Downtown Disney is a great place for shopping and dining with the whole family. But you may not know there are some hidden learning opportunities here, too!
If there are dinosaur enthusiasts in your group, you may want to check out T-REX. This restaurant and gift shop is owned by the same parent company as Rainforest Café. You’ll probably notice similarities in the menu and the immersive quality of the theming. Dinosaurs spring to life periodically, a giant aquarium houses tons of fish, and the “sky” glows with stars and meteors.
But for an educational experience, head to the Dino-Store. A section called the Paleo-Zone features touchscreens (at convenient kid heights) with interactive games and trivia that teach about fossils and different species of dinosaurs. It can be very hard to hear the audio at these screens, especially when the store and restaurant are busy. But there is on-screen text that will help out for older kids who are reading.
The store also sells geodes that can be split open right there, revealing colorful crystals. And you can find a giant geode built right into the wall near the entrance to the store. You can also purchase bags of sand to take outside to the working sluice and pan for gems or minerals. Books and educational toys round out the learning offerings at the Dino-Store. It’s a fun stop for dinosaur lovers and those interested in geology or earth science.
FL Sunshine State Science Standards:
SC.1.E.6.1, SC.1.E.6.3, SC.2.E.6.1, SC.4.E.6.1, SC.4.E.6.2, SC.5.E.5.3, SC.7.L.15.1
