Check out our review and photos of the food, theme, and gluten-free options of the Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. This was our first visit to this sit-down restaurant in January 2022. We attempted to visit a few years ago, but the previous menu did not interest us. We were happy with our visit and meal. The official name of the restaurant is Jungle Navigation co ltd. Skipper Canteen World Famous Jungle Cuisine.
The Jungle Skipper Canteen opened in 2015 in WDW. Prior to that, it was the Adventureland Veranda. Adventureland Veranda was a counter service restaurant with a Polynesian theme that operated from park opening until 1994. From 1995 until 2015 it operated as a special event location and then a meet and greet for Tinkerbell and her friends.
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Location of Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
The Disney World Skipper Canteen Restaurant is located in Adventure land across from The Jungle Cruise inside Magic Kingdom.
Theme and Atmosphere of the Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen
The Skipper Canteen is themed the same as the Jungle Cruise. As stated on the Disney World website “Delight your big and little explorers with premium table-service dining in 3 curiously quirky rooms: the crew’s colonial-era Mess Hall (which is not messy at all, thank you very much); the Jungle Room, former family parlor of Dr. Albert Falls himself; and the S.E.A. Room—a once-secret meeting place for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers!”
My family enjoyed the African theming. We also enjoy the fact that all Disney attractions are richly themed in layers. We loved that we walked through the “library hallway” and discovered the butterfly alcove table.
Reservations
Reservations are recommended, as in all Disney Table service restaurants. We were lucky to get a reservation the day before. Tip for getting reservations at any Walt Disney World Restaurant: Always keep checking for restaurant reservations as people will cancel.
Food Review
Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen Menu
Lunch and dinner are actually the same menu. The menu is now fully digital and found online through a QR code. (As all menus at Walt Disney World currently).
When looking at the menu at first glance, my thought was “it is different and I am not sure what I will eat”. But some of that is the words used to describe the food. Such as “Tastes like chicken, because it is!”
If you want something slightly different, don’t be afraid to ask. We wanted the Perkins Thai Noodles, which was described as having tofu. On the regular menu, it stated that chicken could be substituted but it is not listed on the allergy menu. But they were able to make that change.
Allergy Menu Choices
Appetizers
There are 3 choices for allergy-friendly appetizers. I found them a bit lacking as the only gluten-free choices were a salad or falafel. I chose to skip this course and my family ordered a non-gluten-free choice, as I am not a chickpea fan.
Entrees
For the main course. 6 out of 7 entrees are gluten-free. 5 out of the 7 entrees are dairy-free. And 4 out of the 7 are both gluten and dairy-free. This makes it a bit hard to read the menu if you have multiple allergies, and I almost made a mistake on the dessert. The gluten and dairy-free choices are pork, chicken, noodles, and fish dishes.
Desserts
The allergy-friendly desserts are lacking. The only one for either dairy (milk) or gluten is the Lime ‘Panna Cotta’ (see review below). The other 2 desserts on the allergy menu are only safe for Fish/Shellfish and Peanut allergies.
Jungle Skipper Canteen Review of the Food
Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas (not gluten free) Appetizer
Based on how fast this disappeared, I think they liked it! It was definitely different. Unfortunately, we forgot to take a photo as they were hungry and dove right in!
The corn pancakes were good and the beer-braised pork was excellent. The roasted corn was soggy though. If you re not a fan of avocado the avocado cream was on the side and could be avoided
“Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork
This was a nice large portion of pork! It was actually too much for my daughter but my teenage son was happy to finish it off. They reported it had lots of flavor.
Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak
My son enjoyed this dish. The steak was large enough for him and no complaints on the sauce, or the way it was cooked.
Perkins Thai Noodles with Chicken (Gluten Free)
This was good! I asked prior to ordering how spicy it was, and our server stated 4/10. I would say that was pretty accurate. The chicken was flavorful. The noodles were well cooked. And the vegetables were nice and crisp.
The portion size was perfect (it isn’t like you are taking leftovers around the park with you!). The sauce was on the spicy side.
My husband who is not gluten-free and enjoys more spice really enjoyed this dish as well.
Panna-Connie’s Congo Lime Delight Dessert
This was the only disappointment of the meal. We shared this dessert as it was the only gluten-free option. But it was not fully eaten by even the 4 of us. It was just bland. But it was pretty.
Portion sizes
We were very happy with the portion sizes of all the items. The pork portion was HUGE!
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Skipper Canteen Gluten free Review
There was a dedicated Jungle Skipper Canteen allergy menu online. There were not separate menus for each allergy, as there are for Disney quick-service restaurants. And I did get confused when ordering thinking an item was safe when it was not. So be careful when ordering!
Kids Menu
Even though we did not dine with children, I think it is important to point out that the kids’ entrees are also just as creative as the adults. Currently, the children’s menu consists of: Congo Connie’s Coconut-Curry Concoction, Sizzling Savanna Grilled Steak, Junior Skip’s Macaroni & Cheese, and Chef Tandaji’s Crispy Chicken.
Overall Review of Disney’s Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen
We thoroughly enjoyed this meal. The theme was fun, the food was good, the portions were good sized (even for a teen boy!). The restaurant is on the small side, but there are fun Disney touches throughout.
We were seated before 5 pm and for a Disney table service restaurant, we thought the service was fast. We were out not long after 6 pm (we were expecting closer to 7 pm).
We really enjoyed this meal and would definitely go back!
Who should try the Jungle Skipper Canteen
Is the Skipper Canteen worth it? We thought so. The menu and food are more creative than most Disney restaurants.
If you are looking for something new for a sit-down table service restaurant in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, I would definitely put this one on your list.
Who is the Jungle Skipper Canteen not for
If you have picky eaters I would skip this restaurant, especially if you have kids who are looking for traditional kid foods. If you are on a dining plan (when they are available again) I would look long and hard at the menu before making a reservation. Especially if you are paying adult prices for a child over age 9 or you have allergies.
Check out our other Walt Disney World Table Service reviews!
Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2021
Looking for an amazing gluten-free snack at Disney? Try the gluten-free beignets!
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