In a world of overindulgence, Walt Disney World is king when it comes to buffets. Often paired with characters and allowing everyone in the family from the pickiest eater to the most adventurous foodie to take what they want (and go back for more), buffets are a great way to make everyone happy at mealtime during your Disney vacation.
But buffets are so often accused of just having a ton of mediocre-at-best food. So is this true of Disney’s too?
Here we cover the top 5 most incredible buffets at Disney. And spoiler alert – my top buffet breakfasts list includes the SAME SPOTS as my top buffet dinners list. (And note, as always, that menus and characters are always subject to change!!)
5. Trail’s End at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
If you want comfort food in a chill setting and a heck of a bang for your buck (at least as far as Disney dollars go) then you can stop reading here. Located at Fort Wilderness Resort next to the Hoop Dee Doo Review at Pioneer Hall, Trail’s End is all of the comfort food that you could ever need at Walt Disney World. The setting is rustic and relaxed, the food is great, and afterwards you can take a walk around the campgrounds and breathe in some fresh air or enjoy a horse drawn carriage ride around the resort.
For breakfast you’ll find eggs and bacon, oatmeal and grits, biscuits and gravy, fresh fruit, freshly baked pastries, Mickey waffles, to-die-for cinnamon rolls, hot spiced apples, and tons more.
For dinner, you’ll find fruit and salads, ribs, fried chicken, fish, hand carved meats, pasta, chili, steamed shrimp, homemade cobbler and bread pudding, and soft serve ice cream, along with tons of other choices – including some other amazing and unique desserts.
Whichever you choose, it’s a great value on property and will satisfy your hungry inner frontiers(wo)man.
4. Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Tusker House at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is one of several examples on this list of how you don’t have to sacrifice good food to let your kids (or the grown ups!) enjoy a wonderful character meal at Walt Disney World.
Inside, you’ll find plenty of the usual foods to enjoy along with a creative list of Indian- and African-inspired options that kick the foodie vibe of the place up a notch. From stews to curries to rotisserie meats and carved sirloin – not to mention some killer desserts – you aren’t here to eat theme park food unless you want to.
And you’ll also have the chance to meet Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy in full safari gear. This is a great example of why a more off the beaten path restaurant is a great spot to enjoy everything that Disney’s characters have to offer. Don’t get me wrong…spots like Chef Mickey have their place. But you’re not going to find the sort of Fab 5 character interactions that you’ll get here – or at breakfast at Cape May – anywhere else.
3. Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Oh Cape May. Where do I even start?
Perhaps with Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast…
Like Tusker House, this is an AMAZING way to experience great food AND many of the Fab 5 key characters in adorable outfits. (You’ll typically see Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy, all in beach gear.) You’ll find the basic Disney foods, along with bagels and smoked salmon, fritatas, scrambled eggs with veggies and goat cheese, steel-cut oatmeal, cheddar grits, fresh baked goods, overnight oats, and more.
And then dinner!! You won’t see characters at Cape May’s Seafood-and-More Dinner Buffet. Instead you’ll get crab legs, mussels, clams, steamed shrimp, fish, bread and cheese, olives and salads, pasta, paella, gorgeous desserts, and on and on.
2. 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
This is a phenomenal meal experience at Disney’s Grand Floridian – at both breakfast and dinner. Loaded with incredible food options and some of the best face character experiences on property, it’s easily one of the buffets that my family as visited the most at Disney.
At 1900 Park Fare’s Supercalifragilistic Breakfast, you’ll typically find fresh fruit, custom-made omelets, pancakes and Mickey waffles, carved ham, pastries, biscuits, bagels and smoked salmon with all of the fixin’s, blitzes, strawberry soup, and lots more. The characters there are subject to change (like anything else) but typically you’ll have a chance to meet Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, The Mad Hatter, Tigger, and Winnie the Pooh. If you’re never met The Mad Hatter before, you’re in for a treat. He’s a riot. And some of the sweetest moments my kids have ever had at Disney have been with Mary Poppins at Park Fare.
At Cinderella’s Happily Ever After dinner, you’ll find an equally incredible array of foods – we’ve talked about them before here – as well as Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella.
And Drizella is SO funny.
So honestly, while it’s not at the absolute top of my personal (foodie) list – you’ll see what gets that spot in a moment, if you’re looking for a buffet that delivers amazing food AND a full on Walt Disney World-style character experience, 1900 Park Fare takes the cake.
1. Boma Flavors of Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Brunch at Boma is one of my all time favorite meals at Disney and dinner is right up there with it.
Meant to resemble an African marketplace, the menus for breakfast and dinner are both chock full of wonderful African and American cuisine. And there are no characters at these meals – so nothing will steal your focus from stuffing your face. Though if you time it right you might catch African drummers performing just outside the restaurant. And Animal Kingdom Lodge itself is so gorgeous that you’ll be busy letting your eyes wander the resort while you eat.
There’s a reason that Boma brunch is my family’s traditional Christmas Eve meal here at Disney, and the food, setting, and incredible AKL cast members are why.
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So now that you’ve seen my top 5, what’s YOU’RE favorite buffet at Walt Disney World??
