When you arrive, you will find that the old entrance way is closed by the Kusafiri Coffee shop and Bakery. The new entrance and check-in is by the Dawa Bar. The problem with this is that when the Kuruka Acrobats are performing, it gets pretty loud and when the line gets long (Which it will) you begin to interfere with the bar crowd. The one good thing is that at least there are tables in the bar area to sit while you wait to eat. A nice feature that Disney added is those electronic pagers, which buzz when your table is ready.

The new look inside has not changed much, from what veterans remember. All the dining areas are the same with the addition of a place setting with napkins, a center condiment tray, and a couple of wine glasses. The big change is the removal of the cash registers and in their place is what the manager called the "Marketplace" The Storyline for the Tusker House is that there are many "Venders" selling food in the Marketplace and you go up and "Get your own." The Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery is still there and you can walk up to the take-out window or come in and order.

This Buffet is very open and casual than most, there is no "Starting Line" as in others; you just walk to whatever station you like and begin. The choice of food was very good, and the dessert bar had a nice selection. The buffet is very much like Boma's, but on a smaller scale. My wife and I tried to sample as much as we could, but there was just too much variety for one seating. The big items were the Roast Beef and pork, the beef was done medium, very tender, and the pork was excellent. There was a nice mustard topping and my favorite, Horseradish dressing. Another dish done well was the poached salmon, very light and flakey. There are, as at Boma many African-style foods, like couscous salad, Spicy South African Preserves called "Blatjongs" Condiments such as Mango Chutney and Hummus are also available. There is also a cold cut table, but the offerings are slim, turkey, ham, American, and Swiss cheese.

Seafood is my favorite and I thought that the "Seafood Stew" with Tamarind BBQ sauce was excellent, I had two bowls. The bread station has a nice selection of breads and crackers. There is of course, salads, potatoes, and vegetables and for the kids, a make-your-own Peanut butter, and jelly station. I thought that the choices for the kids were a little Spartan, but the dessert bars will make up for that! (Parents, do I hear Sugar Rush!)

Like the rest of Disney's buffets, your Waiter/Waitress will bring your drinks and take care of table cleaning. We really enjoyed the food, if you enjoyed Boma, you will like the new Tusker House. It is bright and airy, the rotisserie for roasting the chickens was retained by Disney, and there is the detail all around. There are a few complaints; first, it is very noisy, just like before. The walls echo noise and you can hear everyone's conversation. Second, some of the food was cold, not even warm. However, I am sure this will be corrected as the restaurant moves into high gear. The wait staff was great, as busy as it was; our waitress was always back, seeing to our drinks and whatnot.

For the value, I have to give a 10. Even with some of the cold food. The selection was nice and everything was fresh. The dessert bar, which my wife loved, also shines. The food was very good, in fact, the seafood stew and the poached salmon was perfect. The different tastes of Africa may not be for everybody, but overall, worth the trip. A solid eight. The service was also an eight and unfortunately, because of the noise, I can only rate atmosphere a six.

Tusker House offers a lunch and dinner menu, the difference being that at dinner; Prime rib and Smoked Salmon are added. However, the price for that is an extra $8.00 per person. You will have to decide if the extra money is worth it. In the morning, the kids can enjoy Donald's Safari character breakfast, Adult $18.99, ages 3-9 $10.99. Lunch: Adult $19.99, ages 3-9 $10.99 and Dinner for Adult $26.99, ages 3-9 $12.99. The Disney Dining Plan along with DVC and the Disney Dining Experience is accepted. The restaurant was not that busy when we were there, even at lunch, probably because many still do not know its open, but I would suggest reservations. We will return soon, as we enjoyed the new Tusker House. It is a welcome addition to the Yak and Yeti, giving guests two fine choices for a fine meal.