Out of Walt Disney World’s 4 theme parks, Animal Kingdom is the one the place it makes essentially the most sense to eat breakfast. DAK routinely opens at 8 a.m. with Early Entry at 7:30 a.m., which suggests arriving in the course of the six o’clock hour if you wish to rope drop Pandora and be the primary to trip Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey.
There have been mornings I’ve left my lodge room at round 5:50 a.m. on Animal Kingdom days, which is absurdly early and means I’m, at greatest, grabbing a cup of espresso and protein bar on the way in which out the door. There have additionally been mornings after I’m no less than a half-dozen points of interest deep into my DAK plan of assault by the point 9 a.m. rolls round–and “performed” with all the tough ones.
Suffice to say, while you’re on hour 4 of being awake by that time and feeling a way of accomplishment with a profitable rope drop run, it’s time to modify gears and gasoline up. And all of that’s exactly why Animal Kingdom is the very best park for breakfast at Walt Disney World. I’ve had some very satisfying morning meals right here through the years, together with ones that in all probability weren’t that nice–I used to be only a bizarre combination of drained, hungry, and exhilarated from knocking out so many rides.
Till just lately, my “favourite” breakfasts at Animal Kingdom have included the next:
- Kusafiri Bakery – Breakfast Totchos, Colossal Cinnamon Roll & In a single day Oats
- Tamu Tamu Refreshments – Colossal Cinnamon Roll
- Pongu Pongu – Pongu Lumpia
That’s it. Other than these, Tusker Home is the plain high possibility for breakfast, nevertheless it’s now $49 per grownup and I used to be underwhelmed when it was solely $21 (that was solely a couple of decade in the past–not historic historical past!). I’d a lot somewhat do lunch or dinner there for a extra bold unfold and higher bang for buck.
There are additionally breakfast sandwiches at just a few of the fast service spots, however I’ve typically have hit and miss success with them–too many situations of stale biscuits or rubbery bagels, and subpar high quality toppings. I’m additionally averse to hitting Starbucks very first thing, as the road is interminably lengthy.
Other than the breakfast totchos at Kusafiri–which has been the very best location for no less than 5 years and has cycled out some nice short-term dishes, too–there actually isn’t a lot in the way in which of savory dishes which are reliably good. I’ve had way more terrible ones than superior ones, and that’s even when grading on a curve after I’m actually drained and hungry.
Alternatively, Animal Kingdom’s pastry recreation is robust, and there are extra good-to-great choices on that entrance than what I’ve listed. However I can’t survive on a Pistachio Honey Croissant or Guava and Cream Cheese Danish.
Fortunately, there’s a improbable “new” possibility for counter service breakfast at Animal Kingdom…
Walt Disney World has lastly restored the breakfast menu at Satu’li Canteen in Pandora – World of Avatar. That is already the #1 counter service restaurant in Animal Kingdom (sorry, Flame Tree BBQ, however you misplaced me with the cost-cutting measures and smaller parts), and that unsurprisingly stays true for breakfast.
Breakfast at Satu’li Canteen was truly discontinued only some brief months after Pandora debuted. The meal service launched with Avatar land in Could 2017, and was passed by the beginning of the 2017 low season. Its heyday was a summer time when Animal Kingdom had very aggressive hours, and was attempting–and succeeding–at getting friends to remain after darkish. It may’ve returned in the course of the holidays as soon as demand returned, however that didn’t occur.
Quick-forward to January 2025, and breakfast at Satu’li Canteen is at present supplied every day from 8 a.m. till 10 a.m. Now we have but to see a 9 a.m. opening date for the reason that meal service returned, so it’s unknown whether or not breakfast is simply supplied for an hour on these days, or the tip time would get pushed again for one more 30-60 minutes.
My breakfast at Animal Kingdom got here on the finish of Early Entry and twine drop testing.
On a traditional day in DAK, I’d attempt to knock out each single trip in your entire park as a part of a rope drop run. That’s truly pretty straightforward to do, with the right plan specified by Animal Kingdom Park Opening & Early Entry Experience Technique. There’s a motive DAK is the park the place I do the least Early Entry and twine drop testing: it’s the best. (Properly, that and never desirous to stand up so early.)
Nevertheless, I additionally don’t thoughts logging 30,000 steps in a day. Now that I’ve a toddler, I’m lastly having the “epiphany” that perhaps not everyone seems to be keen or capable of zig-zag all throughout the park and ‘shut these rings’ by 10 a.m. Who knew?!
My objective for this morning was to see how a lot I may do in Pandora – World of Avatar earlier than the crowds constructed.
To not spoil a future photograph report, nevertheless it was a combined bag, with two rides on Avatar Flight of Passage however just one on Na’vi River Journey. I in all probability may’ve pushed it and performed a second boat trip, however I didn’t wish to get caught within the wave of crowds and find yourself ready ~45 minutes or extra.
So after bouncing over to Kilimanjaro Safaris and doing that with a minimal wait, I headed again to Pandora for breakfast at Satu’li Canteen. If you happen to actually wish to reduce backtracking, you in all probability may do Kilimanjaro Safaris after a fast breakfast and nonetheless be simply tremendous on most mornings. However I didn’t take a look at that–I headed over to the opposite aspect of the park, which was additionally nonetheless simply tremendous.
For my breakfast at Satu’li Canteen, I began with the Gradual-roasted Pork Shoulder Potato Hash served with Chorizo Sausage and Charred Onion Sauce for $13.29.
That is improbable. The chorizo sausage has a little bit of a char to it, and a crispy exterior that provides approach to a tasty sausage with a slight bit of warmth. Not sufficient that it ought to scare you away–simply the correct amount for taste.
My solely grievance concerning the chorizo is that there wasn’t extra of it. That’s going to be a recurring theme with this dish.
Beneath the sausage is an honest slathering of charred onion sauce–which is loads like chimichurri–that works effectively with every thing. It’s particularly good for rounding out the flavour of the potato hash and stopping it from being too dry. However that’s good even by itself. I do want there have been extra of the sauce, although.
Then there’s the slow-roasted pork shoulder, which is sort of onerous to see in my pictures. This additionally tasted nice, and when paired with the potatoes and sauce, each chunk was flavorful and scrumptious. There simply wasn’t almost sufficient of it.
In the long run, my greatest grievance about this dish is the portion sizes. It left me wanting extra, and questioning whether or not I’d’ve been higher served by ordering considered one of my two favourite lunch bowls, that are a couple of greenback dearer however (final I had them) fairly a bit bigger.
Truthfully, I want this have been priced at $14.99 and about 20% bigger. That is proper up there as considered one of my favourite entrees in Animal Kingdom, and I’d fortunately order it for lunch or dinner–there’s nothing about it that screams “breakfast” to me, particularly since I’m ordering that very same potato hash base with all the bowls I get at Satu’li Canteen.
Subsequent up, the Cinnamon French Toast served with Blueberry Cream Cheese, Ardour Fruit Anglaise, and Sausage for $12.99.
This isn’t simply easy sugar-rush french toast. The bread is thick and has some heft to it, making what looks like a reasonably small portion pack a strong punch. It tastes contemporary, with the cinnamon coming by means of and dealing effectively with the powdered sugar. The inside has simply the correct amount of doughiness. In any other case, the french toast itself is generally what you see is what you get.
What actually elevates this dish is the Blueberry Cream Cheese and Ardour Fruit Anglaise. There’s greater than sufficient of each, and these take well-executed however pretty normal french toast to the following stage. The fruity flavors are pronounced and, no less than for me, made this dish an all-star.
In addition they made this a really heavy, very candy, and really overwhelming dish.
After ending the breakfast bowl with no drawback, I checked out this french toast and figured I’d nonetheless be hungry after consuming it. That was very unsuitable. I did eat all of it, however the second piece of french toast was my knockout punch. It’s a very good factor I’d be spending the remainder of the day zig-zagging round Walt Disney World’s greatest park!
My sturdy recommendation right here could be to both order this french toast “for the desk” and have it serve 2-3 adults, or order from the youngsters’ menu. That model of this dish is precisely the identical by way of high quality and preparation, however with a single piece of french toast versus two. You additionally get a drink and it prices $5 much less. That is so clearly the answer that I actually want I’d’ve performed it. The drink alone could be value choosing this (even instances two) versus getting the conventional french toast to share.
Talking of drinks, Satu’li Canteen is without doubt one of the uncommon eating places with a self-service beverage station.
This additionally makes it an distinctive possibility for breakfast–or actually any meal–when you’re in want of caffeination or hydration (or each!) and don’t wish to accept a single cup.
Because of this alone, we frequently discover ourselves eating at Satu’li Canteen. Even when it’s only for water–this beats having to repeatedly go to the counter for small cups, and even refilling our personal bottles.
Lastly, the opposite two objects I didn’t get to are the Frittata & Beef with Vegetable-Goat Cheese Frittata with Wooden-fired Beef tossed in Chimichurri for $14.29, and the Tropical Pandoran Forest Fruits served with Contemporary Yogurt, Muesli, and Honey for $11.99. The primary of those seems to be good from what I noticed on close by tables, and I debated ready to overview breakfast at Satu’li Canteen till attempting that.
Then I informed myself that if I simply publish the overview now, I cannot fear about it and proceed ordering the Gradual-roasted Pork Shoulder Potato Hash and kid-sized Cinnamon French Toast going ahead. I’m not large on frittata within the first place, so I can’t think about that surpassing the breakfast bowl for me. As you may see, the latter strategy received out.
At a complete value of ~$20, that shall be a really expensive breakfast by counter service requirements. Nevertheless it’s wonderful, and while you’ve been up since 5:30 or 6 a.m., a breakfast at 10 a.m. is admittedly extra like an early lunch. (On this specific day, I didn’t eat once more till like 3 or 4 p.m.)
Finally, breakfast at Satu’li Canteen is superb and earns a straightforward suggestion from me. Each of the dishes I ordered have been scrumptious and top quality–precisely what you’d anticipate from Satu’li Canteen.
Which is exactly the “drawback.” Satu’li Canteen is admittedly good all day lengthy, so must you do breakfast right here, or save the abdomen area for lunch or dinner? I’m inclined to suppose there’s an strategy that might mean you can breakfast right here in addition to lunch and dinner elsewhere–maybe some mixture of Nomad Lounge, Tiffins, Flame Tree BBQ, and/or Yak & Yeti. Maybe what actually wants area testing at Animal Kingdom is a meals itinerary!
Both method, it’s a very good drawback to have. And it’s actually onerous to complain about Animal Kingdom getting higher at breakfast, which was beforehand the weakest meal (by far) at this otherwise-excellent meals park.
We’d even be remiss if we didn’t give Walt Disney World kudos for bringing again this fan-favorite breakfast at Satu’li Canteen. This can be a minor factor–nobody is reserving a visit upon listening to information a couple of counter service breakfast being again–however the minor issues matter! Sitting there, completely stuffed on the finish of my breakfast feast in a peaceable seating space after knocking out Early Entry in Pandora was a satisfying–and memorable–expertise.
It’s a lot of these quiet moments and minor issues which have an outsized influence on the visitor expertise. This can be a drum we’ve been banging on repeatedly–that it’s the lacking “large little issues” that make a BIG distinction at Walt Disney World. We’ve been stressing for the final couple of years that Walt Disney World must relearn how a lot consideration to element and plussing the visitor expertise like this issues. Foolish because it sounds, it’s what makes individuals followers within the first place, and retains us coming again. And we are going to completely be returning for extra breakfasts at Satu’li Canteen!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Excited to attempt any of those dishes once more–or for the primary time? Have you ever dined at Satu’li Canteen just lately? Which dishes do you want or dislike throughout breakfast, lunch or dinner? Would you select to do breakfast or lunch/dinner right here? Do you agree that Satu’li Canteen has claimed the throne because the #1 counter service restaurant in Animal Kingdom? Suppose that Animal Kingdom “quietly” has among the finest restaurant scenes at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our overview? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
