As soon as I saw a photo of Mickey wearing safari gear, I knew I had to get reservations for the Tusker House character breakfast at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
This post about Tusker House Character Breakfast was written by Disney travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
My family LOVES doing character meals! This trip, we also did the `Ohana character breakfast at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, find out more about our experience here.
And even though it’s not a character meal, we did the Be Our Guest breakfast at the Beast’s castle in Magic Kingdom, click here to read our review!
But for our day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, we planned a late breakfast at Tusker House for Donald’s Safari Breakfast Buffet to ensure we’d meet some classic Disney characters in their safari clothes!
And I’m so glad we did as it ended up being one of the best character breakfasts!
Tusker House Character Breakfast Review
So, when I originally looked into the Tusker House character breakfast, I thought it was located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Since we were staying at Kidani Village, I thought it would be a convenient character breakfast to do. It wasn’t until I made the reservation that I realized it was at the PARK!
Thankfully, we planned to spend the whole day at Animal Kingdom anyway, so it worked out perfectly!
Tusker House is located in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom Park, in the village of Harambe. You can find it on the My Disney Experience app or grab a paper map to find it.
Check In For Donald’s Safari Breakfast
When you arrive at Tusker House, you’ll need to check in with the cast member at the host desk. This is located inside the outside dining area. It looks like a bar.
They will hand you a buzzer and let you know when your table is ready. I think we waited about 10 minutes.
While you wait, look around and take photos! There are so many adorable details in the building itself.
Tusker House Restaurant Layout
There are 4 different dining areas inside Tusker House, each with a slightly different theme and size. We sat in a smaller area with maybe 10 tables.
The buffet area is located in it’s own space in between the dining rooms and is themed like an African Market. It’s seriously cool and you should take a few moments to look around at the details before grabbing a plate!
Tusker House Breakfast Menu
Tusker House is a buffet dining experience.
I like that the Tusker House offers a mix of traditional American breakfast items alongside African-inspired dishes.
You’ll find several breakfast cereals, assorted pastries, bacon, sausage, morning fritatta, fruit, banana bread pudding, scrambled eggs, and breakfast potatoes.
And like any Disney character breakfast, you can get your fill of those famous Mickey waffles!
For more adventurous eaters, you can try their Beef Bobotie (a spiced minced meat casserole baked with an egg-based topping) or Fruit Chutneys.
And all meals come with coffee, tea, milk, juices, and their signature drink: Jungle Juice!
Click to read the full Tusker House menu.
Tusker House Disney Characters
When we were there, we saw Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Daisy Duck roving around the restaurant. Daisy was just leaving the room when we got seated.
The characters walk around on their own (without a helper), so you won’t be able to get a family shot unless you ask someone at a nearby table to take it.
While you can see these Disney characters at other places at Animal Kingdom (and I still think you should go to their meet & greets), it’s really nice to have them come to you, especially if you have little kids.
Donald’s Safari Breakfast Entertainment
Like a lot of character breakfasts, Tusker House encourages kids to join in on a little parade around the restaurant.
Our dining area was fairly small and it was easy to sit at the table to watch our kids in the parade.
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Our Tusker House Character Breakfast Review
I booked this Disney character breakfast primarily for our two boys (ages 5 years old and 2 years old.) My husband and Mom also joined.
Out of all the Disney character meals we’ve done, this one felt like we went on an off day. Or maybe my expectations were too high.
AMBIANCE AT THE TUSKER HOUSE CHARACTER BREAKFAST
I will say, it’s been a few weeks and I’m STILL thinking about how cool Tusker House is design-wise!
I love that from the outside, it looks like what I’d assume a restaurant in Africa might look like, complete with signage and artistic details.
And inside, they continue that vibe throughout the restaurant and it does transport you to another place.
In our dining area, we had a chalkboard sign that translated words like Thank You and Goodbye into Swahili! I mean, that’s pretty cool!
I think Disney did a great job with the entire village of Harambe and Tusker House is no exception!
DONALD’S SAFARI BREAKFAST FOOD
Since the whole restaurant was African-themed and it was located in the Africa area of Animal Kingdom, I was expecting more African-inspired breakfast items.
We ate a BOMA at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge twice during our visit and loved the flavors and food quality. We were expecting something similar here but it missed the mark.
Foodwise, it felt like any other character breakfast. The food tasted good and there was lots of it, but I was hoping to try a few new African breakfast foods.
I looked at their lunch and dinner menus and there’s a TON of African items, so I think it’s just breakfast that doesn’t have much.
I was also a bit disappointed that we never got their Jungle Juice, which is what they are known for. It wasn’t an option when we ordered drinks and our cast member never brought it to our table.
And our cast member brought me Coke instead of an unsweetened ice tea and I couldn’t flag him down until the end of our meal to bring me the drink I ordered.
It wasn’t until we left that we saw pitchers of Jungle Juice on other guest tables. I guess we should have asked about it.
CHARACTERS AT THE TUSKER HOUSE BREAKFAST
So, I expected to do a family photo with a character when we entered.
We’ve done this with the `Ohana character breakfast at Walt Disney World, at Goofy’s Kitchen in Disneyland, and Breakfast with Mickey at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii.
Instead, we were ushered right to our table and I felt a little bummed that we didn’t get a family photo with a character.
I like getting some photos with characters without food or dirty plates in the frame!
But, our kids loved meeting the characters that came to our table and we were happy with how interactive they were!
I also really liked that we didn’t feel rushed to leave. This gave us time to hit the restrooms in shifts and regroup before heading out into the Park.
Even though I have mixed feelings on our experience, I still think we’d consider booking it for our next trip because it’s in a great location and the immersive experience made us feel like we were on an African safari!
Feeling transported to another time and place is the whole point of a Disney character meal, right?
Find out some of the best Disney World restaurants here.
Tusker House Restaurant Tips
MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR 10:45AM
That way, you get a selection of breakfast and lunch items, including tabouli and hummus dips, basmati rice and curry chicken, peri peri whole salmon, and more!
Plus, you’ll be able to do the Killamanjaro Safaris first, which is super close to the restaurant.
OTHERWISE GET EARLY ACCESS TO ANIMAL KINGDOM
If you really want to get into the Park early (and you don’t have an Extra Magic Hour) you can make reservations for 8 a.m.
I recommend this only if meeting all the characters isn’t important to you as you might need to eat quickly and dash to the ride of your choice in order for this to make sense for you.
ASK FOR THE JUNGLE JUICE
It’s just POG (passion, orange, guava juice) but it’s so tasty! Our server didn’t bring it to us, so be sure to ask them for it!
BUDGET FOR THE TUSKER HOUSE CHARACTER BREAKFAST
Like all Disney character dining, this can get pretty pricey. And Disney only posts the price range, as it varies depending on the time of year and day of the week you go.
If you need an exact figure for your Walt Disney World vacation budget, you can call Disney Dining at (407) WDW-DINE and they will provide an exact quote based on the date of your reservation.
Price Range for Donald’s Safari Breakfast Buffet:
Adults: $15.00-$34.99
Children ages 3-9: $18.00-$25.00
Kids under 3: FREE
GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO WALK TO TUSKER HOUSE RESTAURANT
The Africa section is located in the back of Animal Kingdom Park. I think it took us about 15 minutes to walk there from the Park entrance.
But, we didn’t have a huge crowd and it would definitely take longer on a busier day.
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Tusker House Character Breakfast FAQ
DO I NEED A PARK TICKET?
Yes, since it’s located in Animal Kingdom, everyone in your party will need a ticket to get into the Park, even if you are just going for the character meal.
IS THERE STROLLER PARKING?
Yes, you’ll see a whole stroller parking area once you pass the check in booth.
IS TUSKER HOUSE ON THE DINING PLAN?
Yes! It takes one table service dining credit to eat at Tusker House.
WHAT TIME IS BREAKFAST AT TUSKER HOUSE?
Breakfast runs 8 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.
WHAT TIME IS LUNCH AT TUSKER HOUSE?
Lunch runs 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
IS THERE A CHARACTER PHOTO SPOT?
For many Disney character meals, you take your photo with a character while you wait for your table to be ready.
However, for this character breakfast, we didn’t see one. But, all the characters roam around the room and are available for photos!
DOES TUSKER HOUSE RESTAURANT HAVE CHARACTERS AT LUNCH AND DINNER?
Yes! Your family can meet Safari Donald and friends for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Insider tip: Make reservations for mid-afternoon for less of a crowd in the restaurant and more time to hang out with the characters!
DO I NEED A CAMERA FOR OUR TUSKER CHARACTER BREAKFAST EXPERIENCE?
YES! When we were there, we didn’t see a single PhotoPass photographer so the only way to get photos at Tusker House is if you take them yourself.
I usually take video on my phone when my kids meet characters while my husband takes photos with his camera.
WHAT OTHER RESTAURANTS ARE AT ANIMAL KINGDOM?
While Tusker House provides the only character dining experience at Animal Kingdom, there are plenty of non-character restaurants.
Animal Kingdom Table Service
TIFFINS RESTAURANT: This is considered fine dining and menu options include chicken & waffles, short ribs, halibut, and more.
NOMAD LOUNGE: This isn’t a full restaurant, but you can order specialty cocktails and upscale small plates like sliders and tuna poke.
PIZZAFARI FAMILY-STYLE DINING: Only open for dinner, your family can order a pizza, pasta, or salad in this sit-down restaurant. And don’t forget the cannoli!
RAINFOREST CAFE: This is a chain restaurant with a jungle theme that has an extensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu.
YAK & YET RESTAURANT: This popular Animal Kingdom restaurant isn’t open for lunch, but they have an extensive Asian menu for lunch and dinner.
Animal Kingdom Quick Service
CARAVAN ROAD: They offer vegetarian options, beef sliders, edamame and an assortment of drinks.
DINO DINER: Here’s where you’ll find hot dogs and corn chip pies.
EIGHT SPOON CAFE: They have mac & cheese topped with pulled pork or shrimp (or you can get traditional mac & cheese.)
FLAME TREE BARBECUE: Get lots of hearty entrees including pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ sampler plates, and salad.
HARAMBE MARKET: You’ll find lots of bowls with meat or veggies, gyros, and sausage. Plus they have kids meals!
KUSAFIRI COFFEE SHOP AND BAKERY: They have easy grab and go breakfast items and sandwiches.
PIZZAFARI: It shouldn’t be a surprise that they serve pizza here, but you can also get salad or a shrimp flatbread.
RESTAURANTOSAURUS: This is an easy chicken nugget and burger spot.
SATU’LI CANTEEN: While it’s not open for breakfast, this quick service restaurant in Pandora has a wide variety of options and a full kids menu.
YAK & YETI LOCAL FOODS CAFE: For breakfast, you can get English muffin sandwiches and an array of Asian/Indian foods for lunch and dinner.
Plus, lots of snack and treats area available at kiosks around the Park. And there’s a Starbucks. See the full list and menus.
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