Thanksgiving 2017 Buffet

[audrianna890]

Hi all! My family and I are breaking from tradition and heading to DL for Thanksgiving this year (we're AP holders). I've been stalking the dining section on the DL website, but haven't seen the Thanksgiving Buffet @ DL Hotel placeholder come up yet. From my research, I've seen that it normally goes up before reservations open, and even can open earlier than the 60 days. But nothing so far this year and 60 days from Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Anybody have any ideas or information?

I searched the boards for other threads but didn't see any. If I missed it, I'm sorry!

Thank you!

 

[biochemgirl]

Same here... watching.

 

[GenGen22]

Here's what they offered last year and this post is from 10/7 so you might see something pop up soon with this years offerings. http://www.**************.net/2016/10/disneyland-dining-options-for-thanksgiving-day-november-24/

 

[biochemgirl]

I want to eat in the parks. Anyone have experience with Blue Bayou or Carthay Circle on T-day?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I want to eat in the parks. Anyone have experience with Blue Bayou or Carthay Circle on T-day?

We did BB about 5 years ago. It was fun, but the only thing different than eating there on a regular day was the added turkey dinner to the menu.

 

[audrianna890]

I called Disney Dining on separate matter (I'm gunning for mother of the year...I forgot to order a birthday cake in advance *facepalm*) and they informed me that reservations for Thanksgiving specific meals (including buffet in DLH Grand Ballroom) will open on Tuesday, September 26th.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I called Disney Dining on separate matter (I'm gunning for mother of the year...I forgot to order a birthday cake in advance *facepalm*) and they informed me that reservations for Thanksgiving specific meals (including buffet in DLH Grand Ballroom) will open on Tuesday, September 26th.

Thank you for this info! Putting it in my calendar now!

 

[yupikgal]

What do you think of Steakhouse 55 or Carthay Circle for Thanksgiving dinner? I have a reservation for Steakhouse 55 right now (early evening), and for Storyteller's @ 1:50p, wasn't sure if they serve lunch this early, but there is also availability at Carthay, or we have also considered just eating at Carnation Cafe, but I am also eyeing the DLH now that I read how fantastic it is!! So it's served buffet style there? How does that work with the characters, does everything line up to meet with characters during a certain time?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Remember that the DLH will ask for full payment up front. So if you want to reserve the buffet in the Grand Ballroom, be prepared to have everything, including tax and tip, charged right away onto your card. CMs on the Dine Line didn't think that any other restaurant would be charging up front for Thanksgiving, but they weren't completely sure. As for your other questions, do you want to leave the parks for your meal? If not, stay with the idea of either CCR or Carnation Cafe, depending on which park you think you'll be in at the time. Storyteller's buffet got good reviews last year.

 

[yupikgal]

Remember that the DLH will ask for full payment up front. So if you want to reserve the buffet in the Grand Ballroom, be prepared to have everything, including tax and tip, charged right away onto your card. CMs on the Dine Line didn't think that any other restaurant would be charging up front for Thanksgiving, but they weren't completely sure. As for your other questions, do you want to leave the parks for your meal? If not, stay with the idea of either CCR or Carnation Cafe, depending on which park you think you'll be in at the time. Storyteller's buffet got good reviews last year.

Good point about the prepayment. Is it super crowded in there? Do you know the approximate capacity? I wonder if there is any video of any of the past ones online..in a way, it's kind of good to prepay, to get that expense out of the way!
I don't think we care about leaving the parks for our meal, although it would be handy if we are already in there, I suppose!
Did you see my question about whether or not Storyteller's serves dinner as early as 1:50p? Otherwise I will cancel that one. I don't mind an early dinner at all, even as early as noon!
It would be nice to be served our meal instead of standing in a long line waiting for it, so I guess that is the advantage Steakhouse 55, CC, Carnation has over the others.
Any reviews of Steakhouse 55 thanksgiving? Do they serve traditional Thanksgiving dinner?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

DLH buffet is very crowded. Sometimes the wait for your table can be as long as half an hour for the later reservations. There are stations set up at both ends of the ballroom to keep things moving. Food is plentiful and is replenished often. This is the only buffet wth a live band. Storytellers does start serving dinner early. I don't remember exactly how early, but at least by noon, I would think. S55 does have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (or their version of it) on their menu. Another fun option is the Jazz Kitchen. Their Thanksgiving menu is very popular year after year.

 

[AussieNSW]

Last year the characters were down one end of the room near the dessert buffet. The main buffet was set up in the middle of the ballroom with stage in front of it and a band playing. I think on side near the end walls of the room was a dessert buffet set up and characters were there for you to take photos. I think it was on each end of the room.You could go up to them when you wanted. We had one of the earliest bookings and had photos before our meal.
It was a great experience for us as we are from Australia and had never experienced thanksgiving before. We got to try a range of foods we had never tasted before and food combinations we had never thought of.
After the meal we went to the movies in downtown Disney and saw Moana.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

What do you think of Steakhouse 55 or Carthay Circle for Thanksgiving dinner? I have a reservation for Steakhouse 55 right now (early evening), and for Storyteller's @ 1:50p, wasn't sure if they serve lunch this early, but there is also availability at Carthay, or we have also considered just eating at Carnation Cafe, but I am also eyeing the DLH now that I read how fantastic it is!! So it's served buffet style there? How does that work with the characters, does everything line up to meet with characters during a certain time?

You’ve already been able to make Thanksgiving Day reservations? Last I checked nothing was available in the parks. I’m off to research a little more.

ETA: I see a lot of things have finally been loaded in for the week. From what I remember from last year though, the Thanksgiving dinner at Storyteller’s went live along with the DLH one, so I’m not sure that what you have booked will be the special Thanksgiving meal. Although I could be wrong!

 

[audrianna890]

Disney Dining was specific that four Thanksgiving meals would go live for reservations on Tuesday. I'm assuming that is Storytellers & DLH, but I don't know which other two... S55 maybe, and....?

 

[Lain]

You’ve already been able to make Thanksgiving Day reservations? Last I checked nothing was available in the parks. I’m off to research a little more.

ETA: I see a lot of things have finally been loaded in for the week. From what I remember from last year though, the Thanksgiving dinner at Storyteller’s went live along with the DLH one, so I’m not sure that what you have booked will be the special Thanksgiving meal. Although I could be wrong!

Disney Dining was specific that four Thanksgiving meals would go live for reservations on Tuesday. I'm assuming that is Storytellers & DLH, but I don't know which other two... S55 maybe, and....?

It appears a lot of the table service restaurants in the parks and hotels (e.g., Carnation Cafe, Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans, Ariel's Grotto, Steakhouse 55) have reservation times available on the Disneyland Dining website, but the DLH Thanksgiving Feast, and character dining at Storyteller's Cafe, PCH Grill, and Goofy's Kitchen never loaded (I've been checking just in case since about 3:30 a.m. this morning). I have Thanksgiving dinner at Steakhouse 55 reserved as a backup plan. Just waiting on Tuesday!

 

[audrianna890]

^Good to know! Thank you! Storytellers is my back up, so I'll have to work on both and see which one prevails! Lol

 

[Lain]

I called Disneyland Dining this morning just in case and was told the DLH Thanksgiving Feast (and likely other Thanksgiving dinners at Storyteller Cafe, PCH Grill, and Goofy's Kitchen) will be taking reservations Tuesday morning. Reservation times should go online at 3 a.m. and phone lines open at 7 a.m Pacific Time.

 

[audrianna890]

I called Disneyland Dining this morning just in case and was told the DLH Thanksgiving Feast (and likely other Thanksgiving dinners at Storyteller Cafe, PCH Grill, and Goofy's Kitchen) will be taking reservations Tuesday morning. Reservation times should go online at 3 a.m. and phone lines open at 7 a.m Pacific Time.

Thank you! I'll have to set my alarm to wake up that early.

I really never thought I'd be someone who was so dedicated to making a reservation that I'd get up at 3 AM to do it. Lol

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Just a heads up from past experience, they can be slow to load online. I remember waiting with people online here last year as they slowly loaded parties into the system. For awhile it was only doing parties of 2-3. I think it was after 7am (maybe even later) that they finally had the larger parties available to book. Just in case, I didn’t want anybody freaking out that everything was already booked the way I did last year!

 

[audrianna890]

Just a heads up from past experience, they can be slow to load online. I remember waiting with people online here last year as they slowly loaded parties into the system. For awhile it was only doing parties of 2-3. I think it was after 7am (maybe even later) that they finally had the larger parties available to book. Just in case, I didn’t want anybody freaking out that everything was already booked the way I did last year!

I actually read that whole thread from last year. Lol So I am fully prepared that I may have to wait for online booking, or call in and sit on hold for a while. If I get into the DLH buffet, I intended to take video and put it up so others can see. I didn't see any, actually, and I already put up videos of my three-almost-four-year-old daughter's adventures at DL. I figured it would make for a good video since it's not something a lot of people get to see what it's like.