Disney Food Guide: Animal Kingdom

I think Animal Kingdom will always be my favorite Disney park. It has the best rides all around (save for a few in Hollywood Studios), and it has the best food BY FAR. Drinks, snacks, meals, everything is better in Animal Kingdom. It’s also definitely the best park to start with if you’re doing multiple days at multiple parks–we always have the most energy on day 1, and always love to start off on the best note. This trip we definitely hit a wall halfway through, so I’m interested to see if we’d keep our energy up next time if we ended with AK instead of starting with it.

Anyway, I don’t think there’s any convincing I need to do on behalf of this park’s top-tier food and drinks, so we’re getting right into it below. Also: these Disney food guides aren’t necessarily in any order of preference, nor are they a don't-get-this, do-get-that sort of thing–they’re just a comprehensive list of everything I consumed during my days at each park. If something wasn’t good, I’d say so–but let’s be honest, it was all good!

1. Mickey Cinnamon Roll - Kusafiri Coffee Shop & Bakery

This huge cinnamon roll was a perfect start to my first day at Disney. I didn’t realize it came with syrup on it too, so that was a nice, yummy surprise! It’s definitely big enough to share (I think the actual name on the menu was “huge cinnamon roll”), but if you’re feeling hungry and love super sweet treats in the morning, you could totally eat the whole thing for breakfast.

It wasn’t as fluffy as I’d hoped, because when I want a cinnamon roll, I want a huge, fluffy, slightly underbaked one. You’d probably have better luck at Gaston’s in Magic Kingdom if that’s what you’re looking for. However, it was still delicious and still a great morning fuel for a day of rides, snacks and cocktails!

2. Seasoned Fries - Mr. Kamal’s

I’d heard people absolutely raving about Mr. Kamal’s before this trip, so I knew that had to be a stop during our time at AK. These fries did NOT disappoint in the slightest. The two sauces they came with (curried honey mustard and Korean chili ketchup) were absolutely delicious, and the fries were seasoned perfectly (and aptly named).

Big tip to note: If you’re planning on getting a snack before watching the Lion King show, eat before you go in! They don’t let you bring food in anymore, and I had to throw these and my last dumpling away before getting halfway through. Bummer. Also, they totally cut out all the best parts of the LK show, too, which was another huge bummer. Moral of the story: don’t be like me and eat your snacks before you decide to do any shows or activities!

3. Pongu Lumpia - Pongu Pongu

This was a really interesting treat in Pandora, and if you like pineapple desserts, you’d love this! I’m not the biggest fan, but I saw lots of people hyping this up, so I wanted to try it out. It’s definitely a unique flavor (pineapple and cream cheese), and the spring roll itself was perfectly crisp on the outside. I think it was the texture that threw me: there were chunks of pineapple throughout the cream cheese filling, rather than both being blended or the pineapple being pureed instead of chopped.

For me, this was definitely a dessert/snack to have a few bites of and then share the rest - but the flavor was still great! Just not my usual cup of tea.

4. Na’vi-Sized Pretzel - Pongu Pongu

I didn’t get a picture of the whole pretzel because it was my brother’s, and he inhaled it while I was taking other photos–but he was nice enough to save me a bite. Though I will say that when they warn you at the counter that the pretzel is the size of a steering wheel, they truly are not kidding.

I’ll never turn down a pretzel, especially if it has beer cheese alongside it, and this one was one of the best I’ve had in a while. The pretzel could have been fluffier, but the beer cheese immediately canceled out any reservations I had about the dough. Definitely one of the best snacks in the park!

(If you’re looking for really fluffy pretzels in Disney, go to Wetzel’s Pretzels in Disney Springs–to die for.)

5. Chicken Dumplings - Mr. Kamal’s

Not counting any meals, these dumplings were absolutely my favorite food in Animal Kingdom. Actually, they might be my favorite including the meals. I wish they had a larger option for them (served with the fries, maybe?) because it would’ve become my new go-to meal, hands down. Three dumplings is just too few, so I’d definitely recommend getting the fries as well.

The dumplings are fried to perfection, have an incredible crunch and are filled with juicy chicken and herbs. The Ponzu sauce is the perfect addition, giving the dumplings and extra tart, citrusy taste that really brightens up the flavor. All in all, 10/10 would recommend every time!

6. Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese - Flame Tree BBQ

Oh boy, was this Mac & cheese delicious. Pulled pork is the ultimate topping on Mac & cheese and you can’t tell me otherwise–and if you disagree, taste this and then tell me you feel the same. It’s incredibly creamy, filling, and tastes insanely good. The cheese meshes perfectly with the BBQ sauce, and the onion rings give it a nice crunch on the side.

This was the first time I’ve ever willingly eaten and enjoyed onion rings, too–never been a huge fan, but I literally devoured every bit of this with zero hesitation (except for the coleslaw–sorry). Serving size could be a tiiiiny bit bigger, but other than that, amazing dish.

7. Cheeseburger Steamed Pods - Satu’li Canteen

I’ve recently found a love for Bao buns, so I obviously had to try these Cheeseburger Steamed Pods for dinner in Pandora. These pods are filled with ground beef, pickles, cheese, ketchup and mustard; they were super flavorful and definitely packed a big punch for only having two pods–I think three pods and less chips would have made this meal a 10/10 for me. Again, I didn’t eat the coleslaw, but I’m sure it’s good (if you like coleslaw).

The chips were great, too! Tasted very homemade, and there was a good variety; plain potato, blue tortilla, and sweet potato chips. They were salted nicely and added a much-needed crunch to the meal.

8. Party Parrot - Isle of Java

One of my favorite cocktails in Animal Kingdom, the Party Parrot definitely helped keep the party going midday. It’s a blend of blue raspberry, cherry and lemonade mixed with coconut rum, so it’s basically a tropical getaway in a drink. Also, I definitely recommend stirring it up if you don’t like getting a straw full of straight rum right off the bat.

9. Night Blossom - Pongu Pongu

Surprisingly not alcoholic, this frozen drink was probably my favorite all around. It’s a yummy frozen blend of Apple and Desert Pear Limeade with passionfruit boba balls on top–incredibly refreshing on a hot day, and perfect for walking around in the sun or enjoying while standing in a long line. Plus, it’s the prettiest one in the whole park!

10. Lost On Safari - Dawa Bar

A great option for a cocktail that packs a quick punch. Lost On Safari has two types of rum mixed with a fruity punch that’s sure to make those long lines and hot sun more bearable (or just get you drunker so you don’t care as much). Rum is my alcohol of choice, so the wide variety of rum-based cocktails in Animal Kingdom was music to my ears (and a nightmare for my wallet). If you’re stopping at Dawa Bar, I definitely suggest this one or the Harambe Iced Tea!