If there’s one thing Tyler can’t pass up on it’s a good pun or just the worst Dad joke you’ve ever heard in your life. So, it’s no surprise that one of his (and our!) favorite theme park rides in all of Orlando is the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom. If you want more punny fun beyond the boat ride, you need to check out Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper’s Canteen, the Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant located across from the ride.

Finding Skipper’s Canteen

Skipper’s Canteen is a table service restaurant located in the Adventureland area of Magic Kingdom. We highly recommend getting a reservation. You’ll have no problem checking in for your reservation as the check-in table is easy to find. You might have to wait for a bit after your check-in, but the waiting area is covered and has a handful of comfy chairs to wait on.

Just like the ride that inspired the restaurant, be prepared for a good amount of puns and bad jokes. They’ll be told to you by your host, server and even the menu has some jokes in it too. The jokes aren’t so rapid-fire that they take away from the meal, but they’re definitely there.

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The restaurant is much bigger on the inside than it looks. We were surprised at just how many different rooms there were and how they were all decorated so uniquely. It reminded us of how beautifully and uniquely themed Tiffins was at Animal Kingdom.

Once your meal is complete, do yourself a favor and take a tour of all the rooms. We ate in one of the smaller rooms, so noise wasn’t an issue for us. However, the main dining room is large and cavernous, so noise might be an issue. If your party is small enough, request to eat in one of the smaller dining rooms to avoid any unnecessary noise.  

Skipper’s Canteen Menu

The menu at Skipper’s Canteen feels special and fancy while still having a good variety. This is definitely better food than a concession stand, but it’s not so exotic that it’ll turn away pickier eaters. There is a good selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, including some drinks you can only find at the restaurant.

Our Food

As a big fan of steak, Tyler opted to try the “A Lot at Steak” Salad. This steak salad consists of the meat, pickled jalapenos, onions, spring mix, lettuce and pumpkin seeds tossed in a chimichurri vinaigrette. Tyler ordered his steak rare and Skipper’s Canteen cooked it to perfection. Not only was it cooked perfectly, but the portions were also large as well. 

Tyler was able to have some steak in almost every bite of the salad and still had some leftover. The steak notwithstanding, the rest of the salad was fresh and flavorful. The meal was one of the best he’s had on Disney property and is worth returning to the restaurant for.

Jessica had the Sankuru Sadie’s Seafood Stew which consisted of shrimp, sustainable fish, mussels, bay scallops, and octopus simmered in a coconut sauce served with Jasmine rice. There was a lot of seafood and the dish was pretty filling, but the flavor was a little underwhelming. 

For dessert, we opted to split the Kungaloosh!, an African-inspired chocolate cake with bananas and ice cream. The dessert tasted good, but wasn’t anything earth-shattering; you could tell the portion was made for just one person. It wasn’t bad splitting it between the two of us, but it would have been a stretch to share with any more than just two people.

Our Verdict

Like any table service restaurant at Disney, you’re paying for more than just the food. There is an atmosphere to each restaurant, and Skipper’s Canteen has a good atmosphere to it. The room we sat in was quiet, the menu was diverse, and everything had a touch of comedy to it. 

Tyler’s steak salad was one of the best entrees he’s had at a Disney restaurant and would be happy to make a return trip for that alone. If you’re looking for a nice, sit-down meal at the Magic Kingdom that isn’t too fancy and doesn’t take itself too seriously, you should definitely look into Skipper’s Canteen.