TS- Buffet or not?

[Princess Steph]

We are on the free DDP so I'm not as concerned about value. My husband tends to be a big eater and is not into sweets. We never order dessert when out to dinner. Without the appetizer this time (we did in 2006) I'm concern there won't be enough food for him. Do you think I'm better off booking buffet/family style instead of sit down meals. He is funny and does not care about quality, as long as it's fresh and healthy. Nothing fried or in heavy sauce/butter. Any suggestions?

 

[ExtinctDino]

Buffets are nice - more choices and more control over how long you're in the restaurant, instead of being at the mercy of your server.

If it's just a matter of food quantity, though, the portions at non-buffets are pretty big. If he eats some of yours, that should be plenty for just about anyone.

 

[Gina35]

I don't know how long you will be staying or if this is your 1st or 10th visit!!!
I would probably do a combination of buffets and regular TS restaurants. My husband is also a big eater, and he does not care for many of the signature dining restaurants. He also wasn't crazy about Boma, but the rest of my family loved it. Also, stay away from Chefs de France if you don't want anything too rich. There are many great restaurants and buffets. What kinds of food do the two of you like?

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Some of the buffets are good. We like Crystal Palace, Tusker House and then there's also the All you can eat places such as 'OHana and Whispering Canyon.

 

[septbaby]

Best buffet on property: Boma, wouldn't matter if its dinner or breakfast. If you have not been there I'd suggest dinner first.

As for the non buffet places, fresh fruit is often an option for dessert, so that will still fit his need for something healthy.

Also seriously consider the Pepper Market, its CS that "eats like a TS", great options and good value for a CS credit.

 

[Princess Steph]

Thanks for the input. We love Boma! Is it difficult to get to the CSR? It seems so out of the way. Is there always some sort of fruit based dessert? I'm a chocolate lover so I don't remember much else.

 

[Princess Steph]

I don't know how long you will be staying or if this is your 1st or 10th visit!!!
I would probably do a combination of buffets and regular TS restaurants. My husband is also a big eater, and he does not care for many of the signature dining restaurants. He also wasn't crazy about Boma, but the rest of my family loved it. Also, stay away from Chefs de France if you don't want anything too rich. There are many great restaurants and buffets. What kinds of food do the two of you like?

We are there for 6 nights. It's our 6th trip with dining (way back to when you had a dollar amount to spend!) We are adventurous eaters, but try to eat low fat, no butter, oils, cheese. We have not been on the dining plan since they took the apps away. I thought it was way too much food anyways, but like I said DH won't eat dessert. So he won't have as much food as last trip. I feel like you give up quality at the sit down, but you get the quantity of the buffets.

 

[Princess Steph]

Buffets are nice - more choices and more control over how long you're in the restaurant, instead of being at the mercy of your server.

If it's just a matter of food quantity, though, the portions at non-buffets are pretty big. If he eats some of yours, that should be plenty for just about anyone.

That's true....he always finishes my meal.

 

[FigmentFan77]

Definitely go with buffets and 'family style' restaurants. We stay away from buffets at home but they are very high quality at Disney...
Our 'must haves' are 'Ohana (we dream of it year-round!) and Boma. We will probably try the Biergarten this trip, and from the reviews I've read it sounds like Crystal Palace is awesome...we're going for brunch. Your DH might also like the Liberty Tree Tavern or Garden Grill. Have a great trip!

 

[Princess Steph]

Right now I'm going with,
Garden grill
Crystal Palace
Boma
Chef Mickey
I want to try Coral Reef and maybe Teppen Edo.

There are so many, it makes it hard to choose!!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Right now I'm going with,
Garden grill
Crystal Palace
Boma
Chef Mickey
I want to try Coral Reef and maybe Teppen Edo.

There are so many, it makes it hard to choose!!

Those are all good choices although I wouldn't choose Teppan Edo for my group because the desserts don't sound appealing. Because we do get an entree and dessert at every TS, I'm choosing our TS places where both the entree and desserts sound good to me.

We loved the Crystal Palace both times we ate there. I missed it the past couple of trips, so it's on this year's list. Chef Mickey's dinner has been consistently good every time we've eaten there, and we go every trip. I have always really enjoyed the soup du jour at both CP and CM.

I want to try Coral Reef this trip too. The desserts in particular sound very good.

Have a great trip.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Definitely go with buffets and 'family style' restaurants. We stay away from buffets at home but they are very high quality at Disney...
Our 'must haves' are 'Ohana (we dream of it year-round!) and Boma. We will probably try the Biergarten this trip, and from the reviews I've read it sounds like Crystal Palace is awesome...we're going for brunch. Your DH might also like the Liberty Tree Tavern or Garden Grill. Have a great trip!

We love the Biergarten too!

The show is fun and the food is good!

 

[Pakey]

Coral Reef has the smallest entree portions of anyplace at WDW so if your husband is a big eater, he's going to leave hungry from there. Even if you were to pay OOP for an appetizer to go with your meal, their appetizers are miniscule also.

I am not a buffet eater; I'm a signature dining type of person, but I think that many of the buffets at WDW are very good. BOMA is my favorite 1TS credit restaurant at WDW; I also love Tusker House. I was fairly impressed with the food at Crystal Palace; it was just so chaotic and noisy since it's a character meal.

I think most of the non-buffet TS meals are pretty good sized. Except Coral Reef.

 

[septbaby]

Thanks for the input. We love Boma! Is it difficult to get to the CSR? It seems so out of the way. Is there always some sort of fruit based dessert? I'm a chocolate lover so I don't remember much else.

There is almost always a fruit dessert (bowl of berries, sorbet, etc.) listed. If not just ask, he should be able to get it. Also I ordered a child dessert item twice: make your own sundae at Coral Reef nephew and I both demolished ours and the banana split which he and I shared at Narcoossee's, we couldn't finish, the meal was so filling. I'm not a chocolate lover so I never ordered any of those decadent treats. In fact, I passed on dessert and bread at Boma, too much great food and soup to have instead.

Getting to CSR isn't any more difficult than getting to Boma, just take the CSR bus from any park or DTD and you will be fine. I took the CSR bus from Blizzard Beach, it was really close to BB. I then took a bus to Epcot and headed back to my resort, Pop. When I left AKL I went to DTD for a bit of shopping then took the bus back to Pop.

Sounds like it would fun to dine with your hubby! Nothing wrong with a man that enjoys his food in large quantities. If you want a big meal, but a nice meal seriously consider Narcoossee's with him ordering the Surf & Turf, it is a lot of food! If you spent 2TS there and used a CS credit to at the Pepper Market to "fill in" for a TS meal you should be fine and not have to come OOP for TS meal.

 

[Princess Steph]

Getting to CSR isn't any more difficult than getting to Boma, just take the CSR bus from any park or DTD and you will be fine. I took the CSR bus from Blizzard Beach, it was really close to BB. I then took a bus to Epcot and headed back to my resort, Pop. When I left AKL I went to DTD for a bit of shopping then took the bus back to Pop.

We are staying at POP, that does not seem too difficult. I will try to work Pepper Market into the plan. thanks.

 

[MelanieC]

I think the buffets at Family Style meals at Disney are done well. They are exceptional value and are a good value on the DDP.