January 2001 – June 2018
LOCATION
Downtown Disney – Take the Monorail from Tomorrowland and you’d arrive right beside the entrance to the Rainforest Café. If you walked from the park gates to Downtown Disney, you’d find the Rainforest Café on your right, at the end of the Downtown Disney district.
EXPERIENCE
If you found yourself seeking adventure during your trip to the Disneyland Resort, you’d definitely want to experience a meal deep in the jungle. The Rainforest Café offered diners an immersive rainforest experience, complete with a massive waterfall, tons of plants, and a variety of jungle animals. Diners also experienced periodic thunderstorms, which brought the rainforest to life.
CLOSURE
The Rainforest Cafe was always a popular dining spot in the Disneyland Resort. Its closure came not from dwindling interest, but from a need for more space. Disney announced plans to construct a 4th hotel in 2017, situated between the Disneyland Hotel and the Downtown Disney District. This meant that the Rainforest Cafe and Earl of Sandwich would close, alongside the AMC theater and several other retail locations. The Cafe held its final meal service in June 2018.
TRIVIA
My original rating: The Rainforest Café is definitely a fun place to eat in Downtown Disney. Each time I’ve had a meal here, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how good the food is, and the jungle experience is very cool (albeit somewhat loud!). Another major plus: the Café is located right next to the Downtown Disney Monorail stop, making it really easy to travel from Disneyland to your meal, and back again. If you’re considering venturing outside of the park for a meal, the Rainforest Café is a great spot. (★★★★☆)
The Sparkling Volcano, a massive chocolate dessert, was by far the most popular item on the Rainforest Café menu.
You could often find live entertainment on the stage adjacent to the Café, especially on the weekends or during the holidays.
Honestly I’d give this place one star. The food sucks and the animal sounds are really annoying.
Really? I would never say the food here is truly outstanding, but I’ve always found it to be decent. What did you eat? (And about the animal sounds – they are quite loud, but I think you have to know what you sign up for when you come here, haha)