The Animal Kingdom’s Top 12 Coolest Treats

Summer is upon us, and there isn’t any way to stay cool at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park than to grab a tasty frozen treat. Check out the 12 best options for a cool treat.

1. Ice cream carts throughout the Animal Kingdom park provide fruity offerings to beat the heat: Creamy Coconut Frozen Fruit Bar, chocolate covered Frozen Banana, frozen orangeade, strawberry lemonade cups, or a mango bar.
2. Epcot is the park which guests seem to associate most with magical cocktails (guests in team t-shirts can be spotted “drinking their way around the world.”)  But the Animal Kingdom might actually have more alcoholic choices than Epcot! Grown-up refreshments can be procured at the Dawa Bar in the Africa section of the park.  The flavors of the “Lost on Safari” Pangani Punch won’t be lost on guests – with Pink Pigeon Mauritian and Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum.  Other favorite cocktails here include the African Margarita, Tikiti Punch, Sugar Cane Mojito, and Watermelon Mimosa.  Tusker Beermosa blends Lager with orange and pineapple juices, and their signature Dawa Bloody Mary is creatively garnished with a skewer of mouth-watering Truffle and Blue Cheese-stuffed Olive and Prosciutto.
3. At the bustling Harambe Market in Africa, check out the crisp Watermelon Lemonade or one of two specialty frozen drinks: the Leopard’s Eye ( kiwi-and-mango flavored Bibo with Snow Leopard vodka) or the non-alcoholic Frozen Flamingo (strawberry and passion fruit) served in a beautiful carved (faux) wood Ocarina musical mug.  The handle is an Ocarina which allows you to play “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” and “It’s a Small World.”  You can find the same mug at the nearby Mahindi hut where it comes with a Jungle Juice Slushy (guava, passion fruit, and orange juice).
4. Africa’s Tamu Tamu Refreshments is one of the few places on property where you can find a Pineapple Dole Whip Cup (served with or without a handsome striping of coconut rum!).  Meanwhile, you could pop into Zuri’s Sweets Shop for a chocolate-covered pineapple skewer.
5. In Asia, the colorful Anandapur Ice Cream Truck offers ice cream floats, while the petite Drinkwallah offers up frozen Coke, Blue Raspberry, or Lemonade plus two specialty cocktails: Coconut-Lychee Lemonade with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum or Frozen Coca-Cola with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum.
6. Yak & Yeti Quality Beverages serves the ironically-named and eye-catching (have your camera ready!) Yak Attack (Mango Daiquiri, Don Q Cristal Rum, and wildberry) or a Frozen Emperor Margarita made with Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila – your choice of  strawberry, mango, or wildberry.
7. The Royal Anandapur Tea Company was not named just for the sake of the theme (the Expedition Everest trains originally transported tea through the Himalayas.)  You’ll find plenty of authentic tea here, both hot and cold.  If you’re waiting for family members to emerge from the ride or heading over to Flights of Wonder, a cup of tea is perfect.  On a hot day, choose Peach Ice Tea – other exotic flavors include passion fruit, pomegranate, green apple, and hibiscus.  They also offer frozen chai latte or frozen cappuccino.  Flavored frozen lattes include vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, or Irish cream.  The Dreamsicle iced latte is made with espresso, white chocolate sauce, and candied orange syrup served over ice, while the Dulce de Leche iced latte has espresso and creamy dulce de leche on ice with whipped cream and dulce de leche drizzle.  If you want something a little stronger, choose a Tea Breeze – frozen lemon combined with iced tea and grey goose vodka.
8. Also near Mount Everest, huddling in its shadow, is the Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks.  Tell the kids not to be put off by the “bar” in the name.  Here the boys will love the non-alcoholic Flying Yak, a blend of mango puree with coconut water and pineapple juice; the girls might prefer the Pink Lotus – strawberry puree, lychee, and lemonade.  The parents can choose between a Durbar Margarita (gold tequila, triple sec, ginger, sweet-and-sour, and fresh lime juice);  a Himalayan Ghost (Snow Leopard vodka, guava, and lemonade); or a Khumbu Icefall (Cruzan guava rum blended with coconut and raspberry puree).
9. Warung Outpost is a kiosk open seasonally in Asia.  Their Shangri-La Berry Freeze is a non-alcoholic drink served in the carved musical tumbler you may have seen in Africa. (You can also purchase the same drink without the tumbler!)  Their specialty cocktails include three exotic margaritas: Kali River Mango, Maharaja Lime, and Bali Hai Strawberry.  Or go wild with the Triple Yeti Blast – a layering of all 3 margaritas served in a souvenir mask mug.
10. In Dinoland, Dino Bite Snacks (near the Dinosaur ride) features hand-scooped ice cream in a waffle cone or a Bug’s Sundae (ice cream, gummy worms, and cookie crumbles).  You can often find a table inside the nearby (and air-conditioned) counter service restaurant, Restaurantosaurus.  While the kids enjoy their ice cream, the adults can savor a Cretaceous Cooler with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Midori and pineapple juice.  Trilo-Bites, near the Boneyard, has a Smokey Bones Chocolate Shake for grown-ups.  It’s made with bourbon and candied bacon.
11. With the opening of Pandora, a whole new alien world of refreshment has been opened to Disney World guests.  As a guest of ACE (Alpha Centauri Expeditions), the hope is that you humans can come to understand the native Pandoran Na’vi (tall, attractive blue people).  Imbibing Na’vi refreshments helps achieve a meeting of the minds.  You can begin the process at Pongu Pongu, the drink station in Pandora.  Pongu Pongu means Party Party – so expect offerings with a lot of zing and zest! The Night Blossom is a frozen libation presented with brightly colored layers of limeade, apple, and desert pear.  Passion Fruit Boba Balls bob thickly atop.  The Night Blossom can be served in a tall tapered souvenir Pongu cup (no handles) with a glowing Unadelta seed clipped to the cup.  So what’s a glowing Unadelta Seed??  It’s a large glowing pod which cycles through five different colors – and also has a “waterfall” mode of all the different colors.  The $20 price tag is steep, but the Unadelta seed would make a sweet nightlight, back home. Pongu Pongu also serves a frozen alcoholic specialty drink, the Mo’ara Margarita.  (Pandora is in the “Home of the Na’vi” in the “Valley of Mo’ara” of the “Land ‘o Apostrophes!)  This combines Sauza Conmemorativo Añejo Tequila with strawberry and Blood Orange flavors, served with those exploding nodules of goodness,  Strawberry Boba Balls. Another eye catching beverage at Pongu Pongu is the brilliant emerald green Hawkes’ Grog Ale that surprises with a creamy blend of wheat and citrus flavors.  Also on tap is Mo’ara High Country Ale.  Disney promises notes of caramel, toffee, and nuts.
12. The Satu’li Canteen is Pandora’s counter service restaurant.  A former (fictional) RDA (Resource Development Administration) mess hall, it looks as though it’s been fighting a losing battle against the Pandoran jungle!  Satu’li’s signature drink is the Pandoran Sunrise – tropical juices with Powerade Melon.  Enjoy the Na’vi artwork while sipping an ale (as at Pongu Pongu, in brown or green) or Dreamwalker Sangria with a hint of Blue Curacao.

These Animal Kingdom cool treats really are out of this world!