Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom

My favorite place to eat at the Animal Kingdom is the Flame Tree BBQ. In my opinion, they have the best barbecue of any Disney park. Located on Discovery Island near the bridge to Dinoland, Flame Tree BBQ is a Quick Service restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner.

At Flame Tree, the portions are very generous. If you order one meal and an appetizer, such as the onion rings, it is easily enough food for two to share. I usually get the 1/2 slab of St. Louis ribs, which comes with baked beans and coleslaw. They used to have the biggest and best cornbread muffins I've ever had, but sadly, they aren't always available. However, it's still a great deal at $11.69. It's definitely one of the better dining values at Disney. My family and I have tried about half the menu and loved everything.

Here's an overview of the great food available at Flame Tree:

• 1/2 Slab St. Louis Ribs, baked beans, and coleslaw $11.69
• 1/2 Chicken (Smoked), baked beans,  and coleslaw $10.49
• Pork Sandwich and coleslaw $9.19
• Ribs and Chicken Combo, baked beans, and coleslaw $15.19
• Smoked Chicken Salad with mixed greens, pinto and garbanzo beans, tortilla chips, and chipotle ranch dressing $9.19
• Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich on multi-grain bread with cranberry mayo $9.19
• Jumbo Turkey Leg and coleslaw $11.79
• Turkey Leg $9.79
• Onion Ring Basket $3.99

The kids meal options start at $5.49 and include:

• Baked Chicken Drumstick, Hot Dog, Chicken Sandwich, or PB&J
• A choice of 2 sides - grapes, carrots, yogurt, or cookies
• A drink

There are three different barbecue sauces, which are absolutely fantastic, as well as ketchup and other condiments, available at the condiment cart. The usual Coke products are available here as well as cocoa, coffee, hot tea, Bud Light, Safari Amber, three different wines, and a new drink: Mandarin Orange Vodka Lemonade.

The barbecue sauce from Flame Tree is so popular, that they receive requests for the recipe every day. If you're interested in trying it at home, here's the recipe.

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp mild chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 35 minutes. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The seating areas are open gazebos with lots of tables. Each gazebo has carvings featuring a predator and it's prey, which is rather interesting. Additional seating is available near a pond area that often has birds in it. Disney has a firm policy about not feeding the animals, however, you should know that the birds are unaware of this policy. While eating in one of the gazebo areas, I have had a crane dart in and steal a chicken bone right off my tray faster than I could blink. If your kids are afraid of animals, this may not be the best choice for you, although young Bean thought it was hilarious!

Flame Tree BBQ is a great place for a quick, inexpensive meal. I usually eat there every trip and would definitely recommend it. So if you're looking for fantastic barbecue at Disney World, try Flame Tree BBQ. You won't be disappointed.

It's Going to be an Incredible Summer at Disney World

Disney

Stories from Disney films will come to life this summer at Disney World as part of their "Incredible Summer." Find something new at each park. Here's a peek at what you can expect.

At the Magic Kingdom, the Incredibles will take over Tomorrowland in a superhero filled dance party on the Rocket Tower Stage. Dance the night away with Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, and Frozone. And for the first time, meet Edna Mode, designer of all the superheroes' costumes but no capes!

EPCOT is bringing the Guardians of the Galaxy to the stage. Star-Lord and Gamora, along with an alien band, are throwing a party featuring music from Awesome Mixtapes 1 & 2.

Animal Kingdom is getting two new events "Explorers Meet UP! A Great Bird Adventure" & a "Dino-Tastic" celebration. First up, discover new bird species at a show starring Russell and Dug from UP. Then visit a "dino-tastic" celebration as Donald Duck takes over Dinoland. U.S.A.

And finally, at Hollywood Studios, the new land we've all been waiting for is set to open this summer. Toy Story Land is an 11-acre adventure where guest shrink to toy size as they explore Andy's backyard. Ride two new rides: the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and the Alien Swirling Saucers featuring the Little Green Men. Or try to beat your high score on Toy Story Mania! And don't forget to grab a quick meal and an old-fashioned soda float at Woody's Lunch Box.

It sounds like it's going to be an Incredible summer!

Chester and Hester's Dinosaur Treasures

Chester and Hester's Dino-rama in Animal Kingdom was so delightfully kitsch. It was exactly what you'd expect of a retro dinosaur park, especially Chester and Hester's Dinosaur Treasures. The converted gas station had over the top decor, and even reused signs by painting over them. Can you imagine a time when gas was 28.9 cents a gallon? DinoLand USA has disappeared to make way for Tropical Americas, and while it's fun to look back at what was, I can't wait to see what comes next.

Free goodies at Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom has some free goodies, but they are mostly for kids. You will still find the same stickers, buttons, maps and times guides. Then there are some that are unique to the Animal Kingdom. At Guest Services, you can request a copy of Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About Safety Safety Challenge and set of Safety tip cards. There are 15 safety cards humorously detailing what to do and what not to do to safely enjoy a day at the Animal Kingdom. The tips include "Don't wait too late to hydrate", "Follow the rules of the jungle" and "Have fun in the sun, don't get overdone". The safety tips are quite smart and putting Timon and Pumbaa into each situation will help kids enjoy learning the rules of the jungle. 

Another fun kids activity is the Kids Discovery Club. There are six Discovery Club stations throughout the park, one in each land. At each station, kids will learn about animals and the environment through games and quizzes. In Camp Minnie-Mickey, kids place their hands inside a hollow log and try to identify the item in the hole, such as a turtle shell or a pine cone. On Discovery Island, kids learn about insects and arachnids, such as tarantulas, and can try out "bug vision" with a special bug eye mask. In Asia, kids learn about Siamangs, tigers, and frogs and try to identify them based on what sounds they make. (During the summer months, there is an extra freebie available at this station. Last summer, after the presentation and stamps were given, each child was given a coupon for a free bottle of water for every member of their party. They were trying to encourage people to stay hydrated.) In Dinoland, kids help reunite jaw bones with dinosaur skulls. In Africa, kids follow clues to track and identify an animal. At Rafiki's Planet Watch, kids do a scavenger hunt to identify wildlife that can be found in their own back yards. At the end of each activity, the Kids' Discovery Club Membership Card is stamped. Once kids have collected all six stamps, they take an oath to protect animals and the earth and to respect nature and are given the final Rafiki Ya Wanyama stamp. They also receive a Kids' Discovery Club Activity Guide full of games to learn more about our world. Each station only takes a few minutes, although you may need to plan carefully to make it to every station before the park closes as they are spread throughout the park. It actually took us 4 separate trips before we were finally able to complete the card in one day. 

Another fun freebie, that may no longer be available, was the Disney Where Dreams Come True Magical Moment Certificate. The first time we received one of these was when we rode Dinosaur. We were selected as the family of the hour and the four of us got a car to ourselves. They also gave us a certificate to commemorate the honor. 

Another fun thing you can pick up, although cast members would prefer that you didn't, is a pair of bug glasses from It's Tough to be a Bug. We had a pair that broke, so we saved them. We took the legs off and the lenses out and used them in a scrapbook with photos in the lenses. Unlike the other 3D glasses, the Bugs Life ones look like bug eyes, so they are rather cool.

Donald's Dino-Bash

This adorable dinosaur welcomes you to Donald's Dino-Bash in DinoLand USA at Animal Kingdom. It also appears to show how Donald Duck evolved from a dinosaur.

The Carnotaurus

This fossil in the queue represents the reason I don't like the Dinosaur ride in DinoLand USA at Animal Kingdom: the Carnotaurus. Unfortunately, I am unaccountably terrified of the Carnotaurus animatronics, no matter how many times my family has pushed me onto the ride.