Pongu Pongu at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Pongu Pongu Review at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Pongu Pongu is located in Pandora.

See this page for all of the Disney’s Animal Kingdom quick service reviews.

Location: Pongu Pongu is located in Pandora in the Valley of Mo’ara. You’ll find it in between the entrances to Avatar – Flight of Passage and Satu’li Canteen. That’s also right outside Windtraders, the Land’s principal store.

Food Type: Beverages and snacks.

Dining Plan: Yes, quick service.

Menu:

Pull up the latest version of the menu at DisneyWorld.com here.

Snacks and quick beverages are the name of the game here. Satu’li Canteen serves both beers, but this is the only spot to find the two frozen drinks and the pineapple dessert. Pongu also serves breakfast, typically only given heavier crowds. Those skipping Flight of Passage may consider picking something up. Anyone heading to Flight of Passage wants to skip breakfast, at least until after disembarking the ride.

I wasn’t very impressed by the cheap plastic souvenir cup and accompanying “glowing Unadelta seed” which resembles…well…I guess we won’t go there. An acorn or something. To save a couple of dollars, ask that your seed be left off the order.

Otherwise, the bar is themed nicely with the Avatar OmniMech out front. You’ll find a variety of knick-knacks all around.

Like most frozen drinks, cast members prepare everything in advance and dispense the beverages from the various machines. You can ask for a different flavor of boba on top of your drink if you prefer or have them left off entirely.

Food and Drink Reviews

$6 Night Blossom

With layers of Apple and Desert Pear Limeade topped with Passion Fruit Boba Balls.

It stands out as being particularly pretty with the bright purple and green, here with a hefty portion of the strawberry juice-filled boba balls instead of the passion fruit. The drink is a nice size, cold and refreshing, but also incredibly sweet. I think the limeade is supposed to add some tartness to the flavor profile, but the sugar rush is pretty overwhelming. You may want to start with one to share rather than ordering a bunch for the group. But the portion size is good for the price and Disney uses only the finest in churning flavored-ice machines.

$13 Mo’ara Margarita (sans Seed)

With Sauza Conmemorativo Añejo Tequila and Blue Curaçao with Lime Juice topped with Passion Fruit Boba Balls.

The strawberry flavor is surprisingly natural with some lingering citrus. The cocktail was incredibly refreshing with just a hint of tequila showing through. While Disney has raised the price a dollar per year since the drink debuted, it’s still a decent value. Being frozen, it’s going to take some time to drink, even with the thick (paper) straw. We’re not anywhere close to Nomad Lounge territory on quality. But for just about four bucks more than the non-alcoholic version, I thought this presented a reasonable value. You might order two considering the standby wait for Flight of Passage next door.

$13 Rum Blossom

With Bacardi Superior Rum with layers of Apple and Desert Pear Limeade topped with Passion Fruit Boba Balls. For a few dollars more than the non-alcoholic version, you’ll come away with some amount of white rum poured on top. In my experience, the pour is typically on the generous side – it looked like I came away with 1.5 to 2 ounces. And the rum does a nice job of easing the overwhelming sweetness of the slush. I think I’m still on the side of the Mo’ara Margarita, but anyone looking to stay away from Sauza will appreciate the rum option. It’s almost like Disney created the Night Blossom with rum on the mind.

$10.50 Hawkes’ Grog Ale

Brewed by Terrapin, its peach and citrus notes are tamer than its bright green color might indicate. The light fruitiness makes it refreshing and easy to drink on a hot day, with the wheat backbone helping to temper some of the floral elements. It’s not a “must-buy” for me, but the color certainly is novel.

$10.50 Mo’ara High Country Ale

I’ve had mixed results with the High Country Ale. Officially, it arrives with a rich amber color and a spicy hop aroma with notes of caramel, toffee and nuts. On my first go-around, I thought it was overly bitter for the style, without the high ABV that you would expect from an IPA. There was virtually no caramel or toffee showing through, making it difficult to drink given the high carbonation and heat. On my second go-around, the beer was lighter on the carbonation and easier to drink, with just a little spice and sugar to demand another sip. You might try one of each and see which you like more before committing to handfuls of both.

$3.29 Pongu Lumpia

Disney serves the Lumpia individually now, so you’re looking at $3.29 x 2 worth. The sizable fried rolls are stuffed full of sweet cream cheese and pineapple pieces and finished with a dusting of sugar on top. The amount of pineapple that someone has managed to stuff into these things is as impressive as the crispness of the first bite. They don’t hold together too well after the first bite. The picture of what it looks like inside is kind of gross-looking, but you can see its innards here in case you have a strong stomach or want to be convinced not to order it. Otherwise, the rolls were surprisingly light with a thin wrapper that gave way to the creamy cheese and tropical flavors of the fruit. I’d add one to any drink order. They’re a cult favorite.

10.29 Colossal Pretzel with Beer Cheese Sauce

When it was first introduced, I was a little surprised to see non-themed snacks at Pongu given how much effort went into all of the details around Pandora. Granted, there is nothing particularly alien about a fried pineapple roll-up. But these pretzels are the same as what Germany serves at Epcot. Their quality depends almost entirely on how fresh they are – ours actually was fresh for once. Because of that, it was nice and soft with a little hint of the taste of Bavaria Pandora with a lot of salt for good measure.

We thought the side of cheese was a pretty dinky portion considering the size of the pretzel. It did have a little bit of a pepper jack kick and the cup somehow lasted until the bitter end. I’m not real sure why you would seek this out at Animal Kingdom given all of the other options available, but it’s a lot of carbs for the money and should satisfy a couple of hungry people headed towards the 500-minute wait at Flight of Passage. It’s probably right around the same amount of pretzel for $10.49 as two Mickey Pretzels combined. That ends up being a savings.

Overall, Pongu Pongu is a nice little snack stand. The frozen drinks are cold and refreshing and Disney’s addition of the boba is a fun twist. The margarita won’t cause an abundance of intoxication. But with the summer heat, it may be a good afternoon snack. The lumpia are probably best shared – the flavor is richly sweet, particularly when accompanying the Night Blossom. But the four of us each enjoyed a bite or two, even if it’s not the most attractive dish to pass around. Lines are typically short to nonexistent.