The Magic Kingdom features several table service restaurants for Guests to choose from, including a unique location found in the heart of Adventureland. The Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen continues the story and theming from the nearby Jungle Cruise attraction and welcomes Guests to enjoy their own culinary adventure for lunch and dinner daily.
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The Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is the headquarters of the skippers from the Jungle Cruise, and they have opened their doors to allow Guests to enjoy their quirky humor and culinary tastes from around the world. Much like the attraction, the restaurant is brimming with incredible details that bring exotic international locations to life in every single corner.
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Guests who dine at the table service restaurant can be seated in one of three rooms, with the largest being the Mess Hall which features massive vaulted ceilings with wooden rafters, brightly colored walls, stained glass windows, photos and artifacts lining the walls, gently whirring fans above, and a banner proudly celebrating the inaugural Jungle Cruise on October 1, 1931. Guests who look up above can also spot a second level with several office doors including one that reads “Skipper Marc – Animal Biological Studios” which pays homage to Marc Davis who was responsible for the concept sketches of many scenes found today in the Jungle Cruise.
The other two dining areas at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen are Dr. Albert Falls’ family parlor, which is intimate in size and lined with shelves displaying various plates from around the world, and the unique S.E.A. Room which was once the secret meeting location for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers who became beloved from their days in Pleasure Island. In order to access the S.E.A. room, Guests have to approach a bookshelf lined with many familiar adventure novels and check out how one selection opens up a trick door into the secret space.
While the theming of the Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is immersive, the cuisine is what keeps Guests returning time and time again. The menu focuses on a blend of international bold flavors from Africa, Asia, and South America with each item featuring a humorous and quirky name that often pays homage to the Jungle Cruise attraction.
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Before digging into the wonderful cuisine at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen, Guests can choose from a beverage menu that includes soft drinks, tea, coffee, wine, beer, and the Adventureland Colada which blends DOLE Whip Pineapple with coconut cream and passion fruit. Guests looking to enjoy a cocktail can sip on the Skipper Sangria or the Veranda Shandy which blends Blue Moon Draft with chipotle and pineapple juice for a tart and spicy option.
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The lunch and dinner menus at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen are identical and begin with a selection of appetizers with big flavors like the Lost and Found Soup that changes seasonally, Veranda Fried Rice with Spicy Chili-Garlic Shrimp, and the Jungle Green Salad which was created by Skipper Bill and is an international take on a classic wedge salad. Guests are also sure to love Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas which are corn pancakes topped with beer-braised pork, roasted corn, Fresno pepper salsa, and avocado cream named after one of the famous boats from the Jungle Cruise.
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The most popular appetizer on the menu at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is the Falls Family Falafel which of course pays tribute to Dr. Albert Falls who has made renowned discoveries over the years including the backside of water at Schwitzer Falls. The Falls Family Falafel features several perfectly prepared falafel created with a blend of chickpeas, garlic, onions, lemon juice, and herbs that is served with house-made edamame hummus and toasted pumpkin seeds for a creamy and crunchy addition to each bite.
Moving onto entrees, Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen has several options available that use international flavors and ingredients to spice up every single bite. Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak is a hearty option that serves an adobo-rubbed New York Strip with chorizo hash, collard greens, caramelized onion puree, and crispy farofa for a meal that will absolutely energize Guests to continue exploring the Magic Kingdom. Also filling is the Senegal Sal’s Short Rib named again after one of the Jungle Cruise boats and featuring Berber-spiced short ribs accompanied with sweet potato silk, cucumber, and root vegetable slaw.
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Guests who are looking for white meat options can start with the “Tastes like Chicken” Because it is! which features perfectly fried crispy chicken coated with a sweet chili glaze and served with stir-fried vegetables and seasoned rice. The “Hardy Har Char” Siu Pork is also a generously sized entrée option at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen with a piece of char sui-marinated pork served with seasonal vegetables and jasmine rice.
Guests who enjoy a plant-based diet can choose from two entrée choices beginning with the Curried Vegetable Crew Stew which tops a bed of coconut rice with pineapple tofu, seasonal vegetables, and a house-made curry sauce for a light and flavorful meal. The popular Perkins Thai Noodles are also a plant-based favorite of Pamela Perkins, the president of the Adventurer’s Club, and feature rice noodles, tofu, and seasonal vegetables tossed in a spicy soy-chili-garlic sauce.
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The final entrée option at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is the Sustainable Fish which features the important clarification that it is not piranha! The fish changes periodically but is served with a cassava fritter, wilted greens, and a guava-habanero sauce for a meal that is light and filling but packed with the perfect flavor blend of fruity and spicy.
It can be hard to save room for dessert at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen with so many great appetizer and entrée choices, but Guests absolutely need to sample the world-famous Kungaloosh! This decadent dessert is named after the greeting used by the Adventurer’s Club and is a chocolate cake served with caramelized bananas, cashew-caramel ice cream, and a final coating of coffee dust.
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Guests who are looking for other dessert options at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen can try the Coconut Bar with Pineapple-Basil Compote and Vanilla Cream which features a beautiful presentation of a vanilla chiffon cake topped with coconut and lime-white chocolate ganache. There is also the plant-based Panna-Connie’s Congo Lime Delight which serves up a lime “panna cotta” with mango-lime sorbet and fresh fruit.
The Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is like no other table service location at the Walt Disney World Resort and Guests who find themselves in the Magic Kingdom should absolutely plan on dining there for lunch or dinner. With such immersive theming and a menu of bold international flavors, it is a must enjoy meal any day!