If you are a weary traveler to Disney’s Animal Kingdom and are in need of a respite from the hustle and bustle of theme park trekking, look no further than Nomad Lounge. Sitting right next to Tiffins on the road from Discovery Island to Pandora: The Land of Avatar, you will find this traveler’s favorite watering hole in all of Walt Disney World. The lounge welcomes you with comfy over-sized chairs and sofas. You even have the option of outdoor or indoor seating (the first being my favorite) overlooking the bridge crossing to Pandora.
The food menu is small but diverse, including favorites like Tiffins’ bread service. This includes pita bread, a sweet loaf and fried wontons, as well as three delectable sauces. (If you get the chance, ask for an extra sauce – Molasses/Pomegranate, it was once offered with the breads and then changed.) All of this is served inside of a tiffin! A personal favorite is the Selection of Artisanal Cheeses. This menu item includes a soft cheese made with lavender, blue cheese with local raw honey, a fig bar and other tasty cheeses served with crunchy bread slices.
No lounge can be complete without a unique libations menu and Nomad does not disappoint. For beer drinkers, I would suggest the Kungaloosh Spiced Excursion Ale – a beer that gives a nod to the former Adventure’s Club over at Pleasure Island. While it is a dark ale, it is very smooth with a little bit of a sweet finish. Mixed drinks include Annapurna Zing, made with Bombay Sapphire gin and ginger beer, or the exotic Night Monkey with guava, coffee, rum and lime juice.
If coffee is more your style, Nomad offers press pots with Indonesian and Ethiopian brews as well as Mustang Coffee, a mix of Crown Royal, butter and coffee. The lounge also has an assortment of non-alcoholic drinks such as the Lilly Gorillie, a refreshing combination of strawberry and Sprite, or the Hibiscus Henna, with flavors of watermelon, lime juice and soda water.
One of my absolute favorite things about Nomad is the menu itself, which offers a glimpse into the trips that Imagineers had taken in order to build Animal Kingdom. It is fascinating and woven into the pictures and descriptions of the various drinks.
So if you would like a quiet spot to relax, check out Nomad Lounge on your next trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
