Animal Kingdom is Disney World’s newest park and it’s full of fun and adventure for the whole family. If you haven’t been to Disney World in a while, it’s possible that you’ve skipped Animal Kingdom. But with the land of Pandora, the incredible Broadway Style shows, and the only place to get a picture with Minnie AND Mickey, Animal Kingdom is the place to visit!
There’s so much to do at Animal Kingdom, but the food can *sometimes* be lacking. It’s a weird intersection of really good quick service, hard to get into table service, and only one character meal that serves up some authentic inspired eats.
In a rush? We recommend these places at Animal Kingdom.
Tusker House is our go to for Breakfast unless you are eating at the resort or bringing in food. Then there’s Pizzafari, Satu’li Canteen, and Restaurantosaurus for Quick Eats. For a sit-down option, Nomads Lounge works well for most allergens with Tiffins having a full Allergy Menu. And the Harambe Fruit Market is a great place for some snacks!
Just Gluten Free? Here’s the Animal Kingdom Gluten Free Guide
Are you looking for other guides too? Check out our posts for the Top 10 Allergy- Friendly Restaurants at Disney World, or doing Magic Kingdom with a Food Allergy and the All New Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios!
⭐ If this is your First Time to Disney World, you’ll want all the insider tips and done for you plans found in the Food Allergies at Disney World Made Easy Guide , If you’ve been here before and just need the best places to eat and snacks, see the Touring Plan and Snack Guide. Just Gluten Free? There’s a guide for that too!
***As Always, please speak to a qualified restaurant employee when ordering food. In order to see the most accurate ingredients and risk assessment, you will need to confirm allergy safety in real-time. This is my personal experience, I am not employed or endorsed by companies or brands mentioned.***
Quick Tips for Food Allergy Friendly Animal Kingdom
Before we talk about stuff in the parks, let’s talk about what you should know before you get into the park, especially when we talk about free from eating.
First things first, you can (and should ) bring in some snacks or even meals to Animal Kingdom. See more about bringing in food to Disney World here.
You can also bring in a reusable water bottle, or buy a water bottle and refill it. All of the refill locations are listed here.
Second thing is that you need to know that the menus and offerings can (and will) change especially when talking about allergy friendly food. Sometimes its that the suppliers dont have it on hand, sometimes it’s that they aren’t selling the food (though most of the allergen friendly food at Animal kingdom is prefrozen and then cooked for you!)
Then when it comes to strictly quick serve, Mobile ordering is another option that Disney World has pushed in 2020- and good news! It’s pretty easy to use with a non-life-threatening Allergy.
For those of you with severe allergies, Mobile Ordering is not the best option, and you need to walk up to the quick serve and talk to them about placing and order with a cashier and manager. Here’s everything you need to know about mobile ordering, plus a walkthrough.
My recommendations for Food Allergies at Animal Kingdom
Quick List of Locations with Allergy Menus
- Satu’li Canteen
- Pizzafari
- Flame Tree Barbeque
- Restaurantosaurus
Allergy Food Quick Service Reviews
For classic Protein and Rice Bowls. Harambe Market and Satu’li Canteen are the top recommendations.
Both of the protein bowls at these two quick serve options can be made without the top allergens… and the ones at harambe market can be super plain with white rice and plain meat or plant based beyond sausage.
Satu’li Canteen just got a new menu refresh for the new Avatar Movie, and they added some new items (one of which is a flourless cake!). The other introduced more sesame and soy to the kitchen, so an important thing to note when planning.
Amazing Pizza (maybe the best on property)? Definitely head to Pizzafari! The pizza pictured has dairy cheese, but they also offer Daiya Cheese to go with this certified gluten free cauliflower crust.
Want French Fries? Steer clear of Flame Tree, and head over to Restaurantosaurus. Here you’ll find standard classics like allergy friendly buns free from the most common allergens (Bloomfield top 8 free) and chicken tenders.
Food Allergy Breakfast at Animal Kingdom
I’m a big fan of grabbing breakfast at a resort because the options (for everyone, not just food allergies) can be slim at breakfast time! Rainforest Cafe can barely accommodate allergens (if you are gluten free, they have eggs. If you are dairy free, they have bacon and oats. that’s it)
Inside Starbucks you can sometimes find donuts and bagels. There’s no dedicated space to heat them up, so you can get them cold or risk cross contact in the shared oven. They are Kinnikinick brand and contain egg.
At Tusker House Character Meal, you can get a full breakfast spread. This is not a budget location as it’s a character meal. See more about Tusker House Breakfast here.
Likewise at Kusafari Bakery, the entire menu is made without peanuts, but the items themselves are made in and heated in a shared facility.
Animal Kingdom Allergy Friendly Snacks
There’s almost too many snacks to name, but here’s some favorites! For the Full Guide of Snacks please see the Time Saving Guides.
There’s ice cream at several places, most famously at Dino Bite Snacks in Dino Land. They also offer Tofutti Soy based Ice cream here.
Then we’ve got dole whip at Tamu Tamu Refreshments… followed by fruit and grilled corn at the Harambe Fruit Market.
Drinks are plentiful, but the best full service bar is in Africa at the Dawa Bar. For a non alcoholic yet still gluten free option, get the Night Blossom in Pandora.
Great Allergy Friendly eats close by at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Animal Kingdom Lodge has some really good eats that you can access by bus (or car). Unfortunately you can’t walk there from the Animal Kingdom Park.
There’s an amazing bread service… a top rated breakfast buffet and gluten free zebra domes at this quick serve.
What to expect when ordering food
For most intolerance or ethical eating people, you’ll be able to eat foods listed on the allergen menu (where available). This means that for some people, speaking with a chef won’t even be necessary because ordering from the allergy menu that most locations have will be enough to avoid your problem food.
If you have an allergy that could cause a reaction, things will be *slightly more complicated* because you’ll need to speak with a Chef/Manager and be diligent in confirming that your food is actually gluten free. Always double and triple check with everyone you talk with that you have a life-threatening allergy and confirm that food comes out separate (and likely with a little allergy skewer)
That’s all for Allergy Friendly Animal Kingdom
With lots to see and do at Disney World, it can get alittle overwhelming, that’s why I’m including guides for the other parks! Food Allergies at Magic Kingdom and Food allergies at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios.
Everyone should eat well on vacation! Learn more common questions and concerns in the Food Allergy FAQ or the Gluten Free Disney FAQ.
Plus the latest Disney News when it comes to Food Restrictions, eats, and offerings. Connect with the MouseEarMemory Gluten Free and Allergy Community at the socials listed below or @Mouse.Ear.Memories