Alice in Wonderland Easter Basket Buffet

[jencav5]

Has anyone done the Alice in Wonderland Easter Basket Buffet at the Disneyland Hotel on Easter?

We've done the Thanksgiving Dinner several times, but have never done the Easter one. I am thinking it is basically the same thing, but "spring themed."

My question is, what kind of meal is it? Is it a lunch or a brunch? The girl I spoke with on the phone had to look it up and really couldn't give me much info. They also don't seem to have any info on these special meals online. Also, any other description of the event would be great! Thanks in advance!

[fairycat]

Since I have my reservation secure now I will tell you all about it

We had to miss the last few years due to a yearly event we do but we are cleared to go again this year!!! We did it three years before that.

Yes its a brunch! You walk into the Hotel and go to an area where you check in and pay (if you have a Premium AP they will give you a discount on your bill). You then enter an area where you wait to be seated they usually have drinks and things around for you while you wait and occassionally a character might come out to say "Hi" you will be called given special buttons and be escorted to your table.

The ball room is HUGE!!!!! There are food stations surrounding all the walls. The center has food stations and a stage with a piano and some one who will take requests to play your favorite disney songs. They also had someone carving fruit designs that were amazing in this area. In one of the corners they have a area set up for Photos with Characters typically Mad Hatter and Alice always show up!

The food stations are set up beautifully with edible decorations (at least the were the year we went, they change up the designs yearly).

They offered a breakfast section with meats, eggs, omelets to order, beligan waffles and so much more!

Make your own pasta station, just tell the CM what you want and they will make it up for you.

And eggroll station where they made you a custom egg roll.

One year they had a bruschetta bar with different yummy types.

Carving Stations

Bread and Pastry Carts

Fruit, Salad, cold seafood, and lox in another section

A kids cart set lower with foods designed for kids, though DH helped himself to lots of Chocolate Chip Cookies to dip in the fountain from that table

Of course tons of yummy desserts, including a chocolate fountain, and one year a crepe station.

The best part is no matter how huge the room and where you sit you never have to walk far to get the food you want because they actually repeat the stations so there are about 4-5 complete offerings in any given area of the room. So by your table you will have everything you could want!

Besides, coffee, juice, tea and soda you also get Champange (yummy Mimosas!!) with your meal.

Every year we have gone we have had great servers, who were promte(sometimes to promte ) to get us more drinks, clear our plates or help us as needed. They tend to have 2-3 servers for approx. 3 tables to cover everyone.

The characters came over and played and took pictures which was so fun.

And the best part is they don't rush you out! We always felt very relaxed and had such a great time. We usually have about 10 people in our group and every year we have brought at least one new face.

I hate buffets but this one is so special I am so thrilled to get to go back!!Don't forget though its not formal this is a slightly dressier occassion. If you chose to go, I will say if its even half as good as I remember you will love it!

[audrabolster]

wow! I hadn't heard of this- I wonder if there are still spots open?

[jencav5]

Thanks Fairycat! Great details! It does sound just like the Thanksgiving Buffet they do at Thanksgiving! We've done that one many years in a row, and then missed it the last 3 years, too! We just did it again in 2007 and it was still just as good as ever! They used to have the fruit carving at that one, too, but they didn't have that this year. Maybe they'll still do it at the Easter one.

I find it strange that Disney doesn't advertise these events (at least as far as I know). I wonder if they just fill up so much, they will get to many calls?

We have some friends that are going to DLR for Easter and we told them we'd be going to this buffet. They said "you eat at buffet's! We don't eat at buffet's." I tried to tell them that this is not you're normal buffet-it is an event! There are way too many people to be sit down & served! They do a great job serving drinks and clearing, though!

[jencav5]

Originally Posted by audrabolster

wow! I hadn't heard of this- I wonder if there are still spots open?

I got my reservation yesterday. Just call Disney dining and ask for the Alice in Wonderland Easter Basket Buffet at the Disneyland Hotel. We took a 10:45am ressie, but there were also a lot of later afternoon times yesterday, from about 2pm on. If by chance there are no more ressie's, keep checking back because you don't pay for this in advance and people do cancel sometimes. Also, they take walk-ins.

[fairycat]

Originally Posted by jencav5

Thanks Fairycat! Great details! It does sound just like the Thanksgiving Buffet they do at Thanksgiving! We've done that one many years in a row, and then missed it the last 3 years, too! We just did it again in 2007 and it was still just as good as ever! They used to have the fruit carving at that one, too, but they didn't have that this year. Maybe they'll still do it at the Easter one.

I find it strange that Disney doesn't advertise these events (at least as far as I know). I wonder if they just fill up so much, they will get to many calls?

We have some friends that are going to DLR for Easter and we told them we'd be going to this buffet. They said "you eat at buffet's! We don't eat at buffet's." I tried to tell them that this is not you're normal buffet-it is an event! There are way too many people to be sit down & served! They do a great job serving drinks and clearing, though!

I heard all the buffet's are pretty similar but you would have a change to the seasonal foods and see way more eggs and less turkey then I am sure you saw at Thanksgiving hahah!!

I think some of use don't like Buffet's because in my case I am vegetarian and a little picky so at most buffet's I eat salad and not much else, they are always a waste of money for me. I also am not a big eater so again a huge waste of money. This one though gave me time to enjoy my food so I probably had more I liked the food I did have and just felt it was worth the money for me.

The sign to me that this was good, was even after we had all eaten all morning, rolled out of that hotel, we all still had one thing we wish we had, had just a bit more room for. That is a good sign to me

BTW I think that with the amount of returns and word of mouth that if they advertised the buffet's they would be packed. I think they way they do it is nice because you don't feel rushed or like sardines if they added more Guests.

[jencav5]

Originally Posted by fairycat

I heard all the buffet's are pretty similar but you would have a change to the seasonal foods and see way more eggs and less turkey then I am sure you saw at Thanksgiving hahah!!

I think some of use don't like Buffet's because in my case I am vegetarian and a little picky so at most buffet's I eat salad and not much else, they are always a waste of money for me. I also am not a big eater so again a huge waste of money. This one though gave me time to enjoy my food so I probably had more I liked the food I did have and just felt it was worth the money for me.

The sign to me that this was good, was even after we had all eaten all morning, rolled out of that hotel, we all still had one thing we wish we had, had just a bit more room for. That is a good sign to me

BTW I think that with the amount of returns and word of mouth that if they advertised the buffet's they would be packed. I think they way they do it is nice because you don't feel rushed or like sardines if they added more Guests.

I agree, I love the way it is not rushed! We like to hang out and enjoy ourselves! We can get up and see characters and then sit down and eat without feeling rushed, like sometimes can happen at a character meal. I'm just so used to going online to get info, that it was frustrating to go and look for that meal and not find it! lol

[jaakna]

I assume it's worth the 84 dollars per adult from reading these posts? Seems outrageous for a "brunch" buffet. I suppose its the atmosphere that makes it special also!

[jencav5]

Originally Posted by jaakna

I assume it's worth the 84 dollars per adult from reading these posts? Seems outrageous for a "brunch" buffet. I suppose its the atmosphere that makes it special also!

Yes, the price is high, and there is a big gap between the adult and kid price. Let alone, that kids are under 10. Yet, I will still pay for it because it is good food and good character interaction with minimal waits and the atmosphere is really nice-the Dland Hotel ballroom is really beautiful. We like to dress a little nicer when we go (as opposed to "theme park" wear), and it just makes the day special like a holiday would be. For the Thanksgiving Dinner, my DD had her hair done like a princess at libby lou before we went and she wore her red belle dress-the pictures are just priceless!

[jencav5]

bump

[audrabolster]

I just reserved mine! They only had 3 times for a party of two which was kind of sad since I wanted something earlier, but I am so happy to have something to do for easter! We're local to Disney and have no family to share Easter with, so I am very excited for this!

[fairycat]

Originally Posted by audrabolster

I just reserved mine! They only had 3 times for a party of two which was kind of sad since I wanted something earlier, but I am so happy to have something to do for easter! We're local to Disney and have no family to share Easter with, so I am very excited for this!

Yeah how exciting! Maybe we should all pull out or fancy LGMH for the event hehe though it will be hard to talk with all of our mouths full

Don't forget to get your AP discount (I know Premium gets it but not 100% of the others). And yes its worth it, this will be my 4th trip back.

[audrabolster]

LGMH?

I am very excited, and it was the pass discount that sold me on it!

How many characters usually show up?

[fairycat]

Originally Posted by audrabolster

LGMH?

I am very excited, and it was the pass discount that sold me on it!

How many characters usually show up?

I think we saw about four Characters but I could be wrong since I only had eyes for Alice! She is one of my favorites!

LGMH
Lime Green Mickey Heads, you get them from Home Depot in the paint samples many Disers wear then so you can identify other Disers in the parks!

[audrabolster]

That is too funny, I always wondered what people meant by that! I'll have to get some!