Guys – it’s time that we all get real with each other. I mean, sweatpants on, eating a whole pizza in front of each other kind of real. We all enjoy the pixie dust. We all would overdose on the magic, if physically possible. We think Mickey is a stand up kind of guy (mouse). But here’s the thing – all buffets at Disney, aren’t created equal (I’m looking at you, Chef Mickey’s). In fact, some of them, rely so heavily on the fact that you get to eat with a person, stuffed inside a costume, that they don’t have good food (try to contain your shock and dismay). Today, we’re breaking down what buffets are actually worth the significant chunk of change you’re shelling out, and won’t leave you wishing you had just stuck to the Golden Corral.
-Boma
Boma is the big man on campus as far as buffets go. No, it doesn’t have characters, but what it lacks in characters, it makes up for, in seriously good food. There have been more times than I’m proud of, that I’ve had to sit in a booth there, slumped over, from physical pain, over how many courses I had consumed. Plus, you get the always wonderful experience of visiting The Animal Kingdom Lodge, the most underrated (in our opinion) of Disney’s Deluxe Resorts.
-Tusker House
Our recent experience at Tusker House was great (you can read about it here). For us, this is the perfect combination of good food, character interaction, and theming, especially if meeting some of the ‘big characters’ (Mickey, Minnie, etc) is a must for you. This is also a big grab right now, as you can book it with a Rivers of Light reserved seat!
-The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace has been one of our favorites for years (and one of my favorites since I was a kid!). It has reliably great food, in prime Magic Kingdom real-estate, with character interaction that’s hard to find elsewhere – I mean, a friendship-day celebration with Winnie The Pooh? Count me in!
-1900 Park Fare
I’m an easy sell for anything unique, or different at Walt Disney World, so when I heard that 1900 Park Fare’s dinner, featured the wicked stepsisters and mother, I left a cloud of dust behind me in my hurry to book our dining reservation. The food was good (not spectacular, but good), but the best part of the meal, was the interaction with the stepsisters and mother. They asked me if I had married for money (because you know, love is a myth), and made snotty comments about Cinderella. In short, I loved every minute of it.
-The Seasonal Dine at Hollywood and Vine
This is my favorite meal to have at Christmas. I’m a sucker for all things related to the Holiday. If you don’t believe me, look at my Netflix queue, or my house, decorated, just a day after Halloween. It’s no surprise that I’m the first in line for a meal, with Disney’s main characters, dressed in their Holiday best, while I feast on my Christmas favorites. Service is slow – getting seated is slow – but it won’t sway my love for this event.
We think if you’re going to spend big bucks, you deserve a big return (and a magical memory, that will last a lifetime – per company line, that is). We’ve had some incredible meals, and incredible memories at the buffets above, that’ll keep us coming back, for years to come.