Dining Through Disney Part 3
On Earth Day in 1998, Disney World opened its fourth and largest park in the world with over 580 acres to be shared by park goers and animals alike. This conservation minded park truly makes you believe you are on an African Safari or in the Himilayans before you remember that you are actually in Florida. While one of my absolute favorite things to do in the park is to make a beeline to the Kiliminjaro Safaris to see the elephants, my second favorite would be some of the food offerings throughout the park.
As a reminder, Disney has different levels of dining experiences that come at varying levels of price points. For the cheapest and quickest options there are quick service restaurants and food stands. These stands may or may not have seating and you can also mobile order your food for pick up on the app. If you want to guarantee a seat or have a nicer meal then table service would be the way to go. You will need reservations for these sit down options and you can make them online or on the My Disney Experience app up to 60 days out from visiting the parks.
Animal Kingdom Quick Service:
There are some fantastic and reasonably priced quick service options in Animal Kingdom, especially in the Discovery Island area. A top contender for me is Flame Tree Barbeque. Apart from some delicious cocktails, the ribs, chicken, and pulled pork sampler is a meat lover’s dream with plenty to share. You could also have a lighter option of the smokehouse chicken salad topped with barbeque ranch. The Harambe Market has filling ribs and chicken bowls.
If you venture into the World of Avatar, there is much more to explore besides the beautiful landscape of Pandora. I am not a big Avatar fan, but this area of the park is spectacular and includes one of my favorite rides, Avatar Flight of Passage. Besides the unique ride, there is also a fun breakfast option at Pongu Pongu. The Pongu Lumpia is a pineapple cream cheese spring roll you can get all day if you wish to stray away from the traditional cinnamon roll or breakfast sandwich. The Satu’li Canteen has some delicious lunch and dinner options that look futuristic such as the wood grilled chicken bowl or cheeseburger bao buns.
The cheeseburger bao buns from Satu’li Canteen.
Animal Kingdom Table Service- Casual:
Yak and Yeti Restaurant, not to be confused with the quick service with the same name, is an Asian restaurant in the park that has several delicious items on the menu. The firecracker shrimp is a fantastic appetizer, and the sharable options of the ahi tuna tacos or lettuce cups are flavorful yet economical options that remind me of P.F. Changs. There are also crowd favorites like teriyaki chicken and sweet and sour chicken, but you can also be more adventurous by trying Bhaktapur duck or Malaysian seafood curry. If you can’t tell I would pretty much recommend anything on the menu here.
Animal Kingdom Table Service- Fancy:
If you are visiting Animal Kingdom with adults, starting an evening off at Nomad Lounge is a great way to treat yourself. There are several small plate options like a tuna poke bowl or cuban frita sliders but there are several specialty cocktails as well. Some of the most popular cocktails have fun names like Snow Leopard Salvation, Jenn’s Tattoo, and Tempting Tigress.
Tusker House is where you can find those traditional Disney World characters like Mickey, Donald, and Goofy dressed up and ready for safari. While specialty beverages are not included with the meal, all of the bread and dips, house specialties, sides, and dessert trio are included. Honestly, it is a ton of food for the $59 per adult price. If that is still a little steep for your party, there is a breakfast option for $45 per adult and $29 per child. I have heard the zebra coffee cake is a must.
Budget Bites:
If we are being honest, Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite parks for budget eats. I feel like there are plenty of flavorful options and include some of my top quick service contenders.
Yak and Yeti is my go to for lunch, but also has very filling breakfast bowls. You can get a side of chicken fried rice for $7.99 and two pork egg rolls for $8.99. Drew and I split this last time we were in Animal Kingdom and were plenty satisfied. Eight Spoon Cafe in the Discovery Island area baked mac n cheese with pulled pork for $6.79 that is also a fan favorite. Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery marinated pork or chicken flatbread with homemade chips for $10.79, and Trilo-Bites has loaded buffalo chicken chips for $9.59, and my favorite orange Dole whip swirled for $5.29. I could honestly add a lot more options to this list, but theseplaces are definitely the highlights for a quick and cheaper meal in this park.
Yak and Yeti claims this chicken fried rice is a “snack” but I found it super filling and affordable for lunch.
I hope this journey through where to eat in Animal Kindgom has been both adventurous and delicious. Next week I will highlight the fourth and final park where you can travel to multiple countries and drink around the world without leaving Florida.