food IS a theme park
Your pals at the DFB are back with What’s New, and this week we’re back at Animal Kingdom and the All-Star Resorts! We’ve got menu changes (Satu’li!!), new merchandise, and a couple new activities to share. Let’s gooooooo!
Animal Kingdom
If you are looking for an eclectic meal in the heart of Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, Tiffins could be the right choice. Open just under two years, Tiffins is a Signature Dining experience — which means it requires two Disney Dining Plan table service credits (or quite an investment from your wallet).
But guests agree that dining in Tiffins is as much about the atmosphere as it is the food. The restaurant is inspired by travel and the wonderful adventures that take place when one steps out of one’s comfort zone. You’ll see nods to travel quite literally everywhere — from wall to wall. You’ll also find love for animals and conservation in the artwork at Tiffins, in keeping with the Park’s theme.
The food at Tiffins is an interesting blend of flavors and ingredients from around the globe, and it’s generally enjoyed by guests who yearn for something adventurous in their dining. Tiffins, and her sister Nomad Lounge, adjust their menus with some regularity (particularly on the Small Plates menus), so if you plan on dining here, you’ll want to keep an eye on the menus.
Tiffins Sign, with tiffins on top
You’re invited to a Party for the Planet at Animal Kingdom starting April 22nd!
Welcome to Animal Kingdom!
This year’s Party will kick off as it has in the past: it will start on April 22nd, which is both Earth Day and Animal Kingdom’s anniversary. But since 2018 marks 20 YEARS of magic at Animal Kingdom, the Party for the Planet will be BIGGER than ever before. First, there will be a special 15-minute welcome celebration in front of the Tree of Life on April 22nd with music, dancing, and Disney pals!
The event will also feature unique PhotoPass opportunities, a special limited-time Wilderness Explorers badge location, backstage experiences at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, 20th Anniversary merchandise, and more… including Party for the Planet Special Edition Dishes! These limited time offerings will include Daily Specials at food and beverage locations around the park, and we can’t wait to share more information with you here once it is released.
in the Discovery Island area of Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom has long been a favorite quick service spot for DFB and our readers, viewers, and followers.
The fairly central location — just between Dinoland and the big tree — makes it convenient to most lands in this sprawling park. There’s typically lots of available seating (albeit some of it uncovered). And the food is consistently satisfying and delicious. (Plus the massive portions give us some options with regard to sharing and maximizing Disney Dining Plan credits!)
And there are so many fun details in the decor here, with brightly colored, playful animal carvings providing interest (as well as identifying different seating areas). And there’s always plenty of real wildlife around to entertain the kiddos during the meal — there are some very hungry birds around.
But birds and squirrels aside, let’s see what Flame Tree Barbecue is cooking up!
Flame Tree Barbecue Menu Sign
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
Happy Sunday and happy December! We’re so excited that it’s officially the holiday season!
Gingerbread Display at Amorette’s Patisserie
The 2017 Epcot Festival of the Holidays has started and we have all the booth menus and FOOD PICTURES for EVERY Booth!
The Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure is happening too, and we have all the details, including all the booth menus and food photos!
And, it’s time to pre-order the 2018 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining! Use code WDW2018 at check-out to get 25% off the cover price and get the current edition for FREE immediately!
We have a lot to share with you this week, so let’s jump right in…
Check out all the latest Disney Food News — even the stuff we don’t mention in posts on the blog! — on our Disney Food News Pin Board, including menu updates, restaurant closures, special events, and more! We’ve got all the latest for you, so check it out before you go. [Read more…]
You know we love to bring you the latest Disney World food news, and this week we are checking out What’s New at Animal Kingdom and the All-Star Resorts!
Welcome!
There is a TON of seasonal fun going on as we officially enter the Holiday Season, so get ready to join us and see it all!
Animal Kingdom is all sorts of FESTIVE, as the beloved park Christmas Tree is up for the season! And it’s just as magnificent as ever, presiding over the entrance to the park. [Read more…]
Hey Guys! We’re back with another DFB Video today, and we’re ranking the Animal Kingdom restaurants from worst to best!
Tiffins sign
It’s ALL HAPPENING in Disney’s Animal Kingdom these days. The addition of an entire new land, Pandora — The World of AVATAR, has delivered more than its two new attractions. It also brought new dining options to the park. But even prior to Pandora, Animal Kingdom debuted its first Signature Restaurant with Tiffins, and its next door neighbor, Nomad Lounge. These in addition to all the ol’ standbys like Restaurantosaurus and Tusker House… well, you’ve got to check out the video to find out where they all rank! [Read more…]
There’s a lot to explore — and a lot to love — at Animal Kingdom.
First, of course, is an entire new land, Pandora, and its new quick service restaurant Satu’li Canteen. And there’s Pongu Pongu, where you can snag fun and colorful drinks to sip on while you wait seventeen hours to ride Flight of Passage.
But before Pandora welcomed the masses to a whole new world this past May, the new kids on the block were Tiffins, the park’s first Signature Restaurant known for its creative dishes and incredible theming, and its next door neighbor, Nomad Lounge.
Nomad Lounge quickly became a guest — and DFB! — favorite, from our very first visit due to the peaceful, travel-inspired atmosphere and creative drinks. But Nomad Lounge also serves up small bites alongside beverages like the Leaping Lizard and Hightower Rocks. And the food offerings simply didn’t wow us the way the beverages did in the early days.
But when we heard of a recent addition to the menu — namely, House-Smoked Kobe-Style Brisket Poutine — we knew without a doubt that it was time to grab another bite at Nomad Lounge!
Nomad Lounge is as much a destination for exploration as it is a destination for refreshments. For starters, the decor is designed to evoke stories of travel and includes fantastic banners that celebrate journeys taken by the WDW Animal Kingdom Imagineers themselves.
Travel Banners
Once you look down, you’ll discover some suuuuuper comfy seating located both inside and outside the lounge. [Read more…]
Since its earliest days, I’ve always enjoyed a stop at Yak and Yeti Restaurant.
Yak and Yeti is located in Animal Kingdom’s Asia (you’ll pass it on the corner on your way to the Maharajah Jungle Trek) in the fictional village of Anandapur. Like Tiffins and Restaurantosaurus — and pretty much any restaurant in Animal Kingdom — theming is key here, with decor that is immersive and memorable. While you dine, you are surrounded by images and icons of Asian culture. Even the brightly painted exterior mimics that which you might see on the colorful village streets of Northern India or Nepal.
And as for the food? It’s also usually — dare I say it? — consistent here. Consistently GOOD. If you’ve been reading DFB for any length of time, then you’ll know that is a compliment I rarely bestow, as it’s so rarely earned in any Disney World Table Service restaurant.
So… I headed to Yak and Yeti ON MY BIRTHDAY, because I reeeeally wanted those firecracker shrimp on my special day. Did my most recent visit likewise measure up?
Once you’re on the right continent in Animal Kingdom, the bright purple stucco exterior that makes up Yak & Yeti Restaurant is accented by arched windows, intricate corbels, and beautifully carved doors.
Yak and Yeti Restaurant
The backstory here is that the owner of this building in Anandapur is a man named Arjun, a former merchant who’s turned his opulent home into lodging for travelers. These details account for the eclectic mix of statues, wall hangings, and furniture. The bar area you see below features examples of these details. [Read more…]
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