Updated: August 14, 2026
Animal Kingdom’s Tusker House Restaurant is one of the best-kept secrets around when it comes to Disney dining and Character Meals.
Tusker House
The food at this all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet is flavorful and interesting, and the characters are high-quality, featuring Donald, Mickey, and friends (like Goofy and Daisy)… all dressed in their Safari best at Donald’s Dining Safari!
If you are looking for a fun character meal in a unique setting with terrific food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I highly recommend this restaurant.
The Meal at Tusker House Restaurant
Served buffet-style, the food here is flavorful and interesting, combining American and African-inspired cuisine. We adore that there are lots of options for a range of eaters.
Service: Table Service, Family Style
Type of Food: American and African
Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Africa
Disney Dining Plan: Yes, 1 Table Service meal credit
Tusker House Restaurant Menu (Partial Listings)
Click any of the links for our full review of the menu item:
Breakfast Items May Include:
African-inspired Breakfast Creations (Shakshuka, Bobotie, South African French Toast Bulkas)
Beef Bobotie
Breakfast Classics (Cooked-to-order Omelets, Scrambled Eggs, Potatoes, Bacon, Pork Sausage, Turkey Sausage, Rotisserie Ham)
Sausgage, Scrambled Eggs, and Bacon
Rotisserie Ham
Favorites (Mickey-shaped Waffles, Simba Waffles, Pancakes, South African French Toast Bulkas, Macerated Berries, Syrup, Caramel, Whipped Cream)
Simba Waffles
Pastries (Mango-Apricot Jam Cake, Chai-spiced Croissant, Guava Danish, Chocolate Chip Muffin, Bagels)
Bagels
Fruits (Wild Berries, Grapes, Bananas)
Grapes
Beverages, including Breakfast Cocktails, Non-Alcoholic Specialty Beverages, Specialty Cocktails, Wine, and Beer
POG Juice
Lunch and Dinner Items May Include:
Breads and Dips (Naans, Curries, Blatjangs)
Salads (Lentil Salad, Couscous Salad, Watermelon-Feta Salad, Carrot-Olive-Raisin Salad)
House Specialties (Spit-roasted Tandoori Chicken, Berbere-marinated Pork, Green Curry Shrimp, Doro Wat, Braised Beef Tajine)
Doro Wat Chicken Curry and Green Curry Shrimp
Plant-based Offerings (North African Pilau, South African-spiced Cauliflower, Couscous Salad, Potato and Pea Curry, Carrot-Ginger Soup)
North African Pilau
South African-spiced Cauliflower
Potato Curry
Kids’ Picks (Meatballs, Macaroni & Cheese, Chicken Strips, Broccoli, Potatoes)
Sides (North African Pilau, Spiced Broccoli, Red Red, South African-spiced Cauliflower Curry, Mashed Potatoes, Macaroni & Cheese)
Mashed Potatoes
Mac and cheese
Seasonal Savannah-inspired Desserts (Cheesecakes, Blondies, Verrines, Mousses, Plant-based Dessert)
Tons of desserts at Tusker House!
Guava Mousse
Plant-based Chocolate Mousse
Beverages, including Non-Alcoholic Specialty Beverages, Specialty Cocktails (Lost on Safari), Wine, and Beer
Lost On Safari
The Atmosphere at Tusker House Restaurant
As you’re walking through the Africa section of Animal Kingdom, you’ll want to look out for the Tusker House sign and follow the arrow. Tusker House is a charming restaurant located on your left-hand side in Harambe as you head toward Kilimanjaro Safaris.
From there, we walked up to the host’s stand, where the Cast Member greeted us and asked for the name on the reservation. During this exchange, you’ll give the Cast Member your phone number so that you can be texted when your table is ready. Note: You can also check in through the My Disney Experience app.
Once you get your text, you’ll walk past the host’s stand and down a side pathway.
Inside the restaurant, there are five different rooms where you could be seated. The main room has the buffet, as well as tables for larger parties
The characters are among some of the most sought-after in all of the parks and hotel, featuring Donald Duck, Mickey and friends (like Goofy and Daisy)… all dressed in their Safari best for Donald’s Dining Safari. The interactions with the characters here are fantastic.
During your meal, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and other friends will visit your table and say “Jambo,” which means “hello” in Swahili. They’re dressed in their safari outfits to get you in the Animal Kingdom mood before you head on your own safari, visiting all the animals.
Reviews
African Inspired Meals in Walt Disney World — Tusker House
Disney Food Blog Review: Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney Food Blog Review: Dinner at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney Food Blog Breakfast and Lunch Review! We ate TWO Meals at Once at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Review: Breakfast is BACK at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom — But is It As Good WITHOUT the Buffet?
REVIEW: You Had Us at Bottomless Bread Service (!!) at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney Food Blog REVIEW: Buffets Are BACK at Tusker House in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
REVIEW: Three Words – Banana. Caramel. Sauce. Why You’ll Want to Be Swimming in It in Disney World.
REVIEW: Tandoori Chicken, Mac and Cheese, and Donald Duck…This Disney World Restaurant Doesn’t Get Enough Love
Nosh or Not
Take your safari crew to Tusker House Restaurant if…
You want a special Disney character meal. You’re paying a premium when you decide to eat with Disney characters, but they are not all created equal. Tusker House offers one of the most underrated buffets in Disney World and has unique character costumes you won’t see anywhere else.
You don’t want to wait in line to meet characters. Did you know the wait times for characters can be longer than popular rides?! We see it all of the time in Disney World. If you want to save time by meeting Donald, Mickey, and other classic characters all in one sitting, a meal at Tusker House is for you.
You want a mix of traditional and unique cuisine. Located in the Africa land of Animal Kingdom, Tusker House brings some African-inspired dishes to the menu. This concerns picky eaters at first glance, but there are actually plenty of traditional theme park food options as well, including Mickey waffles at breakfast and chicken strips at lunch and dinner.
Trek elsewhere if…
You don’t want to chase little ones around the buffet. Let’s face it — it can be a hassle to do a buffet with kiddos. Whether they run off to try to hug a character or you lose track of them in the chaos, it can be stressful. It’s doable, but something you should prepare for ahead of time.
You’re doing this trip on a tight budget. Although you can load up on as much food as you can fit in your body, it is pricey to eat here, mostly thanks to the characters. Animal Kingdom is an amazing park to snack around, and you can easily feed yourself all day on snacks for less than the price of one person at the Tusker House buffet.
You have a full itinerary. Character meals can be unpredictable in how long they take. This is because of the “all-you-care-to-enjoy” aspect and the character rotation. It could take 20 minutes for all of the characters to visit you, or it could take an hour or more. If you have 20 things left on your list for the day, you may want to skip this sit-down.
Tusker House
Important Information
- Dining at Tusker House for Breakfast is $49 per adult (plus tax and gratuity) and $33 per child ages 3-9 (plus tax and gratuity).
- Dining at Tusker House for Lunch and Dinner is $64 per adult (plus tax and gratuity) and $42 per child ages 3-9 (plus tax and gratuity).
- Book breakfast before the park opens to get in without waiting in lines with the crowds.
- You may find last-minute availability for Tusker House on the Mobile Dine Walk-up Waitlist.
- Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members should inquire about a discount.
Find MORE Disney Character Meals here!
Famous Dishes: Jungle Juice, Naan Bread and Dips, Tandoori spice-rubbed rotisserie chicken, Green Curry Shrimp, Za’atar Braised Beef, Mac and Cheese, Corn Dog Nuggets, Pineapple Cupcake, Guava Treat; Banana Caramel Sauce (for waffles), POG juice
So fun!
Disney Food Blog Posts Mentioning Tusker House
You Might Also Like: Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey’s, Boma
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
