We first brought you news that a new restaurant was coming to Adventureland a while back.
And today, there’s more buzz that the rumor may be fact!
Jungle Cruise Eats? Sign Me UP!!!
The folks over at Orlando Weekly and WDW News Today have been reporting on some GREAT news for Adventureland Fans! While initial reports we were hearing firsthand indicated that a new restaurant would be a New Orleans-themed, a la Princess and the Frog…it may be that something EVEN BETTER is coming instead. Because the area just may actually be themed after the Jungle Cruise!
Do You Think Any of the Specialties from the Crew Mess will Make It to the Menu??
The whole thing would take place at the old Adventureland Veranda, which served as a restaurant for years — with Kikkoman as a corporate sponsor. Here’s an awesome photo by Widen Your World that shows the old signage.
Old Adventureland Veranda Sign, Courtesy of Omniluxe.net
But most recently, the veranda has been used as a character Meet and Greet with Tinkerbell and her Fairy Friends. (Tink and Co. have since flitted over to the Main Street Theater, where you can catch them, along with Mickey and other characters, for aaaaaalllll of your photo op needs.) These days, you’ll frequently spy Peter Pan and Wendy here.
But now, it would seem that this new opening is definitely linked to the switcheroo we told you about last week, when Aloha Isle and Sunshine Tree Terrace swapped real estate (and treats). You can find all of your favorite Dole Whip Delicacies at the new Aloha Isle location, while the new Sunshine Tree Terrace continues to offer Citrus Swirls (and it’s pretty busy there, too, if our trip through the area the other day is any indication.)
But back to the restaurant. The backstory for the new spot may include a retreat for Jungle Cruise skippers, or even a secondary source of income for them!
After a Day of Dodging These Guys, It Will Be Great to Kick Back and Grab Some Grub!
Do you think we’ll be able to dine while viewing the backside of water?
Perhaps the spot will be similar to Be Our Guest Restaurant, in that it will offer counter service lunch (or quick service, more accurately) and table service dinner.
So another great question — will any of the fun drinks that we associate with the now defunct Adventurer’s Club, or Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian (I’m counting the days ’til it opens later this month!!!) OR Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar be on the menu?
Schweitzer Falls — a non-alcoholic drink at Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar
After all, Disney broke the long-standing tradition of no alcohol in Magic Kingdom with the inclusion of beer and wine on the Be Our Guest Dinner Menu. We’ll anxiously await the answer to this one. 🙂
Wonder if Trader Sam Will Be a Frequent Visitor?
While we look for answers to the many, many, MANY questions this news brings up, if the rumors are true we anticipate the new restaurant could open as early as late 2015.
Are you as excited as I am about this HUGE rumor/news out of Magic Kingdom today?? Leave a comment and tell me if you think it’s a good idea…
Source: Orlando Weekly, WDW News Today, WDW Theme Parks
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Great idea!! I’m all for a new restaurant, just hope it is different not same ol same ole food.
Still hoping they don’t mess with my Citrus Swirls. I Love them
Great idea! MK needs another table service restaurant. It would be nice if it was a character meal. I think the swamp theme would be great with Tiana. Cajun and Creole dishes like Boatwright’s would be a nice change to current selections in MK.
Woohoo! Hubby and I are planning a trip in November, hopefully it will be open then!
AMAZING idea. Very happy to be hearing more and more info come out, even if it is unofficial. This is much more my style. I don’t know that I’d like it to be a character meal, I think the skippers would be the entertainment. Plus who really fits with this theme? The Jungle Book characters?
I would be more excited about a Princess and the Frog restaurant but this should be fun too. Hope they will be creative with the menu, it seems like that is the trend lately 🙂
Love the idea above of a Cajun / Creole type place…..YUMMY!!!
Just glad it isn’t a Frozen themed Italian eatery.
Don’t even tease with the idea of some tropical adult beverages in Magic Kingdom. That would be wonderful. But when that damn finally breaks (and it will – inevitably – as Disney answers to shareholders) they can’t just serve them up at a single location. It would have to be park wide.
Whoa whoa whoa….
Trader sams opens this month?!? Never heard mention of that! In fact I’ve been shocked how little people have talked about it during construction.
Where did you get that opening from? And I hope it’s true!!
You may think that’s a specialty drink… itsnot
(not sure if this joke works when “written” down..)
Don’t expect it to open too quickly. One of the rumors with the Liberty Tree Tavern shut-down is they are building a larger shared kitchen for the Tavern & whatever goes in the Terrace. The Tavern will be closed till just before Thanksgiving. So plan accordingly.
I’m all for this! The closure of the Adventurer’s Club left a gaping hole just waiting to be filled by kitschy humor and tropical beverages. While I’ll lead the charge campaigning for Tiana’s jazz club/restaurant to be housed in a waterfront warehouse along the Sassagoula, this location is thematically inappropriate for such an offering.
What?! I’m so excited!
Hopefully, this will lead to many of us getting to visit with our favorite Adventurers again! Kungaloosh!
Next up, let’s refurb the Tomorrowland Terrace to be a hybrid counter/table service location and give it a Tomorrowland movie theme.
Jungle Cruise is my fav! I’d love a restaurant where the Skippers could have a bit of fun a la 50’s Prime Time or Whispering Canyon. 😉
Is the skink going to be traditionally prepared? Too many people try to get fancy when making skink. I think the best skink is simply grilled on an open fire with a good char.
As far as Giant Stag Beetle goes I’ve always found it too crunchy on the outside but too gooey on the inside. It’s best prepared smoked in the shell so I hope the frickasse doesn’t last very long on the menu.
GG — Bahahahahahaha! Yes. Because when you fricassee a Giant Stag Beetle, it tends to get chewy.
This is such great news! Really need more places to eat in MK and this sounds so promising. I don’t care if it’s Jungle Cruise theme or New Orleans themed, both sounds promising. And yes, not another Italian place or Frozen-themed ( I like both, but really folks…).
@Jessica Yeah Trader Sam’s had CM previews yesterday, the word seems to be Thursday as the opening date. At the very least Sam’s will be open by April 1st.
Is that what Trader Sam looks like in WDW? Wow, I like our DL version a lot better. So interesting to see the differences btwn parks
A Princess and the Frog place would be perfect for Tom Sawyer’s Island.
They used to have a place there that served cold fried chicken, ham sandwiches on white bread and coke in bottles out of metal washtubs full of ice.
Aunt Polly’s Porch, I think.
It might not get a lot of traffic due to having to boat over and general lack of attractions on the island. But it would be a wonderful little hide away that people would seek out. I can see them doing Cafe Au Lait, Beignets…Muffalettes/po boys…and cold fried chicken and ham sandwiches on white bread. Maybe even gumbo. All could be made off site and put in that location quite nicely.
As it stand now…there’s really not much of a reason to go over to the Tom Sawyer’s island..except the fort..if that even exists anymore.
What?! I’m so excited! I hope this happens!
“I’m counting the days ’til it opens later this month!” – Huh??? Trader Sam’s is opening in March 2015?!?! When was this announced?
Dave — It hasn’t been announced. The official opening date is April 1st, but there have been many soft openings for cast members and DVC members, and word is that the grotto will be continuing soft openings for the public prior to that date.
I miss the Advetnureland Veranda. I ate there when we stayed at Disney on our honeymoon. Pineapple teriyaki burger was awesome. I would prefer an Adverturers Club theme over a Tiana/TPATF theme just because I don’t think it would make sense in Adventureland. It would make a whole lot of sense at Port Orleans which is lacking a restaurant since the closure of Bonfamilles. It was a nice place to have breakfast. Sigh. Just another thing that is no longer there.
Sam — What a fun idea!
Definitely need something for the little boys! Way too many Princess theme restaurants and character greetings. Jungle theme sounds great!
Sounds like an excellent idea to have a sit-down restaurant in Adventureland! Spread the crowds around the park a bit. They do need another restaurant in MK. Any theme cool and relaxing with a little bit of fun would be nice.
The new res truant is themed after the Jungle Cruise and is call the Jungle Skippers Canteen. It will have 3 main areas and new bathrooms added to the back of the building. The Liberty Tree Tavern will be shut down in July and work will begin on created one huge kitchen for both restaurants.