Disneyland announces new hotel for 2021

I'm a little disappointed that the Rainforest Cafe will be removed to make way for the hotel. We've made it a tradition to visit RFC on our trips to the Disneyland Resort.

I haven't been in one since... more than a decade. It struck me as forgettable.

I've never been to one; I've never understood the appeal. By all accounts, average food surrounded by decorations.

It's basically an Applebee's with Jungle Cruise animatronics of a Chuck E. Cheese quality.

It's not a great restaurant by any stretch. However, the kids enjoy the scenery and the food is decent so we tend to go. Truth be told I think they enjoy the gift shop more than anything. I liked the location of Rainforest Cafe. It was located far enough away from the parks to escape a bit but close enough to get back quickly. Then again just about everything at the resort is. Time to start a new tradition I suppose.

I'm sure the new hotel will have multiple gift shops of equal or greater expense for your kids to empty the bank account. Don't worry. :)

Haven’t been back to a RFC ever since they got rid of the Margorilla Grilled Cheese...

TheMillenniumRider said:

I'm sure the new hotel will have multiple gift shops of equal or greater expense for your kids to empty the bank account. Don't worry. :)

I never said they bought anything at the gift shop ;)

I think I ate at Rainforest Cafe twice. The first time was forgettable, the second (years later) smelled like mildew. I don't even remember what I ate, but do recall that it was sub-par. I honestly thought they'd all gone belly-up years ago.

Disney Springs still has theirs, in fact it underwent a renovation of some kind about 4/5 years ago. Then across the way they have the T-Rex Cafe, another big box themer of the same ilk, which I believe is the same company. Uni’s City Walk still has one, too, I believe.

I’ve never eaten there, and reckon I never will. And I don’t have kids, which clearly would be a deciding factor in these matters, but I can think of many, many more suitable traditions one might establish in and around Disney properties.

Edit: in checking the site I don’t see one at Universal, but I forgot about the one in Animal Kingdom. Or, right outside at the gate. And the map shows several sprinkled around the country, as I might’ve imagined, in touristy areas. Las Vegas, the Mall, Chicago, Texas and Mills malls. Places like that.

Rainforest is a guilty pleasure of mine. I’ve always found the experience worth more than the cost and I admit it’s the only must do food choice whenever I visit Disney or Vegas. Obviously there are better choices in both locations but I like it.

While there may not be one at Universal the group who first created the RFC concept is behind the Hot Dog Hall of Fame at CityWalk. That’s a concept they first tested at a casino in Pennsylvania. It failed rather quickly (at least it didn’t seem like it was doing well and then was replaced) and disappeared for a few years before showing up in Orlando.

RCMAC said:

Disney Springs still has theirs, in fact it underwent a renovation of some kind about 4/5 years ago. Then across the way they have the T-Rex Cafe, another big box themer of the same ilk, which I believe is the same company. Uni’s City Walk still has one, too, I believe.

I’ve never eaten there, and reckon I never will. And I don’t have kids, which clearly would be a deciding factor in these matters, but I can think of many, many more suitable traditions one might establish in and around Disney properties.

RFC and T-Rex Cafe are part of the Landry's restaurant group. We joined their dining club so trips to RFC help pay for our anniversary dinner at Morton's.

We have plenty of other traditions at Disneyland; dining at Ariel's Grotto, marathoning Radiator Springs Racers and Toy Story at opening, pictures in front of the partners statue, World of Color, etc. I'm certainly not heartbroken that RFC won't be around. We're still going to go to Disneyland, we'll just find another restaurant.

Morton’s. Now there’s a tradition I approve of!

Eating salt - now that's an interesting tradition.

The love for Rainforest might speak to the lack of quality and quantity of good sit down restaurants at DLR compared to WDW.

Quantity for sure, but not quality. I would rank Napa Rose up top, not quite V&A, but its close food wise. Carthay Circle and Steakhouse 55 are also excellent examples of sit down dining.

Those three are amazing, no lacking in quality by any stretch. However the GP seems to think that chain restaurants are the be all end all.

I had a friend who went to New Orleans and was so excited he got to go to Bubba Gumps.

:/

Some folks find comfort in consistency. Rainforest, or Friday's, or Golden Corral* may not be great food, but they know what to expect. Who knows what kind of food Napa Rose serves? :-)

*My parents love Golden Corral. For years now, family holiday meals (Thanksgiving, Christmas) are at the nearest Golden Corral. But we have to arrive at 3.45 pm so that we can pay the lunch price but get the dinner food, which comes out at 4 pm.)

I think everyone has there vices when it comes to Fast Food/Themed Restaurants. Of course Mortons is better, but pricy too. I always stop at In n Out before going to Magic Mountain, a Double Double Animal Style, extra Cheese is my guilty pleasure.