The Photogenic Disney Treat That No One Talks About

It’s not often we’re taken by surprise by a Disney snack at Walt Disney World. 

Guests visiting Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or Disney Springs are spoiled for choice when it comes to vacation treats. From the iconic Mickey Premium Bar, churros, and DOLE Whip to the filling funnel cakes and Mickey pretzels, there is so much choice for a sweet snack.

There is a dessert, however, that Guests will find hidden away in plain sight at a favorite area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Get your cameras and social media accounts ready because these little beauties are a sight to behold.

Hidden away in the heart of Harambe Village in the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, Tusker House offers Guests a lively and unique dining experience at Walt Disney World. Walk past the Dawa Bar through a courtyard filled with African architecture and decor artifacts, and you’ll truly feel like you’ve stepped into an authentic African restaurant.

Featuring an African open-air market with artifacts hanging on the walls and ceiling, every room of the Walt Disney World Resort restaurant has its own unique atmosphere. Guests, young and old, can look forward to seeing their favorite Disney characters at their table as Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Donald Duck all walk around Tusker House signing autographs and giving hugs in their safari gear.

This is the only character meal at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and is one of only six character meals available now at the Walt Disney World Resort. Other options for character dining include Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Cinderella’s Royal Table at the Magic Kingdom, Topolino’s Terrace at Disney’s Riviera Resort, Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at Garden Grill at EPCOT.

The menu is a fixed price and includes a new family-style arrangement – replacing the buffet system since the pandemic. For breakfast, this price includes a pastry basket and fresh fruit, followed by a huge breakfast platter for the main course. The lunch and dinner price includes a three-course meal with an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Soda, juice, and soft drinks are included (including amazing chocolate milk!), but alcoholic beverages are at an extra cost.

For breakfast, the price of the meals is $42 for adults and $27 for children. Lunch and dinner prices are the same: $55 for adults and $36 for children, not including tax or gratuity. Tusker House also offers Disney Vacation Club and Annual Passholder discounts, at 10 percent off your meal.

From the Moroccan-spiced Beef and Cape Malay Green Curry Shrimp to the Spit-roasted Herb Chicken and Berbere-marinated Pork, Tusker House is chockablock with unique flavors. The dishes are African- and Indian-inspired and we wish we could talk all day about the delicious Macaroni and Cheese offered as a side dish (let’s talk about yum!) with its creamy texture and smoky taste. Other sides include the Green Beans with Carrots and Corn, Roasted Potatoes, Jasmine Rice, and the Impossible Durban Curry (available upon request).

And though everything on the menu at Tusker House is delicious, it’s the Instagram-worthy beauty of the desserts that truly surprised us.

Just look at them! What a secret set of treats just waiting to be eaten beyond the doors of Harambe Village! Each of the three desserts offers a different taste and, of course, can be reordered as many times as you’d like. A plant-based Chocolate Mousse is also available upon request.

The first treat is a vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting. The leopard-print chocolate ears add a nice touch to the cupcake, but the flavor is nothing different. The Flourless Honey Bee Cake, on the other hand, has a unique flavor, made up of layers of real honey filling between flourless chocolate cake. It is also highly photogenic and great for fans of Winnie the Pooh!

The last dessert, the Tree of Life Brownie, is simply perfect. A great celebration of Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Central Florida, the brownie is topped with a cute white chocolate Tree of Life decoration and meringue mountains. The dessert itself is a chocolate fudge brownie rolled in green tea and coffee flakes and has a superbly scrumptious texture.

Who knew these beautiful desserts existed? When we think of desserts offered at character dining locations at Walt Disney World, we could never have imagined the surprising designs of these Animal Kingdom treats. And the best thing is – they’re unlimited! That’s if you have any room left after indulging in the bread basket and main course. We may or may not have eaten multiple servings of that Macaroni and Cheese!

Remember, if you want to try these secret treats, you’ll need to secure an advanced dining reservation. Tusker House is a very popular dining location, and reservations can fill up quickly. You can make dining reservations 60 days in advance on the My Disney Experience app and if not successful at first – keep trying! Many times, we’ve seen parties cancel in the days prior to our Disney vacation, allowing us to snag an open reservation closer to the trip. Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom can also join the walk-up list if it is not full.

So, if you want to hug Mickey Mouse, try some African-inspired flavors, and get to see these amazing desserts for yourself, head to Tusker House on your next visit to the Lake Buena Vista Resort!