The food was really good. Tried several items and been happy with every one of them. Really I only wish they offered more items and variety. read more

I'm very picky but I must say this place is absolutely delicious the fries and burger the chicken and quinoa so tender mm , honestly I prefer too eat much healthier but I will say if you want a quick service meal I'd go here especially after a very long day at the parks it's easy for us parents and the kids have good options . There are so many delicious desserts and treats to choose from! I love the Mara.. now you can have beer or margaritas yummy . How great is that . The pizza was crispy and cheesy and tasty . read more

Very slow on orders even when no one is there waiting. Food was lacking flavor. Would not recommend. Better to go back into Animal Kingdom park itself and eat at one of the yummy quick service spots there instead. read more

If you're a vegetarian staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you won't enjoy much variety at this quick service spot in your hotel. My family enjoys the turkey and chicken entrees, and the falafel is a decent vegetarian choice. Food is about average and will do the job if you need something quick before heading to sleep after an exhausting day. But it's more of a "I need food, and this is all I have the time and energy to grab" sort of restaurant. Animal Kingdom Lodge has been our spot for our yearly family vacation for the past two decades! As with all of the Cast Members at this hotel over the years, everyone at The Mara is consistently friendly and helpful. Tip: Skip The Mara unless you absolutely need to eat at your hotel. It's nothing special, so enjoy a meal in the parks or Downtown Disney instead. Don't forget to try Boma, the amazing buffet just down the walkway! read more

As quick services places at Disney go, this one was okay. We went twice during our trip. The most recent experience was actually the best. I had ordered the BBQ chicken flat bread and some french fires. Truth be told, the french fries were very very good. The flat bread was just okay. I mean the BBQ sauce was good but there wasn't much of it. The onions and corn were good but not enough of those either. It was primarily bread. We bought some of those zebra striped chocolate domes. They tasted good but the texture of the domes was a bit odd. They were gelatin like and didn't impress me much. I don't really get why they are so popular. Overall it was a fast, clean, and decent meal that was much cheaper than the "sit-down" places at the resort. read more

Mara is your quick-service restaurant for those who are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge's Jambo House. If you are in the Kidani Village you will be eating at Sanaa, and if you are anywhere else. It's obviously not worth your time to shuttle/drive/taxi over to Animal Kingdom Lodge for a Quick Service restaurant. I won't list the prices because I didn't care to check them as I was already on the Disney Dining Plan, but if you need them they are already on allears.net. And it's typical Disney Pricing, a little higher than you would pay elsewhere, but within reason. The place has pretty ample seating for a lot of guests and families. Sadly though there is not a lot of TVs to keep you entertained (or more importantly your kids). However I do like how it's right next to the pool, so if you want a burger or hot dog for a quick meal while hitting up the pool, Mara is an easy option. I really only ate at Mara twice. Once for breakfast and once for dinner as I was on a deluxe dining plan and I stuck with more table service restaurants to get my money's worth. The one time I went for breakfast I got the full breakfast platter, it was a little less quality than Boma upstairs, but still fast, a reasonable price, very easy to share between two people as well. As for dinner on our last night. It was ridiculous as there must have been this huge influx of people saturday night for Memorial Day weekend. It took us 5-10 minutes to order, 20 minutes to get our food, and another 5 minutes to pay for it. We should have just ordered room service. The cashiers must have felt bad when she realized that my girlfriend and I were only sharing a double cheeseburger, so she didn't charge us for the extra bun (great way to get two burgers for a little more than the price of one). Anyway assuming the typical dinner rush is nothing like we experienced, it's an okay quick service place. BTW The cheesecake dessert is delicious. ~G read more

This is a quick service, but the food is really good and it has been for many years. They have great variety for everyone. Picky eater? They've got food for you. Vegetarian? No problem! Want quality food? This quick service has it. Trust me. I'm a picky eater and want quality food. This is my favorite quick service. read more

One of the healthier quick service options in Disney. I had the Falafel Burger which was delicious and not too dry. The bun was standard white bread but didn't detract from the sandwich. I chose a side of coleslaw or "Kool Slai" which came with chia seeds. It was a bit too on the sweet side for me. When ordering, you tell a cast member which entree you want, check out at the register, and then come back to the kitchen counter once your buzzer goes off. (This process is a little bit different than other places in Disney). This is a great spot to eat next to the pool! read more

The Mara - Coleslaw (Kool Slai) with chia seeds - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Zebra Domes available all day long. Freshly made. You can't go wrong with a way cheaper than dessert than at the 2 restaurants. read more

The Mara - Yeah there actually white . Contains white chocolate with Kahlua filing. Yes alcohol in it. Nice to end evening with... - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

For a Buffett kind of place it's really good. There's not a ton of options that jumped out at me. I wasn't like fired up at the thought of pizza or burgers, for fear they will be just kind of blah. I got the rotisserie chicken, it was good. Green beans were alright and the mashed potatoes were decent. Just a little pricey for a water. felt like I could have gone to a vending machine and got a water for cheaper! Anyhow. Overall pretty decent. read more

I was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of food here..not just pizzas and burgers. The falafel pita was flavorful & excellent! This is a great place to grab something to go or up to your room...which was what we did right after swimming. read more

For Quick Service, this place is pretty darn good. Surprisingly so since it's considered American Fare (shudder). It's located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and provides a cheaper food alternative for guests that are currently staying there. If you're on the Disney Dining Plan, you get 1 non-alcoholic beverage, 1 entree, and 1 "dessert" (includes pastries). We tried the Chicken Flatbread and the Falafel Pita w/ Couscous (it can also come with French Fries). Both were excellent. The Chicken Flatbread was seasoned very nicely, with the zhough being the best surprise on the dish. The only bad thing is the small amount of chicken on it. The Falafel Pita was great, but we could've done without the Couscous. They had also lathered on a thick layer of hummus in the Pita which made it a little bit of a chickpea overload. They should use tzatziki instead. And you can get a much better Falafel at Disney from EPCOT's Morocco. Their pastries are standard, so it's not too bad but not the best. As for dessert, I've only had the Zebra Domes, and they are magnificent! Best dessert at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for sure. We ended up getting two of them to use up the Snack entitlements in our Dining Plan. Mmm! Maintain a low expectation for Quick Service restaurants because they're not meant to be an amazing culinary experience; they're simply a quicker, cheaper, and more practical alternative. And Mara is certainly far from the worst in the Quick Service clan. read more

The Mara - Chicken Flatbread - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

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Came here for dinner with a family member that was staying on the property. It wasn't busy at all, which was a plus as everyone was fairly hungry. Small Fry ordered a kid's cheeseburger meal, with a gluten free bun. Bun's are a different brand than I'm familiar with and, GASP, Small Fry loved it as it was soft and had a good flavor. I ordered the African stew over basmati rice, as it's gluten free/dairy free. A generous portion of stew with pork, chicken and veggie, although there were scant chunks of meat. I really enjoyed it and had all the flavor that I was expecting! Fiancee had the BBQ chicken flatbread and he really enjoyed it; although it could have used more chicken and way less BBQ sauce. We were lucky enough that the kitchen made a mistake and gave us a half roasted chicken dinner too. Chicken was a little dry, but had a nice flavor. Green beans with sweet red pepper, had a little spice kick to them, and the mashed potatoes were not too smooth, but a tad too buttery tasty. One huge annoyance is the new micro-chipped beverage cups. You are only allowed 3 refills during your meal. Which is not a huge deal, unless your cup doesn't work and you have to fight the cashier to give you another cup. Come on Disney. I get the rationale behind the beverage rationing, but there has got to be a slightly better way, like giving you a one hour window without limiting the refills to only 3. I did notice that they have a lot of items that are also served at Boma. I think this is a reasonable alternative, and it's easy enough to order multiple items and share. For those of you that are Zebra Dome fans, they are sold, pre-packed, in the grab-n-go cooler. For a quick serve location, I was very happy with the selections and the taste! read more

The snack bar at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Like others - i found it hard to find! (hint - go down stairs by BOMA, exit to pool area there, follow sidewalk to front door of Mara) We ate all of our breakfasts here. Rarely a line to get food or pay (in February). Definitely get the all you can drink cup if you happen to be a soda drinker! You'll thank me! $13 - is a pittance when you consider it is usually 2.50 for bottle. I made sure hubby got his money's worth! They also have a TV in the corner of the very large dining area playing old school disney cartoons - fun! There are a number of snackie choices. Pita and hummus, chicken strips, burgers, bagels and pastries, chicken pita etc. Watch out when you pick your table. The cleaning crew does their best but there at a number of parents that don't care or don't notice when their child throws their food on the ground. So you feet could find something icky. The prices are typical Disney - 4.50 for a yogurt parfait smaller than Starbucks - but hey, captive audience! I liked the fruit options and it helped start off the day healthy. The other cool part is the wine option. They have about 10-20 bottle of wine - all screw top and little plastic wine glasses too. Great option for an evening in the room! Or by the fire pit! read more

I am in between a 3-4 ... it is good for a quick cafeteria breakfast, snack or lunch. Some of our items were really tasty, such as the flat bread pizza's, the coffee ... and some were meh. I would suggest to stay away from the croissant anythings ... they were stale tasting no matter how we tried them. We tried the egg sandwich, and the chocolate croissant. Save your money. Again the croissants were stale and the egg was cold. I was told the waffles were tasty. A bottle of water is $3, unlimited coffee though once you purchase your cup. If you want a more peaceful feel, eat outside. The outside area seemed to be cleaned up more regularly, plus the foliage and birds bring in a peaceful feel. Speaking of birds, make sure someone watches the table of food if you need to get napkins or something. I believe the birds bet on you leaving so they can swoop in to carry your food off. If you want to not stand in line and hold a beeper for your food order pick up, there is a case on the far left side with bagels, and pastries to pick up yourself. read more

A little snack bar / fast food place located within Animal Kingdom Lodge. This is the only place to use a quick service meal at AK Lodge and the only place that really serves American food (mostly snacks and fast food). Both are negatives. You're at Disney World! Why on earth would you want crappy fast food when there are so many other good food options to be had! Stay away from this place, and use your quick service meals at Epcot or Magic Kingdom. read more

For a poolside restaurant.... Not too bad. The salad was very fresh. It didn't break the bank either. This restaurant is located in the Animal Kingdom resort at Disney World. The whole resort was very nice. So, not surprising their pool side restaurant was better than average. The pizza was great. In the morning, the breakfasts were very good. Maybe four stars is too high, but it really was above average. They did a good job here. read more

Yikes. This place is expensive. We paid around $10 per meal, but each meal was dinky. The chicken breast nuggets and fries came with about 8 pieces of chicken and a handful of fries. I bought corn chowder. For $10, the size of my cup was pretty underwhelming. I think it should be called "mouse-size." The average person would probably have to buy two cups or at least something to supplement. Taste-wise, the corn chowder was great. My friend rates the chicken nuggets a 3 out of 5. He says there wasn't anything bad about them, but they weren't spectacular either. I also bought a "crisped rice" treat shaped like Mickey and dipped in chocolate. $4.25. I guess I shouldn't complain--all of Disney World is expensive. We came back today and bought the chicken flatbread, which was a thin, crispy bread covered with cheese and sprinkled with corn and small bits of chicken. It's drizzled with Zhouag (?) sauce, which tasted like green salsa (it had a spicy lime/cilantro taste). The prices were better justified here--also about $10 each. The flatbread was pretty scrumptious. We both think it's about a 3.5 out of 5. read more

Stayed at the Lodge back in 2012. This is a great little spot to grab a quick bite if you don't feel like leaving the hotel. I love the breakfast there and the eggs are sooo good. For lunch I meant to get a Caesar salad but got the Mara house salad instead. Even though it wasn't what I initially wanted I enjoyed it nonetheless... read more

The Mara - Mara house salad from 2012. Might be different now. - American Near Me - Orlando, Florida

Family trip ordered tons of food. African stew. Nuggets. French fries. This is quick food not wonderful food. But it's it's still Disney so it has a spark of magic. It's okay food. Typical burgers, chicken nuggets, pizza & etc. But I decided to get something different than fast food so I got the turkey ciabata sandwich. It was yummy but too much sauce for my liking it and olives (I dislike olives with a passion) but not much can be said about personalizing your sandwich because it's pre-made. I scrapped off the spread; it was overwhelming and made my bread soggy. The spark of magic here was they had face painting (for free?) in the restaurant, only during certain hours; check the lobby for scheduling. This place is not my first choice but it does the job. read more

Some good options, but some strange ones too. I thought the chicken flatbread was way too spicy. You could use your dessert "credit" (if you're on the dining [pre paid] plan for hummus and chips or a huge bowl of fruit. That was nice. It took FOREVER to get your food. Breakfast was a nightmare. Too many people read more

Animal Kingdom Lodge's quick service restaurant - for good and bad Most of Disney's resorts have a 'quick service' restaurant. A place where you can grab food - some prepared, some made to order - then go and have a seat. On the positive side, Mara had some non-traditional offerings that we enjoyed. The African Stew and Falafel Pita were both pretty good....though we were disappointed by the coconut curry stew. In retrospect we should have stuck to the 'American' dishes because all our later meals at the 'sit down' restaurants at AKL (incl. Sanaa at the Kidani Village) had a similar flavor profile and did it better. On the negative side, you do need to go outside to eat here. Not a problem in good weather but I really hated that I had to freeze every morning to get coffee. Also on the negative side, the selection is limited and it isn't as if you would ever choose to eat here were you not stuck in AKL. Which brings us to the real issue - AKL has a problem in that if you don't have a car you need to take a bus to get anywhere. And while that is annoying in terms of the going to the parks it quickly becomes disastrous in terms of dining. read more

Could the employees look anymore like they don't wanna be here? They are laggy like they just want to go home. And hand ordering for lunch & dinner? They use the register for breakfast! Poor poor poor!! Next time I will be eating at McDonalds, I have better and faster service there than I do here!! read more

This is a quick service restaurant located inside animal kingdom lodge. The theming is not quite up to the standards of disney, but it can be fun for kids to look at all of the bright animals. The service is nice enough but nothing more. Me and my family went in at 10, so maybe that explains it, but the food was really bad. My pork sandwich did not taste fresh and was dry. It lacked flavor and was really messy. The salads and chicken nuggets we ordered weren't much better. The only thing that was good was the couscous. The chocolate chip cookie was also ok. If your looking for a good dinner, you might not want to go here. read more

Honestly nothing special about this place, but nothing terrible either. It's basically a cafeteria. The food was good, but not amazing. Everyone in my family ordered the hamburger and it was decent. This place is inside the Animal Kingdom Lodge...it's clean, the people are pretty nice, and the food isn't exorbitantly priced, so I don't hate it! read more

Outstanding food.... Very quick service, and open late, which is a plus after a long day at the parks.

Did the order an item per person and make our own buffett thing. Had African Stew, Bread Bowl, Half Chicken meal, and burger(?) as well as zebra eggs and cheesecake. The stew....something I daren't try anywhere else, with its every meat on the planet filling, was very good, kind of mildly curried, with hints of sweetness and heat. Not something I usually like, but it was pretty good, and a bread bowl ALWAYS = a win. The chicken was similarly seasoned...the burger was a standard issue Disney burger....the same one you et at Pecos Bills, the Polynesian, Boardwalk...and probably even Disneyland California, not bad, not amazing, but safe. A shocker. I HATED, yes HATED. The zebra eggs. I was so excited, because they were already in individual servings,and SUPER CUTE, but I REALLY hated them. They had a very liquor-y taste to them, which I found unappealing. Everyone else however liked them. The cheesecake was pretty good. They have a nice drink selection, as far as diet sodas and such (I love diet soda in any non brown form) with diet sprite, diet mtn dew, and diet pomegranite lemonade. The seating is typical, service was nice. It was suprisingly inexpensive....something like $26 for all of us. Would return for a snack . read more

I've stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House many times but never tried The Mara before. But after a long day we wanted something quick and easy so decided to go with The Mara. A huge disappointment. We can usually tolerate mediocre food in a pinch but this missed the mark all around. Service was slow, took about 30 minutes to get a quick service meal. Took it back to the room and mine was not edible. I ordered the Falafel and it crumbled when I cut into it. Even with the flavorless Yogurt I couldn't eat it. The pita was hard as a brick and the cucumber salad was cucumbers. We also had a BBQ Pork sandwich that was mediocre at best. Can say we won't be going back. Even in a pinch I can say I'll seek other alternatives. read more

A very pleasant surprise, as I was expecting much less from a counter service restaurant within a resort. They do a good job of adding a few truly African items (African stew, coucous salad) in with the typical pizzas, burgers, and chicken nuggets of your usual counter service. Plus they have a cute decor on the walls, they're right off the pool and next to the arcade and viewing area of the Savannah, and have TONS of options available for the snack option on the dining plan. read more

Its the fastest cheapest place around. Service here is good but the food was really bad. I had the falafel it came out within seconds of ordering it. That made me know everything was pre made. The falafel had a huge piece of onion skin. The couscous tasted soapy. And the teat of the dish was just thrown there. For the cheapest place around it was still pricey. This did not meet my lowest expectations. Breakfast here was not any better. read more

Great breakfast options and reasonably priced. The chef was very accommodating to a gluten free diet. Perfect Mickey waffles with crispy, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage and scrambled eggs was the perfect Breakfast to fuel you up before hitting the parks! read more

Very expensive for what you get but that's also got to do with being a Disney restaurant. Food was very average at best and if there were other options just as close to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, I'd have gone there. read more

This is one of the best quick services on Disney property. The falafel with hummus is amazing. They have several healthy grab n go items, such a hummus and a mixed green salad, which is a welcome change for a quick service. I had the salad, and it was pretty good. I added jalapeños from the condiment bar, which was nice. My husband enjoyed the ribs and mashed potatoes, and the rotisserie chicken and flatbreads I saw on other people's tray looked delicious. They were kind of persnickety about the sodas -- we had left our mugs at the room, but with the dining plan, we get a soda with our meal. They tried to argue this point with us, and really, Disney? I spent thousands to stay at Kidani, plus meal plans an park tickets, and you are going to dicker about a SODA? Way to treat your deluxe resort guests, guys! read more

Really convenient little place if you're staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. They have quick-service breakfast lunch and dinner and stay open until 1 a.m. They have a small bakery with all kinds of muffins and desserts, as well as a large cold drink area with bottles of water, milk, soda etc. You can also purchase refillable cups. It's not the best food on the planet, but its hot and fresh when you need it, and its not just your typical quick service food. You can get scrambled eggs or even falafel wraps! read more

at my recent stay at AKL, i went here almost every night to get snacks and fill up my cup. the day we were leaving we went to breakfast too. there is so many options for every meal. one night the three of us went down and shared a whole chicken nugget meal, that's how big the portions are. the snacks here are also amazing. the peanut butter brownie is the best and the zebra domes are also soooo tasty. one of the best quick services in Disney in my opinion read more

I enjoy the food here. It has delicious flatbread pizza and chicken fingers :D I had lunch here for my four day stay all four days and enjoyed it. Food was good. read more

This is one of the better grab and go places at the Disney resorts. Good selection all day long, and none of it is bad. Dining meal plans accepted. Fire oven roasted tomatoes. Not on the menu, but ask for them. They are the best tomatoes you'll ever have. You won't be disappointed. read more

The service is excellent here been here many times and in true Disney fashion people are so sweet and polite. The food was great and the desserts are excellent read more

For Disney Quick Service, this is one of my favorite locations! Not only is it located at the picturesque Animal Kingdom Lodge, but it also offers bites a bit more creative than hamburgers. On my last visit, I had a chicken pita sandwich with a side of some of the most delectable cous cous I've had in a long while. To top it off, visit the refrigerator section and grab a box of Boma's famous Zebra Domes. Mmmmm. read more

It's not a five star restaurant - it's a place for a quick bite! Service was fast and food was good, what more can you ask for? I had the chicken pita and it was easily 5 star quality. Very yummy! Ambiance was nice and a really nice spot for a light lunch. Gave it 4 stars due to limited menu :) If you're looking for a quick bite but want good food - stop by here. read more