One of the best things about being a relatively new mom is getting a whole day specifically to celebrate the privilege of parenting my wild, funny and sweet little boy, Mason. The road to becoming parents was not an easy one for us, and every day raising him brings its own challenges, surprises and—more than anything—incredible rewards. After almost two years of motherhood, I truly understand the meaning of Mother’s Day and wanted to do something special to celebrate with my family, especially my own mom, this year.
Being the Disney-loving family of “foodies” that we are, brunch at Disney’s Royal Mother’s Day Buffet seemed like the perfect way to honor my mom, and I’d secretly (or perhaps not-so-secretly) been waiting for years for the opportunity to attend. I made the reservation by calling Disney Dining at (714) 781-DINE in late April and had no problems securing a noontime reservation for my party of six, which included my husband, toddler, parents and sister. We stayed the weekend at the Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, so we just walked over to the Disneyland Hotel’s Grand Ballroom that morning. However, free parking near the hotel is included with brunch attendance. We were met in the hallway by a set of hostesses who confirmed our reservation and directed us to enter the ballroom’s reservation booth area where there were several cashiers assisting guests.
After paying, we were given souvenir buttons (which also served as proof we were paying guests) and directed into a large waiting area where we found seating, a beverage station with coffee, juice, hot cocoa and tea, a movie viewing area, and an impressive photo backdrop with a royal throne for moms to pose with their little princes and princesses. Just adjacent to this room was, in typical Disney fashion, a large stroller parking area so families could safely and conveniently store their “carriages” while dining in the ballroom.
We were escorted into the main ballroom after about 15 minutes—just enough time to wait in line for a photo on the royal throne in the waiting area. It was a huge and impeccably decorated space, and Disney’s trademark attention to detail was apparent at every stunning glance. Colorful floral arrangements, custom light projections, tables decorated with digital photo frames displaying images of mothers and their families, and breathtaking food displays adorned the ballroom. A live band played and the room was framed by character meet and greet opportunities—including Cinderella (complete with her carriage!), Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Tiana, Snow White, Minnie Mouse, and Chip and Dale. As in the parks, the characters rotated and lines varied in length throughout our meal. If there is a character you or your child particularly wants to catch, my advice is to jump on the opportunity when you can instead of waiting until the end of your meal. The carriage was positioned such that guests could pose in front of it (sans Cinderella) without waiting. My toddler son wasn’t interested in waiting in line to meet a princess, so we got a few carriage shots instead.
Once seated, our waiter took drink orders (champagne mimosas for the adults were included) and explained the buffet setup, and then we were free to explore the food. And there was SO MUCH glorious food! It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was one of the best brunch buffets I’ve ever been to. The presentation was creative and festive, and everything tasted as amazing as it looked. There were carving stations, omelet stations, a spread of main entrees, typical breakfast fare (with Mickey-shaped waffles, of course), fresh fruit, deli meats, a cold salad station, an extensive cheese display, and some of the most deliciously fresh seafood I’ve had in years. There were duplicate stations of almost every offering to accommodate the hundreds of diners.
My family was seated on the outside edge of the ballroom, which was perfect because we had extra room for my son’s high chair and it gave us easy access to all of the food. We were also seated just adjacent to Cinderella’s carriage, which made for a beautiful view while enjoying our outstanding meal.
I decided to start with breakfast foods and had a made-to-order omelet, thick slices of hickory smoked bacon, country potatoes, sausage links, and a freshly-make Mickey waffle with strawberry compote and whipped cream.
From there I sampled the hot entrée and carving station selections. I tried a deliciously juicy cut of prime rib with au jus and horseradish aioli. There was also a variety of breads to accompany the meat. Chafing dishes were filled with caramelized garlic infused Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and herb-roasted vegetables, vegetable ratatouille pasta in a charred tomato marinara, and seared Atlantic salmon filet with bell peppers and a creamy lemon caper sauce.
The seafood buffet was a huge hit with our table. I’m normally not the biggest seafood fan, but the offerings were truly stellar, and I have to admit it was one of the most notable parts of my meal. There was house-smoked salmon, gorgeously displayed and accompanied by tomato, cucumber, onion, and capers. There were three types of shellfish—King Crab legs cut in halves, peeled shrimp, and pre-cracked (less work, faster eating—yay!) snow crab claws. We visited this table multiple times, and in spite of being quite popular, it was always fully stocked with a fresh, perfectly-prepared batch. The seafood was accompanied by a trio of dipping sauces—traditional cocktail sauce, a lemon-dill aioli, and warm melted butter. The tender, meaty crab claws dipped in butter were my absolute favorite.
And because Disney’s specialty is catering to the youngest guests, there was a buffet spread specifically tailored for kids, offering mini hotdogs, personal pizzas, chicken strips, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, salad, and even warm Mickey-shaped soft pretzels. The kids dessert selections included gelatin cups, chocolate dipped Mickey cereal treats, fruit pizza, “worms and dirt” cups, cookies and cupcakes. The tables were about a foot shorter than the standard tables to provide kids easy access to all of the goodies. Even my picky toddler was pleased with the selections, and adults thankfully weren’t prohibited from visiting the equally enticing kids buffet, either.
After a brief rest and another mimosa, we were ready to hit the dessert tables. There was absolutely no way this self-proclaimed Queen of Cake (it’s an unofficial title) would miss out on the amazing sweets! The artful dessert tables featured miniature red velvet cupcakes, fruit tarts, flourless chocolate cake, strawberries and cream cupcakes, cheesecake, chocolate ganache, chocolate dipped French macaroons, and a selection of cakepops with such flavors as passion fruit, strawberry cheesecake, and s’mores. All desserts containing gluten and dairy were clearly labeled. A freezer cart held ice cream confections like those offered in the parks. There was a station for made-to-order strawberry or bananas foster crepes a la mode and a full-service five-tier chocolate fountain with fresh strawberries, cereal treats, cookies, and more for dipping. There were never long lines for either of the manned stations as far as I could tell, but I would have probably been willing to wait for that bananas foster crepe longer than I would for a ride on the Tower of Terror!
We had our own team of wait staff who were attentive and accommodating, but we never felt as though they were trying to rush us through our meal. The service was impeccable, and in spite of being very busy, our requests for extras, like a cup of milk for my son, were graciously filled within a few minutes. We never had to ask for a drink refill or for a plate to be cleared.
As I’ve described, this is an upscale special event with all-you-can-enjoy gourmet food and drinks, so the price reflects that. The cost for adults was $71.99 plus tax and gratuity, children ages 3-9 were $20.99 plus tax and gratuity, and children under 3 were free. However, Annual Passholder discounts applied (15% for Premium Passholders and 10% for all others). There was also a 20% discount for Cast Members. My family’s buffet experience was almost two and a half hours from check-in until departure because we took our time and experienced almost everything the event had to offer. While pricey, it’s a splurge worth making at least once when you factor in the volume and quality of the food, the service, the attention to detail in décor and food presentation, and all of the extras like live music and character and prop photo opportunities.
Don’t be afraid of making a large party reservation and taking the whole extended family to Disney’s Mother’s Day Royal Buffet. While waiting in line to snap a picture on the royal throne, we were behind a group of 35 family members who were thoroughly enjoying their multi-generational Mother’s Day celebration.Go with your camera and your appetite, and prepare to be treated like royalty at this one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day dining experience!
Read more from Courtney on her blog Theories of a Thirtysomething. You can also find her on Twitter (@2courtney).
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