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Tusker House Restaurant Colorful African-themed counter-service restaurant |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Hotel Burudika |
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Adventurous travelers flock to the Hotel Burudika in the East African village of Harambe. It’s a popular place to rest before or after a two-week safari into the forests, wetlands, and savanna of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. And now you’re here too. |
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One reason for the Hotel Burudika’s popularity is its Tusker House Restaurant—the best place in the village for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. There’s also the hotel’s Dawa Bar for African wine, specialty cocktails, and thirst-quenching beers. But that’s another story. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2005 A bull elephant—a tusker—on the Tusker House sign |
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Perhaps you would expect Tusker House Restaurant to offer a fancy buffet. Nope. This is an unpretentious place. You order at a counter in the hotel’s two-story lobby. Your food is served quickly. Then you look for an empty table. You’ve probably already figured out that you’re not really in Eastern Africa. You’re at Yester Animal Kingdom, and the year is between 1998 and 2007. Hotel Burudika makes Harambe feel authentic, but it’s not a real hotel. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Come on in |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 A bold boast |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Counter service in the two-story lobby |
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As you study the menu, you’ll notice it’s more American than African. If you were expecting Irio, Maharagwe, Ugali, Sukuma Wiki, or Nyama Choma, you won’t find them here. What you will find is less exotic, but also quite delicious. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Entrées |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Kids’ Picks and Dessert |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Beverages |
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You say you want the salmon? Good choice. The fish is seasoned well. The vegetables are hot, but not mushy. And the Tusker House version of jollof rice is even a nod to Africa. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Grilled Salmon entrée on a plastic plate, accompanied by a plastic fork and paper napkin |
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Now you only have one more decision—where to eat your meal. There are plenty of tables inside and outside. As you wander around, take a look at the authentic art and artifacts. If you don’t mind eating while standing, head out to the street where there’s often entertainment. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Main dining room |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2006 Outdoor seating behind Tusker House Restaurant |
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When it’s time to eat at Yester Animal Kingdom, “satisfy your beastly hunger” at the Tusker House Restaurant. |
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Tusker House Restaurant was part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom when the fourth theme park at Walt Disney World officially opened on Earth Day—April 22, 1998. Surprisingly, while the other parks offered numerous table-service and buffet options, the new animal park relied almost entirely on counter service. The two exceptions were a table-service chain restaurant, Rainforest Cafe, at the park entrance and Donald’s Breakfastosaurus character breakfast buffet at Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand U.S.A. It seemed odd. And it would be corrected in 2007. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2007 Temporarily closed |
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Tusker House Restaurant closed August 20, 2007, for a three-month remodel. That was its end as a counter-service eatery. No more plasticware or paper cups. Before Tusker House Restaurant would reopen, the company behind Rainforest Cafe opened a second table-service restaurant in the park. Yak & Yeti Restaurant, serving pan-Asian food in a Nepalese-themed restaurant, opened in the Asia section on November 14, 2007. Thankfully, it wasn’t a chain restaurant this time. Three days later, on November 17, 2007, Tusker House Restaurant reopened as a full-service buffet. The name did not change. Guests were surprised to find a pricy, ambitious African-inspired buffet where they had previously enjoyed relatively inexpensive American food. On the same day, Donald’s Breakfastosaurus character breakfast—with Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Mickey—moved from Restaurantosaurus (where it ended November 2, 2007) to Tusker House Restaurant, becoming Donald’s Safari Breakfast. There were no characters at lunch or dinner… at first. Tusker House added characters to lunch on December 4, 2011, and to dinner on March 8, 2015. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2019 Characters at breakfast, lunch, and dinner |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2019 Lunch and dinner overview |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2019 Check-in for the buffet |
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After Tusker House Restaurant stopped its counter service in 2007, guests not wanting the buffet feast had limited options in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom—Tamu Tamu Eats & Refreshments, Kusafiri Coffee & Bakery, Harambe Fruit Market, and Dawa Bar (bar service only). There was a need for a place offering quick meals with plenty of seating. It took until May 23, 2015. That’s when Harambe Market opened. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2016 Harambe Market in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2016 Themed as a street market with food stalls operated by local entrepreneurs |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2015 All Natural Grilled Chicken Skewer and All-Beef Gyro Flatbread, as served in 2015 |
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Harambe Market makes it easy to pretend you’re in rural Africa. The food is quick (except when the lines get too long) and tasty. It’s a worthy successor to the original counter-service Tusker House Restaurant. |
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© 2020 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated December 18, 2020 |
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