food IS a theme park
Welcome, adventurers! We’re back with another What’s New at Animal Kingdom.
Tree of Life
We have a lot to show you — including colorful frozen drinks, more unique windbreakers, animation experiences, and more — so let’s get started!
Jambo
from Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Time to visit one of our favorite character dining locations: Tusker House! Tusker House is located in Animal Kingdom’s African village of Harambe and offers a character buffet for breakfast and lunch and a “family style dinner buffet” (really just a buffet — no family style service), also with characters!
One added element of dining at Tusker House is the opportunity to reserve the Rivers of Light Dining Package here, which saves a seat at Animal Kingdom’s newly-revamped Rivers of Life: We Are One nighttime spectacular. Generally, the price differential between the character meal and the dining package is pretty small here, so you may find it’s worth the slight splurge to score that reserved seating.
We weren’t after the Dining Package this time, but we sure were excited to see if the food and experience at Tusker House lived up to its past quality. And we ended up eating TWO full meals at once, which we really didn’t expect! (Read on to find out how we did it!)
Tusker House Entrance
Tusker House is a charming restaurant located on your left-hand side in Harambe as you head toward Kilimanjaro Safaris. Check in is at a stand near the Dawa Bar, and you’ll be given a pager. Here you’re welcome to glance at the menu — but keep in mind it’s pretty generic because it’s a buffet! (Don’t worry: we’ll get more specific, and we have photos of EVERYTHING below!)
Welcome to Animal Kingdom
! We’re exploring the Park to discover What’s New! Come along!
Tree of Life
The Lion King is taking over Animal Kingdom
, and that’s clear right from the parking lot! [Read more…]
Jambo
from Disney’s Animal Kingdom! We’re coming at you with What’s New in the park, including construction walls and a perch for your banshee. But first: ahhhhhhh.
Harambe
Mother’s Day weekend saw the introduction of a few treats. At Restaurantosaurus and Creature Comforts, moms could enjoy this Mother’s Day Cupcake, complete with odd, melty transfer.
[Read more…]
Disney dropped a ton of information about the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2019 this morning, and Disney Parks Blog released CONFIRMED information about some food booths and menu items!
Epcot’s Food and Wine begins August 29, 2019!
Disney Parks Blog reports this year’s Festival will have 30 Global Marketplaces (a/k/a food booths)! [Read more…]
We’re always on the lookout for What’s New in the parks of Walt Disney World, and today we’re journeying to Animal Kingdom! Come along as we check out fun new merchandise, a seasonal cupcake, and… otters? Yeah…otters!
Welcome to Animal Kingdom!
We start our tour with a look at the Times & Animal Guide! [Read more…]
Jambo from Harambe Village in Animal Kingdom’s Africa! More specifically, Jambo from Harambe Market!
Harambe Market gate
A menu change has come to this Counter Service spot. The latest update brings a variety of Bowls to the scene, along with a Chicken Gyro to complement the Beef and Lamb Gyro option. [Read more…]
There are several new ways you can start your day in Animal Kingdom’s Africa thanks to Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery!
Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
Four new items have made their way to the breakfast menu: a Cheese and Guava Danish, a Pistachio Honey Croissant, a Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuit, and a Spinach and Feta Quiche. [Read more…]
There are a lot of still new things to enjoy at Animal Kingdom, and today we’ve got the scoop on a few of them!
Over at Tiffins, the much-lauded signature restaurant that embraces travel and adventure, diners may experience not one but two prix fixe menus! The first prix fixe option is designed for busy days — days when the restaurant has lots of ADRs lined up. Offerings include Braised Wagyu Pozole and Grilled Swordfish.
Tiffins “Busy” Prix Fixe Menu
On a recent visit to Walt Disney World, I made it my mission to visit some of my favorite spots. And when it came time to dine in Magic Kingdom, I knew I wanted to visit a classic —The Plaza Restaurant
Sure, Magic Kingdom has the hot ticket, Be Our Guest Restaurant. And I have so many counter service favorites here, it’s hard to keep track of them all. But when it comes to the crossroads of nostalgia, value, and a (fairly) easy advance dining reservation to score, nothing compares to The Plaza.
I bet you’ve passed it on a dozen visits and never given it a second thought. Allow me to show you around a bit, and maybe even change your mind.
The Plaza Restaurant occupies some primo Magic Kingdom real estate. You’ll find it at the corner of where Main Street USA joins with the bridge to Tomorrowland.
Plaza Sign
Its central location makes it accessible to all corners of the park, so it’s a great spot to dine, especially if you’d like to take a break from touring and enjoy your meal at a more leisurely pace.
The Plaza Restaurant — Outside
The restaurant isn’t very large. It’s made up of two main dining areas. The first room is pretty, comfortable, and bright, with lots of natural light. The mirrors, which feature ornate etching, also reflect the light and make the space feel larger.
Atmosphere and Seating
The art nouveau decor is in keeping with the rest of Main Street, and the pastel palette is pretty timeless. I especially love these delicate brass light fixtures.
Lighting
Attached to the main dining room is a smaller, octagonal room that’s filled with windows. It looks a bit like a conservatory (without the glass ceiling), or maybe a patio or gazebo that’s been walled in. While it is a beautiful space, the hard floors can make it a bit loud for my taste, and banquette seating means that I’ll spend my meal listening to my neighbor’s conversation. (Totally true. This visit I was seated at that little round table with two big parties on either side of me. I pretty much knew all of their plans by the time I was finished.)
Sunroom Seating
Here’s a nice close-up of a table in the main dining area. Kind of feels like eating in Grandma’s parlor, right?
Window Table
Spending time on Main Street USA means that you’re likely to run into some of the town’s most notable characters. This is one of those fun Magic Kingdom traditions that unite us with the customs of the past; we’ve enjoyed visits with the Mayor as we dined before.
The Mayor Often Visits The Plaza Restaurant
But this time out, it was the [Read more…]
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