Sanaa

Welcome home! That is the greeting you will receive the moment you step into the warm, rich lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge's Sanaa restaurant. This beautifully themed restaurant has incredible food, wonderful service, and giraffes walking outside the window. What could be better?

We decided to go to the Magic Kingdom in the morning because our reservation was at 1:20. So, we left Magic Kingdom at 12pm, jumped on the bus to Animal Kingdom, and made it around 12:45. Sanaa would be an easily doable break from the Magic Kingdom rush. Make a later afternoon reservation, and use the intensely hot part of the day for lunch. If you have a 1:30ish reservation, you will be back at Magic Kingdom at 3:30ish. It is the perfect three hour break and a lovely place for a meal outside of the Magic Kingdom.

Bus #11 from Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom Lodge, dropping you right at Sanaa. 

The atmosphere of the Animal Kingdom Lodge is amazing. If you are taking the bus from the Magic Kingdom, get off at the first stop at Kidani Village. Head into the lobby and take the elevator downstairs. But first, make sure to have a chance to wander and see the decorations. The lobby is done tastefully with a distinctly African feel. Huge picture windows look out onto the African Savanna. Keep looking and you may see a giraffe or a zebra wandering by. Really take in the little details and don't be afraid to just wander.

The lobby 

The big windows from the top of the lobby 

A little dark, but I promise its me! 

The entrance to Kidani Village is so cool! 

There are proverbs all over the walls. 

Head down in the elevator to the ground floor, where you will find Sanaa. This restaurant is beautiful, and the details are apparent the moment you walk in. Wander down the curved hallway to the desk where you will check in. While reservations are not as important here as say, 50's Prime Time, if you have a larger group I would still recommend making them, just in case. We had a group of seven and I was thankful we did make reservations. The restaurant was busy, but not overflowing.

Sanaa exterior 

Rommies! 

Seriously, these buildings just look cool! :) 

Once you check in, feel free to wander outside and see the incredible view. Take some pictures with the animals that seem close enough to touch. When your table is ready, you will be led into an African paradise. Look closely at the ceiling. If you use a little imagination, you can pretend you are under the cool palm leaves of the African savanna. The dining room is unique and creative, with rich, warm, colors that seem to beckon you. The lighting contributes to the atmosphere, a combination of different lamps in browns, reds, and other deep colors. If you have a smaller party, make sure to request a window table, next to the big picture windows. You may have some giraffes and antelopes as your dining companions!

The interior 

The ceiling of the Sanaa Lobby 

Our service was excellent, our waiter attentive and our drinks never empty. No one at the table got appetizers, we were all starving and ready for some good food. After much deliberation, I ordered the Bison Burger with spicy mustard sauce. Our food came at a decent rate, not so quickly we felt rushed, but at the same time, it didn't take forever. My burger was thick and juicy, cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. The naan bread was incredible. Fluffy and warm, I easily could have eaten a stack of that and been satisfied. My roommate got the butter chicken, and that was also incredible. The curry sauce in the butter chicken was delicious, and she let me use it to dip my naan in. The burger came topped with onions, spicy mustard, tomatoes  and lettuce. The combination of flavors was perfect and exploded in my mouth. Because this is a mix of Indian and African food, it was not spicy, just perfectly complimented. I enjoyed my meal immensely!

I also tried bites of the lamb and the butter chicken. Both meals were another round of excellent. The spices used were perfect and the meat tender. I loved every dish I tried here. Of course, after lunch, it is time for dessert! I personally did not get a dessert this time around, but my friends did, and the results were amazing. The presentation of the dessert was awesome.

The Banana Sulfi 

Chocolate Mousse 

Seriously, it had a white chocolate butterfly! 

The desserts themselves were wonderful. Creamy, sweet, and the perfect combination of flavors.

Kid's Peanut Butter Pie. It looks like a turtle! 

Overall, I loved Sanaa, and would easily go back again. The atmosphere, the service, the food, the flavors, all combined to make it a place I will keep on my list. Also, for Cast Members, we currently get 40% off here! So take advantage of the discount and try Sanaa. You won't regret it!

Zebras just chilling outside the restaurant :) 

Welcome Home