The patio of Restaurantosaurus in Disney’s Animal Kingdom has been decorated for a new Santa Claus meet and greet. Instead of appearing via cavalcade, Santa will meet guests at the 75th Annual Dino Institute Holiday Party from November 12 through December 24.
With DinoLand’s impending extinction, this will likely be the only time this Santa Claus meet and greet will be offered.
DinoLand Santa Claus Meet and Greet Decor
The patio’s supports are wrapped with red tinsel. String lights and garlands line the roof. Plaid bows, pinecones, and small baubles adorn the garland.
A sign at the start of the patio’s ramp advertises the 75th Annual Dino Institute Holiday Party.
It depicts a dinosaur wearing a Santa hat in one of the time rovers of DINOSAUR. Two other dinos wearing reindeer antlers pull the car. The Santa dino is saying, “We’re dancing til EXTINCTION!” A note on the flyer advertises “Snacks for herbivores and carnivores alike!” At the bottom, it reads, “Special guest… guess who???”
String lights cross the ceiling of the patio. Red and gold ornaments on strips of tinsel hang from the wires.
Small dinosaur toys are attached to paper towel parachutes. Paper dinosaur cut-outs are also attached to the lights.
The windows looking into Restaurantosaurus feature clings shaped like dinosaurs, dino tracks, snowflakes, and more. Above the windows is a clothesline hung with dozens of stockings. They are embroidered with names, presumably of Dino Institute employees.
At one end is Dr. Seeker’s stocking. A few down from his is a stocking labeled “Walt.”
Near the center is a stocking for Dr. Marsh. Other names include Lee, Josie, Dr. McGee, Patty, and Stacy.
At the end of the string is a stocking for Dr. Woo. Dr. Seeker and Dr. Marsh are from DINOSAUR, while some of the other characters are referenced in The Boneyard.
Dinosaur string lights line the edge of the ceiling. Above these lights are dinosaur figures set up in various scenes. Two dinos are constructing a snowman.
A quartet of dinosaurs are wearing Santa hats and holding caroling books.
These two dinosaurs appear to be having a snowball fight.
A pterodactyl holds mistletoe above a pair of dinosaurs about to kiss.
Someone has painted a Dino Institute trunk with dinosaurs, tracks, Christmas trees, stars, and “Jingle Rawr, Jingle Rawr.” On top of the trunk is a speaker with a red and white front, a record player, and a crate of records.
The records appear to be for holiday music. The front record case features a dinosaur in a Santa hat driving a car and appears to be called “Here Comes Santa-Saurus!”
A dinosaur hand puppet tops this Christmas tree. It’s also decorated with dinosaur toys and strings of popcorn. A dinosaur head on the wall is painted red with white snowflakes. It wears a green Santa hat and holds a candy cane between its teeth.
A “Suggestion Box” has been taped over to read “Letters to Santa.” Two crates are labeled “Decorations” and someone has added “-osaurus” after the words. A dinosaur figure wearing a Santa hat is atop one crate.
Framed pictures of dinosaurs have been painted over to make them Christmassy scenes. In one, a dinosaur wearing a Santa hat holds a gift and “Ho ho ho” is written to the side. In another, a dinosaur in winter apparel is cooking s’mores — a s’more-osaurus.
A chalkboard reads: “Dear Santa, I’ve been so good this year… Ok, I’ve been mostly good this year… Ok, sometimes I’m good……I should probably just buy my own gift.”
A dinosaur wearing a plaid hat is inside this wreath.
Red velvet ropes currently block most of the set pieces from guest access. The couch Santa will sit on is covered in a tarp.
A red crate is decorated with magnet poetry and a Dino Institute flyer. There’s also a missing poster for the Iguanodon from DINOSAUR.
A wreath hangs above Santa’s couch. A snowman figure is stationed behind a green cabinet. The bag in front of the cabinet is a present to Santa from the Dino Institute’s grad students. Compare to the concept art below.
The concept art indicates a Dino Institute rug will be added but otherwise, the meet and greet set seems complete.
Santa Claus will also meet at Disney Springs and the other Walt Disney World theme parks.
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