Walking into Animal Kingdom is, to me, akin to entering a different world. Of course, the temperature rises 30 degrees and the humidity immediately hits 110%, but that’s not what I mean. The things Joe Rohde and his team have done with Walt Disney World’s youngest park are just spectacular. The attention to detail is unmatched. The flow of the park works so well. She’s just an absolute beauty. 

The park’s signature restaurant is no different. In fact, I’d go so far as to say Tiffins is a love letter to Animal Kingdom and its fans not only in tangible theme but in spirit. Even the name itself, referring to not only a type of meal but the container it’s kept in, is given an extra nod in the tiffins that adorn the top of the restaurant’s sign.

My first experience and Tiffins was during my travel agency’s first annual Women, Wine and Walt weekend. The other coordinators and I had some downtime during an unscheduled afternoon and decided to try for a last minute reservation, as none of us had dined at the signature spot yet. Like most other signature restaurants in-park, the dress code is relaxed. Sporting branded event tees and a morning’s worth of park, we felt perfectly at home and blended in with those dining around us. 

This first experience was fantastic! The service, the food, the atmosphere. Exactly what I had gone in expecting based on reviews and the general Disney air.

The second trip, a few months later, left me wanting more but not necesarily wanting to return to Tiffins. While the service and aura were Disney standard, the food was just okay for me and the rest of my family. I’m not sure if the perfection of the first experience was too much to live up to, or if it was the absence of the peaches and cream appetizer (which, honestly, is 90% of the reason I booked Tiffins for the family). It really could’ve been the peaches. But for the price of a signature meal, I always want to be wowed, and I just wasn’t the second time around. That said, Tiffins isn’t completely off my list, but it probably is if I’m footing the bill for everyone. 😉 But don’t take my word for it. I always encourage my guests to try things out for themselves, as taste is completely subjective. With that in mind, the beauty of the restaurant is not debated here. It’s an absolutely goregous atmosphere for an in-park dining experience. Let’s take a peek…

The Galleries

The three dining rooms that make up Tiffins are not simply dining rooms but galleries paying homage to Animal Kingdom, as well as the spaces and places that influenced the imagineers during the park’s creation. The Grand Gallery, home to my first Tiffins experience, honors the animals themselves with art nods to the Tree of Life, Rivers of Light and other attractions and species found throughout the park. My second dining opportunity found us seated in the Safari Gallery which embodies the spirit of Harambe, Animal Kingdom’s fictional African village, and the real-life locations that informed its inception. Asia inspires the Trek Gallery found on the other side of the Nomad Lounge. We’ve never dined in this area, although our hostess did walk us through the gallery on both occasions. Apparently I was too in awe (or hungry) to take out a camera, because I have no photographic evidence of its existence.

The Nomad Lounge

Holding its own as a standalone watering hole, but also a fantastic spot for pre- or post-meal cocktails, the Nomad Lounge is nestled in between Tiffins reception and the Trek Gallery. This spot quickly assumed a cult following, which is easy to understand given the creative libations and exotic nibbles offered. 

The Food

Now, onto the eats! Again, everything I had on the first trip to Tiffins is basically now untouchable in memory, but unfortunately, that’s where much of it will stay, as it’s no longer on the menu, but for memory’s sake, I’ll pay tribute to those peaches here.