which dinner buffet?

[smiley_face2]

So I've read a lot about Goofy's Kitchen and the rave reviews (albeit for breakfast/brunch not so much for dinner?) and hubby seems to think he wants to try it for dinner...for New Years Eve. I know there are other dinner buffets around the other hotels...Storytellers in GCH being one I'm interested in.... Who knows exactly what and where the different ones are, and more importantly, who has tried the food at the different ones?
I'm really torn.... part of me (the part that has cried about the loss of Dawn here, and our childrens Godparents 2 week old grandson as well this weekend ) wants to just stay home and be depressed, and certainly not interact with Disney characters during a meal...
the other part of me thinks getting away and forgetting about things and just being silly may be good for the soul.
Anyway.... any and all opinions and pictures would be great!

 

[Lostgirlz]

I have usually done Goofy's bfast, and dinner every trip only once did I not do goofy's dinner that was in July. Goofy's brunch buffet is excellent I am doing it twice this trip. Their Dinner is good, and their are different char's to meet at dinner. It's salad bar, dessert bar, carved prime rib, sometimes carved turkey breast, pizzas, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac and cheese, veggies, and many other things. It's good at dinner I wouldnt say napa rose good, but it's good, and a big variety. I havent done the dinner one at the Grand, but I have done the Storytellers chip and dale breakfast, and it was really good also, but it's a much more limted buffet than Goofy's at Bfast, or dinner. Goofy's is the biggest on resort property. Paradise Piers PCH grill only does the Lilo and Stitch breakfast buffet, so they don't serve a buffet at night. Those as far as on resort are the only 2 dinner buffets unless you go outside of the resort all together to somewere like country buffet and such.

 

[smiley_face2]

thanks Lostgirlz... I found a bit about Ariels Grotto for the dinner as well...it's not really a classic buffet though, and I read a few complaints about long wait times, not great service, kind of grubby surroundings (let's face it...anytime you get a room full of kids eathing things are not going to stay pristine!!). I found the Food Porn/Review Index put up by Just a Kid too...(thankyou!! ) and there are pics of the buffet at Storytellers...the beef and salmon look really yummy there!

 

[Lostgirlz]

Ariels is actually pretty good for lunch, and dinner are the same there. I find it best to go during lunch. I wouldnt say it's grubby it is cute, and I just went in Oct going again in a couple of weeks. The food is better than it was a few years ago now that they changed the menu. It's not all you can eat it's just a 3 course meal. The breakfast is all you can eat, but I havent tried it as I have heard it so very basic at breakfast you get a better choice lunch/dinner.

 

[bumbershoot]

Goofy's is the only character dinner *buffet*. Only other dinner with characters is Ariel's.

 

[Queenbillabong]

I like the food at Storyteller's dinner buffer more than the food at Goofy's dinner, but Storyteller's is not a character meal for dinner (if that matters). We did not enjoy the dinner at Goofy's - the breakfast was okay, but not so much the dinner....

 

[smiley_face2]

I was looking for somewhere with preferably no characters...so Storytellers may be the place to go. I don't know why, I just think if we had little kids again, or our grandchildren with us, then of course. A middle aged couple alone.... well hubby just wants to be able to try lot's of different things as apposed to one set meal in a restaurant

 

[kikiq]

My DH and I are middle aged grandparents We love Storyteller's. It is our family's birthday dinner buffet. Not a huge variety but enough for small and big eaters. I have been known to only eat the salmon and the veges with a bowl of corn chowder...oh, and some dessert.

 

[aristocat65]

Storytellers is the only buffet we've tried, but we really like it. The food is really good quality, and the bread pudding is fantastic. The atmosphere in there is also really nice and cosy. I think it would be great for New Years. You'll have a wonderful time.

 

[smiley_face2]

My DH and I are middle aged grandparents We love Storyteller's. It is our family's birthday dinner buffet. Not a huge variety but enough for small and big eaters. I have been known to only eat the salmon and the veges with a bowl of corn chowder...oh, and some dessert.

well we will be going there for sure, regardless of whether we do Goofy's at another time! lol... The pictures I saw of the salmon look amazing!!

 

[smiley_face2]

Storytellers is the only buffet we've tried, but we really like it. The food is really good quality, and the bread pudding is fantastic. The atmosphere in there is also really nice and cosy. I think it would be great for New Years. You'll have a wonderful time.

Yes, then a quiet drink or 2 at the hearthstone lounge, a nice relaxing way to bring in the New Year! suits my mood perfectly

 

[ballarinamom]

We did both GK dinner and brunch (we still prefer Dinner) and Storytellers for dinner this past week. Storytellers had less of a variety than GK. But we were so full we didn't have room for dessert! The corn chowder there was amazing. Both had very good smoked sirlion. I was expecting Storytellers to be a little quieter for dinner than what we've seen at breakfast. It was not noisy just not as qiet as I expected.

 

[smiley_face2]

We did both GK dinner and brunch (we still prefer Dinner) and Storytellers for dinner this past week. Storytellers had less of a variety than GK. But we were so full we didn't have room for dessert! The corn chowder there was amazing. Both had very good smoked sirlion. I was expecting Storytellers to be a little quieter for dinner than what we've seen at breakfast. It was not noisy just not as qiet as I expected.

this is good to know.. that's what hubby said looking at the pics... that it looked like Goofy's had a lot more selection... I'm of the quality versus quantity school of thought... but if you can get both at Goofy's that's good! The ribs appetizer we had at Storytellers was about the best thing I've ever eaten... hubby had ravioli and I had a pizza...it was all soooooo good! I'm thinking Goofy's would probably be more of a "party" type atmosphere for New years...but I'm not feeling that way right now. By the time I make up my mind they will be booked solid. I think I will book both right now, then I can decide over the next couple of weeks.
Are you doing any kind of trip report?

 

[ballarinamom]

I hope to have one started just after Turkey day! I have 12 people over for Thanksgiving dinner so I will be a little busy the next few days!

 

[pixiewings71]

I was going to suggest you book both and then decide. BTW, if it was DBF and I and I wanted Ariel's I would not hesitate to go. The food there is soooooooooo good, we've been disappointed only once and it was not in the food, it was because Snow White wouldn't wait 1 minute for DD9 to come back from the bathroom. We were the last table before she left and we asked her to please wait but she said she couldn't....DD walked back right after SW walked away.
Storyteller's is also really good. DBF loved the buffet, I had the field greens salad and YUM!!!! Sooooooooooooooo good!!!!!! I tried a bite or 2 of some of the buffet offerings, they were good!!
We've never eaten dinner at GK, we did do a bfast there once and we have no plans to go back. We were not impressed.....the best part was the bacon. LOL
So if you're looking for a buffet for dinner, go to Storyteller's.

 

[smiley_face2]

I hope to have one started just after Turkey day! I have 12 people over for Thanksgiving dinner so I will be a little busy the next few days!

oh my goodness...I hope you have some help! although, when our grown kids, and grandchildren are all here, there are 12 of us and it's usually just me doing it all!! but....they all clean up after so that's awesome!!
Have a very happy thanksgiving!