When looking for quick service dining at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, look no further than Satu’li Canteen at Pandora – World of Avatar. This modern counter service restaurant is a fan favorite thanks to its fresh food and healthier alternatives than traditional quick fare like burgers and sandwiches. According to over 500,000 surveys from our readers, Satu’li Canteen has a 96% thumbs up rating, and is number 3 out of 107 other dining options at Walt Disney World.
Mobile Ordering is available here–in fact, this was one of the first Disney dining locations to offer this great feature. You can customize your order including removing the boba pearls that accompany most meals.
Satu’li Canteen Mobile OrderingSatu’li Canteen Mobile Ordering
The menu at Satu’li Canteen focuses on customized bowls, primarily. Anytime I dine here I am torn between ordering a bowl or indulging in the Cheeseburger Pods. This creative take on a fast food classic has a great flavor, and in my opinion is ten times better than a standard Disney quick service burger. But, the bowls are also full of flavor and a healthier food option. The plant-based tofu bowl is actually tasty, and another choice that I lean toward.
Satu’li Canteen Menu
Our field team at Animal Kingdom today also had a hard time deciding between the Cheeseburger Pods and one of the bowls. The Cheeseburger Pods won out. Soft and tender Bao Buns (technically it’s just Bao, but moving on) are filled with ground beef, ketchup, mustard, pickle, and cheddar cheese. All the tangy condiments meld together, filling each bite with zest.
If you prefer a plain burger you cannot remove any of the premixed items in the pod. You may want to opt for a traditional burger at Restaurantosaurus instead. The pods are served with crunchy vegetable slaw and vegetable chips, but you can double up of one or the other when mobile ordering.
Satu’li Canteen’s backstory is that it was once the mess hall for the Resources Development Administration base, and is now owned and operated by Alpha Centuri Expeditions. The Canteen features Na’vi cultural items in the interior. A large outdoor seating area is partially covered and allows you to soak up the unique environment of Pandora.
Satu’li Canteen Outdoor Dining
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Disney’s Grand Floridian reopens this week and with it so do some of its unique features. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is offers multiple merchandise shops, resembling a mall-like experience. One of the most notable stores at Disney’s Grand Floridian is Basin White.
Basin White at Disney’s Grand FloridianBasin White at Disney’s Grand Floridian
Basin is a specialty bath and body care store with a location in Disney Springs and another at the Grand Floridian. The location inside Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is called Basin White. It has a sophisticated, polished look. Basin is known for their sugar scrubs and bath bombs. They also have hand-cut soaps in a variety of themes. Cleanliness and self-care is more important than ever, making Basin and Basin White a good stop during your Walt Disney World visit.
Basin White at Disney’s Grand FloridianBasin White at Disney’s Grand Floridian
Our team spotted some great fall scents and products, though more is said to be on the way. We found some amazing bath bombs like Candy Corn scented and a Villains bath bomb complete with Maleficent horns. There’s also the Isn’t It Grand scent which is green clover and aloe, and smells like the Grand Floridian lobby – iconic. Bath bombs are priced based on size; the large ones pictured here at $5.99 each of 3 for $15.
Basin White at Disney’s Grand FloridianBasin White at Disney’s Grand FloridianCandy Corn Bath BombMaleficent Villains Bath Bomb
Have you stopped into Basin before? Do you have a favorite product?
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Merchandise, Observations, Resorts, Shopping, disney bath, disney covid, disney hotel, disney resort hotel, disney soap, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, grand floridian reopen
We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute”–bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!
What is Mousekeeping?
Your mousekeeper, I mean housekeeper, cleans your Walt Disney World hotel room.
Mousekeeping is housekeeping, as in the hardworking staff who make sure your hotel room is spic and span prior to and during your stay at a Walt Disney World resort hotel. The word is a portmanteau of “mouse” (as in Mickey) and housekeeping.
Surprisingly, Disney itself does not use the word “mousekeeping.” Search for that term on the Walt Disney World website and you’ll come up empty. While mousekeeping is not proper Disney nomenclature, you will find the term used frequently in Disney blogging and social media circles. If you have a question about room cleaning and want to search official Disney sites, use “housekeeping,” if you want to pick up a broader range of answers, try searching “mousekeeping” as well.
When staying at a Disney resort hotel, you can expect that your housekeeper/mousekeeper will give everything a through cleaning before you arrive, including sanitizing all surfaces, supplying fresh linens and towels, steam cleaning or vacuuming the floors, and so on. During your stay, you may decline additional service (during the pandemic, some guests prefer not to have additional people enter their room), or you may elect to have interim service of trash removal, towel replacement, cleaning the bathroom surfaces, and vacuuming as needed.
Destinations all around the world are seeing a rise in demand for stand-alone accommodations such as cabins and villas. Central Florida is no exception to this increased demand, and there is no shortage of options. I’ve pulled together some of my favorites, some that are near Walt Disney World, and others that are in the broader Central Florida area.
Cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort
As things began to open back up at Walt Disney World, one of the first destinations to welcome guests back was Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. It is hard to beat the charm of Fort Wildreness. It evokes the Vacation Kingdom vibes of original 1970s Walt Disney World. These pre-fabricated, free-standing cabins can sleep six people. A separate bedroom contains a king bed and bunk beds, a large bathroom has a tub and shower combination, and there is a fully equipped kitchen, small dining area, and a living area with sleeper sofa.
Back in July, my husband, son, and I stayed in a Fort Wilderness Cabin as our “welcome back” weekend. We visited EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom that weekend, as it was our first time back in the parks, but I kind of wish we had spent more time at Fort Wilderness. Breakfast on the front porch of the cabin was peaceful and divine. There’s plenty to explore and enjoy at the resort itself–you don’t even have to go into the parks to have a good time.
Fort Wilderness Cabin Kitchen and Living Area
Treeshouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
For an upgrade and uplifted Florida wilderness experience, the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort cannot be topped. Finding availability at these Disney Vacation Club free-standing villas is not an easy task. But if you appreciate nature and want a laid back Disney stay then it is worth the challenge to get in. Transportation can be an annoyance for guests without a car; it is slow at this resort. But the tranquil boat ride to Disney Springs or a cup of morning coffee on the deck among the Florida wetlands more than makes up for it.
The Treehouse Villas sleep nine people, though two of those nine would be children because of the bunk bed in the small children’s bedroom. The views are marvelous. The furnishings are woodsy, but a notch above rustic. Vaulted ceilings add to the character of these unique villas. The truly are the most special accommodations on property, in my opinion.
Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
It is worth mentioning the Bora Bora Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Resort and the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. These accommodations are splendid, and great for those wanting their own stand-alone building. They can be a challenge to get into whether you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member or not. But if you’ve got enough points or cash to book one, definitely go for it.
Margaritaville Orlando Cottages
Near the Western border of Walt Disney World is the sprawling Margaritaville Orlando Resort. You don’t need to be a Parrothead (a major Jimmy Buffett fan, like me) to appreciate the tropical vacation atmosphere of this resort. As you arrive to the resort you’ll no doubt notice the Island H20 Live Water Park that practically sits on the edge of Highway 192, as well as Sunset Walk, the resort’s shopping, dining, and entertainment area. The resort offers a 4-star hotel where each room has a pool view. Then there are vacation cottages, each one bursting with tropical details.
You can book a one-bedroom cottage all the way to an eight-bedroom cottage, in case you’re traveling with your own football team. Each cottage has access to all the included resort amenities. You can also enjoy outdoor common areas as each cottage has an outdoor patio that connects to a common area with picnic facilities including tiki tables with thatched roofs. Small playgrounds are spread out throughout the property for easy access from the cottages. There’s no shortage of fun at this resort.
The Villas of Grand Cypress
Just outside the Disney bubble, at Lake Buena Vista, is a towering resort beloved by many, Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Just down the road from this iconic resort are The Villas of Grand Cypress. These villas are no longer associated with the aforementioned resort, but they offer luxury and relaxation that feels like you are world’s away from Walt Disney World, yet it is just around the corner.
Currently these villas are closed. No reopening date has been announced, but I would encourage you to consider them for a future stay. They are especially attractive to golfers. Keep these in mind if you plan to visit Walt Disney World a little longer down the road.
Reunion Resort Vacation Homes
About 15 -20 minutes from Walt Disney World is Reunion Resort. This resort is a nice alternative for families and groups who want more space, both in the villa itself, and throughout the resort’s amenities. A golf course winds through the resort providing fun for those that golf, and a lush atmosphere.
The vacation homes that reside within the Reunion Resort are some of the most luxurious in all of Central Florida. The largest vacation home has thirteen bedrooms and has its own bowling alley, movie theater, and a “hidden” children’s bedroom themed to Harry Potter. Other vacation homes range from 10 bedrooms down to three bedrooms. Most have their own private pool and outdoor kitchens, with all the amenities of a luxury home.
Cabins and Glamping at Lake Louisa State Park
Way on the other side of the spectrum, a long way from luxury, but right at the heart of natural beauty is Lake Louisa State Park. Here you can stay in a two bedroom cabin with a beautiful lake view. These cabins can sleep up to six people and offer a full kitchen, screened-in porch, and charcoal grill. What is missing is a television and telephone. And quite honestly that sounds delightful to me. I wonder if they’d lock my cell phone away from me for a little bit?
Lake Louisa State Park is about thirty minutes from Walt Disney World. It is certainly not a convenient location for visiting the attractions. But if getting away from it all, while still being reasonable close to the fun, it is a great option. A minimum two-night stay in cabins on weekends and holidays.
If you really want to immerse yourself in the natural beauty here, but not ready to completely “rough it” there are luxury tent sites to provide a “glamping” experience. Glamorous camping is a very popular alternative for those wanting to camp, but not miss out on some of the nicer things in our modern life.
Lake Louisa State Park Cabins – photo from Florida State Parks
Other Central Florida Stand-Alone Accommodations
Cabins at Blue Spring State Park (an hour north of Walt Disney World)
Glamping at Westgate River Ranch (an hour southeast of Walt Disney World)
Vacation Homes in Kissimmee, Davenport, and more
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If you’ve been seeing our posts about low wait times during this era of COVID concerns, or if you’re watching our Crowd Calendar, you probably know by now that weekends are busy. We’re seeing a big difference in crowds and wait times on the weekends at Magic Kingdom. Thankfully our Lines App makes it easy for you to save time and know which attractions to visit when, in real-time, as data adjusts throughout the day.
Let’s take a look at this is the first weekend with Halloween in full swing at Magic Kingdom.
Mask Compliance and Enforcement Still Going Strong at Disney
One concern many of us have when it gets busier at the parks is if it becomes challenging for physical distancing and mask compliance. During yesterday’s visit our team observed a handful of guests not wearing their masks properly. In each instance they observed a Cast Member asking them to wear the mask properly. We continue to see that physical distancing is best when there are floor markers.
Splash Mountain Crowds at Magic Kingdom 5:15pm on Saturday 09-19Fantasyland Crowds 5:45pm on 9-19-20 (15 minutes before park closing)
Halloween Character Cavalcades Are Crowd Pleasers
We sometimes get asked on social media and our Liners chat for the schedule of character cavalcades at Magic Kingdom and other parks. The schedule is not published in order to deter guests from lining up and crowding in anticipation of the characters. With the new Halloween cavalcades we’ve seen more guests than before stopping to watch. For the most part physical distancing is still followed, but it does take some vigilance during the Halloween cavalcades.
Jack and Sally in Halloween Cavalcade at Magic KingdomPooh and Friends in Halloween Costumes at Crystal Palace
Wait Times Do Not Drop Off as Dramatically With Shortened Hours
The last hour or two of park operations have typically always been a good time to get some rides in as wait times diminish. While we are seeing wait times still tapering off during the last hour, with park closing now moved back an hour the decrease in wait times is not as dramatic. Our team has observed a lot more people lingering in the park just before and after official park closing.
Cinderella Castle at 7:30pm on 09-19Main Street USA at 7:30pm on 09-19Expected Wait Times at Magic Kingdom in Lines App 5:15pm 09-19Expected Wait Times at Magic Kingdom in Lines App 5:15pm 09-19Extended Queue at Pirates of the Caribbean one hour before closing on 09-19-20
You can view the entire day’s worth of observed and Actual Wait Times from yesterday on our site. Our Liners can report their Actual Wait Times into the Lines app, helping to add real-time data. In the graph below you can see the Actual Wait Times on Pirates of the Caribbean yesterday by looking at the green dots.
Pirates of the Caribbean Wait Times on 09-19
In many cases there were longer wait times yesterday than during Labor Day Weekend. With Magic Kingdom getting busier on weekends, with shorter hours to boot, it is becoming increasingly important visit with a solid plan in place.
Subscribers to our Lines app get access to Expected Wait Times compared to Disney’s Posted Wait Times. With shorter hours this kind of information is even more helpful so you can maximize your day, knowing which attractions to visit when in order to have the shortest wait possible.
Pirates of the Caribbean Wait Times on 09-19 in Lines AppMagic Kingdom Observed Wait Times 09-19-2020Magic Kingdom Observed Wait Times 09-05-2020
What’s your favorite attraction at Magic Kingdom? Do you have plans to visit soon?
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Dos and Don’ts, Halloween, In the Parks, Magic Kingdom, Cinderella Castle, disney covid, disney halloween, magic kingdom crowd, magic kingdom crowd calendar, magic kingdom halloween, magic kingdom wait times
