Skipper Canteen – WDWNT Archive

REVIEW: Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen at The Magic Kingdom Radically Alters Menu Once Again

WDWNT on December 1, 2017

Just yesterday, the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom went through yet another major menu adjustment. This comes after two menu changes last year, with the last significant changes coming in December of 2016. You can check out all of our Skipper Canteen reviews below:

Here’s what the new menu for November 2017 looks like…

New in the appetizers is the Jungle Green Salad, replacing the Chicken Soup. Otherwise, the appetizer menu remains the same (thankfully).

Under entrees, the Head-On Shrimp, Noodle Bowl, and Skip’s Beefy Mac and Cheese all met their demise, replaced by the Perkins Thai Noodles and Sankuru Sadie’s Seafood Stew. Modifications were made to the “A Lot at Steak Salad”, Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak, and the Baa Baa Berber Lamb Chops. It is also worth noting that the Whole Fried Fish is now a Yellow Tail Snapper, since the Lion Fish was apparently not coming in on a consistent basis (personally, I think the Yellow Tail has more flavor anyway). The sustainable fish is a Red Tail Snapper, which is quite good as well.

Here we find the drink menu.

As far as themed-restaurants and wonderful spaces to dine in, Skipper Canteen is at the top of my list at Walt Disney World. It exudes tons of story, tying together Disney Park mythology from the Jungle Cruise, to the Adventurer’s Club, to Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers (S.E.A.), and more. The interior is jaw-dropping in many places and a pleasure to dine in, no matter how the menu may change.

The servers are also a HUGE part of the story and most we have had in our many journeys to the Jungle have been exceptional. Many cast members go above and beyond to make Skipper canteen the best restaurant at the Magic Kingdom.

A side note, the complimentary bread was removed from Skipper Canteen a few months ago sadly. While this is a definite loss for me, many guests found it strange and enjoyable. Regardless, most portions here are quite large, so you likely won’t go hungry without it.

So, let’s not waste another moment, let’s explore the new items that guests will find on their expeditions!

Jungle Green Salad ($9.00)

From the depths of the Jungle…Skipper Bill’s Hearty Mixed Greens, Seasonal Squash, Green Apples, Preserved Lemons, and Spiced Walnuts tossed with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette

The new appetizer salad is okay, with nothing really special about it, and is very small for $9. Spend just over twice the amount and get the steak salad as an entree, or get the Shiriki Noodle Salad which is also an appetizer.

Dr. Falls’ Signature Grilled Steak ($35.00)

Marinated New York Strip, Pico de Gallo Butter, Jasmine Rice, and Braised Black Beans with Applewood-smoked Bacon

The steak changed sides and the butter on top, giving it a more Latin flare. This is a welcome change as we found the pico de gallo butter on top already melted when the food arrived, but it added a nice fresh flavor to the charred steak. Sadly, the steak was fatty and a bit rubbery, so under no circumstance can I recommend this. Also, what are you doing ordering a steak in the Magic Kingdom? The beans and tomatoes are a big change from the past side dish, but they work well with the new butter.

Perkins Thai Noodles ($22.00)

Chicken, Tofu, Seasonal Vegetables, and Rice Noodles tossed in a Spicy Soy-Chili-Garlic Sauce. A favorite of our friend Pamelia Perkins, President of the Adventurers Club

While i lament the loss of the noodle bowl, this turned out fantastic. The noodles were a great portion for the price, very filling. The menu and server asked if we were okay with spice, and the spice was present but not overbearing, which was a nice change to the typical Magic Kingdom digs. That being said, he noted that they could make it spicier upon request. The dish has a lot chicken mixed in with the noodles made for a great unique dish, which feels almost like the new Kona Cafe noodle dishes (which is a good thing).

Sankuru Sadie’s Seafood Stew ($27.00)

Shrimp, Sustainable Fish, Mussels, and Octopus simmered in a fragrant Coconut Sauce. Served with Jasmine Rice

Again, the Head-On Shrimp was a favorite of mine, but this replacement is likely just as enjoyable. The coconut seafood stew came out as a heaping plate of random seafood. The octopus was cut in different tentacle sections and cooked to a tenderness that was just not found at Food & Wine Festival Greece booth.

The head-on shrimp live on in the dish, accompanied by bunch of muscles and chunks of sustainable fish above a generous portion of jasmine rice. The coconut broth created a porridge-like consistency towards the end, soaking in all the flavors of the mix of seafood. Overall a very solid dish that continues the adventurous theme of Skipper Canteen and plays well to the palate. I will be ordering this again.

“A Lot at Steak” Salad ($19.00)

We’re betting it all on this one! Grilled Steak, Romaine Lettuce, Spring Mix, Pickled Jalapeños, Red Onion, Queso Fresco, and Pumpkin Seeds tossed with Chimichurri Vinaigrette

The reimagined steak salad comes out in a seemingly endless bowl full of fresh greens, cheese, and a large portion of meat. Easily the biggest entree salad we’ve seen at Walt Disney world, outside of the Via Napoli group salad and buffets at least. It’s big, it’s fresh, and you can split this with an order of Sea Shu Mai to make for a quick refreshing lunch with a partner. It’s worth noting that the steak with this dish was much more tender, flavorful, and free of fat which may have been cut away in the preparation.

OVERALL

In review, I think these changes are fine and do little to hurt the restaurant. The steak is kind of a “safety dish”, so we don’t lament that being bad, and the other entree changes are at the very least a lateral move. While personally I will miss the noodle bowl and the head-on shrimp, and I know many who will miss the beefy mac and cheese, I believe the quality is being upheld at Skipper Canteen and it remains the finest table service restaurant at Magic Kingdom.

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PHOTO REPORT: The Magic Kingdom 1/27/17 (More Tomorrowland Makeover, MARVEL, Waffle Fries, Remembering Kingdom Cabanas, ETC.)

WDWNT on February 6, 2017

Our latest photo report brings us back to the Magic Kingdom to see the ever-changing Tomorrowland, new merchandise items, and more, so let’s dive right on in…

IT WAS CROWDED

Luckily we had parked at the Contemporary and had a private security line to enter, because every other line in front of the park was overwhelmed. Every weekend in January has been fairly busy thus far.

This disaster was the Will Call line. They estimated that some guests waited 90-120 minutes.

The new security screening area wasn’t helping as it was colliding with the line.

Refurb Street U.S.A.

The tarps on the Train Station are finally themed.

The exterior refurbishment on the Emporium continues as well.

Yes, we’re open!

This and That

Waffle fries are back at the Golden Oak Outpost.

Tortuga Tavern was open and selling Turkey Legs and Hot Dog combos.

It was easily the worst smell combination on this or any planet.

The Adventureland food carts no longer have Cheeseburger Egg Rolls, but now sell churros.

I knew our server at Skipper Canteen hated us when the stains on the menus were real and not “themed”…

That’s real food. We had terrible service on top of this, which was a first for me in my many trips to Skipper Canteen.

These signs were added to Magic Kingdom restaurants when they added alcohol.

No, these people don’t think that a nighttime parade is coming, they are just electing to wait for fireworks while sitting on the curb.

The Future of Drinking

Work continues on what we suspect will be the Joffrey’s coffee location at the Magic Kingdom.

A peek over the walls show a foundation in place.

The Cool Ship and Cool Scanner are closed for refurbishment.

Looks like more Tomorrowland TLC to me.

This new Lightning McQueen animated glow headband is for sale around the parks for $16.

The ticket sales location in the Tomorrowland Light and Power Co. is gone, but the sign remains.

New Disney Boutique hoodies for sale.

The 45th Anniversary Sale

PHOTO REPORT: Magic Kingdom 1/17/17 (New Merchandise, New Food, Refurbishments, Etc.)

WDWNT on January 16, 2017

Our latest photo report brings us to the Magic Kingdom for new merchandise, new alcohol, and much more.

Happy 2017

In case you missed it, 2017 merchandise is now available everywhere around the resort.

Some new vintage-style Walt Disney World shirts have started to appear.

This and That

A number of locations are removing the “hanging” vertical napkin holders and replacing them with these.

Yes, I ate at Pecos Bill’s again.

And now, a few pics from Once Upon a Time.

Casey’s Corner is now offering a hot dog of the month,. The first one is a macaroni and cheese dog.

This new Mr. Potato Head mug is now for sale, depicting him how he once appeared in Toy Story Midway Mania at Hollywood Studios.

He will return when Toy Story Land opens in 2018, this time located at the entrance of the attraction.

A really neat idea, Walt Disney World is now selling postcard coloring books.

There are also two additional versions, one with Princesses and one with PIXAR characters.

They retail at $9.99 each.

The new ferryboat sign finally arrived at the Magic Kingdom boat dock.

Refurbishments, Refurbishments, Refurbishments…

The Walt Disney World Railroad is closed for refurbishment currently.

The exterior of the Emporium is also under refurbishment.

The City Hall restrooms are closed again.

BREAKING: More Magic Kingdom Restaurants to Begin Serving Alcohol Next Week

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

In a somewhat shocking turn of events, 4 more Magic Kingdom theme park restaurants at Walt Disney World will begin serving alcoholic beverages on December 19th, 2016.

More Magic Kingdom Restaurants Adding Alcohol to the Menu

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, Liberty Tree Tavern, the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen and Cinderella’s Royal Table will serve the beverages daily during lunch and dinner services. They will join Be Our Guest Restaurant, which when it opened in 2012, became the first Magic Kingdom establishment to serve alcohol. Prior to that, the park had a ban on the sale of the substance which it inherited from Disneyland, a tradition dating back to 1955 and continued when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971.

As it was before, the beer and wine will only be sold at sit-down restaurants and there are zero plans to add kiosks or anything else of the sort serving alcohol to the park.

Here is a list of the drinks being added too the menus:

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant will offer Italian wines and beers, including a Chianti Superiore designated to pair with the grilled pork chop with mushroom-bean pancetta ragu and marsala reduction.
Liberty Tree Tavern will serve beer, cider and domestic wines to go with its American cuisine. Koziol paired a New England lager with the Patriot’s Platter of roast turkey, roast pork and prime rib.
Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen in Adventureland will have a more global beverage menu, with drinks such as a riesling to pair with Trader Sam’s head-on shrimp.
Cinderella’s Royal Table will serve champagne and sparkling wine.

REVIEW: Jungle Cruise Skipper Canteen Undergoes Another Menu Change

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

Recently, the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen at the Magic Kingdom underwent another menu change, so we decided to go and check it out. If you haven’t, be sure to check out our last review which covers some of the past menu changes.

The souvenir mugs have made it onto the menu finally.

The cachapas replace the arepas appetizer, utilizing the same ingredients in a completely new preparation.

Thr preperation and sides with the grilled steak have changed.

The pork chops are also prepared a little differently with new sides as well.

Orinico Ida’s Cachapas ($10)

A new take on the former arepas appetizer, this dish comes preassembled now with way more of the pork and less of the accompaniments. The mix of the pre-existing flavors with the avocado cream is glorious. The arepas were good, this new version is PHENOMENAL.

Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak ($34)

The steak was the only dish at Skipper Canteen that I haven’t had before, so provided there was a change in the preparation, I figured that it might be blogable to order it today.

The steak was much better that I expected, cooked and seasoned very well. If you don’t want seafood, I’d still order the pork over this, but it is a viable option at least.

The mashed plantains as a side were great and the vegetable slaw was adequate as well.

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PHOTOS, VIDEO, REVIEW: Jungle Cruise “Skipper Canteen” Restaurant Opens at Magic Kingdom

WDWNT on November 13, 2015

After many months of waiting, the Jungle Cruise-themed Skipper Canteen restaurant soft-opened today at the Magic Kingdom in Adventureland. Despite early rumbling that it may be a counter service location or a hybrid like Be Our Guest Restaurant, it is table service-only offering lunch and dinner currently.

The restaurant accepts the Disney Dining Plan and the Tables in Wonderland discount card already, usually not the case with new restaurants at WDW, but welcome indeed. There are no reservations being taken as of yet, so it is walk-ups only, but they do have a nifty texting system to tell you when your table is ready (as long as you have a U.S. cell phone number).

The interior is brilliant. While not a whole lot of work needed to be done to the main dining room (this was the Adventureland Veranda restaurant many years ago and the room was never heavily modified for any meet and greets), two new rooms in the back of the restaurant are elegantly decorated with tons of amazing nods to the Jungle Cruise, the Enchanted Tiki Room, and even the now-shuttered Adventurer’s Club from Pleasure Island.

It does seem like not all of the decorations have been installed yet, but what is there already is fabulous. It is clear that they needed to be open to handle the holiday crowds in the park, so don’t be surprised if new details pop up daily over the next few weeks.

Take a video tour of the Skipper Canteen:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxrKKMWEwnE]

Not only is the decor brilliant, the cast members working here are too. I had so many fantastic interactions with servers, seaters, and greeters today, I find it hard to single out just one. They were all ready to unleash a repertoire of bad puns on us and I could not have been happier. While the service was a little slow (as to be expected on a first day), the crew kept everyone entertained and you could see they were trying their best which is all you can really ask. With atmosphere this good, I was in no rush to eat and get out anyway, so the wait for food never felt too long.

As for the menu, it is a BIG departure for the Magic Kingdom. It is easily the most exotic menu in a park mostly known for hamburgers and hot dogs (although this has been slowly changing over the last few years). The menu is also quite large, offering plenty to choose from. There’s even a allergy version of the menu which is quite helpful for those who need it.

The allergy menu

Kid’s menu

I didn’t order a ton off the menu since I was alone, but I did get an appetizer, entree, dessert, and both of the signature beverages (which can come in a beautiful souvenir cup.

Let’s get the bad out of the way: I hated the signature drinks. One is basically apple juice and the other, well, I’m not really sure what I was drinking. Personally, I don’t drink lot of fruit juice, so it may just be me, but I didn’t care for either of these.

The Punch Line Punch just tasted like apple juice…

The Schweitzer Slush was awful, I can’t even define a flavor for you.

A nice offering, complimentary bread is brought out with a honey spread. This was fantastic. It was unique and unexpected and I loved it.

The S.E.A. (Society of Explorers and Adventurers) Shu Mai was my favorite item I had today. It had a nice and spicy kick to it and was very flavorful. The dipping sauce was also fantastic.

For my entree, I had the Skip’s Mac and Cheese which came highly recommended. The mix of spiced ground beef, pasta, and bechamel Â sauce blended nicely and had an interesting flavor that I really enjoyed.

Then there was dessert…

OK, I just had to show you the back…

I ordered the Kungaloosh just to make all you Adventurer’s Club fans happy… OK, it was the most chocolate thing on the menu so I wanted it.

It was really great. Nothing too crazy, but prepared very nicely and certainly a must if you love chocolate as much as I do.

Overall, I LOVED Skipper Canteen. I’m a sucker for story, so even if the food wasn’t good, I was prepared to return several times, but honestly, this is the BEST table service menu at the Magic Kingdom. It’s unique, it’s diverse, and everything I’ve had or any dishes I asked neighboring tables about (yeah, I was THAT guy) recieves high marks. It’s seriously really good. It’s good to the point that I’m afraid Magic Kingdom crowds will be afraid of the menu and they may change it, but we’ll see what happens. As of right now, this is THE BEST restaurant at Magic Kingdom. I know that doesn’t often mean much, but I would seriously rank the meal I had today in at least the top 20 restaurants at Walt Disney World. I would go higher, but I really need to try more of the menu, which I plan on doing very soon based on my experience today.