No one ever accused Magic Kingdom of being Walt Disney World’s culinary epicenter. However, should you’re impressed to go deeper and deeper into Adventureland, or actually simply barely past its entrance, you’ll discover the park’s World Famous Jungle Cruise restaurant, Skipper Canteen.
We gained’t bury the lede: Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen (its full identify) is our favourite restaurant in Magic Kingdom–each the themed design and delicacies are improbable. The inside is a treasure trove of obscure references to the historical past of Walt Disney World (and different parks) and the menu has one thing for everybody. Some would possibly say it’s wonderful…colossal…stupendous…the eighth ninth marvel of the (Walt Disney) world!
In a park with largely crowd-pleasing eating choices, Skipper Canteen has an thrilling and bold menu. On high of that, it’s a enjoyable place with amusing servers and distinctive environment. Unlike many Walt Disney World followers, we do not assume the opposite desk service eating places at Magic Kingdom are all overrated (on the contrary, I believe just about all of them have some redeeming worth), however Skipper Canteen continues to be the standout.
Before digging into the memorable meals you’ll be able to have at Skipper Canteen, we’re going to start out with a take a look at what makes this a Jungle Cruise restaurant. The backstory, humor, gags, particulars, and the various references.
The story of Skipper Canteen is basically an outgrowth of one in all Jungle Cruise’s outdated jokes. No, not that one about seeing water from behind (nailed the supply there!)–the one about that very same waterfall’s namesake. Come to search out out, Schweitzer Falls is known as after Dr. Albert…Falls. (Fun truth: that physician himself was named after a sure mystical primate…in all probability.)
The Jungle Cruise restaurant was as soon as a colonial mansion that the Falls household known as residence. The property was residence to Dr. Albert Falls, who based the Jungle Navigation Company in 1911. It was additionally residence to his spouse and fellow adventurer Victoria Marie Falls, who assisted him in working the corporate and working the Jungle Cruise.
The Fallses additionally used their manion as a gathering place for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.), a secret society with secret members and secreting assembly locations everywhere in the world, from Magic Kingdom to the Polynesian (Village Resort). It additionally has outposts in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Anaheim, Paris, and the ocean.
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers would assemble in a S.E.A-cret meeting-room constructed behind the manor’s library. Members of the S.E.A. who gathered on this gallery included Merriweather Adam Pleasure, Captain Mary Oceaneer, Chef Tandaji, Sango Shio, Luana Teixeira, the majestic monkey Albert Mystic, and his human, Lord Henry Mystic.
While her father was busy touring on the “lecture circuit” in 1919, Dr. Falls’ eight-year-old granddaughter Alberta was despatched to stay within the property. The Falls household acknowledged an adventurous spirit in Alberta that will be higher allowed to blossom within the jungle, so the Falls property turned her new residence the place she may higher study the enterprise.
In 1927, Dr. Albert Falls met a destiny widespread of S.E.A. members of the period: mysterious disappearance. This left Alberta Falls as the brand new president of the Jungle Navigation Co. But that wasn’t even the “and something goes terribly wrong” half.
The Falls household had fallen on robust occasions, economically talking, so Alberta turned the property right into a blended use facility. Alberta would additionally come to work because the Jungle Navigation Company’s supervisor, bookkeeper, and head-mechanic. (She didn’t have time to tackle any more unusual jobs, so laughing at her jokes was a should.)
It was Alberta Falls’ concept to rework the Jungle Navigation Co. headquarters right into a restaurant to capitalize on all of the hungry passengers disembarking the world-famous Jungle Cruise, And with that, Skipper Canteen was born.
The Jungle Cruise restaurant options three totally different eating rooms. The Crew Mess Hall–which isn’t even messy in any respect–is the most important one and the one which first greets friends as they enter Skipper Canteen.
Subjectively, that is the worst room at Skipper Canteen, and but, it’s the place most friends are seated. It’s straightforward to see why Walt Disney World followers have tepid opinions of the restaurant if that is the place they’re seated. (Recently, we’ve seen this room is accomplished crammed earlier than they even begin utilizing the higher, smaller eating rooms.)
The Crew Mess Hall options wall hangings of images, paperwork, masks, native musical devices, and expedition mementos gathered by the Jungle Cruise skippers on their expeditions. There are some enjoyable visible gags and nods to different sights and Imagineers, plus whole (amusing) paperwork to learn.
Nevertheless, it’s the least attention-grabbing of the seating areas in Skipper Canteen. It’s cavernous and loud, a large number of individuals and noise, you would possibly even say. The Crew Mess Hall is to Skipper Canteen what the Ballroom is to Be Our Guest Restaurant.
Then there’s the Jungle Cruise Room or Falls Family Parlor. As the second identify suggests, this was the household parlor previous to conversion right into a restaurant, and accordingly, it’s a extra intimate location and options memorabilia culled from the Falls’ household archives.
The Jungle Cruise Room is highlighted by wooden carvings of scenes constructed from wooden on the Jungle Cruise docks, stained glass chandeliers within the type of the Enchanted Tiki Room’s birds, and different animal artifacts. Hence its different identify, the Jungle Cruise Room. Purely subjective, however this eating room is superb–far superior to the Crew Mess Hall.
The third and closing eating room is positioned within the…look ahead to it…bottom of bookcase! (Okay, doesn’t have fairly the identical ring to it.) This room was really the non-public assembly place for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, mentioned above.
On the best way in, you’ll spot a number of S.E.A. membership fezzes on show in a glass case, which identify checks those that attended secret conferences within the secret assembly room at Skippers Canteen.
The bookcase itself is a treasure trove of references and sly nods. Almost each single title (possibly all of them!) is an Easter Egg. Whether it’s the title or the creator, these books virtually all relate to one thing at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, the worldwide parks, S.E.A. or Imagineering.
Fans will acknowledge hat tricks to different choices in Adventureland, together with the Enchanted Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, Orange Bird at Sunshine Tree Terrace, Indiana Jones Adventure, and extra. There are additionally extra obscure references, together with issues just like the extinct Tokyo DisneySea present, Legend of Mythica and different sights in Hong Kong Disneyland and the Japan parks.
The Society of Explorers and Adventurers room options extra show instances and a map of mythological creatures found by the members. Again, this incorporates much more references, this time to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Discovery Bay (the unbuilt land at Disneyland), World of Motion (the extinct EPCOT Center attraction), Imagineer Ward Kimball, and extra that I in all probability missed.
Another spotlight of the S.E.A. room is the butterfly sales space, which contains a wall of show instances with butterfly specimens that after belonged to Lillian Disney. On the opposite aspect of the room on the mantle above the fireside, there’s a portray of Doctor Albert Falls discovering the Cambodian Temple seen within the Jungle Cruise attraction. Across from that, there’s a carved S.E.A. emblem.
Without query, the Society of Explorers and Adventurers room is the perfect of the bunch at Skipper Canteen.
While the Mess Hall positively has the most important Jungle Cruise vibes of the restaurant–and essentially the most nods to its namesake attraction–the opposite two rooms are extra intimate, quieter, and filled with extra artistic and distinctive particulars. Don’t get me mistaken, I like all of Skipper Canteen, however the Mess Hall feels a bit like a ‘prop shop’ that’s been piled excessive with Easter Eggs. The design of the opposite two rooms feels extra purposeful, and their environment is extra elegant. That’s most pronounced within the S.E.A. room, however it’s additionally true within the Jungle Room.
Our closing room to tour is a secret one.
You can inform by the signal within the photograph above that claims “restrooms through the ‘secret’ door.”
Somehow, I all the time overlook in regards to the Skipper Canteen restrooms when updating my record of the Top 10 Toilets at Walt Disney World.
The tilework, elephant carvings, element contained in the sink, and privateness of the stalls is all top-notch. Truth be instructed, there are in all probability lots of “secret” desk service restaurant restrooms which have been “snubbed” from the record as a result of I overlook to take my digicam into the lavatory (as one does) and seize images. Moving alongside…
Even extra backstory across the Falls household has been fleshed out due to the current reimagining of Jungle Cruise. This added lots of lore to the attraction, most of which is tough to establish from the attraction itself. Much of it was printed on-line, together with a 1938 challenge of The Daily Gnus about Alberta Falls and the World-Famous Jungle Cruise.
The article additionally introduces numerous new characters, together with Victoria Marie Falls, Siobhan “Puffin” Murphy, Dr. Leonard Moss, Rosa Soto Dominguez, and S.E.A. Member Dr. Kon Chunosuke. If you’re eager about extra data about these characters, take a look at the My Disney Experience app, which will provide you with detailed bios.
Imagineering has additionally been bolstering references between Adventureland and the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. That’s fairly apparent from the above, as Skipper Canteen was one of many first issues at Walt Disney World to actually embrace S.E.A. This has continued with Jungle Cruise, and the identical is anticipated to happen with the treehouse at Disneyland.
This secret society of fictional and real-life explorers that started at Tokyo DisneySea 20 years in the past and has grown right into a shared universe of characters and story factors that has unfold everywhere in the world. The subsequent cease is a Society of Explorers and Adventurers present that’s coming to Disney+ as the primary challenge for the Magic Kingdom Universe.
Beyond the themed design and backstory, one other enjoyable side of Skipper Canteen is your server. Like the Jungle Cruise itself, that is extremely variable–way more so than the experience. We’ve had some servers who’ve perfected the deadpan supply, with performances on par with 50’s Prime Time Cafe that stored in character the complete meal.
On different events, we’ve had servers who’re indistinguishable from some other common restaurant at Magic Kingdom. I’d say that the norm is someplace in between, with a couple of Jungle Cruise jokes peppered into the meal and a little bit of dry wit. Although the deliveries differ, I’d liken this to Whispering Canyon Cafe lite. Don’t go in anticipating this to be a dry (humor) docked model of Jungle Cruise–let it’s a nice shock if it occurs.
In typical Jungle Cruise vogue, there’s been lots of speak up till now, however not a lot “action.” Since it is a look contained in the Jungle Cruise restaurant at Magic Kingdom, it solely appears applicable to share our most up-to-date meal there. With that in thoughts, let’s flip to the menu at Skipper Canteen, and share some meals images and ideas about what we ate, beginning with appetizers…
For our first appetizer, we ordered the Veranda Fried Rice: Spicy Chili-Garlic Shrimp served over Pork Fried Rice with Eggs and Peas.
This is a returning dish for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary. As the identify form of suggests, it was served on the Adventureland Veranda Restaurant, which was positioned in the identical location in Magic Kingdom as Skipper Canteen. Veranda Restaurant was a gap day authentic, working from October 1, 1971 till 1994.
For a few a long time, it was used for particular occasions and character meet & greets (we’ve fond recollections of the Country Bears showing right here throughout Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party within the 2000s) earlier than opening as Skipper Canteen in 2015. Time flies.
An appetizer making a comeback from a location that closed almost 3 a long time in the past ought to inform you all the pieces that you must know. I don’t recall the Veranda Restaurant within the least, and but, I’ve heard in regards to the Veranda Fried Rice time and time once more within the years since. It has change into the stuff of legend, and I assumed it couldn’t presumably stay as much as the hype.
And but, it completely does. The fried rice has a wealthy salty and savory taste bordering on umami territory. The shrimp are plump and scrumptious, and all the pieces is correctly seasoned with a medley of garlic, chili, teriyaki, and who is aware of what else. I’ve no challenge in anyway with Harmonious and Disney Enchantment glowing away eternally in 2023, however this had higher stick round. It’s far and away the perfect appetizer at Skipper Canteen–possibly all of Magic Kingdom. Highly really useful, and ordering this technically would possibly depend as neighborhood service, since recognition makes it extra prone to stick round.
We opted for the Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas (And you thought our jokes have been corny!), consisting of House-made Corn Pancakes, Beer-braised Pork, Roasted Corn, Fresno Pepper Salsa, and Avocado Cream.
I’m fairly certain this has been round for a number of years–maybe since Skipper Canteen opened. Yet, to my data, we’ve by no means ordered it. We normally solely order one appetizer–the Falls Family Falafel. That’s Sarah’s favourite appetizer in Magic Kingdom.
This was actually good, and a pleasant refreshing distinction to the Veranda Fried Rice. Almost each ingredient right here tasted contemporary and lightweight, save for the pork. The meat was savory and flavorful, balancing out the dish and giving it a strong high quality.
If you’re in search of one thing extra distinctive and attention-grabbing, that is proper up there with the Falls Family Falafel. I don’t assume it’s almost nearly as good because the Veranda Fried Rice, however that’s consolation meals and this is a little more adventurous. (It’s nonetheless comparatively crowd-pleasing.) Also really useful.
For our first entree, we ordered the “Tastes like Chicken” Because it’s! – Crispy-fried Chicken with Sweet Chili Glaze, Stir-fried Vegetables, and Jasmine Rice.
This is without doubt one of the menu mainstays at Skipper Canteen, and one in all us has ordered it or we’ve shared it with others a couple of occasions.
To put our overview of this dish in pair-a-docks-ical Jungle Cruise phrases: inconsistency is the one consistency.
We have had wonderful variations of this, and extremely underwhelming ones. This was most positively the latter. The rooster was just too dry and overcooked. Everything else about it–the crunch of the batter, taste, and accompaniments–have been all improbable as all the time, however it was unimaginable to get previous the dry meat. When this dish is sweet, it’s actually good, however it’s positively a raffle.
Our second entree was a comparatively current addition to the menu at Skipper Canteen, the Baa Baa Lamb Chops: Spice-rubbed Lamb Chops, Chermoula, Cauliflower, Potatoes, Cipollini Onions, and Harissa Sauce, garnished with Preserved Lemons and Herbs.
Prior to this, there was a unique lamb dish on the menu, which was thinly-sliced and grilled. I’m a sucker for lamb, however wasn’t wild about that dish. The dish was over-seasoned and the pure gamey taste of the lamb was muted; that may’ve been a plus for a lot of, however not for me.
The Baa Baa Lamb Chops ship precisely what the outdated dish ought to have. The meat was tender and completely ready, and the meat’s pure taste is enhanced by the rub, slightly than smothered beneath it.
This is a enjoyable and extra ingenious dish, with a (nonetheless comparatively gentle) little bit of kick. The accompaniments have been additionally good, however nothing significantly noteworthy or memorable–they did a very good job serving their position as filler. (This dish really jogs my memory so much of the lamb chops that was once served at Be Our Guest Restaurant.) All in all, we cherished this dish and extremely advocate it.
For dessert, we ordered the Kungaloosh! – An African-inspired Chocolate Cake with Caramelized Bananas served with Cashew-Caramel Ice Cream topped with Coffee Dust.
This hits the best notes with the flavour mixtures and sounds completely improbable. We’ve had it earlier than and actually preferred it. This time, the chocolate cake was on the dry and peculiar aspect, which dragged down the complete dessert. I swear I recollect it being gooey and unbelievable earlier than. (In basic, I believe Skipper Canteen is due for a brand new dessert menu–at the very least two of the objects have been round for some time.)
Ultimately, it ought to be straightforward to see why we love eating at Skipper Canteen. Even with a few missteps, we had a scrumptious meal general. The meals could be adventurous and bold, or crowd-pleasing and comforting. There are numerous scrumptious objects on the menu, even when a pair could be on the extra hit and miss aspect. The Jungle Cruise jokes and vitality make it one of many extra enjoyable eating places in Magic Kingdom, and there are a ton of Easter eggs, visible gags, and nods to different extinct sights, parks, and characters from the S.E.A. universe.
Honestly, I’m at a loss for why Skipper Canteen shouldn’t be way more widespread. On paper, it checks the entire packing containers that ought to make it a Walt Disney World fan-favorite. I form of perceive why that’s much less true for first-timers–children care extra about princesses, Winnie the Pooh, and Beauty and the Beast characters greater than they do “Disney Parks IP.”
When it involves Disney diehards, I believe there’s nonetheless a lack of understanding (I’m shocked it hasn’t been rebranded because the “Jungle Cruise Skipper Canteen Restaurant”) and likewise an misguided assumption that the menu is unapproachable. That’s positively not true–on the contrary, there’s one thing right here for everybody.
Some followers might not thoughts one in all their favourite Walt Disney World eating places flying a bit beneath the radar and all the time having the ability to rating a last-minute ADR. That’s not my place, as that makes menu adjustments or full idea overhauls all of the extra seemingly. So should you’ve by no means given Skipper Canteen an opportunity, we extremely advocate going, requesting a desk within the Society of Explorers and Adventurers room, ordering the Veranda Fried Rice (or Falls Family Falafel), Baa Baa Lamb Chops (or “Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork), and Kungaloosh!, and having fun with the expertise. It’s an excellent change-of-pace restaurant in Magic Kingdom, one of many uncommon spots the place you gained’t really feel rushed or overwhelmed, and may discover or simply sit again and benefit from the amusing experience.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you eaten at Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise restaurant? What’s your tackle the delicacies, theme, backstory, and so on? Think this is without doubt one of the hidden gems of Walt Disney World, or handed over for good cause? Planning on eating at Skipper Canteen on an upcoming journey? Have you already dined right here? Do you agree or disagree with our restaurant overview? Any questions we might help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!