Café theme, but with prehistoric creatures both on land and under the sea.

The décor of T-Rex Café

As you enter a giant T-Rex family greets you. My daughters were a little afraid at first, even after having experienced many visits to the Rainforest Café. The sights and sounds of meteor showers and dinosaurs roaring can be a little overwhelming. Since the children were afraid we were seated in the under the sea section with beautiful aquatic décor and undersea creatures like a giant jellyfish and octopus. Other sections included a jungle like dinosaur atmosphere and an ice café. Look for Saber Tooth Tigers, Wooly Mammoths and several different types of dinosaurs, many of which were animated and easily recognizable by even the little ones at the table.

The menu of T-Rex Café

The menu is pretty much what you would expect from this type of establishment but the prices were very high. My husband's steak and cheese sandwich with fries was approximately $17.99 and "kid's meals" were approximately $6.99. With drinks this can really ad up as my mother found out ordering her souvenir margarita that was $14.99. Look for soups and salads, pasta, sandwiches, a few entrees and of course signature desserts. They also offer a selection of more "healthy" choices like steamed seasonal vegetables instead of just fries or chips which was a nice change from other restaurants of this kind.

The food was well prepared and inviting. My children overcame their fears and ate everything including splitting an ice cream sundae, child size. My husband's plate was empty too. I was able to try a little of this and that. I admit that the dual dip with queso and crab artichoke dip was pretty yummy as were the quesadillas, from the appetizer menu.

The play area at Discovery Creek

Here's the really fun part. The play area where children could"uncover" prehistoric life digging through sandy pebbles with brushes to uncover dinosaur bones, fossils, and stones. It was so exiting! Did I mention that you don't even have to enter the restaurant to do this activity and it's free?

Build a Dino

There is of course a gift shop, but here's the twist. It also includes a Build a Dino. This is the first every of its kind available, and is owned by Build a Bear workshops. Choose from a selection of dinosaurs with prices beginning at $15.00 and add the details. First you add the heart and fluff, and then you can even select a dinosaur roar (my youngest favorite accessory) or choose from a complete line of clothing and accessories (my middle child's dinosaur came out in a pink sundress and slippers). Print out your birth certificate and you are now the proud parent to a dinosaur.

Of course, I am all about saving money so if you do visit T-Rex Café you do have a few options for saving money. First, if you have joined the Safari Club at Rainforest Café all your benefits are available here too. If not you can use your $5.00 off a $20.00 purchase in the Entertainment book. I also recommend going for lunch and choosing appetizers to share, because entrees and full portions are pretty pricey. Last but not least, use the entertainment coupon for 15% off your store purchase or your Safari Club membership will do the same thing. You can join the Safari Club online or at a Rainforest Café.

Whether you get a chance to go to T-Rex Café or not, their website is worth a visit. You can play games online as well as download a prehistoric playbook complete with answers to keep your little dino's at home having a roaring good time.

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Sources

Personal experience

http://www.trexcafe.com/