Four Seasons Orlando’s incredible pies, available this holiday season for guests and locals alike. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons.
Four Seasons gives guests the widest range of ways to celebrate, beginning with Goofy and ending, if you choose, with gelato. Thanksgiving morning starts at Ravello with Good Morning Breakfast with Goofy & His Pals from 7 to 11 a.m. The character buffet, entertainment and on-site photographer make this the clear choice for families with children who would rather see Disney friends than another centerpiece. Breakfast costs $64 for adults and $44 for children.
Ravello then shifts into full Thanksgiving mode from 1 to 8 p.m. The $170 adult buffet combines a sushi and raw bar, charcuterie, antipasti and autumn greens with a carving station featuring roast turkey, cornbread sausage and sage stuffing, cranberry relish and fire-roasted New York strip loin. Desserts include pumpkin pie, sweet potato cupcakes and apple dulce de leche, plus a gelato station. Children are $58.
At Plancha, served from noon to 7 p.m., the holiday takes on a Latin accent. Along with turkey and traditional fixings, the $150 adult buffet includes seafood and a carving station with Brazilian-style picanha, chimichurri, farofa and plantains. Pumpkin macarons, s’mores chocolate cups, black bottom chocolate pie and spiced pumpkin custard appear among the sweets. Children are $58.
Overnight guests can order an in-room Thanksgiving dinner for $59 per person. The menu includes turkey, stuffing, mashed and baked sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy and cranberry relish. Restaurant reservations are required.
Best for: Families who want luxury, Disney characters or a choice between Italian and Latin-inspired feasts.
A sampling of Grande Lakes Orlando’s amazing Thanksgiving offerings. Courtesy Grande Lakes Orlando.
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes and neighboring JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes approach Thanksgiving as a full-day occasion, with four restaurant choices and a morning event designed to earn that extra helping of stuffing.
Knife & Spoon will serve an a la carte Thanksgiving menu of elevated traditional dishes from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Its intimate steak-and-seafood setting makes it the most refined option in the Grande Lakes lineup. At the Ritz-Carlton’s Highball & Harvest, a buffet from 2 to 8 p.m. brings together turkey, stuffing, seafood and fresh salads in a lively Southern-inspired dining room.
Across the property at the JW Marriott, Primo will offer a special Thanksgiving menu from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The award-winning Italian restaurant is the choice for diners who prefer a composed holiday dinner over a buffet. Citron, meanwhile, serves a family-friendly Thanksgiving buffet from 2 to 7 p.m. Reservations are required at all four restaurants.
Before dinner, the Ritz-Carlton Gobbler 5K begins at 7:30 a.m. The family-friendly walk or fun run includes a T-shirt, medal, goodie bag, post-race snacks, champagne or mimosas, stretching and massage services. Registration is $75 for adults and $50 for children 12 and younger, with packet pickup beginning at 6:30 a.m.
Best for: Groups whose members cannot agree on buffet versus plated dinner, or anyone who wants to start Thanksgiving with a 5K.
The Art of Thanksgiving at The Alfond Inn brings a polished holiday brunch to Winter Park, with live music, lawn games and a welcome drink included. The celebration takes place in the hotel’s event space, not Hamilton’s Kitchen, and each reservation allows up to two hours.
The buffet goes well beyond the usual turkey-and-potatoes formula. Chilled seafood includes shrimp, crab claws, oysters, snapper ceviche and bay scallop ceviche. Carving and main selections include whole roasted turkey, spiced prime rib, citrus-salt crusted snapper, porchetta and a thoughtful vegetarian plate of harissa-roasted eggplant with white bean puree and marinated chickpeas. Sides range from whipped Yukon Gold potatoes and candied yams to miso green bean casserole, bourbon peach cranberry sauce and baked Gouda mac and cheese.
Dessert offers pumpkin, apple and pecan pies alongside macarons, dessert shooters and several cakes. The combination of premium seafood, multiple carving selections and outdoor diversions makes this one of the day’s most complete experiences.
Seatings run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Adults are $140, children ages 4 to 12 are $48, and children 3 and younger are complimentary. The service charge is included, while taxes and ticketing fees are additional. A cash bar is available.
Best for: Winter Park families who want an upscale brunch with seafood, live music and room for children to move around.