Tusker House Restaurant Character Dining Review
Tusker House Restaurant at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom has always been one of our favorite Character meals. We not only love the variety of food but we also love the character interactions. Read our review of Tusker House and see if you should make a reservation for this Character Dining experience.
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We have been lucky enough to enjoy Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at Tusker House over the years. Our first visit was in 2016. The night of our reservation the weather was not great, actually we were getting ready for hurricane Hermine to hit. Our timing couldn’t have been better. Who wouldn’t want to get stranded in a safari-themed restaurant with Disney Characters to entertain the kids?
Because of the worst part of the storm, we were asked to stay at the restaurant until it was safe. During our very long stay (3+ hours!) The cast members went above and beyond to make us feel safe and created lots of fun memories for our kids! Because of this amazing experience, we’ve gone back on every trip! Find out why we love this restaurant so much…
Checking Into Tusker House
You can check in on the My Disney Experience app once you arrive or check in with a Cast Member and wait for your table. When it is your turn, you will be notified and go into the restaurant through the blue doors where you will meet a cast member who will bring you to your table.
The Atmosphere
Tusker House is located inside Animal Kingdom. It is located in the Harambe marketplace in Africa, right beside the Festival of the Lion King. The theming for Tusker House is based on a safari company in Africa. The details in this restaurant are incredible. There are signs showing when the next safari leaves, artifacts, and artwork from Africa (or inspired by Africa). It has a marketplace vibe with lots of details that really make you feel like you are in Africa. As usual, the Imagineers did an amazing job!
Characters Dining experience at Tusker House.
Characters at Tusker House are dressed in super cute safari outfits. You’ll meet Donald, Daisy, Mickey, and Goofy. Each character will make their way through the whole restaurant and your waitstaff should let you know when they are coming.
If for some reason you are not at your table when they come you’re welcome to let your waitstaff know and they can usually get them to come back over.
Each table will receive a postcard with the character’s autograph, I believe that if you really want a special autograph in your own autograph book you can ask the cast member.
The Menu
Tusker House offers an all-you-care-to-eat buffet which means you can try a little of everything if you’d like. There are plenty of food options for adults and children (even picky eaters!).
- Donald’s Safari Breakfast is served from 8:00 am to 10:30 am – The cost is currently $47/adult or $30/child plus taxes and gratuity.
- Lunch Buffet is 11:30 am – 3:30 pm – The cost is $62/adult and $40/child plus taxes and gratuity
- Dinner is served from 4:00 pm until Park Close – Dinner is the same cost as lunch listed above.
They serve a wide variety of foods from African-inspired dishes to American foods that you’ll be familiar with. You’ll find something for everyone.
Before your reservation at Tusker House, why not take a stroll through Animal Kingdom, and find out why we think you shouldn’t skip Animal Kingdom on your trip to Disney World? Read the post here.
Breakfast at Tusker House
The breakfast buffet at Tusker House is more of a Brunch buffet which will include not only breakfast dishes but also salads and lunch dishes as well. We loved having all of these food options to pick from! Some of our favorite breakfast eats at Tusker House were the Zebra Coffee cake, Chocolate Twists, and Mickey and Simba Waffles which are always a favorite!
The eggs and bacon were good too – I always need protein with my breakfast so I was happy to see scrambled eggs as well as hard-boiled eggs. My husband enjoyed the breakfast potatoes too. We loved all of the other entrees offered, we enjoyed some unique African-inspired food, especially the curry dishes!
There are plenty of breakfast offerings that kids will love too. Mickey Waffles are always available as well as pastries like coffee cake, cinnamon rolls, bagels, and Danish. Scrambled Eggs, breakfast potatoes, sausage, and bacon as well as a variety of fresh fruit will be available at breakfast. There is also a cereal bar where they can pick their own cereals!
Lunch and Dinner Buffets at Tusker House
Lunch and Dinner at Tusker House usually offer the same dishes. There are different curry dishes including shrimp curry and chicken curry. The Salmon was delicious! and we all loved the marinated Pork dish. The salads were also really nice, my favorite being the quinoa and chickpea salad. (They do have regular salad greens with toppings too.
For your pickier eaters there will always be options available such as macaroni and cheese, corn dog nuggets, green beans, mashed potatoes, and other options.
Since it’s a buffet you can let them try a little taste of some of the different foods, this is a great opportunity to introduce them to some unique flavors.
Tusker House does offer several vegetarian options too.
Desserts at the Buffet
Save room for desserts, there are several delicious dessert options that you’ll want to try. Don’t miss the bread pudding if it’s available!
Some of the desserts we tried were the flourless Honey Bee cupcakes
Be sure to check Disney’s website for the updated menus before you make your reservations. Below are some of the items that we were able to enjoy during our meals.
Be sure to check the Disney Website for updates on the menu before you go.
The Cost of Dining at Tusker House
- Donald’s Safari Breakfast is currently $47/adult or $30/child plus taxes and gratuity.
- Lunch Buffet is $62/adult and $40/child plus taxes and gratuity
- Dinner is priced the same cost as lunch: $62/adult and $40/child plus taxes and gratuity
Tusker House Restaurant is included in the Disney Dining Plan Find out all of the details and cost. Read the post HERE.
Reservations for Tusker House
Reservations are a must and can be hard to get. Be sure to log in right at your 60-day window and make reservations if possible.
Canceling Your Reservation
Reservation Cancellations or changes must be made at least 2 hours prior to your reservation or you will be charged a per-person fee. Read more about this policy on the Disney website
Park Reservations
You do need a park reservation for Animal Kingdom before you can dine at Tusker House Restaurant.
In Conclusion: Was it Wonderful? Our rating
Final thoughts… We will be back again soon! It’s become a family tradition that we all really enjoy and we love seeing Safari Donald and his friends all dressed up for their expeditions.
