Arrival night suggestion ?

[Minniemoo15]

We are staying ar AKL...on our arrival day we were planning to head to Disney Springs for dinner and just grab quick service. Now Dhs aunt will be joining us for dinner (just happens to be in Orlando that same day) so I am thinking we will want to do a sit down to catch up with her.

It also got me thinking that my girls (2 and 4) will likely be exhausted from our early travel morning and eating close to AKL would be better for everyone. I always have the worst bus luck to Disney Springs.

Out of my options, I'm thinking ...

Boma - I know this gets rave reviews - but it seems $$$... is it worth it?

Sanaa - I love for this lunch but have never done dinner there and the dinner menu doesn't jump out at me

Rainforest Cafe - short bus ride to AK - I think my girls would absolutely love this and the price is right, but would I need park admission or is the entrance before the gates?

Any other options I'm not thinking of ?

 

[10CJ]

we really enjoyed our dinner at Sanaa. I would do Boma or Sanaa if you want table service. I would probably consider the Mara before bothering with the bus over to AK/Rainforest.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

You don’t need admission to eat at Rainforest cafe as there is an entrance outside the park as well, but with all the great options at your resort, why not eat there?

 

[Mopedmom1]

Boma can be quite noisy, as well as Rainforest Cafe. I have only eaten once at Sanaa. It was a nice meal but it was at the end of lunch service so can't give a proper noise comparison on it. If you are trying to catch up you may not want to have to shout at each other.

 

[CynBeth]

Boma!

 

[Aela]

We did Jiko’s, it was amazing. But, pricey..

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you will be tired and want a quieter, sit-down restaurant to catch up with your DH's aunt, I would go to Sanaa or just go to the Mara and find a table there. I don't think buffets are a great option if you actually want to sit and chat with someone and Rainforest is pretty loud as well (plus, I wouldn't even want to take a short bus ride over there after a long day of travel). As PP noted, Jiko is fantastic, but certainly a higher price point than the other restaurants.

 

[Aela]

Super yummy desserts at Jiko

Totally worth it just for that. Go, order dessert and chat!

 

[Soccer Fan]

Although we loved the food at Boma, I would not consider it a good option to sit and catch up. It was very chaotic and crowded when we went and with everyone getting up constantly to get food it was not great for relaxed, continuous dinner conversation.

I would do Jiko and get an appetizer and dessert, which all looks amazing and those prices are a little easier to swallow. Or split an entree.

 

[LilyJC]

We recently did the full bread service at Sanaa, and I just added the tomato soup which was perfect for the freezing weather we had. The kid food options were great, and we enjoyed our dinner there - Relaxed and easy since we were staying at Kidani.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I’m not a fan of Boma. I like new foods but I didn’t find much I liked. And it was ver6 loud and chaotic.

I love Jiko. Great food, relaxing, excellent service and good wine list. Not cheap but my husband and I usually share an entree with soup or salad. And the kids share a salad and then each get an appetizer size portion.

I also love Sanaa. The bread service is amazing. Just add soup or salad and you’re done. And pretty much same wine list as Jiko.

 

[gharter]

Another vote for Jiko, but as others have said, it can be pricey. Boma is very good for a buffet, but is generally is noisy and could be difficult to sit and catch up. Read great things about Sanaa, have not tried it yet, on our list for April.

 

[Minniemoo15]

Thank you everyone !! You've convinced me to stay at AKL... lots of great choices there. Now the hard part will be narrowing it down between Boma, Sanaa and Jiko!

 

[JessicaW1234]

We are staying ar AKL...on our arrival day we were planning to head to Disney Springs for dinner and just grab quick service. Now Dhs aunt will be joining us for dinner (just happens to be in Orlando that same day) so I am thinking we will want to do a sit down to catch up with her.

It also got me thinking that my girls (2 and 4) will likely be exhausted from our early travel morning and eating close to AKL would be better for everyone. I always have the worst bus luck to Disney Springs.

Out of my options, I'm thinking ...

Boma - I know this gets rave reviews - but it seems $$$... is it worth it?

Sanaa - I love for this lunch but have never done dinner there and the dinner menu doesn't jump out at me

Rainforest Cafe - short bus ride to AK - I think my girls would absolutely love this and the price is right, but would I need park admission or is the entrance before the gates?

Any other options I'm not thinking of ?

I agree your girls would likely enjoy Rainforest Cafe. My kids do

 

[oceanmarina]

I enjoyed Boma when we stayed at Kidani, plus their Zebra Domes can't be beat for desert!

I agree that the kids would love rainforest café - the gift shop there is fantastic & it's a short bus ride to AK

But food wise Rainforest is just meh to me. Boma has the edge there

I remember one night a they would lite a bonfire & roast marshmallows at Jambo house - it was really nice

 

[jcjen519]

We are trying to figure out what to do for our arrival night as well! Staying at akl too and currently have jiko booked. (Kids 8 and 2). We are def not planning to leave the property but are considering quick service or saana.

If you want table service I'd do either saana or jiko. We aren't fans of boma or buffets in general but I know a lot of people love it!

 

[mousestruck]

So many good options! Just to chime in... my family absolutely loves Boma, but it is not an intimate setting and it is a buffet, so depends on your preferences. I do believe it is worth the price because there are so many interesting food choices -- from soups to dessert. It is one of our faves! If budget is not an issue, I'd choose Jiko. There you'll get fabulous food and a quiet place to dine and relax. If you like the menu, Sanaa offers a wonderful setting as well. But my family just doesn't love the food there, except for the bread service. In my opinion, it is a risky choice if your family members are not adventurous eaters. Finally, don't rule out the Mara! If you're very tired and don't care about service, you can grab a bite there. Food is decent (good for QS) and there is a ton of seating. You could eat and then relax by the pool. We've done that on many arrival nights and it is a wonderful way to spend the evening.

You really can't go wrong at AKL. Good luck with your decision and enjoy!

 

[Canesfan3234]

all 3 of the AKL restaurants are excellent. can't go wrong there

 

[crabbygal902]

I agree that staying at AKL is a great choice. There is so much to do and your family will enjoy getting to know your resort on arrival day.
Boma: I really, really like it. It is like any other buffet at WDW in that it can be loud and somewhat crowded, but I think the food is a step up.
Sanaa: I love it. The bread service (we ordered extra Naan) and a couple other appetizers and dessert (the scallops are delicious) made a full meal for my family of hungry people. It was a wonderful bargain dinner.
Jiko: DH and I spent a lovely late afternoon at Jiko's bar, having cocktails and appetizers. I'd love to try dinner here but it is too pricey for the 4 of us.

 

[mickeymom22]

We ate at Boma, and we didn't find it loud. Maybe it wasn't busy the night we were there. We all enjoyed trying new things, and of course the resort is beautiful!

Have a great trip and visit with your aunt...beautiful place to make special memories!