Looking for a way to plan a meal at the Animal Kingdom theme park without breaking the bank? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Planning a Disney dining experience is a great way to save money while enjoying great food on your travels. Disney food is a big part of a great vacation. At Animal Kingdom, you can be sure that you can have a delicious meal for just $50 a day.
This Disney dining article series is inspired by the 2002 TV show $40 A Day. In this series, Early Food He of his network has Rachael Ray travel the world with the goal of budgeting for food and enjoying delicious meals. As the show’s title suggests, Ray was assigned to eat he took a gastronomic tour of the city for $40 a day. Viewers enjoyed Ray’s meal, stayed on budget, and of course enjoyed delicious food that reflected the culture of the cities she visited.
Credit: Disney
breakfast
It may seem humble, but skipping breakfast at the park is a great way to start the day on a budget and on a high note. If you’ve read about the other parks in this series, you know how to save money by skipping breakfast at the park and enjoying coffee and breakfast in your resort hotel room.
Joffrey’s coffee is too good to pass up. Plus, the resort can’t beat the convenience of having breakfast in your pajamas in your room. Having a fruit, yoghurt or breakfast bar in your room is a great idea for a portable breakfast. Grab a cup of free Joffrey’s Coffee from the in-room coffee maker.
It’s also a great tip to bring a refillable water bottle to save money on drinks at the park. Save money for good food at Disney.
Roasted corn – morning snack
Harambe Fruit Market, Harambe
Credit: Disney
It’s not even my most recommended snack close-up at Animal Kingdom. In fact, I recommend eating it as a morning snack. I’m talking about corn roasted on the cob at the market.
The Harambe Fruit Market in the Harambe section of Animal Kingdom sells fresh fruit and snacks. Not far from the Tusker House restaurant and the Lion King gala, this snack stop is a must. You can also buy tangerines ($4.19 for a pack of 3), bananas and other fruits ($2.29). Other options include Hot Dogs with Chips ($9.49) or Mickey Pretzels with Cheese Sauce at the stand ($7.19).
Still, the obvious choice for us is baked corn. You can order this delicious snack with or without African spices. We recommend eating it with spices. For just $5.29, you can enjoy this snack on your way to see the animals on your Kilimanjaro safari and spend less time shopping for snacks. The juicy flavor, crunchy texture and overall freshness of grilled corn make it a simple but delicious morning snack at Animal Kingdom.
Teriyaki Chicken Salad – Lunch
Yak & Yeti Local Foods Café, Asia
Credit: Disney
If you’re like me, it’s important to balance the meals you eat during your Disney vacation. Always looking for food. Good news! Yak & Yeti’s Teriyaki Chicken Salad does just that. Yak & Yeti Café is a quick service restaurant in Asia that offers great takeout options for lunch. A short walk from Expedition Everest, this restaurant is in my opinion he one of the best for quick service food during your Disney vacation.
For this budget challenge, opt for the $11.99 fresh, delicious, perfectly priced teriyaki chicken salad. This green salad is served with crunchy noodles, juicy chicken chunks and a ginger dressing. We love the freshness of this salad and it’s perfect for hot days when you don’t want to enjoy a heavy meal. After all, that Central Florida heat is intense!
If you’re looking for another option on this menu, consider ordering the Honey Chicken served with white rice for $12.99. Another delicious option is the Sweet and Sour Shrimp Tempura which offers crunchiness and flavor for $14.99. If you’re looking for a snack-sized lunch, we have to mention one of our favorite food values at Walt Disney World: Yak & Yeti Cafe’s Chicken Fried Rice! Only $5.29 You can order chicken fried rice here. This also makes a great snack or lunch. Delicious, affordable and I can’t recommend it more.
Credit: Disney Dining
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Pulled Pork – Afternoon Snack
Sure, it’s one hefty snack, but it’s shareable. My cheese lover’s heart is satisfied with Flametree BBQ’s macaroni and cheese pulled with his pork. This dish consists of rich, gooey macaroni and cheese topped with pulled pork, onion rings and coleslaw. You can hear angels singing when you bite into this dish.
Baked macaroni with a cheese crust roasted to perfection, smoked meats and the texture of coleslaw are the perfect combination. At $12.49, it’s a pretty expensive snack, but we think it’s going to be a more affordable snack to share, and worth the money anyway. I couldn’t recommend this dish more!
Slowly grilled beef bowl Dinner
Are you ready for dinner? Exit Discovery Island, pass the Nomad Lounge and Tiffin’s Restaurant, and head into the world of Pandora – Avatar. You know Pandora – The World of Avatar is his one of the hottest sections in Animal Kingdom. With rides such as the Nav’i River Journey and the famous Flight of Passage, it’s normal for guests to be filled with anticipation as they enter a section of the park.
In case you didn’t know, Pandora – The World of Avatar also has one of my favorite meals at the park. That’s right, I’m talking about Satu’li Canteen and the delicious bowls served in this former RDA canteen that has been renovated to serve Pandora’s visitors (visitors like you).
Credit: Disney
Satu’li Canteen is my favorite quick service restaurant in Animal Kingdom. My recommendation is the slow-cooked gyudon. The delicious marinade used for the beef is a blend of garlic, herbs, red pepper spice and red wine vinegar that brings out the meat’s natural flavors without being artificial or overpowering.
In this make-your-own bowl experience, guests can choose the base of the bowl and the sauce or dressing they want to top the bowl with. The buildable aspect of this meal is a big part of what makes it fun. Bases include sweet potato and red potato hash, a hearty romaine salad, a mixture of whole grains and rice, or rice and black beans. You will also be asked to select a sauce. Options include charred leek vinaigrette, black bean vinaigrette, or a creamy herb dressing.
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My winning combo is a base of a mixture of whole grains and rice, topped with a creamy herb dressing. I will call Juicy tropical boba balls garnish the dish, adding unexpected texture and flavor. This entree costs $14.49 and is very hearty and delicious.
You’ve met your goal of sticking to your $50 a day dining budget at Animal Kingdom.
morning snack – grilled corn – $5.29
lunch – Teriyaki chicken salad – $11.99
Afternoon Snack – Baked macaroni and cheese with pulled pork – $12.49
Dinner ~ Slowly grilled beef bowl ~ $14.49
we got in right under our budget $44.26 Total lunch, dinner and two refreshments per day at Animal Kingdom. yes yes! I ate at the Walt Disney World Resort for under $50 a day. Don’t miss our other installments rounding up his $50 a day budget plans for Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney Springs.
