Mickey’s own animation studio becomes the perfect place for dinner
How does it sound to be a VIP guest at a dinner in a restaurant that celebrates the art of animation? More specifically, a dinner set in an atmosphere celebrating 100 years of Mickey Mouse and Pixar, where the walls are colorful and filled with living portraits, the ceiling dances with blinking lights, and even Sorcerer Mickey makes an appearance to say hi? If all of that sounds great to you, then you might love Animator’s Palate.
Much like one of Mickey’s secret spells, Animator’s Palate also features a menu that is a big mix of different ingredients from all over the world. You’ll find Pacific Island foods, Asian dishes, and California fare, all served in delicious courses that include appetizers, soups, salads, entrées, and desserts. The food receives generally good reviews for both its variety and taste, even though it isn't the true star of the show in the end.
What we like about the Animator’s Palate
The atmosphere of this place is truly amazing. Animator’s Palate is part of Disney’s rotational dining, and much like the other restaurants included in this option, it’s a blend of a show and a dining venue. The entire restaurant is vibrant, with walls adorned with digital screens designed to resemble old-school portraits that actually come to life. You can watch sketches of fan favorites like Woody or Donald spring to life, and even the ceiling is filled with beautiful colors and lighting effects, making it feel like you've stepped into a world of pure imagination.
The lighting and atmosphere change throughout the meal, depending on what’s happening on the screens that surround the entire restaurant. Several sequences can appear, all based on classic Disney IPs like Cinderella, Toy Story, and Aladdin, each accompanied by awesome Disney songs. This usually happens between courses, and then the waiters appear with the next dish. It’s a really fun atmosphere that kids (and let’s be honest, adults too) absolutely love.
Your night concludes with the appearance of the big Mouse himself in his Sorcerer Mickey outfit from Fantasia. It’s a really fun moment, especially with the screens displaying classic Mickey scenes and the music, if I'm not mistaken, taken directly from Hollywood Studios’ Fantasmic.
What we don’t like about the Animator’s Palate
If there’s anything that could be considered 'bad' about Animator’s Palate, it’s that the experience varies depending on the ship. For example, on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, Crush from Finding Nemo makes an appearance, interacting with guests and asking them questions, much like the Turtle Talk With Crush attraction at Epcot.
Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, however, don’t have the same technology. These older ships lack the backstage space needed for an actor to perform as Crush. They would also require a soundproof area and several cameras to monitor the dining hall, but the first two Disney Cruise Line ships simply don’t have that capability.
Disney Fantasy also has a pretty cool thing that isn’t available anywhere else: you can draw your own character, and then see it animated on a screen near you! Yes, you can draw your very own Mickey Mouse, or a stick-man, or just a pineapple, and it will animate and move for your entire table to see. How does Disney do it? I don’t know, but if Sorcerer Mickey is around, you can be sure that magic will certainly happen.
Animator’s Palate Menu
Cocktails
- Blueberrilicious Tequila: fresh Blueberries, Passion Fruit Juice, Orange Flavor Liquor, and Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice.
- Great Reef Rum: Elderflower St. German, Watermelon Purée and fresh Lime Juice.
- Bora Shake Piña Colada: fresh Bananas and Blue Ocean (non-alcoholic).
Appetizers
- Smoked Salmon Tartar with Dill, Capers, Onions, Pickles, and a Horseradish Cream & Sliced Serrano Ham with Manchego Cheese and Olive Tapanade.
- Black Truffle Pasta Purseittes: Pasta Purses filled with Truffle-scented Cheese and coated with a delicate Champagne Sauce.
- Tomato Tarte with Glazed Goat Cheese and shaved Radish.
Soups & Salads
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Garnished with Chives and drizzled with Sour Cream.
- Baked Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup with Bacon Bits and Chives.
- Arugula Leaves with Red Beets, Orange segments and Marinated White Beans with Mustard Dressing.
- Chicken and Walnut Salad Dried Cranberries, Red Onions and a Cranberry Dressing
Bread Service. - Garlic and Herb Foccacia with a Roasted Garlic Dip.
Entrées
- Pennette Bolognese: Pennette Pasta mixed with a rich Bolognese Sauce Garnished with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and Toasted Garlic Ciabatta.
- Grilled Tuna Steak with Fingerling Confit, Caponata, Sun-dried Tomato Pesto, and Aioli.
- Lemon-Thyme Marinated All-Natural Chicken Breast on top of Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Root Vegetables and Grain Mustard Jus.
- Herb-Crusted Pork Chop Roast: Pork Chop brushed with Dijon Mustard and crusted with Herbed Breadcrumbs served with Sun-dried Tomato Risotto and a Borolo Wine Sauce.
- Ginger-Teriyaki dusted Angus Beef Tenderloin served on Wasabi Mashed Potatoes with Bok Choy and a Tamarind Barbecue Reduction.
Vegetarian
- Black Bean Chipotle Cakes over Corn Kernels and Brown Rice topped withTomato-Cilantro Salsa.
- Sesame Halloumi Parcels with Sweet Potato Tahini Mash and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Lighter Note Offerings. - Jumbo Shrimp Salad Poached Tiger Shrimp tossed in a Lemon Olive Oil, served on diced Cucumber, Egg and Red Onion and Garnished with Roquette Leaves.
- Grilled Grain-fed Sirloin Steak.
- Slow-Roasted Breast of Chicken.
- Oven-Baked Filet of Salmon.
Desserts
- Crunchy Walnut Cake.
- Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake: creamy Vanilla Cheesecake with a Chocolate Fudge base.
- Cookies ‘n Cream Sundae: Cookies & Cream Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Apple Crumble Rice Pudding.
- Signature Desserts
- Lemon Icebox Pie: served with Lemon Curd and Berry Crème.
Animator’s Palate FAQ
Will Kids enjoy Animator’s Palate?
Yes! Kids will love almost every restaurant aboard Disney Cruise Line, especially those that blend a show with dining. Animator’s Palate focuses less on characters interacting directly with guests (except for Crush) and more on videos of classic characters playing on screen, accompanied by plenty of music. It might not be as captivating for kids as something like Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, but is it good? Oh, yes, it is.
Which ships have the Animator’s Palate?
The Animator’s Palate is available on the Disney Wonder, Magic,Fantasy and Dream.
What are the best food options at Animator’s Palate?
The Sesame Halloumi Parcels, the Herb-Crusted Pork Chop and the Teriyaki Dusted Beef Tenderloin get great reviews.
Is the Animator’s Palate the same experience across all Disney cruise ships?
No, it is not. Only on the Disney Fantasy can you draw your character and bring it to life. The interactive experience with Crush from Finding Nemo is also only present on the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. Animator’s Palate on the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder does not have the same features as the newer ships.
Is there a dress code for Animator’s Palate?
Animator’s Palate welcomes cruise casual attire at dinner. Cruise casual attire means that (nice) shorts and t-shirts are permitted. However, most guests prefer to dress in jeans and shirts at night.
Is Crush from Finding Nemo available at every Animator’s Palate?
No, Crush is only available on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream. He doesn’t stop at every table, as some tables aren’t close to his screens. However, your friends at Famvia can try to set you up at a nice table so you can say hi to one of our favorite sea turtles.
