Listen up, you guys, some of the best food in Disney World is HIDING in Animal Kingdom!

If you’ve never dined at one of Animal Kingdom’s many little snack stands, then you’re definitely missing out! These spots are home to some hidden gem snacks and meals, and we check their menus frequently to see when they get new treats. Well, recently, there was a BIG switch-up with some snack stand menus in this park, and so we’re here to share the new eats at The Smiling Crocodile!

Atmosphere

The Smiling Crocodile is a small snack stand in Discovery Island, located near Flame Tree Barbecue. In the past, this spot has been home to Tex-Mex eats like tacos, nachos, and more. However, they just had a big menu change!

There isn’t really a dedicated seating area for The Smiling Crocodile, but because it’s near Flame Tree, it’s easy to snag a table over there. Typically, this spot isn’t too busy — it’s really the true definition of a hidden gem.

The operating hours here can be pretty limited. They’re often only open from 11AM-3PM, so you have to stop by during lunch! They also aren’t always open on certain days. Currently, they are doing a three-day trial run with the new options, and then they are hoping to reopen in July.

Menu

The new menu here is focused almost entirely on macaroni & cheese! Previously, Eight Spoon Cafe was the mac & cheese hub for the park, but now you’ll find the cheesy pasta over here.

There are currently three options available: Baked Macaroni & Cheese, Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Buffalo Chicken, and Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Garlic Smoked Sausage. Of course, we’re snagging all three!

Eats

Starting out with the Baked Macaroni & Cheese for $7.99, this is pretty similar to the basic version that was previously at Eight Spoon. First of all, these come in much larger portions than previously! We considered the previous versions more of a snack size, but these are closer to a full meal!

We were a little disappointed that this one didn’t have as much of a “baked” quality as it used to have at Eight Spoon Cafe. We didn’t get as much of the crispiness on top or the golden brown pieces that you search for with baked mac and cheese. There were a few spots that had that quality, but we would have loved more crispiness in general. 

The cheese is nothing strong or pungent, we could guess mild Cheddar or possibly American cheese. Overall, it had a great amount of cheesiness to it, and we thought it was better than most kids’ mac and cheese meals you can find at Disney World. 

Next up, we’re going for one of the new options. The Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Buffalo Chicken is $9.99 and comes topped with buffalo chicken and ranch dressing. Seriously? This sounds like a delicious dream.

This one starts with the same mac and cheese base as the first one we tried, but it is topped with buffalo chicken and ranch. If you are a blue cheese and buffalo kind of person, be warned that this one is topped with ranch! We thought this one was delicious. You get a generous portion of chicken, and it was also topped with a good amount of ranch.

The chicken was soft and easy to chew; we thought the sizing was perfect for being able to get chicken and mac & cheese in one bit. The buffalo sauce is very mild. There is no lingering heat when you eat it, just a slight warmth to your mouth. The ranch was creamy and likely helped make the buffalo sauce a bit milder.

Finally, we’re snagging the Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Garlic Smoked Sausage also for $9.99. This one is topped with garlic-smoked sausage, as well as sauteed peppers and onions. In addition to the sausage, peppers, and onions, this one also came topped with some pickles. 

The pickles were one of our favorite parts; they were crispy, crunchy, and had a great tangy flavor. The sauteed peppers and onions got a bit lost in the dish, but they did add a bit of texture and flavor. The garlic sausage was decent. There wasn’t as much garlic flavor as we were expecting. It is a mild sausage; we didn’t taste any spice to it, but we did taste a bit of smokiness to it.

Should you stop by Smiling Crocodile to snag these?

Nosh or Not

This Disney World restaurant is a must-visit if…

• You are craving mac & cheese. The menu consists of mac and cheese three ways and some drinks, so if you are looking for mac and cheese, this is your place!
• You want a quick spot to grab a filling snack. We were really impressed by the portions, and it could easily be a big snack or a small meal. Plus, it is easy to get quickly!
• You just so happen to be nearby when The Smiling Crocodile is open. The Smiling Crocodile has pretty limited hours, 11 AM to 3 PM on the days that it is open. If you are nearby when it is open, maybe that is your sign you should stop by!

You should skip this Disney World spot if…

• You are looking for lots of food options. The menu only has mac and cheese and drinks, so if you are looking for something more, you should head elsewhere.
• You are looking for a large meal. While you could grab two of these guys and call it a day, if you are looking for a larger meal, you may want to head somewhere else.
• Crispy mac and cheeses are the only mac and cheese for you. We really enjoyed the mac and cheese, but if you only like it when the mac and cheese is full of crispiness and golden-brown pieces, you will probably be disappointed in this mac and cheese.

Overall

We thought the Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Garlic Smoked Sausage had the best textures of all three, although we think the Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Buffalo Chicken had our favorite flavors. Overall, we were super impressed by the portion sizes and really enjoyed the mac and cheese. Our biggest complaint was that they didn’t have the “baked” crispiness that we have seen on previous baked mac & cheeses. However, they are still solid mac and cheeses, and we definitely recommend making a stop. Be warned, though, The Smiling Crocodile has VERY limited hours, so make sure you check them before heading over here!

In the meantime, we’ll be on the lookout for more restaurant updates from Disney World and beyond. Make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!

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What do you think of the new macaroni & cheese options? Tell us in the comments!