What should you know?

During breakfast, Animator's Palate is often the site of a character dining experience. Food is typical American Fare. The character meal is included with the cost of your cruise, but reservations or tickets are required. Check your cruise planning page on the DCL website or stop by Guest Services on embarkation day.

Disney characterizes Animator’s Palate’s cuisine as “Pacific Rim/American,” but the vast majority of the menu is standard fare you’d find at any American chain restaurant. There are probably as many Italian selections – pasta, risotto, focaccia – as Asian. A handful of menu items, such as the vegetable stir-fry, have origins in the east; others are standard dishes garnished with a culinary kimono of sesame, ginger or teriyaki sauce to make them “Pacific Rim.” The food isn’t bad – again, it’s more like any American chain restaurant – but neither is it Asian.

Photo courtesy of Kelsey Lubetich.

What’s it like inside?

The idea behind Animator’s Palate is that you begin dining inside an old-fashioned black and white animated film, which is slowly colorized as dinner goes along. The entrance’s walls are decorated with black charcoal sketches of various Disney characters. Inside, the entire color scheme starts out in black, white and gray from floor to ceiling, including checkerboard tile floor, black chairs, white tablecloths with black napkins, and black and white uniforms for the waitstaff. Even the ship’s support columns are dressed up, in this case as white artist brushes pointed to the ceiling.

Along the outside wall are video monitors which display images and “how to draw” sketches from Disney films. As the evening progresses, you’ll notice bits of color being added to the walls and artwork, eventually becoming fully saturated by the end of your meal.

The Wonder's Animator’s Palate features the Animation Magic dinner show. At the beginning of your first night’s dinner at Animator’s Palate, you’re given a sheet of paper and crayon, and told to draw a self-portrait. At the end of the evening, all of the diners’ self-portraits are shown in an animated cartoon similar to Disney’s 1929 short cartoon The Skeleton Dance. Kids typically get a real kick out seeing their artwork quickly turned into animation, but sure to have your camera ready to capture their reactions.

What are the specialties?

Vegetable stir-fry; Roasted garlic or red pepper dip with bread.