Are buffets really worth it...

[simzac]

We love the buffets. The're the only non counter meals we eat while at WDW.

 

[lovethattink]

We have a couple of ADR's for restaurants that are buffets...such as Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace and 1900 Park Fare. This may just be sticker shock for me since this will be our first trip to Disney, but are the buffets really worth it? It just seems like a lot of money. If I'm figuring right, it will be around $70 at each restaurant just for me and the DH (with tip included of course.) And no, we aren't on the DDP.

Financially are they worth it? No. However, they are a blast and lots of fun! The food is good. Considered it's cooked in large batches, the quality is fine. We ate at Biergarten the other day for dinner. It was dh, myself and our 2 children. One of the kids is under 3 so he is free. Our total bill was just over $90 and we did not drink any alcoholic beverages. We had a great time, enjoyed the food and show. We don't do this often, so it's a nice treat when we do!

 

[DaisyD]

We do buffets for the characters and no so much for the food. DD only eats one slice of bread with PB&J so I am definitely not getting my moneys worth with her! I still love buffets though for the variety so we book a lot of those too.

 

[ArielsMommy]

We like the buffets because there is alot of variety. We also love the characters. It is not worth the price for food alone because we are very light eaters, but the character interaction makes it worthwhile to us. HTH

 

[kcrew]

How much do you pay for buffets at home? 70.00 for 2 doesn't sound that bad to me.

Really? Here we can eat at the China Buffet which icludes all you can eat crab legs for $9.99!!!! And kids are 5.99.

 

[disneycrazycatlady]

We ate at the German Biergarten last Sunday for lunch. The buffet was $20.00 per adult and with my DDE card- it was $16.00- The food was very good- salmon was delicious- the salads were delcious- the sour braten was deicious- the pork chops were delicious- there was also a meat ball dish that I did not taste- and desserts were good too.

It was well worth it for us.

 

[thewishfire]

We'll be going to CP this year for breakfast. I've never done a character meal before, so it should be fun. The youngest in our group is 10, but we're not doing it for him!

I think it's well worth the price. You only live once, so what's $70 more dollars in the long run? Have fun and do a character meal or two.

 

[jwfla422]

To answer your original question, it's alll "relative", in comparison to the counter service restaurants, yes the buffets are pricey, but of course as everyone mentioned, you're paying for the atmosphere (characters). Some of the buffets can be quite good actually. CP has been an excellent lunch, and frankly I make an ADR every trip for CP now, not to see Pooh & friends (although dd likes that part of it), but for the great food! Chef Mickey's for breakfast has been pretty good lately (it was "lacking" for a while but has improved). Wasn't impressed with Park Fare's dinner, thought the food was mediocre (although we like the breakfast) and also not impressed with Cape May lately either. But, that's my opinion.

On the other hand, if you're thinking about doing other "sitdowns", by the time you factor in a salad or appetizer and dessert along with dinner you'll realize the buffets are a bargain!

There are many buffets in WDW and when we do eat buffet style (there's also family style at some restaurants where the buffet is pretty much brought to your table with a more limited selection), we dont' do more than 1 buffet a day as it is very tempting to overeat!

 

[Cinderella_68]

I used to take my roommate's 4 year old to the park and I have NO problem paying for a semi expensive lunch if it means I don't have to wait in 4 different lines to get pics and autographs (esp. in the Summer)! Having all the characters come to your table while you sit in the AC is worth at least $20!

Amen! We are doing 5 character buffets on our upcoming trip. Not because the food is great, it isn't. Not because we are big eaters, we aren't. Not because the kids are going to eat well, they won't. Not because it's a good price, it isn't.
But when the oldest two announced that they plan on getting new autograph books for this trip with some of the money they have saved, and the littlest one is a monkey-see, monkey-do, well, I look at the prices as a small price to pay to not have to stand in unruly mobs in front of characters with rude parents shoving their kids in front of self-forming lines of kids, or wasting time in the heat standing in organized queues for characters.
You think the prices are bad, check out the price of Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Resort! Makes the WDW buffets look like a bargain. Of course, guess which one is closest to us... LOL
If you want character interaction, Character Meals are the way to do it, IMO!

 

[Amyrlin]

you can drive 4 miles from Disney and get a better seafood buffet for 2 at $47.00 But that's not where the actions at

Where is that? I like my seafood

 

[Hope73]

We go to Crystal Palace every time. Disney is smart because the kids get pooh and mom gets this beautiful prime rib, salmon and awesome pasta alfredo. The havea apple crist and bread pudding for desert. It is actually ber good.

 

[disneycrazycatlady]

Where is that? I like my seafood

Are you talking about the Friday nite Seafood buffet at the Marriot? We've done that a few times- unbelievable buffet.