8. Crystal Palace – OPEN! (No Characters)

Crystal Palace is, admittedly, a surprisingly controversial one to include for some people’s lists of favorite Disney buffets. It definitely has become well-known as a beloved experience for families visiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom. I fondly remember many visits both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in my younger years. Just thinking about it makes me crave Mickey waffles.

The food, however, has sometimes been regarded as hit or miss, which has earned Crystal Palace its fair share of criticism compared with some of Disney’s more consistent buffet offerings.

An icon is an icon, and Disney recently announced the full reopening of Crystal Palace, including buffet service. The only change is that character interactions have not returned yet. For families who prefer a straightforward breakfast or lunch and want to enjoy an iconic Disney experience with family, Crystal Palace remains a worthwhile option to consider. For those particular about where you want to spend your dining budget, it may still be worth looking elsewhere. Nonetheless, it is a promising sign to see one of Disney’s most popular buffets return.

9. Chef Mickeys – Family Style Only

In the same vein as Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey’s is another iconic Disney buffet that often garners mixed reviews from fans. Many celebrate it as one of Disney’s most classic dining experiences, and there’s no shortage of families who thoroughly enjoy their visits. At the same time, Chef Mickey’s isn’t for everyone—it can be quite a loud place, and while the food generally garners good reviews, that isn’t always the case.

Despite ongoing construction at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Chef Mickey’s is open and welcoming guests with a modified character dining experience. Running with the common theme on this list, the buffet has been adjusted to family style, and the reactions have proven similar to many of Disney’s other attempts. Some people have reported really enjoying the family style experience as it removed some of the stress from navigating Chef Mickey’s uniquely-bustling buffet environment. Others have lamented the reduction of choices.

Due to its popularity, Chef Mickey’s does offer some unique challenges Disney will have to overcome before reinstating the buffet. We would be surprised, however, if we didn’t hear some updates on this front over the next year.

10. Trail’s End Restaurant – Family Style Only

Our journey through Disney’s most popular buffets concludes appropriately at Trails End Restaurant at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. While not as popular as Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey’s, Trail’s End has long held a special place for many Disney regulars as one of the best values for a quality family meal on Disney property. The restaurant’s Southern-style food is known for being flavorful, abundant, and crowd pleasing.

Trail’s End Restaurant continues to serve guests with a modified family style skillet service for both breakfast and dinner. The breakfast service includes pastries, parfaits, and skillets piled with brisket, eggs, waffles, bacon, sausage, and a cheesy potato casserole. The dinner version features a range of smokehouse favorites, including brisket, chicken, Andouille sausage, green beans, potatoes, and corn.

 While some guests still lament the absence of the choices on the buffet, the family style service at Trail’s End Restaurant appears to have largely been well-received, and it’s possible Disney may not change that format any time soon.

What is your favorite buffet at Walt Disney World? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook! Thanks for reading!