A lot of news came out of Anaheim, California for the first day of the D23 Expo 2015 on Friday, and the majority of it was about new Disney and Pixar movies . There is much more to come all weekend, but one big Disney Parks’ bit of info was the confirmation that a Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant named the Skipper Canteen is coming to Walt Disney World.
The Disney Parks Blog did announce confirmation that the Skipper Canteen will open in the Magic Kingdom before the end of the year. There really isn’t a lot known on the opening date, just that it will be “later this year.”
“At the Jungle Skipper Canteen, guests will be able to experience ‘World Famous Jungle Cuisine’ in one of several unique dining rooms – including a crew mess hall and a once-hidden secret meeting room of the famed Society of Explorers and Adventurers. The restaurant will also be staffed by Jungle Cruise Skippers.”
Anyone that is over in Magic Kingdom can see the construction has been ongoing for a few months now. The old Adventureland Veranda is completely boarded up and even being extended on the Main Street U.S.A. side.
Not a lot of details are known about the Skipper Canteen, but some rumors have been floating around.
The Disney Food Blog is reporting that skippers from the Jungle Cruise attraction will be those that staff the restaurant. This is a very interesting touch because they will bring over their corny jokes, great attitudes, and fun spirits for the restaurant.
It has long been expected that the Skipper Canteen (before knowing the official name) would be a table-service restaurant. Rumor has it that it will follow in the footsteps of Be Our Guest Restaurant with counter-service (quick-service) for lunch and table-service for dinner.
Many have thought that this may be a small way of appeasing fans of the old Adventurer’s Club that once sat in Pleasure Island, Disney’s nighttime spot. Anyone who visited the Adventurer’s Club knows this won’t be the same, but it may bring about similar feelings and humor.
The club and Pleasure Island itself are now long gone as Disney Springs is being built, but it is truly missed.
Fans at the D23 Expo 2015 are sure to get more information on park happenings at the Disney Parks & Resorts presentation on Saturday afternoon. The news of the Jungle Cruise-themed restaurant called the Skipper Canteen was an early surprise, and one that everyone had been hoping for.
[Image via Disney]