I'm done

[ThreeTinks]

Count me in as another who is glad they can now skip the buffet/character meals. My kids still love the characters but have no strong interest in seeing them and they barely ever eat anything off the buffets so it feels like such a waste to me. I'm actually really looking forward to our first OOP dining trip coming up - no more picking restaurants based on the value vs price paid (even when free) we have no buffets on the list!

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

goofy on a lot of them.

We do Trails End for breakfast or Olivia's but other than that we eat in our villa. I have no interest in character buffets now that the prices have gone through the roof and quality is heading South. We did Kike Tusker House and Crystal Palace when we ate breakfast there.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I live in Central Illinois and to be quite honest, the buffet's around here are nothing to write home about. In order to feed the masses, keep the food hot, and keep everybody happy, these places jump through hoops and it still doesn't work. Golden Corral- Yuk. Ryans- Yuk.

I think Disney buffet's are just like any buffet. Bland and cold or cold and bland.

So, I just avoid them. To tell you the truth, I really don't like the family style stuff either. Think I just feel better knowing that the dish that is set in front of ME was made for Me and only for me.

 

[electricsoup]

We just came back this morning and ugh - we too are done with Buffets if possible (not likely with dd2 and ds4). Our best ones this trip were 1900PP and H&V actually - and the H&V one helped us get Jedi Academy to boot, and wasn't crowded at all. CM's was awful. Bleh. I used to love that one too.

 

[Three cats]

We avoid the buffets too. Not so much the price but the quality of the food is what turn us off.


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[TDC Nala]

I used to do the buffets, even the character ones, the food was good enough that the price was worth it.

Now, they're all about the characters and the food is secondary, I think they realized they don't have to provide exemplary food for guests to sign up for a character buffet. Even here I see a lot of posters say "it's not about the food, we want the opportunity to meet characters without standing in line." Nothing wrong with that, but it's now not the best idea to go to a character meal and expect much of anything beyond pedestrian buffet food.

Some say breakfasts are a better bet, in that breakfast food is basic and not that easy to screw up. I don't have a lot of experience with breakfasts.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Paying for overpriced buffets with bad food. Chef Mickey to name one. Come to think of it, I'll be good with no buffet.

My only weakness where the word "buffet" comes in, Boma! The other's we gave up on years ago! And heaven forbid we have to take one for the team, and do a Character buffet, Tusker House is the only one I've actually enjoyed!

 

[pixarmom]

We're with you!!! Our boys are ages 5, 12 and 13. We're repeat WDW AP holders, visited DL twice in the last two years, and been on two Disney cruises over the past 15 months. We've seen lots of characters! I still like going to character meals with just our 5-year-old. But we usually travel with the whole family, so we're scaling back the character meals to just Garden Grill (it's a tradition.) Otherwise, we're loading up on the signature ADRs and using our TIW card. It's a whole different experience and we love it!

 

[Mick West]

I LOVE Disney, been more times than I can count but I don't do buffet's - at DW or any where. My thoughts are that the Disney Dining Plan, and all of it's "variations", have really been a negative force in regards to the overall Disney dining experience. Menu selections have changed and the overall quality, in my opinion, has decreased. I remember walking up to dining locations and being able to get in without reservations. You may wait a bit, but you could usually get in. Now you can call 3 months in advance - and not be able to get a resevation. We are pretty much counter service eaters now - but we still love going!

 

[cymbaldiva]

We are going specifically for the characters, the kids are very into the Disney juniors now, so that's why H&V is still on the list, blah. We did CP for Dinner in March , and I hated it, our reservation is at 10:30 , DH is insisting we keep it, but I'm trying to change his mind.

Crystal Palace breakfast isn't bad - nothing mind blowing, but it's not horrible.

 

[OldsDr]

We've decided no more buffets, we will do family style like Ohana and the restaurant in the land (That I can never ever ever remember the name of) that rotates. The food is not great but is better than buffets.

 

[bound4wdw]

Buffets are overpriced and lacking in quality. Even Cinderella's breakfast was horrible service. Heck why would they give good service, they are already paid and tipped before you walk through the door. Initial service at CRT was great, but finding waitstaff after you get your meal isn't an easy task.

 

[quandrea]

Buffets are overpriced and lacking in quality. Even Cinderella's breakfast was horrible service. Heck why would they give good service, they are already paid and tipped before you walk through the door. Initial service at CRT was great, but finding waitstaff after you get your meal isn't an easy task.

Agreed. I find they barely make eye contact once they've thrown the meal at you. We've been a few times and I don't think we'll be back. I find Akershus to be better and we like 'Ohana's service for the most part.

 

[ArthurFiggis]

Wow. I'm surprised at all the hate for character buffets. I suppose being a solo adult traveler has something to do with it, but I love them. Especially the breakfasts. I've had surprisingly great experiences at Akershus and CRT. Food was good, service was great.

I'm going to assume that it has more to do with the food and prices than the characters. Otherwise, going to Disney without the characters seems sort of like saying, "I love Disney, but that stupid castle in the middle of the Magic Kingdom is such an eyesore."

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I have been disappointed with every dinner buffet we have visited. We still have one breakfast during a trip because my girls STILL like it. We usually go to CP and have a good time and the food is okay.

It is a real shame because they could do so much better, I mean there are some really Good buffets in Las Vegas and surely WDW could pull that off. But as long as they book every ADR time with those high prices for mediocre food it will continue.

 

[leebee]

Boma is our favorite restaurant at WDW. We love their food, and we aren't always off "foraging," as we time our trips to the buffet to pretty much coincide with each other. Boma is also our favorite breakfast at WDW. I think it has something to do with NOT having characters; they HAVE to focus on the food! We gave up on CM's about 10 years ago; it was just a mess there, and the food was mediocre, whether at b'fast or dinner. We occasionally go back to CP, but usually regret it. It's just not great anymore, characters or not. The only times we return is if we are doing free dining. Otherwise, we steer clear of all buffets except Boma- and Biergarten, but we go there for the experience and the beer, not just the food (which is sometimes good, sometimes less than stellar).

 

[JimmyV]

I'm going to assume that it has more to do with the food and prices than the characters.

No need to assume. Just look at the OP. It refers to price and quality. Characters are never mentioned.

 

[letsgoreds]

For all of my trips to WDW, I don't recall ever eating at a character meal or buffet. My DS7 never liked the characters, and I never liked the prices. I have been considering Tusker House for our January trip as my 4yo nephew is a character guy (doesn't know the Disney ones), but still not convinced...

 

[1mama2three]

We've also decided to forego all the character meals this time around, despite the fact that we have 4 kids under the age of 8. The last time around we did the dining plan, which wasn't worth the money IMO. Add the fact that we spent most of our time waiting for meals, rushing to meals, or sitting at a meal. Then, it felt like the characters flew on by us and it was all over in less than 10 minutes. The kids were too distracted to eat, and so the $100+ bill just didn't feel "worth" it to us.

We've also found that since we visit in the slower months, it seems that we get better character interaction during park meet & greets. The restaurant ones just felt rushed to us.

I know character meals are very popular, and we've enjoyed a select few ourselves, but this time around we're going to eat CS or cook our own meals, and try to go for a more laid-back Disney visit.

 

[vcunning]

We had a late morning character breakfast planned at Chef Mickey's on our last day before flying out. I had the kids in the pool early in the morning and they asked if we could skip the character breakfast and just keep playing in the pool.

Saved about $150 bucks (and I didn't share it with the kids!)