Tusker House to become Character Buffet?

[wdwmagic]

Full details at http://www.wdwmagic.com/animal.htm

 

[jmuboy]

Here we go again - let WDW ruin another good dining expereince.

 

[DiPSU224]

I hope this is just a rumor. I've heard such great things about this place, yet we've never eaten there yet. I really want to try it.
Other than Chef Mickey's, we've always felt a little weird being 2 adults at a character meal.

 

[docandsix]

Boo.

Nothing like taking all the unique restaurants and stores and making them into places where Mickey Mouse is shoved down your throat. Surely someone at upper levels of Disney management remembers when a trip to Walt Disney World was so much more than a trip to the biggest Disney Store on earth--I certainly do, and I miss those days.

My family and I are supposed to eat at Tusker House after the Sunrise Safari during our upcoming visit. If this plan goes through, it will be the last time we dine there.

Why not just have Donald and Daisy prance through Boma and Jiko while they're at it?

 

[jasondiff]

Why not just have Donald and Daisy prance through Boma and Jiko while they're at it?

Don't give them any ideas!

 

[Empress Room]

Ouch!

Although I understand Disney's desire to attract families and children to their eating establishments, this just sounds like a short-sighted idea. The Harambe area of AK is very authentic and very nicely themed, and Tusker House added to this theme. Moreover, there are very few dining choices in AK, why exclude a portion of your guests from an entire restaurant because they either do not want a character experience or a buffet meal?

If this rumor is true, those not wishing to be "over-characterized" will be forced to choose among only limited choices - Pizzafari, Flametree or the very over-priced and mediocre Rain Forest. Maybe the construction of the new dinosaur-themed sit-down restaurant is fueling this, but Tusker House is unique and provided a great alternative to the above.

 

[teebin]

What does a character buffet consist of specifically? Is it a buffet all day long? If they remove registers how do you pay for it? Are characters in costume present all day long? Do they wander from table to table or do something else? I appreciate any detailed insight that you can offer.

 

[Justa' BigKid]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

 

[drew81]

I just hope it's not the same old characters as all the other meals. Mowgli and Baloo would be a good fit. Please Disney don't put Rafiki or Timon there!!! They are everywhere!!! Maybe some random characters ???

 

[tracyandalex]

we love tusker house and eat there every time we got to ak. we are not very excited about this, it's really not necessary and as others have said it would take away from the authenticity of harambe.


tracy & alex

 

[Shaman]

Full details at http://www.wdwmagic.com/animal.htm

Sounds interesting...maybe they'll extend AK park hours next....

 

[Irrawaddy Erik]

Have you any idea how noisy it's going to be in my apartment...

 

[LuvtheEars]

I honestly hope this does not happen before we go in late November. I looked at the menu online and found this restaurant to have one of the better kid's menus (unless that has changed too). I know there are not a lot of choices at AK, but by eliminating a counter service option and making us leave the park for our kids to eat is not a good idea. I have the strange type of kids that do not like hot dogs or french fries, but like to try different things, and love fresh veggies.

:xmas:

 

[DisneyBunny]

Sigh...Well, there goes another great place to eat. I suppose they want to capitalize on the early morning crowds in Africa, and take advantage of its prime location... But I can't help but be saddened. There goes my favorite place to eat in the AK. It looks like we won't even be staying for half a day anymore, now that it's going.

 

[PatsRule]

Why can't they have a portion of these restaurants for people who don't want a character experience? But, it's all about the almighty $$$. They throw some characters in there and they can double the price.

 

[teebin]

I would have thought that Pizzafari would have been a better place to have a character buffet. As long as they don't touch the ribs at Flame Tree, I am a happy camper.

 

[Meeko]

Terrible idea especially if it's going to be Mickey, Minnie, etc because you can walk 5 feet down the path and see them in Camp Minnie Mickey.

This would only be a buffet that would interest me if it were more obscure or rare characters. No Lion King. Maybe Jungle Book, but they're kind of everywhere too. Pocohontas is already in AK, maybe Tarzan? Although Terk's everywhere already too. :veryconfu

 

[teebin]

maybe Tarzan? Although Terk's everywhere already too. :veryconfu

I don't believe they allow one to enter a dining establishment shirtless.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I guess my concern is since Harambe closes before any other area of the park, are they going to keep Tusker House open later than the rest of the area? I could see this as a positive thing only if they have available some of the more normally unseen characters from Jungle Book, Tarzan, Brother Bear, etc...If they throw princesses or the fab five in there, I think it will be a failure both in keeping to theming and popularity.

 

[Lionking]

They have been making plans for this change for almost a year now. The original plans where to close Restaurantasouras and move the character dinning to tusker house. I don’t know if that is still the plans but last I heard it was not going to be permanent and for breakfast only but this is the first I have heard of it since March so plans could have changed.