Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe is located just outside Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. Have you worked up an appetite mingling with the animals? Go to Rainforest Cafe where your sure to be amused. The food is tropical inspired. The plates are bigger than usual, so getting one dinner with not many extras would be sufficient for the average person. It was my daughters third birthday, so I got her the volcano, which is big enough for the whole table. My kids loved the sounds of lightning, the animated gorillas, and the aquariums. I guess it depends on the child. I liked the decorations, it deffinately made me feel like I was in a rainforest. The staff is friendly and fun too. Outside of the restaurant is a souvenier shop filled with t-shirts, bags, and many more things to remember the trip.

Walk to the end of Downtown Disney or to the entrance of the Animal Kingdom and you surely cannot miss the Rainforest Cafe with its elephants, giraffes, and monkeys larger than life. Parrots squawk at the tourists as tourists gawk at the parrots. It's entertainment in and of itself!

The restaurant bills itself as an adventure with guests going on a sort of safari through a tropical rainforest. The animations and atmosphere are quite elaborate and a neat gimmick. It's definitely worth a look if you've never been.

Inspired by Mexican, Italian, Cajun, or Caribbean flavors, the Rainforest Cafe's menu offers a good selection. The Rainforest Rascals children's menu is available for kids. I found their food to be very good though pricey. I particularly enjoy their salads. Be aware that the fries are seasoned and may be too spicy for children's tastes.

One thing you should be aware of is that the animals are very loud and the sound effects scared the life out of my three- and five-year-olds. The thunder and lightning mixed with the monkeys screaming forced me to leave as my sons were scared to death. You can ask to sit by a certain section (away from the monkeys or by the aquarium for example). I would suggest that you bring a young child into the restaurant before sitting down. Then, you'll know whether it's a fun or frightening experience.