Palo Brunch Buffet Back??

[insureman]

We loved the buffet - but I have to say I really enjoyed the new family style set up for what used to be on the buffet. They bring you as much as you want and you don't have to keep getting up and down. I would be perfectly happy if they kept it as it is now.

The problem is they have nowhere near the selection the buffet brunch had.

 

[Jsoenning]

We had the sticky bun option in December on the Magic but it wasn't the same as what was pictured in this thread from the buffet. For us it was a large mostly dry bun - better when the pastry part is small as pictured above as you got ooey gooey with every bite. My wife and I both took one bite and were done. To be fair we were full by then but had it been the old style I would have found room.

I liked the buffet style as they had miniatures of all the desserts and as some have said for my wife chocolate covered strawberries. For the small bites ahead of time - much better than the current two mini appetizer plates. We would get only the meats and cheeses we wanted and there was so much more variety of other small bites as others have mentioned I'd never had before.

Also as mentioned in a prior Palo posting my wife said she won't be sad if we don't do Palo brunch anymore. The food quality wasn't blow us away on anything we had, whereas in the past it was WOW! I still miss the strawberry soup. The omelet my wife got was the same quality as Cabana's.

I still enjoyed the table for two without the kids but it was super crowded with folks in December - used to be more spaced out, and our server took forever because of the number of tables he had. Not the normal of filling up coffee cup and water constantly. My wife challenged me when I left a larger tip than the standard percentage.

I think they'll still sell out and folks who haven't had the old style will be happy. Similar to how cruises used to have a dessert night and no upcharge for filet at the main dining every night.

 

[Kwami]

We had the sticky bun option in December on the Magic but it wasn't the same as what was pictured in this thread from the buffet. For us it was a large mostly dry bun - better when the pastry part is small as pictured above as you got ooey gooey with every bite. My wife and I both took one bite and were done. To be fair we were full by then but had it been the old style I would have found room.

I was on the Magic in November. The bun was larger, as you said. It came in its own little pan. But it was absolutely covered in goo. There wasn't anything remotely dry on it. If anything, there was too much goo. I guess they ran out by the time you got there!

I think they'll still sell out and folks who haven't had the old style will be happy. Similar to how cruises used to have a dessert night and no upcharge for filet at the main dining every night.

You can still get filet without an upcharge. For at least three nights, Lumiere's, Triton's, Royal Court, Royal Palace, or 1923 will be serving filet. You can request it from the other restaurants. I don't know if they'll make it for you on the other nights, though.

Bring back dessert night!

 

[Lillebelle]

I saw this thread got bumped and I got so excited hoping maybe it was news that the buffet had returned. I'm still in the camp that the old version of brunch was far superior due to the much wider selection (and unique things you can't get elsewhere on the ship).

 

[MomOTwins]

You know thought just occurred to me the buffet not returning might be a subtle way for Disney to correct the problem of too many platinum guests eating free while paying diners are shut our from reservations. They know platinums are most likely to bristle and boycott because they remember how it was and feel shortchanged, whereas newer guests are just happy to have a nice brunch and don’t care about what it was like 3 years ago.

I always thought it had to be a money pit for disney giving unlimited caviar to guests whose meals are comped and who also happen to have preferential access to reservations.

 

[Kwami]

You know thought just occurred to me the buffet not returning might be a subtle way for Disney to correct the problem of too many platinum guests eating free while paying diners are shut our from reservations. They know platinums are most likely to bristle and boycott because they remember how it was and feel shortchanged, whereas newer guests are just happy to have a nice brunch and don’t care about what it was like 3 years ago.

I always thought it had to be a money pit for disney giving unlimited caviar to guests whose meals are comped and who also happen to have preferential access to reservations.

Well, I'm sure that it's about money, but I don't think it's some kind of scheme to specifically spite platinum guests. Of course, not having the buffet is cheaper. If Disney can continue selling enough seats without the buffet, then why bring it back? Besides, there's less food waste this way.

 

[Remysister28]

DCL will have to offer Pearl members even more enticements so maybe the free Palo will be phased out for Platinum members? Probably not a good thing.

 

[bcwife76]

DCL will have to offer Pearl members even more enticements so maybe the free Palo will be phased out for Platinum members? Probably not a good thing.

It won't be phased out for Platinum members, some of the new benefits were released last week for Pearl members along with an updated chart of benefits for all member levels and a free Palo meal is still going to be included for Platinum. They won't take away benefits for any levels they will just keep adding benefits to the new levels.

 

[MomOTwins]

Well, I'm sure that it's about money, but I don't think it's some kind of scheme to specifically spite platinum guests. Of course, not having the buffet is cheaper. If Disney can continue selling enough seats without the buffet, then why bring it back? Besides, there's less food waste this way.

Perhaps but the same could be said of all the theme park buffets which were previously switched to family style, and they have since returned to full buffets. There has to be something different with the cruise line.

 

[Kwami]

Perhaps but the same could be said of all the theme park buffets which were previously switched to family style, and they have since returned to full buffets. There has to be something different with the cruise line.

Well, but most of the park buffets charge at least the same fee as Palo and don't offer the same quality or variety that Palo used to offer. Plus, the park buffets have many, many more guests.

 

[holula]

You know thought just occurred to me the buffet not returning might be a subtle way for Disney to correct the problem of too many platinum guests eating free while paying diners are shut our from reservations. They know platinums are most likely to bristle and boycott because they remember how it was and feel shortchanged, whereas newer guests are just happy to have a nice brunch and don’t care about what it was like 3 years ago.

There’s an easy solution for this: give them a $50 OBC instead. (I know Palo is $45 but $45 is such an odd amount for an OBC.)