This week we get to list our favorite places to eat in the Animal Kingdom.
However, before we get to that task I do want to comment on last week’s blog. As you would expect, there were a lot of opinions as to what everyone’s favorite table service restaurants in Epcot were. However, not surprisingly Le Cellier was the most popular. Beirgarten, Teppan Edo were also at or near the top of a lot of peoples list. Both the Restaurant Marrakesh and the Tangierine Cafe in Morocco were cited for being “hidden jewels” and worth trying. As far as counter service spots Sunshine Seasons was the most popular and a wide range of other locations filling out the other two positions.
OK, on to Animal Kingdom. Since this is not what I consider a park where I would go just to eat, my selections are rather easy to make. I’m a Tusker House fan; need I say more?
So, here’s my list:
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Rainforest Cafe
3) Yak and Yeti
Counter Service Locations:
1) Pizzafari Counter
2) Flame Tree BBQ
3) Yak and Yeti Counter
OK, now that I have told you my top three, what’s yours? I’d love to know. Also, you can add whatever comments you want to help us appreciate your choices.
Speaking of comments, here’s some of my thoughts. I really do love the Tusker House and it’s where I eat 90% of the time I’m in the Animal Kingdom. My second and third choices are more “because I had to choose” rather than places I truly love. When eating at a counter service location it can be very difficult at times to find a place to sit. I know that more tables and chairs have been added in recent years, but still not enough to please me. I’m not a happy camper when I just bought food and then can’t find a place nearby to sit and eat. So, to be honest, if I’m not eating at the Tusker House, then I’m eating off property. Keep in mind that I only live a few miles from WDW and many of my trips to the parks are for only for a few hours.
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To make things a bit easier for you can just copy and paste the following into the Post A Comment section below and add your information:
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Full Service Restaurants:
1)
2)
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1)
2)
3)
Your comments:
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In the coming weeks I will blog on my favorite my top places to eat in Hollywood Studios and my favorite parades/fireworks and entertainment. Also, let me know if you have any suggestions as to other things you would like to see “top lists” of. I’m open to any and all suggestions. So far readers have suggested I blog on Favorite Disney Hotels, Favorite Resort Food, Non-Theme Park Disney Thing To Do and Favorite Magical Moment. Great ideas! What do you think? Based on the number of comments, I think you all agree that these are fun to do.
And the winner is: the winner of the AllEars baseball cap for commenting on my Top Places to Eat in the Magic Kingdom blog is Allison Parker, from New Jersey. Congratulations to Allison and “thank you” to everyone who took the time to share their Top Places to Eat in the Magic Kingdom with me and all the AllEars readers!
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Well, that’s all for now. As my good friend says “see ya real soon”…DizneyMike
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Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree BBQ
2) Pizzafari
3) Yak and Yeti
Your comments:
This post made me realize I have never eaten at a full-service restaurant at the Animal Kingdom. I do look forward to eating lunch at the Flame Tree BBQ and it is a “must do” when we visit the world. Definitely my favorite in the Animal Kingdom and one of my top counter service restaurants in all the parks.
All mine are meal plan approved. LOL
Full Service Restaurants:
1)Donald’s Tusker breakfast (one word Juice)
2)Yak and Yeti ( I love the lettuce cups)
3)Tusker Lunch (the seating for Nemo was a nice perk
Counter Service Locations:
We actually have not eaten CS for meals just snacks but my future plans are…..
1)picnic in the park (free cooler, and a spot on under the tree I will be happy)
2)Yak and Yeti express ( my kids love the egg rolls and rice we had as snacks last time.)
3) We did do the Kusafiri for breakfast but used snack credits.
This wasn’t asked but wanted to add:
Snacks – Yak and Yeti Fried rice and egg rolls
Frozen Chai (not approved snack)
We’ve really only eaten at a few places here.
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House (Donald’s Safari Breakfast
2) Rainforest Cafe
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Pizzafari
2)
3)
Your comments:
These are the only restaurants we’ve tried here. We really enjoyed the unique menu at Tusker House, and Rainforest Cafe has always been a favorite of our. Although Pizzafari is the only CS restaurant that we’ve tried, we were really pleased with the food, the value, and the exotic decor.
Full Service Restaurants:
1) I used to love Tusker House before it became a buffet
2) Rainforest
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree Barbecue
2)
3)
Your comments:
Favorite Restaurants in Animal Kingdom:
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Rainforest Cafe
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree BBQ
2) Pizzafari
3) Yak & Yeti
Your comments: Mike, there are almost always open tables behind Flame Tree BBQ.
Follow one of the paths – some of them lead to covered pavilions down by the
water, some end in shady cul-de-sacs with plenty of seating. Flame Tree has
some of the most pleasant and peaceful seating areas in all of WDW.
Flame Tree has really tasty fare – I’ve had the ribs and chicken combo and the
ribs are especially good – tender and flavorful. The smoked turkey sandwich is
very good, as is the salad. The key lime mousse is one of our favorite desserts
and so refreshing on a hot day.
Full Service Restaurants:
1)Tusker House
2)Yak and Yeti
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1)Flame Tree
2)Pizzafari
3)Yak and Yeti
Your comments:
Full Service Restaurants:
Tusker House (love those desserts)
Yak & Yeti
comments:
I can go to Rainforest when I’m home.
Full Service:
1. Yak & Yeti
2. Rainforest Cafe
Counter Service
1. Yak & Yeti
2. Flame Tree
3. Pizzafari
I have to say that my favorite “counter service” would have to be the Picnic in the Park option. My husband and I tried this last October and thought it was the best counter service we had all vacation. We ordered the Tier 2 meal (rotisserie chicken and sides) for 2 upon entering the park and picked our time for pick-up. When we returned we picked up our lunch in a great re-usable bag and found some shade (they provide you with a map of suggested locations) and had a great quiet leisurely lunch off the beaten path. An added benefit is that I use the bag when grocery shopping and think about our lunch often. We will be doing this again in October.
1) Flametree BBQ
It’s the only place I’ve ever eaten in the AK…the food is good, the portions large, and you can’t beat the secluded shady patio next to the lake with a view of Everest! The pulled pork sandwich is HUGE and delicious.
Tusker House
Rainforest
yak & yeti
flame tree
pizzafari
yak & yeti cs
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Yak & Yeti
2) —
3) —
Counter Service Locations:
1) Pizzafari
2) Flame Tree Barbecue
3) Yak & Yeti counter
Your comments:
I haven’t eaten at Tusker House since it turned into a sit-down spot. I’m not at all fond of buffets, even in Disney World. I have to say that I’ve been extremely pleasantly impressed with the food at Yak & Yeti. And I’m hard to please when it comes to mealtime. I hope that people will give it a try.
Full Service Restaurants:
NONE: While we have eaten at the breakfast buffet at Restaurantosaurus (years ago) and the new character breakfast at Tusker House, I would not go back to either. Rainforest Cafe has been our choice for meals but we prefer the Downtown Disney location much more
In all, I would leave the park rather than pay the prices charged for the food selections offered at AK
Counter Service Locations:
Pizzafari – only when desperate!!
Your comments:
Mike – Is there any chance that WDW execs read these blogs as it would be so enlightening to them to see so many shared opinions – about the need for more sit downs at MK and AK -??!
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Full Service Restaurants:
1)Yak & Yeti
2)Tusker House
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1)Flame Tree BBQ
2)Yak & Yeti
3)Royal Anadapur Tea Company
Your comments: I was glad to see that they added Yak & Yeti as a table service & counter service restaurant because only have 1 table service restaurant inside the park really wasn’t conducive to the Dining Plan as we always get the Dining Plan and Rainforest Cafe doesn’t accept it.
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Yak and Yeti
3) Rainforest Cafe
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree BBQ
2) Pizzafari
3) Royal Andapour Tea Company
Your comments: Tusker House is a favorite of ours for breakfast, its usually the only big breakfast we eat while we’re visiting WDW. Flame Tree is one of our favorite WDW counter services, the smoked chicken is excellent! There is a pretty fountain area behind it with lily pads and birds that is usually quiet where we always eat. I am very suprised more people haven’t listed it as their number 1 favorite counter meal in Animal Kingdom!
Counter Service Locations:
1)Pizzafari – decor
2)Flametree BBQ – beautiful outdoor seating
Your comments: I didn’t actually like the food at either of these spots. I’d put Tusker House as my #1 CS choice by far–for decor and food, if it were still CS.
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Rainforest Cafe
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree BBQ
2) Pizzafari Counter
Your comments:
We don’t eat very often at AK. Must be the combination of shorter hours and not too many great locations. We love Flame Tree!
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House-breakfast-love the variety
2)
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1)Flame Tree-
2) Pizzafari
3)
We always go somewhere else for dinner like DTD
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Yak ‘n Yeti
2) Tusker House
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Pizzafari
2)
3)
Your comments:
This is a park that we typically go elsewhere to eat, it’s too important to waste a potential disney meal in my opinion. One thing I did love but they don’t have anymore, a chicken wing stand, it counted as a snack and was delicious!! Oh, and the jalepeno cheese pretzels are excellent here as well.
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Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Don’t bother – get on a bus and go to AKL
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree
2) Pizzafari
3) Restaurantosaurus
Your comments: I like Tusker House a lot, and would include it in an overall list of theme park table service favourites. However, Yak and Yeti is much less than it could be, and we often take a bus from AK to AKL and enjoy any of the three fantastic table service restaurants there (Jiko, Boma, Sanaa). The counter service offerings at AK are quite good, I think.
_________________________
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Yak and Yeti
3) Rainforest Cafe
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree Barbeque
2) Kusafiri Coffee Shop
3) Pizzafari
Your comments:
This is probably the only Rainforest Cafe I like. Additionally, sometimes I like to go over to the Animal Kingdom Lodge for a great breakfast or supper 🙂
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House (Breakfast)
2) Rain Forest Cafe
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Restaurantsourus
2)
3)
Your comments:
To be completely honest when we go to the AK we usually eat a big breakfast at Tusker House and then get a snack and head down town for dinner. The only QS place we ever ate at was Restaurantsourus. We did eat at Rainforest for lunch after a big breakfast in Tusker this past march to make our son happy. However I was still stuffed from breakfast. We tried to eat at Flametree this past Sept but the line was forever and it was really hot to sit outside to eat. Would like to try pizzafarri as everyone says how nice it is inside. Love these posts!!
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Yak & Yeti
2) Tusker House (Breakfast)
3) N/A
Counter Service Locations:
1) Yak & Yeti Counter Service
2) Pizzafari
3) Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery
Your comments:
AK is definitely not the place to do most of your dining. I agree with Mike about the lack of seating for CS meals. Very annoying to be holding your fold and trying desperately to find a seat. However, Y&Y is an excellent restaurant, definitely on par with any P.F. Chang style restaurant. Plus, it is one of the few places in AK that are fully enclosed with AC, a must if you are visiting during the summer months. Skip Rain Forest Cafe though. It’s like a high priced, poor quality T.G.I.F. with a jungle theme.
Full Service:
1. Tusker House
2. Rainforest Cafe
3. Yak and Yeti
Counter Service:
1. Flame Tree BBQ
2. Royal Anandapur Tea Company
3. ?
Comments: Tusker House is good, and we do like the character breakfast there. Rainforest Cafe is not unique to that location for sure, but I think the food quality is better than Yak and Yeti. I do love the decor in Yak and Yeti, though. My husband loves BBQ, and there are few places to get it for him at WDW. I really like the Chai freezes at my number two choice, even though it’s not a restaurant. Honestly, if we are at Animal Kingdom park, we usually then eat at Animal Kingdom Lodge (awesome restaurants there), whether we are staying there or not. (Other than at Epcot, resorts typically have the best dining. This is a fun series, Mike; I like reading your choices and everyone else’s. Thanks!
Full service:
1. Yak & Yeti
2. Tusker House
Counter Service:
1. Flame Tree
2. Pizzafari
_________________________
Full Service Restaurants:
To be honest, we’ve never eaten at any table service spots in AK. We always hop out to another park or to a resort.
Counter Service Locations:
1) Tusker House – when it was still CS
2) Pizzafari – only because kids hate BBQ
3) Flame Tree – when we force kids there
Your comments:
We wanted to try the picnic in the park last summer but it just didn’t happen.
_________________________
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
3) Yak and Yeti
Counter Service Locations:
1) Yak and Yeti Counter Service
2) Flame Tree
Sorry Mike, but, Rainforest Cafe doesn’t count as a restaurant, lol, just kidding. Thanks for the lists, they’re great!
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House
2) Rainforest Cafe (occasionally)
3) um . . . a Mickey bar stand ?
Counter Service Locations:
1) Pizzafari (my children’s favorite)
2) Flame Tree BBQ (mostly for key lime pie with the current menu)
3) Dino Bite Snacks w/ Restaurantosaurus – both eaten in Restaurantosaurus air conditioning
Your comments: Animal Kingdom has a shortage of table service and air-conditioned tables for dining. While the shows are excellent – the park doesn’t really work for dinner and a show. Since some in my party need true air-conditioning, rather than simply a shaded area — we also dine from fewer of the carts here. Though we stay full days — this is never a three meal park for us.
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House (breakfast)
2)
3)
Counter Service Locations:
1) Pizzafari
2) Flametree BBQ
3)
Your comments
We only ate @ Tusker House for breakfast once….Want to try lunch or dinner in July when we go with the grandkids….Ate @ Flametree BBQ & it was okay…We realy haven’t tried too many of the restaurants in Animal Kingdom…Hope to try more in the future!!!!
Full Service Restaurants:
1)Yak and Yeti
2)Tusker House
3)Rainforest Cafe
Counter Service Locations:
1)Pizzafari
2)Flame Tree BBQ
3)Yak and Yeti
Your comments: This is definitely not the park we go to eat out. The restaurants aren’t terrible; there’s just not a lot to choose from. I’m looking forward to the rest of these surveys, Mike!
Where I’ve eaten:
– Pizzafari
– Restaurantasaurus
– That bus/ice cream counter in Asia.
…That’s it. I’ve only been to DAK once and we were on the Quick Service plan.
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame Tree BBQ
2) Tusker House (when it was counter service)
3) Pizzafari
Your comments:
We usually eat at Flame Tree when we go and often go to Downtown Disney or another resort to eat at the end of the day.
I agree with many readers that you should do a blog on resort restaurants but you will probably have to make it a top 5 at least. I know I couldn’t choose only 3.
Wendy
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Tusker House
2) Yak & Yeti
Counter Service Locations:
1) Flame tree BBQ
2) Pizzafari
3)Yak & Yeti counter service
Full Service Restaurants:
1)Yak and Yeti
2)Tusker House
3)Rainforest Cafe
Counter Service Locations:
1)Yak and Yeti Counter
2)Restaurantosaurus
3)Flame Tree
Full Service Restaurants:
1) Yak & Yeti
2) Tusker House (breakfast)
Counter Service Restaurants:
1) Flame Tree BBQ
2) Pizzafari
Animal Kingdom really doesn’t have alot of full service restaurants, so there wasn’t alot to choose from.. Once I get in the park, I don’t like to travel all the way back to the front of the park to go to Rainforest Cafe. ( I always have 7 kids with me) So for dinner we usually end up going to a resort restaurant.