Tusker House Buffet Starting November 2007: Updated 9/27/07 with Menu & Detailed info

[Figment!]

9/27/07

Reservations for the Tusker House are now available for 11/16/07 and beyond (up to 180 days in advance).

The following announcement has been released regarding the new menu and pricing:

TRAVELERS! Take a break from your Safari and enjoy a "Taste of Adventure" in this colorful and bustling Harambe Marketplace Eatery, offering a Family Buffet with African Flavors for lunch and dinner and a special character breakfast.

“Awaken the day” with your favorite Disney Characters at Donald's Safari Breakfast. Typically appearing will be Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Mickey and Goofy.

Hours:
Breakfast - 8:00am to 10:30am
Lunch - 11:30pm to 3:00pm
Dinner - 3:30pm to varies with park closing

(All menus subject to change without notice)

Breakfast Buffet:

Holiday Pricing – (For all reservation arrivals on 11/18/07 - 11/24/07; 12/16/07 - 1/5/08)
$22.99 Guest (10 and older) -- $12.99 Guest (3-9)

Regular Pricing
$18.99 Guest (10 and older) -- $10.99 Guest (3-9)

Variety of fresh fruits, freshly baked pastries and breads, carved spit-roasted honey-glazed ham, frittatas, scrambled eggs, Yam casserole, hot and cold cereals, biscuits and sausage gravy, bacon, sausage, waffles, warm bread pudding, breakfast potatoes and potato tots. Non-specialty, non-alcoholic drinks such as sodas, coffee, tea, juices, iced tea, milk, etc.

Lunch Buffet:

Holiday Pricing – (For all reservation arrivals on 11/18/07 - 11/24/07; 12/16/07 - 1/5/08)
$23.99 Guest (10 and older) -- $12.99 Guest (3-9)

Regular Pricing
$19.99 Guest (10 and older) -- $10.99 Guest (3-9)

Assorted salads, spit-roasted carved meats, chicken and fish creations, stews and soups, roasted vegetables, deli-style meat and cheese, freshly baked breads, macaroni and cheese, corn dogs, chicken drumsticks, PBJ’s, corn medley, green beans, mashed potatoes, assorted pastries and cakes, fresh fruit, cookies and brownies. Non-specialty, non-alcoholic drinks such as sodas, coffee, tea, juices, iced tea, milk, etc.

Dinner Buffet:

Holiday Pricing – (For all reservation arrivals on 11/18/07 - 11/24/07; 12/16/07 - 1/5/08)
$30.99 Guest (10 and older) -- $14.99 Guest (3-9)

Regular Pricing
$26.99 Guest (10 and older) -- $12.99 Guest (3-9)

Assorted salads, smoked salmon, spit-roasted carved meats, chicken and fish creations, stews and soup, roasted vegetables, deli-style meat and cheese, freshly baked breads, macaroni and cheese, corn dogs, chicken drumsticks, PBJ’s, corn medley, green beans, mashed potatoes, assorted pastries and cakes, fresh fruit, cookies and brownies. Non-specialty, non-alcoholic drinks such as sodas, coffee, tea, juices, iced tea, milk, etc.

DISCOUNTS:
Disney's Dining Experience 20% discount on ALL Food & Beverage for members & up to 10 Guests. DDE Discount not available on Holidays.

2007 PACKAGES:
Magic Your Way Plus Dining
Magic Your Way Premium Package
Magic Your Way Platinum Package

2008 PACKAGES:
Magic Your Way Plus Dining
Magic Your Way Deluxe Dining
Magic Your Way Premium
Magic Your Way Platinum

Note:
Donald's Breakfastosaurus at Restaurantosaurus will host their last Character Breakfast on the morning on 11/8/07. Donald's Safari Breakfast at Tusker House Restaurant will begin on 11/16/07. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park will not offer any character breakfast between 11/9/07 – 11/15/07.

Restaurantosaurus will continue to offer lunch and dinner as a quick service location.

5/11/07The Walt Disney World resort has further internally announced that the 'new' Tusker House is currently planned to only accept Advanced Dining Reservations for the indoor seating. The outdoor seating is planned to be held for walk-up's only.

5/9/07

The Walt Disney World resort has announced the following:

We are very pleased to announce that Tusker House Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is being converted from a quick-service restaurant to a buffet restaurant. It will offer a character breakfast buffet, called Donald's Safari Breakfast, and a lunch/dinner buffet. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. for the character breakfast and 11:30 a.m. until park close for the lunch/dinner buffet. The restaurant will feature indoor and outdoor seating.

The following has been internally announced:

The Tusker House Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom is being converted from a quick-service restaurant to a buffet restaurant. This location will soon offer a character breakfast buffet and a non-character lunch/dinner buffet, starting on November 18th.

Donald's Safari Breakfast Buffet will be offered from 8:00 am to 10:30 am featuring Donald, Daisy, Mickey and Goofy (characters subject to change without notice.) The lunch / dinner buffet (no characters) will be offered from 11:30 am - park close. Reservations for all meal periods will be accepted by calling 407-WDW-DINE up to 180 days in advance.

In order for Tusker House Restaurant to be converted to a buffet restaurant, it will be closed for refurbishment from August 20 until November 17.

After the refurbishment, Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery will continue to serve pastries and coffee from the outdoor window.

With the character breakfast opening at Tusker House Restaurant, Donald's Breakfastosaurus character breakfast at Restaurantosaurus will be discontinued after November 5.

Restaurantosaurus will continue to be open for lunch / dinner as a quick-service restaurant. Hours of operation will be 10:30 a.m. until park close.

[Ed]

If the breakfast buffet is anywhere near as good as the one they serve there to guests who took the Sunrise Safari tour, this will be a big hit.

They put out a wonderful assortment of juices, fruit, pastries, cereals, bagels, eggs, potatoes, meats, cheeses.... I've gotta stop now; suddenly I'm very hungry!

[Tinkerkel]

If this is Donald's Safari Breakfast, does that mean that Donald & friends will no longer be at Restaurantosaurus for breakfast? We just went for the 1st time in October & loved it!

[Figment!]

If this is Donald's Safari Breakfast, does that mean that Donald & friends will no longer be at Restaurantosaurus for breakfast?

Yep. Just added the internal announcement which further clarifies the change.

[disneyfan369]

That's pretty cool. But there's only going to be two CS places (for lunch and dinner) from August 20th onward, right? And another slightly ridiculous question: so that means the last day Tusker House will be open as a CS place will be the 19th, right?

[Mickey91]

Well, that sounds yummy. Too bad they had to take away the best CS in all of AK though. That doesn't leave much choice for the CS there.

[FireMickey]

I found the following posted on another site today. I am sad to hear this as the Tusker House had great food and was one of our favorite at AK.

Tusker House is closing on August 20 and will reopen on November 17 as a full serve buffet restaurant.

When Tusker House reopens, it will offer the "Donald's Safari Breakfast" from 8:00am thru 10:30am.

Buffet Lunch/Dinner will be served starting at 11:30am until park closing.(Only breakfast will feature characters.

Note that "Donald's Breakfastosaurus in Restaurantosaurus will be discontinued on November 5. That dining venue will continue to be counter serve from 10:30am till park closing.

[big blue and hairy]

I think it makes sense to move Donald & Co. to Tusker House. I thought Restaurantasaurus was a little dark and small for the character breakfast. Tusker House will be more condusive to character interaction and a buffet.

[stitchcousin]

Ok, I read an earlier post that Tusker House was closing. Today, I tried making ressies for Breakfastosaurus for Nov 6th. The CM told me that Breakfastosaurus was closing Nov 5th and moving to the Tusker House (opening Nov 17th there as a new Donald character breakfast. This is to make room for the new character breakfast to open where Breakfastosaurus was (Yeti, I would assume). No wonder they wouldn't let me book breakfastosaurus earlier this week (they just kept telling me that it was due to it not being exactly 180 days out). Ok, now it makes sense! I had to book Rainforest instead, which is ok, but I sure will miss Donald this trip

[SBETigg]

It's too bad that you'll miss Donald. I agree that the breakfast is great for Donald fans but judging from the complaints on that breakfast, it could use some overhauling. We really enjoyed it.

[CanadianWDWFan]

To bad it wasn't closing completley!

We had the SINGLE worst character experience at Breakfastosaurus. We were hustled in and out within 30 minutes. We barely had enough time to sit down before the charaters were wisked by us.

I hope that it gets a good makeover in the move. We love Donald but that breakfast we had ruined Breakfastosaurus for us. Keeping my fingers crossed for better things with Donald!

Thanks for the update!

[Melanie]

Good news! Looking forward to trying Donald's Safari Breakfast, as we were very disappointed of late with Breakfastosaurus.

[DDuck66]

Good news for the Donald Breakfast but bad news that they had to close one of the best CS options at WDW.

[DisneyWitch]

Is there any word on what will be on the buffet? I loved the salmon with the mashed potatoes and green beans! It would be sad if it was gone entirely.

[Mom2princesses]

Wow glad to see that we will be able to sqeeze in Breakfastosaurus with Donald before it closes. We have never been there. Hope it is good after reading some of the negative comments on this thread about it. But to be able to see Donald is worth the hassle and it will get us in the park early!

Sorry that the Tusker house is closing before we get there. Oh well can't have everything.

[SurferStitch]

We were going to try Donald's Breakfastosaurus in December, but this new change sounds much better. I always have a hard time finding Daisy (without a huge line at MGM), so this will be perfect!

Adding it to our dining list right now!

I will miss the old Tusker House CS, though...it was our favorite! DH and I loved relaxing with a cold beer and a great meal. Oh well....ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

[Shugoondola]

That's good to hear. Animal Kingdom needs some better dining choices.

[Diznee4Me]

We already had Nov 18th as the day we go to AK. Maybe we can go to the inaugural Safari Breakfast! Gotta make those ADR's next week!

[rsumrall]

ShugoondolaThat's good to hear. Animal Kingdom needs some better dining choices.

I know this gives a new dining option, but they are taking away the best CS in the entire WDW to do it - not a fair swap in my estimation....

On a side note, any word on the street dancers and drummers that performed outside at Tusker House? Will they be gone? We always enjoyed these acts during lunch there.

[Mickey91]

Ok, I read an earlier post that Tusker House was closing. Today, I tried making ressies for Breakfastosaurus for Nov 6th. The CM told me that Breakfastosaurus was closing Nov 5th and moving to the Tusker House (opening Nov 17th there as a new Donald character breakfast. This is to make room for the new character breakfast to open where Breakfastosaurus was (Yeti, I would assume). No wonder they wouldn't let me book breakfastosaurus earlier this week (they just kept telling me that it was due to it not being exactly 180 days out). Ok, now it makes sense! I had to book Rainforest instead, which is ok, but I sure will miss Donald this trip

If you usually eat there to see Donald, please note that in Dec '06 Chef Mickeys had Donald.