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My party of 2 spent $98 at a Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant in Disney World, and it's the best table-service spot at Magic Kingdom

jenna posing in front of skipper canteen sign at magic kingdom
Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is inspired by Jungle Cruise.Jenna Clark
  • My party of two ate at Skipper Canteen, located in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom.

  • After applying my 10% annual discount, we spent $98 on our lunch.

  • It was a little expensive, but it was worth it for the high-quality food and lively atmosphere.

Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen is located in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom.

adventureland sign at magic kingdom in disney world
Skipper Canteen is a Magic Kingdom restaurant.Jenna Clark

Skipper Canteen is a table-service restaurant serving African-, Latin-, and Asian-inspired cuisine in Magic Kingdom.

It's located in the Adventureland area of the park across from the popular Jungle Cruise attraction, which serves as the inspiration for the restaurant.

The first thing I saw was the restaurant's comfortable outdoor waiting area.

people sitting around the outdoor waiting area at skipper canteen in magic kingdom
There's a check-in desk outside near the waiting area.Jenna Clark

I appreciated that the restaurant had a covered outdoor waiting area with ceiling fans and a decent amount of seating. Although I didn't get to sit in the chairs, their cushions looked comfortable.

I made my way to the stand and checked in for our reservation.

We were almost immediately escorted inside to a different waiting room.

indoor waiting area at skipper canteen in magic kingdom
We didn't have a long wait since we had reservations.Jenna Clark

I was surprised by how quickly we were brought inside.

Even if I have a reservation at a Disney World restaurant, I usually anticipate waiting between five and 15 minutes for my party to be called.

The indoor waiting area was vibrant, filled with bright colors and themed decor.

paintings hanging in the indoor waiting area at skipper canteen in magic kingdom
There are an array of paintings on the walls.Jenna Clark

I particularly enjoyed looking at the paintings on the wall. My favorite was the one of a Jungle Cruise skipper driving a boat.

The stained-glass windows in the waiting area were also beautiful and added to the overall aesthetic.

Once we were seated, our server provided us with a thorough overview of the menu.

photo of the menu from skipper canteen in magic kingdom
I was able to find plenty of things I'd like on the menu.Jenna Clark

I found the restaurant's menu to be fairly extensive, so I was glad our server, Rena, was available to answer any questions I had.

I also liked that many of the dish descriptions were accompanied by images, which helped me decide what I was going to order.

Rena was one of the highlights of our meal. She was kind and attentive and even threw some jokes in — just like the skippers from Jungle Cruise.

Our drinks were accompanied by themed coasters.

themed skipper canteen coaster next to glass of lemonade at the magoc kingdom restaurant
I ordered a lemonade at Skipper Canteen.Jenna Clark

The coasters may have been a tiny detail, but they stood out to me.

We ordered falafel for our first appetizer.

falafel appetizer from skipper canteen in magic kingdom
Falls Family Falafel from Skipper Canteen.Jenna Clark

When I saw falafel ($11) on the appetizer menu, I knew I wanted to order it right away.

The dish came with more than enough falafel for me and my sister as well as a hearty portion of house-made edamame hummus. Pumpkin seeds added some texture to the dish.

This was my first time having falafel at Disney World, and I thought it was very good and worth the price.

Our server told us about a secret-menu appetizer.

Pao de Queijo appetizer at skipper canteen in magic kingdom
I ordered the pao de queijo at Skipper Canteen.Jenna Clark

Our server told us that there was a pao de queijo appetizer ($12) on the bonus "Not so Secret Menu," and I wanted to try it for myself.

I'd never tasted anything quite like it before. The dish came with tiny balls of cheesy bread with cream cheese and chimichurri sauces on the side.

The little balls were very tasty. I tried both of the dipping sauces and preferred the cream cheese.

For my entrée, I ordered Skipper Dan's Dan Dan Noodles.

tofu noodle entree from skipper canteen in disney world
Skipper Dan's Dan Dan Noodles from Skipper Canteen.Jenna Clark

The noodle dish ($28) typically comes with crispy pork, but I swapped it out for tofu.

As someone who likes spicy food, these noodles hit the mark. Some of my first bites weren't that spicy, but as I made my way down to the chili sauce, I noticed the kick.

The restaurant had three dining rooms, and we were seated in the main Mess Hall.

mess hall main dining room in skipper canteen in disney world
The main area had a lot of tables and chandeliers.Jenna Clark

The main room had a lot of natural light from the stained-glass windows as well as artificial light from the hanging chandeliers.

There were many photos, wooden sculptures, and decorations around the room's perimeter.

I almost missed a bookcase passageway.

bookcase fake passageway inside skipper canteen in magic kingdom
There are a lot of fun details to find at Skipper Canteen.Jenna Clark

When I went to explore the rest of the restaurant, I almost missed the bookcase passageway connecting the Mess Hall to the S.E.A. Room. According to Disney Parks Blog, the story behind the "hidden" room is that it's a secret meeting location for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

Although the books were props (I tried pulling one off the shelf to see if they were real), it was a nice touch and played to the restaurant's explorer theme.

The S.E.A. Room provided guests with a more intimate dining experience.

sea room at skipper canteen at magic kingdom
There are two dining rooms attached to the Mess Hall.Jenna Clark

I took some time after I finished eating to check out the S.E.A. Room.

It was more elegant than the main dining room and was filled with a lot of detail. I especially loved the patterned carpet and wooden chairs.

I think I'd request a table in this room next time.

The Jungle Room was nice but my least favorite of the three.

view inside the jungle room at skipper canteen at magic kingdom
There were even more decor items in the Jungle Room.Jenna Clark

I thought the lighting fixtures with rainbow glass birds and the fine-china displays were very beautiful. But this room didn't seem as exciting as the others to me.

We paid about $98 to dine at Skipper Canteen, and it's now my favorite table-service restaurant in Magic Kingdom.

jenna and casey posing in front of the jungle cruise sign in skipper canteen at magic kingdom
I loved the intricate theming and extensive menu at Skipper Canteen.Jenna Clark

For two adults, the bill came out to $81 after I applied my 10% annual-passholder discount. Once I added in the tip, it was $98.17.

I thought that was fairly pricey, but we ordered two appetizers, which isn't something I normally do at Disney World.

I usually skip the table-service restaurants at Magic Kingdom, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavor of the food.

If you want to dine at a beautifully-decorated restaurant with flavorful food and amazing service, Skipper Canteen is an excellent choice if you're willing to spend the money.

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