16 October 2008: Inside T-REX

Have you eaten at T-REX yet? If so, leave your review at http://reviews.wdwmagic.com/element_reviews.aspx?pid=795

T-REX menu is now up at http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=363491

 
Above: The entry sign facing the parking lot and the main entrance.

14 October 2008: T-REX now open to guests

T-REX today opened it's door to guests at 4pm following a 1:30pm grand opening dedication.

 
Above: The T-REX main sign and waterfall.

 
Above: The invited guests enter the restaurant after the opening dedication 1:30pm, October 14 2008

 
Above: Guests queuing around the building to get into the restaurant at 4pm.

Above: The view from the parking lot of the waiting guests.

2 October 2008: Walls down and T-REX confirmed to be opening on October 14 2008

26 September 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

The exterior is now very much complete, and just final touches remain. The restaurant is now just a couple of weeks away from opening.

6 September 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

31 August 2008: T-Rex gets another Dinosaur at the main entrance

14 August 2008: T-Rex to open in October?

With the release of the Dinosaur delivery photos, Disney also mentioned an opening date of mid October 2008, which is almost a month earlier than the previous expected opening date of mid November.

14 August 2008: Interior show dinosaur gets delivered to T-Rex

One of the huge 2 story tall dinosaurs that will be found inside the new T-Rex restaurant gets delivered to Downtown Disney yesterday.

 
COPYRIGHT 2008. THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

13 August 2008: T-Rex gets its T-Rex

The huge T-Rex is being installed at the main entrance to the new restaurant.

10 August 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

Work continues on the exterior facade. Most noticeable this week is the addition of landscaping along the exterior walls.

14 July 2008: Some new T-Rex restaurant information

The new restaurant, set to open during the second week of November 2008, will feature several different environments, including a geothermal region, with a “Kitchen of Fire” and a 26-foot-high lava wall oozing over ancient geological formations. In an ice cave room, a woolly mammoth and her baby will greet you. And in an aquatic region, look for a 45-foot-span octopus with animated arms at the shark bar.

The exterior will feature a full-size T-Rex and another dinosaur measuring in at 28 feet tall and 122 feet wide.

14 July 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

23 June 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

7 June 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

A lot of progress on the exterior has been since our last update. Rockwork is now fairly complete. They seem to be in a hurry to get this done, as workers were onsite Saturday afternoon in 92F temperatures.

9 May 2008:  Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

9 April 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

1 April 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

More of the green facades are being installed all around the building, and most significantly, there are support structures appearing on the rooftop which look like they are probably for the rockwork facade of the mountain.

25 March 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

Here is the latest batch of photos from the T-Rex construction site. Nothing major to see over previous updates, with the newest addition  being the large green facade panel on one of the sides (see photo below).

14 March 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

3 March 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

31 January 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

20 January 2008: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

Since our last update at the end of 2007, the new T-Rex has gone very much vertical! Check out the construction photos below taken yesterday, which shows a good amount of the walls are now in place.

28 October 2007: Latest T-Rex restaurant construction photos

Here is the latest view of the T-Rex construction site. Work is currently focused on ground clearing and preparing the site.

13 October 2007: T-Rex location confirmed

To alleviate any doubt as to whether the construction below is for T-Rex, Disney have now installed a series of banners all around the wall stating it is indeed for T-Rex, and that it opens Summer 2008.

30 September 2007: T-Rex construction about to begin at Downtown Disney?

A series of walls have gone up between McDonalds and Raglan Road at Downtown Disney. This fits the bill as the rumored location for the new T-Rex restaurant that is scheduled to open in early 2008. However, there is no official confirmation yet that this is the location.

Press Release at project announcement:
T-Rex is a unique concept that features dining and retail in an interactive prehistoric environment. The concept is built around water, fire and ice -- guests visiting T-Rex will be greeted with life size animatronic dinosaurs that live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig site and much more. Locations are planned domestically and internationally, the first of which is slated to open this spring in The Legends mall in Kansas City, Kansas; with another opening in Downtown Disney® (near Orlando) in early 2008.

27 February 2006: New restaurant opening in Downtown Disney

HOUSTON, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Landry's Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: LNY - News), one of the nation's largest casual dining, entertainment and hospitality companies, announced that it has acquired 80% of the restaurant concept T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover® from Schussler Creative, Inc. for approximately $7.6 million, including reimbursements for research and development costs, accounts payable, construction draws and preopening expenses. In addition, under the agreement, based on the ultimate success of the venture (combined profits of all stores exceeding $20 million), Landry's can acquire Schussler Creative's 20% interest for an amount up to an additional $35 million.

T-Rex is a unique concept that features dining and retail in an interactive prehistoric environment. The concept is built around water, fire and ice -- guests visiting T-Rex will be greeted with life size animatronic dinosaurs that live among cascading waterfalls, bubbling geysers, a fossil dig site and much more. Locations are planned domestically and internationally, the first of which is slated to open this spring in The Legends mall in Kansas City, Kansas; with another opening in Downtown Disney® (near Orlando) in early 2008.

In addition to the T-Rex concept, Landry's has acquired the majority interest in Schussler Creative's new Asian themed eatery (which is expected to open by summer 2007) inside Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park. This Asian-themed restaurant with retail is reminiscent of the western Himalayan foothills in India and Nepal, featuring a rural village called Anandapur in a jungle with a tiny town-like mass at its center. Asia will offer full service table dining, as well as quick service food. This Asian-Fusion concept will feature Asian decor, complete with Asian antiques, as well as a retail component that will offer Asian goods ranging from Sushi plates to chopsticks and fine teapots.

"One of the major factors that drew us to this transaction was the chance to expand our operations with Disney," said Landry's President, Chairman and CEO Tilman J. Fertitta. "Our existing three Rainforest Cafes located at Downtown-Disney®, Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disneyland Resort in California generate approximately $80.0 million in revenue. We feel that the T-Rex and Asian theme concepts are a perfect fit with Disney's unmatched entertainment offerings." Schussler Creative Chairman Steve Schussler was the founder and creator of the popular Rainforest Cafe restaurant concept, which Landry's purchased in 2000, and has since grown to be one of Landry's most successful concepts. "Landry's is the perfect strategic partner to turn our dream into an ongoing reality," said Steve Schussler. "Landry's has done an excellent job of maintaining the Rainforest Cafe brand as the premier themed eatery in the world. T-Rex uses elements familiar to Rainforest Cafe fans such as animatronics and special effects to create a whole new type of dining experience that takes visitors back in time in an educational and entertaining way," added Schussler.

About Landry's Restaurants, Inc.
Landry's Restaurants, Inc., is one of the nation's largest and fastest growing casual-dining and entertainment companies. Publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, Landry's owns and operates more than 300 properties, including Landry's Seafood House, Joe's Crab Shack, The Crab House, Rainforest Cafe, Charley's Crab, Willie G's Seafood & Steak House, The Chart House and Saltgrass Steak House. Landry's also owns several icon developments, including Downtown Aquarium complexes in Houston and Denver, Kemah Boardwalk, a magnificent 40-acre, family-oriented themed entertainment destination and the Golden Nugget hotel-casino properties in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada. The Company employs over 30,000 workers in 36 states.

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