I have been meaning to write this post since our return from Disney last month!
Now, dining at Disney can get extremely pricey and we were on a strict budget this trip. We found a great snack shop in Magic Kingdom but what about in some of the other great parks? I did some research and saw rave reviews for Donald’s Dining Safari Lunch at Tusker House in the Animal Kingdom, which also is a character lunch. So since we were heading to Animal Kingdom, this was a no brainer.
With all character dining – and seated dining for that matter – at Disney, it is extremely important to make a reservation! As far in advanced as you can. I’m talking months, maybe even close to a year! You wouldn’t believe how packed these places get just so you can get a glimpse of the characters! I made reservations about 2 weeks in advanced and there was slim pickings. Luckily they had a time later in the day, 2 pm, that worked great for us on that particular day. Bonus to going that late, we saw all the characters twice! The restaurant wasn’t as crowded as we expected being towards the end of the lunch shift and we got to see Donald, Mickey, Daisy & Goofy. The only other place to really see those original characters is at Chef Mickey’s restaurants at the Contemporary Hotel.
So lets get into some details!
What’s Included:
Dining at Tusker House is truly an experience! You feel like you are out on a Safari and stumbled onto a great little hideaway. They had an outside bar that served beer for anyone who was interested. Of course my husband and dad enjoyed a nice cold one with their meal! For about $29-34.00, you get beverages and access to an all you can eat American-African buffet. Lunch also includes visits from the characters for photo ops. They have a great system of bringing them to you instead of you getting up to see them. Gratuity is only included if you are in a large party of 6 or more.
Now on to the food.
Tusker House is a buffet-style restaurant. I typically am very weary of buffet meals. I am always worried about proper food handling, proper temperatures, old food and of course getting sick! Clearly, I have issues from past horrible experiences. I will tell you though, Disney knows how to do a buffet! The buffet area was not only immaculate but all the food was displayed in cleanly, well maintained carts and Disney employees were working hard to keep the food stocked, fresh and clean. Even that close to the end of the lunch shift! Every time I went up to try something, I noticed a person wiping, replacing items, or stocking plates. Now that’s how you maintain a buffet, if you ask me! All the hot food was hot and fresh, and all the cold food was cold. Disney restored my faith in buffet’s. But I think I will only be limiting myself to buffets at Disney!
To keep with the theme of Animal Kingdom, Tusker House serves American and African meal items. They had a lot of exotic menu items that were outstanding! The carving station served freshly carved pork loin and beef top sirloin, with assorted dippings. Other main course items, like the spiced rubbed chicken was so juicy and flavorful! They also served hot Samosa’s with a mango chutney. They had a little kick to them but I couldn’t stop eating them! They were like little empenadas, stuffed with veggies instead of meat.
The salad/dip section had a variety of hummus, tabbouleh, couscous salad and other cold salads. In Disney fashion, they made some yummy kid items that were just their size. Two small carts that kids could easily reach that were filled with kid-friendly foods like corn dog nuggets, chicken, rice, potatoes, pb&j sandwiches, and fruit.
They did not skimp on the dessert either, a large selection of cookies, brownies, and bite sized cakes. Then if you were in the mood for some comfort, a warm banana bread pudding with vanilla frosting sauce and a berry cobbler. Both were sooo good and really hit the spot after the meal.
Overall Experience:
This was our first meal on our Disney trip and it truly was a memorable one! I really can’t recommend this place enough if you like experiencing twists on some of your favorite foods, this place is for you. They also serve a character breakfast and a regular dinner service (no characters). You will be leaving full and ready to continue your day at the awesome Animal Kingdom!
Perks:
Like I said, you get to see the original guys – Mickey, Goofy, Donald & Daisy. There are not that many other places in the parks where you can see these guys while you eat, that’s what makes Tusker’s special. Plus if you go later in the seating, you will get some quality time with your favorite characters. Each character came by twice. They also take pictures for you before you are seated outside with the African decor and are given the option to buy them. You can also sneak out some snacks – like the PB&J sandwiches and cookies. We took a few for the kids to snack on when they go hungry.
If you are venturing to Animal Kingdom or Disney – Tusker House is a definite must for a meal. I have one more Disney Dining review coming up, so stay tuned! If you missed my other post on the best place to eat in the Magic Kingdom, check it out!
– Amanda
