Trails End Buffet ???

[Cheryl N. WI]

I have been reading some good things about the Trails End Buffet and we are thinking we'd like to give it a try for our trip this Dec. Do you need priority seatings or can you pretty much just get a table without a wait? If we drive our car to FW how long would it take us to get to Trails End from the parking area ( if I remember right we would need to take one of the campgrounds buses to get there from the parking lot)? Do they always have the peel and eat shrimp and ribs? If so it would be worth the $ to go there for us right there. Is the restaurant near the petting zoo and the horses, we haven't been there in many years and this might be something a little different to do if we can tear DD away from the parks?

Cheryl

 

[jann1033]

they have always had beef or pork ribs when we went ( last time 6 yrs ago) but don't think they had the shrimp then except Weekends(????) it's right beside the petting zoo and lots of other stuff like where you can get the hay rides...if your daughter loves horses, when my kids were little ( 10+yrs ago)the CM let them each take a turn "driving" the hayride and they got to sit up front with her ,a real thrill for them! the horses you ride are not any where close but there is/was a barn of Percherons they use for wagons, parades and stuff right by the petting zoo. A cm let us see them too but that was during the day. We always go in early Dec or Jan and never have a wait but during holiday time I don't know. there is also a boat suttle from the contemporary and Mk (if that would help )that lets you off maybe 50 yrds. away. It's right beside the HOOp De Do if that helps. No characters are there.

we have always liked it because it is such a nice change from the frantic parks

 

[lwestwise]

They have always had Peel and eat shrimp when we went and we have been there during the week and on the weekend. Also, they always have ribs. No PS, though. The petting zoo is just next to Pioneer hall, where the Trails End is. Have fun and enjoy.

 

[mom2bandp]

They also have pony rides at the petting zoo if your DD is a little younger (there is a weight limit), but I can't remember what time of day they stop. If you're there early enough that might be an option, and if you're there later in the evening you can walk to the marina/beach and watch the water pageant. They've always had the shrimp and ribs when we've been there too. And I think we've always had carved roast beef too. Our longest wait was at peak suppertime, I think around 30-45 minutes. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

 

[january]

My last lunch at Trails End Buffet was Jan 02 and left a lot to be desired. We'd on this buffet couple of other times for lunch and was very pleased but the Jan 02 was so bad don't think we'll ever make the effort to go there again.

Food had been left sitting for to long and it was only about 2 when we was there. There was not much selection pizza and cold sandwiches mostly. Salad bar was very basic and skimpy. Dessert I think was chocolate pudding.

 

[lwestwise]

We were just there in June and enjoyed the Trails End, as we always do. The description from January just doesn't sound like the same Trails End. It must have been an OFF day.

 

[jann1033]

I do think that can happen anywhere (by reading the rest. threads here). We did have a "not so great" meal there once a number of years ago but next time it was back to normal.

 

[frannn]

If you were to do this, would you do Trails End lunch or dinner before the campfire?

 

[jann1033]

I don't remember when you are going but I would do dinner for a few reasons1) it's fairly inexpensive for dinner 2) there is a lot to see around there if you go when the parks close earlier including the campfire and Electric parade from the beach (can't think of the name right now, it's on the lake) 3)I heard that after 4pm there is direct bus tranportation from the other resorts to FW. due to HOOP De dO so it would be easier to get there

 

[Cheryl N. WI]

We are definitely going to try to fit this in for dinner in Dec. DH and I love peel and eat shrimp and DH and DD love ribs so it sounds like a great dinner for us at a reasonable price!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I have heard that the menu is quite different from lunch to dinner. Lunch has the great chicken from the HDDR, but not the ribs or shrinp. Anyone know for sure? We are at the WL this year and thought we might catch this place for a few different meals.


Jordan' mom

 

[donac]

We were there in AUg and had lunch and dinner. Lunch has the fried chicken and snadwiches and salads. They also had some other dishes. Dinner had the shrimp, ribs and other main dishes. Both had chili and corn bread. The food this past Aug and Aug 02 were wonderful and it has become a favorite place for my family to eat.

 

[ccbob]

I'm traveling next week alone and was thinking of trying the lunch buffet out. How do I get there if I am staying offsite?

 

[donac]

Follow the signs on Disney property to FW. When you turn in tell them you are going to Trail's End. Park your car in the first parking lot and go to the bus stop. Catch the first bus that says Settlement.

Alternative way is to catch a boat from the MK to FW and walk a short walk to Trails End. The building is on your left as you walk the path from the boat. This is a great way to get to FW.

 

[january]

Glad to hear the lunch buffet is improving...

We had enjoyed this buffet because it was reasonibly priced and we used it as a break from the MK too as it was very quiet dining in the middle of afternoon nice relaxing boat ride over from the MK. But as I said in an earlier post the food that one time was not that great had been left sitting far to long under the hot lights and there was not much to choose from. Very glad to hear it is improving.

OH something no one else has mentioned on this thread be sure to stop by the petting zoo and say HI to Minnie Moo.

 

[rams408]

We have eaten dinner there several times and always enjoyed the food. As for visiting Minnie Moo the holstein cow at the campgrond, sorry, she passed away a year or two back.

 

[mom2bandp]

Unfortunately, I was told Minnie Moo has passed away.

Oops...sorry, I just realized the other poster said the same thing.

 

[mom2bandp]

Unfortunately, I was told Minnie Moo has passed away.

 

[yoopermom]

We adore TE, but actually like to have a late lunch (after 2), since it's still lunch prices, and you can get 10% off with your AP. Dinner has more selections, including an excellent wild game dish, usually. No more Minnie Moo, but the horses (and the animals in the petting zoo) are great!
Terri

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Dh and I just went aug. 16. We monorail ed from poly to mk and then boated to FW. The only bad experience there was getting a wiff of the horse barn or something before dinner. Not good. Also a family with a golf cart almost crashed into us. He did apologize for taking a wrong turn almost into us lol.

As far as the food we considered it a good value for the money. My DH had the chili and buffalo steak. Thought it was a little stringy. We both had the fried chicken and ribs. Shrimp too. One thing was we did arrive late and dh wanted some prime rib. Well the chef disappeared, my dh saw him making pizzas so he never got the prime rib but we were almost the last ones they let in so we did understand. They also had pizza, mac an cheese, salads etc. Not fancy but very adequate. For dessert they had jello, pudding, watermelon and I had the blueberry bread pudding. They had vanilla sauce for it if you wanted. It was very good.
Also our server was very slow with the drinks. It was just her as I saw more quicker and efficient servers. So she was the exception. She was friendly enough but slow. Whereas other servers had like 8 drinks on their trays, she only carried 2 etc. Did notice that crocketts tavern which is right next door was doing a very brisk business with the pizza and brews. We also could faintly hear some music from the HDD. When we came out there were people lined up for the last HDD show of the night. The boat ride back to the mk was very peaceful at night. You will enjoy the Trails End.