There are some really great restaurants at Disney World. Are they all showstoppers? No, but you can definitely find quite a few that we will run back to over and over. Places like Columbia Harbour House for the Hushpuppies, Flame Tree Barbecue for some fries, and, of course, Garden Grill for the family-style dinners are among our favorites.
Pulled Pork Fries
While there are so many great options, there are a few that are pretty basic, even if they are popular. We’re talking puffy-crust pizza, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and chicken strips. As much as we love several spots in Animal Kingdom for a bite, there’s one of these more basic restaurants that might be confusing about why so many Disney World fans are now running there ASAP.
Restaurantosaurus serves up some good eats for the Dino Institute faculty and staff (and you, of course). You’ll find cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, Waffle Cone Chicken Strips, and even Black Garlic, Truffle, and Parmesan Fries. It’s a quick-service restaurant that will have you yelling, “This rocks!” (Sorry for the terrible geology pun.)
Restaurantosaurus
But if this prehistoric restaurant is serving up generic bites like cheeseburgers and hot dogs, why is it SO popular right now? That happens to have little to do with the food (though the food is good!) and much more to do with the holidays. Between now and December 24th, you can see Santa Claus on the patio at Restaurantosaurus!
Santa at Restaurantosaurus
But here’s the kicker: this will be the LAST year EVER that you can meet Santa at Restaurantosaurus! Every year, Santa has been a staple meet-and-greet at this DinoLand, U.S.A. restaurant, but come February 2nd, 2026, Restaurantosaurus will be extinct, along with this holiday meet-and-greet on the porch.
Santa!
Restaurantosaurus and the remaining attractions in DinoLand officially close February 2nd, 2026, with February 1st being the last day of operation, to make room for the new Tropical Americas land, Pueblo Esperanza. This new land will likely feature animals from the Tropical Americas, along with attractions based on Encanto and Indiana Jones.
Pueblo Esperanza Model
While we’re excited for the new land, we’re also sad to see such iconic places like Restaurantosaurus go. If you want to see Santa one last time in DinoLand, you’ll need to hurry to get there soon. You have less than 20 days left to do so, and then it’s time to ride Dinosaur one last time.
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This Disney World Park Will Be EMPTY in 2026
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I was just at Restaurantosaurus last Saturday, and I have to say that I LOVED the fried chicken sandwich! I hope they move it to another location when Restaurantosaurus closes, because I’ll be really sad if it disappears entirely.