How to Enjoy Buffets at Disney Without Quitting Your Diet

For Easter this year, my family and I went to Whispering Canyon Café, where they were serving an all you can eat  Easter brunch. This got me thinking: a lot of people ask me what I think of the Disney buffets because they’re worried they’ll completely go off the wagon. Surprisingly, if you play your cards right, they can actually be one of the healthier routes for meals at the parks. Hear me out - you can have your Mickey Waffles and eat them too! - and enjoy some of my best practices for handling the two types of Disney buffet.

Firstly, it’s important to note that there are two types of buffets at Disney World. Some restaurants will bring you a platter or skillet of sorts with multiple food options for the table and serve it family style. From there, if you want more of specific items in your platter, you can let your server know. Others are a more traditional buffet. You’re seated, order your drinks, and then get up and serve yourself from the buffet options. Here’s a list of all the different restaurants on property that offer buffets or family-style meals at Disney World:
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• The Wave Restaurant of American Flavors
  
• 1900 Park Fare
  
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
  
• Biergarten Restaurant
  
• Boma - Flavors of Africa
  
• Cape May Cafe
  
• Chef Mickey’s
  
• The Crystal Palace
  
• Fresh Mediterranean Market
  
• Garden Grill Restaurant
  
• Garden Grove
  
• Hollywood & Vine
  
• Liberty Tree Tavern
  
• Luau Cove
  
• Ohana
  
• Pioneer Hall
  
• Pizzafari
  
• Ravello (at the Four Seasons)
  
• Trail’s End Restaurant
  
• Tusker House Restaurant
  
• Whispering Canyon Cafe
  

And, in case you’re heading to the west coast, here are Disneyland’s buffet and family-style offerings:

• Disney’s PCH Grill
  
• Goofy’s Kitchen
  
• Plaza Inn
  
• Storytellers Cafe
  
• Princess breakfast at Napa Rose
  

And, of course, some of these restaurants will have characters that come to mix and mingle with you, or one of the mealtimes (i.e. breakfast only)  will be a character breakfast. These can be a little bit more pricey, but are great for either families with children who want to get a bunch of signatures in a short timeframe, or for the kids at heart who don’t feel like waiting in lines to meet characters!

Because you have control over what goes on your plate, buffets are usually options that can be pretty good for calorie counters, Weight Watchers, etc. You can bulk up on lean proteins, veggies, and fruit but still indulge a little on some special Disney treats you won’t get to enjoy once you’re back home from your vacation or, if you are a local like me, usually refrain from having. But that can also be dangerous if you worry about portions, so here are some of my best practices to follow when you’re enjoying a Disney buffet.

1. Make sure you eat something prior to your buffet! I do not mean to snack right before, but if your reservation is scheduled for a late brunch, lunch, or dinner, please make sure you have a meal beforehand with enough time to digest it. I made the mistake of not having anything when I woke up on Easter morning, and our brunch reservation was for just a little bit before 11. Even though we checked in on time, we ended up getting in a little closer to 11:30 because they were so busy, so by the time we got our food, I was starving and was going to eat anything that they put in front of me. Hindsight is 20/20, and I probably should have had a yogurt  or something before I left my house! Plus, after overeating because I was starving, I felt bloated and uncomfortable for the next two days.
   
2. Front load your plate with vegetables, fruit, and lean proteins. This way, you are enjoying something that is healthy without having to worry about over stuffing yourself later. The food isn’t going anywhere, so if you do you want to enjoy a Mickey waffle or a tiny little dessert, this way you can do so without worrying that you’re going to over indulge on it because you are mostly full from of the healthy options that you picked.
   
3. Eat slowly so your body can truly know when it is full. It is very easy at these Disney buffets for your eyes to be bigger than your stomach. Remember, like I said, the food is not going anywhere so if you do really want it later, it will be there. There is no need to stuff your plate to the point of overindulgence when you first get your food if you are at a traditional style buffet, and if you are at a family style one, you can always ask for more - plus, you’ll be the hero of the table when someone else who really wants that extra Mickey waffle gets it and you offer to wait until the next round from the server!
   
4. Drink plenty of water! This is important for any Disney trip and no matter what restaurant you go to, but this is especially important if you’re at a Disney buffet. Make sure you drink plenty of water, so that way you can stay hydrated and don’t overstuff yourself (like I did on Easter, haha!).
   
5. If it is a character meal, is that to your advantage. This will help you eat slowly, especially because you probably do not want to have food in her mouth when the character approaches your table and you’re about to take photos. Usually, the cast members will let you know what route me characters cake so you know to keep an eye on them and to be at your table. if your cast member does not tell you this, you can always just ask.
   
6. Lastly, don’t deprive yourself. If you walk in to the (expensive!) buffet and tell yourself you aren’t going to have any of the Mickey waffles or a mini cupcake, then you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you do decide to indulge. Just start with one after enjoying you healthy options first - in my experience, frontloading your plate with the healthy stuff really does help me cut back on the not-so-good - and that way you can enjoy it without any guilt.
   

Which Disney buffet is your favorite? Characters or no characters? Let’s chat in the comments!