Sanaa, Tiffins, or Jiko for lunch? And is it a nuisance to leave AK park?

[Bmh4796]

I haven’t been to any of them. We have deluxe Disney plans so price doesn’t matter. Sanaa seems great because the we can see the animals. We have a 3 year old who we struggle with in restaurants. He doesn’t like to stay in his seat for long while waiting for food, so I figured the animals would be a great way to keep him entertained.

If our youngest starts to be uncooperative, we take turns taking him outside so other guests aren’t bothered, so if Tiffin and Jiko aren’t TOO fancy we can still bring him to one of those.

Is it a pain having to go back to the entrance of AKL and take a van over to Sanaa or Jiko? That’s the main plus I see in Tiffin, and the food seems good. The food seems good at all 3.

So what say you?

 

[Nancyg56]

First of all, with the exception of V&A, none of the restaurants in WDW are too fancy for your three year old.

I don't think leaving a park for lunch is to much of a problem, but honestly, for my family, once we leave for a late lunch we seldom wind up back. You know your family. If they would look at leaving as a break, then I would choose to go to Sanaa, and not just for the animals. My family went whiel I took the younger girls to 1900 PF, and they loved that meal. It was among the favorites. They were there for a late dinner, however with kids who love animals, late afternoon would be wonderful.

I really liked Tiffins if you choose to stay in the park. The reviews have been up and down lately, but I think that happens when a restaurant builds a base, the more folks visit, the more your reviews will fluctuate.

 

[Skippyboo]

The AKL buses from AK will stop at both Kidani (Saana) and Jambo (Jiko) so it’s not hard to get to either restaurant. However Jiko isn’t open for lunch.

Have you thought about Tusker House since it’s a character meal?

 

[JKMastalski]

I second the idea of Tusker House. Since its character dining, there is always something to look at and keep your child's attention. Plus being a buffet, you can gauge how long you want to stay for. Sanaa is a nice break from the parks and is easy to get to, if you want to explore the other options.

 

[summerlvr]

Jiko is not open for lunch, but have heard great things about Sanaa.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I'd say Tiffins, hands down for this situation.

Strikes me as eating up an awful lot of time to travel to AKL from AK just for lunch.

Beyond that...

• I would place Sanaa last among the restaurants you cited
• I don't believe Jiko is open for lunch, though I've never tried
• Tiffins is WONDERFUL. We've enjoyed every dish here, and have lost track of how many times we've been. You can walk your 3yo around the restaurant to look at the colorful decorations if he gets bored.

 

[jacknsally19]

I have eaten at all three.... and Tiffins is the one that my family has eaten at more than once. Its just more convenient when you are in the parks. Plus, its really good !

Tusker House is fine for character dining but the food is not nearly as good as Tiffin or Boma. Also, I think character dining and buffets are kind of stressful whereas Tiffins, Sanaa, Boma are relaxing.

 

[Nancyg56]

Tusker House is fine for character dining but the food is not nearly as good as Tiffin or Boma. Also, I think character dining and buffets are kind of stressful whereas Tiffins, Sanaa, Boma are relaxing.

I agree that character meals and buffet are not relaxing meals. I think they fill a need, and can provide a respite for many, however with youngsters they can be more stimulating, and I don't know any parent of youngsters who leaves one rested.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I've twice left Animal Kingdom to go to lunch at Sanaa. And both times it was easy. And lunch was delicious.

 

[Micca]

I think it's kind of a waste of time to exit a park. If you're going to be doing a full day from RD-to-close then it's nice to get away from a while but you're adding a lot of footsteps to get to the resort and return to the park. When you're dealing with small children and folding/re-opening a stroller every time you board a shuttle...it gets old.

If you want great food and entertainment for kids, look no further than Tusker House at AK. The food is very good, and the character interaction is a lot of fun.
I think the food rivals the quality served at Boma, and the experience gets my vote as the best character buffet on property. Note: You'll want to be sure the kids are cool with getting up-close with the characters.

 

[Evan_N]

Both Tiffins and Sanaa are excellent. I've never been to Jiko so I'll let others advise you on that option.

Tiffins will offer the convenience of staying in the park. My meal at Tiffins was one of the best I've ever had at any of the WDW Resort restaurants. I ate their a little more than a year. I know they have tweaked the menu a bit but I haven't heard anything about a decline or variation in quality since then.

Sanaa offers a very unique dining experience; probably only rivaled with Coral Reef in terms of setting. Unlike Coral Reef, Sanaa offers a great selection across their entire menu. Eating there for lunch or an early dinner is best to take advantage of the view and see the animals. If you dine late, low light or evening animal care could limit your experience. The bus trip to Sanaa from Animal Kingdom is fairly simple. Expect about 15 minutes from bus pick-up to bus drop-off.

I've never taken a 3 year old to either restaurant. I'd say I have seen more children at Sanaa than Tiffins. There are always children congregating on the boardwalk that leads to the animal viewing area outside of Sanaa. Also, there are cast members there to answer questions about the animals.

 

[crazyash83]

I would go with the posters saying Tusker House as for a child who cannot sit still, this place would be ideal! Good Luck and either way, you'll have an amazing time

 

[ArmyVet80]

We took my nephew (5 years old high functioning autistic) to both Tiffins and Sanaa. He liked both of them, but he seemed to be in awe of the animals at Sanaa. He kept asking if we could go back to Sanaa and was very into being able to look out the window and see everything. When we were leaving we took him out to the observation deck and he didn't want to leave. We had to coax him with a video of Kilimanjaro Safari which we had a FP to about 2 hours later.

That was the only meal he ate all of his food without a peep of wanting his Ipad to play "plants vs zombies". I would say it was a win. He also keeps asking my sister when they can go back to eat and watch the animals. He is 7 now.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you are planning to continue touring AK after lunch, I wouldn't leave. It's really not convenient. I think people underestimate how long it takes to get anywhere in WDW. From walking out of AK, waiting for a bus, eating and then going back to AK, you are looking at at least an hour plus of wasted waiting and transportation time. Sanaa is lovely, but animals occasionally walk by. It's not enough, IMHO, to entertain a 3-year old for an entire meal. Tiffins is very good. I would just go there. Sanaa simply isn't worth transporting a 3 year back and forth to AKL for.

 

[gharter]

You really can't go wrong with any of those choices.
While its only a 5 minute bus ride to AKL, it is still a hassle to go through security and the turnstyles a second time. If you have not seen AKL, then I would go eat at Sanaa.
If you will be staying in AK for the afternoon, Tiffins is really good. If you are thinking about QS, Satu'li is another good option.
All WDW restaurants are kid friendly. Most waiters are good about bringing food for the kids to eat right away. If they don't, ask and they will. Also, having games, books, coloring books etc, help a lot.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I wouldn't leave if you plan to return to AK. If the bus is magically sitting there when you arrive at the bus stop, and then on the flipside when you want to return, it doesn't take "that long" but it's still added steps, security, and time. Or... you could end up waiting 25 minutes for a bus on either end (or both) and nearly add an hour to your lunch, without accounting for walking and security.

You'll already see the animals at AK and while I love Sanaa, the food isn't worth a potential 1 hour travel time to enjoy. Jiko is not open for lunch.

I think AK has some of the best food on property so I would not leave, personally. We never hit Tiffin's (just Nomad) but the menu and reviews are very positive and it's so convenient.