The Dining Choices at Disney World are abundant – so abundant that choosing which ones you’ll dine at can be really difficult. But if you’re traveling as a couple/all adult party to WDW, then you’re in luck – because while WDW may seem to be a family’s paradise (which it is), it is actually geared towards those of all ages, and they really do have something for everyone. If you love buffets, but aren’t sure about dining with characters or tons of families with (sometimes loud and rambunctious) children, then check out my Top Five Disney Buffets For Adults:
Biergarten: The name of this restaurant literally means “Beer Garden” – so already we’re off to a great start! You’ll find this spot in Epcot’s Germany, and you’ll enjoy live German music as well as a buffet brimming with authentic German cuisine. Sausages with sauerkraut, pretzel rolls, warm German potato salad, Schnitzel, and a yummy apple strudel for dessert – just to name a few! Plus they serve up some delicious German beers too (served out of huge beer steins, of course!), which pair perfectly with the buffet choices. Lunch and dinner are served here daily, and the restaurant is set up with tons of long tables, which means that if you have a smaller party dining there that you will be sharing a table with people you don’t know. But, the more the merrier is what I always say – pull up a chair and a beer and toast to a great meal!
Hollywood and Vine: Breakfast and lunch at this Hollywood Studios spot is geared toward toddlers, as it’s the “Disney Junior Play’N’Dine” meal featuring characters from Disney Junior shows. Dinner, however, is character free, making it a much more adult-friendly affair, featuring a buffet of items that includes carved meats, create your own pasta, soft serve ice cream, and a chocolate fountain (yum!). The ambiance of the restaurant is a vintage 50’s style cafeteria to the stars – its nothing spectacular but its fun, and a good place to grab a delicious dinner
Cape May Café: A good ole New England style Clambake is what you’ll find here – fried clams, mussels, salmon, fried shrimp, calamari, clam chowder – they’re all there on the buffet just waiting for you! Disney’s Beach Club Resort is home to this popular dining spot – where Mickey and friends don their bathing suits for a character breakfast, but at dinner there are no characters (who needs them anyway – all that seafood is the star of the meal!). Dine in this pastel beach-y themed restaurant and you’ll swear you’re “at the shore!” Flan and oreo bon bons round out the meal, and while those are delicious – it’s the seafood that’s the real winner here. Cape May Café consistently gets high marks for their food and service, so if you’ve never tried it, make sure you make it a priority on your next trip!
The Wave…Of American Flavors: Disney’s Contemporary Resort is known for its unique design (a monorail runs right through it!), it’s proximity to the Magic Kingdom and it’s ever popular character buffet – Chef Mickey’s. Well, there’s another buffet nearby at The Wave – which is known for its sustainability efforts, as they use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. They only serve a buffet at breakfast, and they offer some really unique items on it – eggs benedict with Florida Key Lime Hollandaise, sweet potato pancakes (with pecan honey butter), multi-grain Mickey shaded waffles, “sticky Mickey” cinnamon buns, and house-made granola. While it doesn’t offer as wide of a variety as other Disney breakfast buffets, the ingredients and dishes are unique and delicious, and since the Contemporary is just a quick monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom, The Wave is a great spot to stop at for a quick (delicious!) breakfast
Boma: Head over to the beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge to experience the African safari, as well as the African cuisine at Boma! They serve up daily buffet of breakfast and dinner, and offer unique items like bobotie (a spiced meat quiche type dish – amazing!), assorted hummus, fresh soups, basmati rice, cold salads, and much more! They also offer traditional breakfast items (eggs, meats, potatoes, etc), as well as roast chicken, vegetables, and some truly amazing desserts at dinnertime too – zebra domes anyone? This is one of my absolute favorite dinner spots – we like to head over to AKL early so we can check out the animals on the savannah, and then grab a drink at the adjacent lounge. The buffet is always delicious, fresh, and there’s always something new to try
Hopefully you buffet lovers out there can take comfort in knowing that there are some amazing character-free Disney World buffets out there – ones that serve up some truly different and delicious food!
