First Timer at Animal Kingdom Part II

Yesterday, I told you about Monica's love affair with Rafki well that quickly faded when we stopped in Yak and Yeti for drinks and a sundae. Monica had another love affair with someone she met in Yak and Yeti….



They were good friends until the sundae arrived…



After the Fudge Brownie for two we all decided to try and catch Everest before the park closed. I of course, having already vowed to never ride it again sat in the chicken pit (a very cute little guy named Michael named it that because many of us were talking about how we did not want to ride Everest because it looked crazy) and Norwood and Monica went on the Expedition.

When they boarded the train Norwood turned to Monica and asked her if she was ready to go fast, she said “Yeah!”



All was good until they reached the tracks that the Yeti had broken and everyone realized that there was just one way to go…



Overall, Monica really enjoyed Animal Kingdom. Stay tuned for Monica’s first time adventures in Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. If you would like to see more of Monica’s photos head on over to the flickr album.

First Timer at Animal Kingdom Part I

On the second part of our week at Disney with a first time Disney theme park hopper we took decided to take Monica to Animal Kingdom (Norwood’s favorite park). Upon entering the park we ran into Monica’s new boyfriend…



It was love at first smooch. All else was not important including her previously severe hunger when she met Rafki. After tearing her away I asked her if she wanted pictures with Baloo and Timon who were also at the gate and she said… “Naw, my circle of life is complete.”

After a short romance at the front gate we made our way into the park and ate at Pizzafari, which is a quick service eatery that has Italian Food…



Monica told me to mention to those readers who had not eaten Pizzafari that is was well worth the money and she highly recommends the frozen lemonade. Once we refueled we headed over to the River Rapids and the Kilimanjaro Safaris. Both were according to Monica “Totally awesome!”

Tomorrow I will tell you more about Monica’s Animal Kingdom adventures. To see more of her pictures head on over to the flickr album.

Tusker House - Animal Kingdom

Location: Animal Kingdom- Africa

Meals Served: Breakfast (character dining), Lunch and Dinner

Reservations?: It is recommended that you make reservations for all meals by calling 407-WDW-DINE but I have to be honest Norwood and I went twice (breakfast and for lunch) walked up to the podium without reservations and only had a 10 (20 minutes on the breakfast wait). It was just the two of us so I imagine it will be harder for larger parties to just walk up.

Price Range: $20 per person

Type of Food: African food (with an American flair) served Buffet style

Review:
Since our arrival in Florida we have eaten at many Disney restaurants. The majority of the time we have had excellent food and service and expect nothing less from Disney. By the time we had the opportunity to eat at Tusker House we had already eaten at Boma at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and absolutely loved it. So please keep in mind while you read this review that we were expecting a similar quality to the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma.

If you have been to Boma the first thing you will notice is that much of the food is similar in the Tusker House (the Hummus, Tabbouleh, Veggie Samaosa just to name a few of the same dishes). Some of the deserts are different at the Tusker House then Boma. Some of the food was very good. The hummus was fantastic and the curry sauce was a dream. I recommend both. However, and perhaps this was just the day that we went, but Norwood found the coffee rubbed Pork loin to be tough and chewy. And some of the dishes were cold that would have been better hot like the Spiced Tandoori Tofu. When eating at Buffets I always take into account that food is out in the open and will become cold quicker then food that is brought to you, but the spiced tandoori tofu (which was full) was beyond the point I would expect for a hot dish on a buffet.

The desert selection was quite impression for a Disney restaurant and many of the deserts were fantastic. Try the pomegranate chocolate truffles… you can thank me later.

Overall the meal and the experience were good. One thing to consider before going to the Tusker House however is the waiting area. You are asked to wait at outdoor table until your party is called, which is normally not a big deal, but the tables just happen to be down wind out the designated smoker section. If you have problems with cigarette smoke, make sure to keep that in mind.

Rainforest Café – Animal Kingdom

The Rainforest Café is by far my favorite Animal Kingdom dining experience. First off the menu is impressive. There are so many options for both meat eaters and vegetarians. And trust me when I say the portion sizes are incredibly large. We found that the “Totally awesome Appetizer” was a meal in itself. Norwood and I both agree that the Plant Sandwich (a huge Portobello mushroom with lots of griller goodies on Foccacia Bread) is the best sandwich we have ever eaten while at Disney.



Second the prices are very reasonable! For the two of us with appetizer, drinks, and a main course we spent with tip $80 for dinner. We have spent more for less food at Disney so we were very pleased with the price we paid.

Oh and as if it is not enough that the Rainforest Café has great food at reasonable prices the restaurant is awesome! The decorum is such that you are sitting in the rainforest with gorillas, elephants, frogs and more. Every so often the entire restaurant comes to life. Animals roar and it begins to rain. It is really neat and when you enter the restaurant you forget the world around.



The Rainforest Café is open for lunch and dinner. It is highly recommended that you make reservations in advance by calling 407-WDW-DINE. There are two Rainforest Cafes in Disney World one is located at the Main Entrance of Animal Kingdom and the other is located in Downtown Disney. Prices range from about $15- $35.99 per person.

If you want to find out more about Rainforest Café visit their website.