Editor’s Note: The Chili and Cheese Dog is no longer on the menu at the Restaurantosaurus.
Once again, Animal Kingdom is re-vamping its menus with some wonderful results! Thanks to a helpful DFB reader, we’ve got photos and insights into new options!
You’ll remember when we reported a few months ago on the delicious and summery additions to the Bradley Falls Kiosk and Tamu Tamu Refreshments — now we’ve got some great updates to the menus at Restaurantosaurus, Pizzafari, and Flame Tree Barbecue!
Restaurantosaurus
Restaurantosaurus had a significant menu change, adding several new items:
Chicken BLT Salad
With a very light ranch dressing, this is perfect on a hot day! Crisp greens with chunks of tomato, baked chicken strips, bites of bacon, and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. This salad is priced at $9.19 and — according to our reviewer — worth every penny!
BLT Chicken Salad
Chicken Sandwich
The chicken sandwich ($9.59) had a tomato bruschetta topping with hints of basil and garlic, along with bacon bits and shredded cheddar cheese! This sandwich is served hot and is “just a perfect combination, thoroughly enjoyable!” says our reviewer.
Restaurantosaurus Chicken Sandwich with Bruschetta Topping
Specialty Hot Dogs
Our reviewer tried the two hot dogs that are now a permanent addition to the Restaurantosaurus menu as well. The standard chili and cheese dog ($9.59) is topped with jalapeno pepper rings and corn chips, making it appealing to her and others who might like their entree a bit spicy!
Restaurantosaurus Chili Cheese dog with jalapeno and corn chips
Her son enjoyed the very original macaroni and cheese dog, topped with a sprinkle of bread crumbs ($8.79). She says, “I cannot imagine that this won’t be a hit with the kid in all of us. My son was ecstatic to have both his favorite foods on one bun!” Does this remind anyone of that awesome mac and cheese dog at Fairax Fare in Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
REstaurantosaurus Mac and Cheese Dog
Flame Tree Barbecue
Over at Flame Tree, there’s an updated salad and kids’ entree to try…
Flame Tree Barbecue Salad
According to our reviewer, Flame Tree Barbecue has changed their signature salad to one that is packed with crispy lettuce, garbanzo and pinto beans, cheddar cheese, corn, and crispy tortilla strips coated with their signature spice rub! They dress the salad with a balsamic dressing that also has hints of BBQ.
“The finishing sauce is a chipotle mayo that compliments the whole salad very nicely!” says our reviewer. “This salad is a meal, but we actually split it amongst ourselves for a mere $8.99!”
New Flame Tree Barbecue Salad
Kids’ Barbecue Chicken Sandwich
This chicken sandwich is the new kids’ offering at Flame Tree. It includes fresh breast of chicken with their signature rub, and topped with lettuce and tomato!
Kids' Barbecue Chicken Sandwich
Pizzafari
The item our reviewer was most impressed with was this updated salad at Pizzafari!
Pizzafari Pasta and Chicken Salad
“My FAVORITE favorite was the Pizzafari salad ($9.25). Whole wheat pasta, chunky roasted vegetables, oven dried tomatoes, and fresh leafy spinach tossed with the oven dried tomato dressing. The herbed chicken is moist, and the dressing is light — just so different from the normal processed dressings out there.
Pizzafari Chicken and Pasta Salad
It’s quite healthy, and can be a perfect offering for those who like vegetarian or vegan options — just ask for the salad minus the chicken.”
Huge thanks to the fantastic DFB reader who sent all of this fun info (who asked to remain nameless) — I’m so excited to get to the park and try everything!
What new Animal Kingdom menu item is on your list for your next visit? Let us know in the comments below!
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..aaaaand still no new vegetarian options. What’s the deal, Disney?
They have dumbed-down the menus again. Hot dogs in place of the shrimp po’ boy? REALLY?
Courtney — We don’t have the full menus here, so there may be added vegetarian items. However, AK just added several new vegetarian items a couple of months ago — we describe them in the post linked to in the second paragraph.
Michelle — We don’t have the full menus, so we’re not sure yet which menu items were taken off the list. The po’ boy may still be available.
mmm… The chicken and pasta salad looks amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen pasta salad with spinach! I’m not a vegetarian, but I think I will order this without the chicken. There’s too many great vegetables to enjoy!
Josh from EasyWDW took photos of the new menu. The shrimp po’boy AND sweet potato fries are totally gone, which saddens me greatly! I really can’t understand the reasoning behind removing one of the more unique choices and adding TWO hot dogs.
I think it’s great that Disney’s food folks keep tinkering with the offerings. It is fun to try the new things, even if they are misses. I love to go to restaurants that have seasonal menus – changes are fun.
Christina — It does look great, eh? I’m impressed!
Cupcake — Thanks for the heads up! I didn’t see Josh’s post before I wrote this one! Have linked it up above.
Alan — Agreed! And I’m really intrigued that they’re changing up the counter-service menus so much — especially here at AK.
Really hope that someday they’ll add a decent vegetarian entree at Flame Tree. Fruit plate just doesn’t cut it for us.
Disney cost cutting strike again. I wonder how much more of this we’ll be seeing.
I should NOT have read this so close to lunch–now I’m starving. I could go for a Flame Tree Barbecue Salad or a Chicken BLT Salad right now. Flame Tree Barbecue was already ony my radar for lunch at Animal Kingdom in November, so this may tip the balance in their favor. Intrigued by the other new offerings at Restaurantosaurus, too–I’m sure my daughter will want to try the macaroni and cheese hot dog. (Maybe my husband, too!) 87 days and counting.
These new options look great! A quick question: is the Flame Tree salad vegetarian? It doesn’t list meat in the description unless I’m misreading, which is entirely possible, but a few comments say there aren’t any veg options at FT.
Jennifer: the salad at Flame Tree is a smoked chicken salad. The only vegetarian option at Flame Tree is a fruit plate with yogurt.
I’m bummed that they changed the BBQ Chicken Salad at Flame Tree. I loved that salad. Although the new one also looks good.
why would a vegitarian go to a bbq joint… meat lovers dont demand more meat options at mostly vegitarian joints….
Except that there aren’t any mostly vegetarian joints in Animal Kingdom. Or WDW, for that matter. I don’t think anyone is demanding anything, but it would be nice to be able to eat there, is all. No big deal.
A vegetarian would go to a BBQ joint to dine with their BBQ-loving friends and family. A meat alternative at a vegetarian joint would be unnecessary because non-vegetarians can already eat everything on the menu.
@ peter & Holly… this will be my last comment on this subject as to not take away from the great job this blog does… but arent most vegitarians that way by choice???
Salads without chicken sound great to me! They look substantiantial enough without the added meat proteins :o)
See nothing great here…as usual
Going to WDW in October. Thanks for the update. Love the blog.
The new salads look great, def gonna try them 🙂
I tried the chicken sandwich at restarauntosaurus. It was good. The chili dog was ok. The bread is too much
Flame Tree is not as good as in years past
I do find it funny that the AK won’t even serve you a proper plastic straw due to concern for animals, and yet its so hard to find a truly good vegetarian option to eat there.
Visited Disneyland in June of this year, and I’m still amazed at how wonderful their counter service offerings are. The fried green tomato sandwich at the Hungry Bear restaurant there was so absolutely fantastic and satisfying that I forgot about it being meatless. And it seems like sweet potato fries over regular french fries are the norm at DL. I could go on and on about all of the delicious counter service items there. My husband and I came to the conclusion that the fabulousness is due to DL having competition with all the restaurants right outside the resort. It seems that the counter service restaurants at DW are more lackluster, because they don’t have to be great as it’s harder for the average guest dependent on the Disney bus system to go elsewhere, ie. off-site. Why can’t the food served at DL be served at DW? Our stays would be much more enjoyable.
I really want to try the mac and cheese dog. I’ve seen it (or various versions of it) at other parks and wanted to try it. The salad looks really interesting as well, and for someone that normally isnt big on salads, that’s saying something.
That FlameTree salad looks anything but a healthy choice. I wonder what the calorie count is? If you’re looking to eat lighter, you might be better off sticking with the barbecue than choosing that salad. Wow.
I had the mac and cheese dog at Fairfax. Mediocre. I wouldnt have it again. The dogs at Caseys were better
Interesting new additions! Thanks for posting! The salads look delish!
I worked in Resto as part of the College Program this spring and fell in love with the restaurant. It’s sad, but I’m a little depressed to see these changes, simply because when I go back it won’t be the exact same restaurant. That being said, I had a lot of guests complain about the food options and I hope these will get people a little more excited to eat there since they all look fantastic. All I want is to see that the shrimp poboy is still there! It’s my absolute favorite. 🙂
I enjoyed our meal at Flame Tree last week. I got the combo platter with ribs & chicken. The chicken was ok, but I’m not a huge fan of dry rub or white meat. It was good for what it was…just not my favorite. The ribs were excellent, though! Also, we followed the advice we’d read on this site and found a spot to eat near the water. Definitely worth it. Thanks for the tips!
I find the comment “a proper plastic straw” very odd. Straws are a completely unnecessary item. We drink out of glasses at home. The reason plastic straws aren’t available at Animal Kingdom (like most zoos) is because if someone throws one in an exhibit the animal could eat it and choke. I understand your point about serving more vegetarian in a place that cares about animals but Disney also deals with supply and demand.