Before the addition of several high-quality counter service places in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, many used to say how horrible getting hungry would be there. In my opinion, the worst Orlando area theme park to solve hunger within would be Magic Kingdom. Many would suggest when at Magic Kingdom to take a monorail trip to one of the excellent dining options along the monorail. I support that choice. However, in my time writing theme park food reviews, I find most people refuse to leave the park for a break even for lunch. Even over at Universal Orlando where multiple high-quality full-service dining options reside within easy walking distance in CityWalk, people select to dine inside the park.

If you feel this way while at Magic Kingdom, your dining options present a challenge. You might select below average burgers or pizza at a counter service place. Of course, you might try average counter service Mexican-like food. Now, you could decide to enjoy a Prix Fixe meal at one of the signature dining options at Magic Kingdom. However, those meals may come with some characters, but your wallet will be damaged even beyond normal Disney level.

If it were me, I would go dine at Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen. In fact, I plan to dine here in August before Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Of course, most people call this place Skipper Canteen for short. In some of Walt Disney World’s marketing of this table service option, they describe it having three rooms. Skipper Canteen has three quirky dining areas: the crew’s colonial-era Mess Hall; the Jungle Room, former parlor of Dr. Albert Falls himself; and the S.E.A. Room – a once-secret meeting place for the Society of Explorers and Adventures.

The restaurant comes complete with unique décor fitting of a place that Jungle Cruise workers would eat within. The menu comes with jokes so bad that a Jungle Cruise skipper would elect not to say them. However, your server here may choose to tell those jokes so be prepared.

One of the most popular items here displays this corny joke style. The “Tastes Like Chicken” Because it is! shows off Jungle Cruise level humor. Based on many reviews and guest reports about this one menu item I have read and/or edited, this chicken dish continues to be very popular here.

The “Tastes like Chicken” Because it is! currently costs $26. For table service dining within Magic Kingdom that price point comes in about average. The menu description tells us to expect crispy-fried chicken with a sweet chili glaze, stir-fried vegetables, and seasoned rice. If that sounds like a theme park version of sweet and sour chicken, you would be correct. Though the entrée works better with the glaze/sauce topped on the chicken in standard preparation. Guests may select to have sauce/glaze on the side.

So how does this chicken taste? In the typical bad Jungle Cruise joke pattern, it tastes like chicken! In fairness, the chicken tastes well above average. The decent portion size offers diners hope in a good meal. Guessing, I would estimate the chicken size to be about a ¼ of a chicken. The batter lightly covers the chicken. The flavor of the batter adds to the experience nicely. The chicken tends to avoid dryness issues. I resist saying not dry at all since chicken often gets a bit dry. However, I suspect if you order this, that will not be a concern. However, you should expect potential of some bones with your chicken. If you desire table service chicken tenders, then this entrée is not for you.

Many guests find the chili glaze the most enjoyable part of the entrée. I feel the glaze in combination with the chicken works very well creating an excellent flavor.  The seasoned rice in combination with the vegetables creates some balance also.

Though Skipper Canteen offers some unique flavors with their other entrées, this high quality sweet and sour style chicken fails to overwhelm people with any real spicy kick. Some guests read chili sauce expecting spicier flavor. The sauce flavor provides a touch of sweetness, as opposed to spicy kick, with this dish.

If this sounds intriguing to you, you may need a reservation for this restaurant. I have been looking at reservations of this place as my 60-day window approaches. Depending on the time of year you visit, this could be a challenge. If you struggle with getting a reservation for the time you want, you may want to consult a reservation finder service. As you might suspect, I recommend MouseDining for ease of use. Whatever you need, enjoy your time at Walt Disney World. Thanks for reading this blog. We will endeavor to continue to write reviews so you can make wise dining choices. As always, eat like you mean it!