“Off to the left is the beautiful Schweitzer Falls named after the famous Dr. Albert…Falls.” 

This often quoted line of the Jungle Cruise is now more than just a little joke.  It is the basis of an entire restaurant.  Skipper’s Canteen is the first theme park restaurant of its kind.  An extension of the Jungle Cruise, it is actively entwined in the attraction.  The restaurant is fictitiously owned by none other than Albert’s granddaughter, Alberta Falls. The main dining room is the skipper’s mess hall and the smaller dining rooms are the Falls’ family room and Albert’s secret meeting room.  Each one is decorated with trophies, relics, and memorabilia from the Jungle Cruise expeditions.  The menu itself is said to be inspired from the many different places the skippers have traveled to.  According to our server, the skippers brought back their favorite dishes for us to share and thus Skipper’s Canteen was born.

Location: Adventureland, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
Type: Table service
Specialty: Exotic and tasty cuisine
Cost: $20-$35 per person on the main menu
Craig’s Favorite: The falafels – best I ever had

The creativity of the restaurant lies in the immersive environment you are transported to from the very beginning.  Your hostess and server are not simply employees of a restaurant but are themselves skippers who have brought to your table some of the treasures of their journeys.  Everyone starts off with some Egyptian bread with an amazing honey dip.  Yum.  After that, you can order from a variety of different items.  The tastes and textures are different than you would find in most other places in the park.  Not every dish may be to your taste, but the skippers are more than accommodating.  We started off with the Falls Family Falafel which was amazing.  Honestly best tasting falafel I ever had.  They were soft and fluffy on the inside, yet crisp and savory on the outside.  Just superb.

I ordered the Char Siu Pork for lunch while my wife and daughter both ordered the Rice Noodle Bowl.  The Char Siu Pork was different than what I would expect from a Chinese restaurant.  It was tasty but had a different flavor profile than most Char Siu Pork I’ve had.  It was a tad overcooked, but still enjoyable and the rice was light and fluffy.  Both Cassie and Emma found the Rice Noodle Bowl a bit off-putting.  There was something about the mix of textures and taste they couldn’t quite pinpoint, but my wife loved the duck meat that came in her meal and so finished it off.  My daughter loved the Char Siu Pork and our skipper was more than happy to change it out for her.  There were many other meals that looked delicious and even though our main course wasn’t perfect, I would happily go back.  If for nothing else, for those amazing falafel.

If you’re looking for something different to eat in the parks, Skipper Canteen is a great place to go. The ambiance is great, the cast is fun, and the food is…an adventure.  Next time you are in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World take a gander for yourself.