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Are Disney World Buffets Changing It Up? Here’s What We Know.

Select Disney World hotels are getting ready to welcome back guests next week and the theme parks are gearing up for their July 11th and July 15th grand reopenings!

Are Disney World Buffets Changing It Up? Here’s What We Know.

Magic Kingdom

And according to a recent post on Unite Here Local 737’s Facebook page, we’ve just learned of a few more groups of restaurant Cast Members that are being asked to return to work.

We’ve been combing over this list of restaurants, and picking out a few areas of interest. First, we noted Epcot’s Festival Cast Members were being asked to return — although Disney hasn’t released any official information about the Epcot festivals yet.

Are Disney World Buffets Changing It Up? Here’s What We Know.

Disney World

Also, Be Our Guest Restaurant’s Cast Members are getting recalled — but potentially only for its table service dinner option at this time. Will its fast-casual breakfast and lunch be temporarily discontinued? We’ll have to await the official word from Disney World regarding the status of this restaurant, but we’ll be super-curious until we learn more!

Are Disney World Buffets Changing It Up? Here’s What We Know.

Be Our Guest Ballroom

But that’s not all we found out today, we also spotted a sidenote which read, “Family Style” next to Biergarten Restaurant in Epcot’s World Showcase and Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort! This may be an indication that these restaurants will be offering platefuls of help-yourself offerings instead of their standard serve-yourself buffets for the time being.

Are Disney World Buffets Changing It Up? Here’s What We Know.

Chef Mickey’s

Based on what has been shared, Cast Members at other restaurants such as Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace or Animal Kingdom’s Tusker House Restaurant have NOT been called back yet. So we don’t know Disney’s plans for these buffet locations just yet.

Are Disney World Buffets Changing It Up? Here’s What We Know.

Buffet at Crystal Palace

And keep in mind, while Chef Mickey’s normally offers character dining Disney has shared that character dining will be unavailable for the time being, and at this time the only confirmed character meal that’s returning is Topolino Terrace’s breakfast which you can learn more about here.

What do you think about the possibility of some Disney World buffets switching over to family-style? Let us know if you’d still dine at one of these restaurants in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Contemporary Resort, Disney News, Epcot, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, all you can eat, Biergarten, Buffet, cast members, Chef Mickey’s, Disney World, family-style, health and safety, help yourself, new guidelines, no more buffets, offering buffets, plated, reopening, restaurant, safety measures, serve yourself, unite here local 737

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BREAKING NEWS: How Disney World Dining is CHANGING This Summer

Disney World has released more information about what to expect when the parks reopen!

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Select Disney Resort hotels will begin to reopen starting June 22nd, and Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will welcome back guests on July 11th, with Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios following on July 11th. In order to ensure the safety of guests, a number of new health measures will be implemented upon reopening, including some NEW info about dining.

Disney has stated that during the reopening period, many dining experiences will be unavailable or altered in order to promote cleanliness and physical distancing. Thanks to our friend @ScottGustin on Twitter, we now know some of the changes we can expect.

Guest Requirements for Dining

Disney World table-service restaurants will require guests to comply with the following measures:

Face Coverings

In order to dine in Disney World face coverings are required for all guests age two and up. They must be worn in all public areas, including as guests are entering and exiting the restaurant, but masks may be removed while dining.

Resort Hotel Dining Reservations

Guests who wish to dine at a table-service restaurant in a Disney Resort hotel must have a confirmed dining reservation if they are not staying overnight. Guests will not be permitted to enter a Disney hotel without either a confirmed hotel reservation or a confirmed dining reservation.

©Disney

In-Park Dining Reservations

At this time dining reservations are not available for in-park restaurants, but reservations will return at a later date. When in-park dining does become available, guests will need valid park admission, a reservation for park entry, and a dining reservation to dine at an in-park, table-service restaurant.

©Disney

New Health Measures

New health and hygiene measures that will be implemented include enhanced cleaning, reduced contact menus, and temporary removal of self-serve items.

©Disney

Enhanced Technology

Disney will also utilize technology to allow guests to minimize their contact with others. In addition to Mobile Order, select restaurants will also offer digital menus, and guests are encouraged to use cashless payment methods.

©Disney

Additional Dining Experience Changes

Disney has also noted that guests may experience a number of additional changes. Menu items may vary and guests are encouraged to check online menus upon reopening.

Character dining will not be offered when Disney World initially reopens, with one exception — Topolino’s Terrace – Flavors of the Riviera at Disney’s Riviera Resort will offer a modified Character dining experience.

Topolino’s Terrace

Dinner shows will also not be offered upon the initial reopening.

Hoop-Dee-Doo Pioneer Hall Players

Dining locations will be limited in capacity and some will remain temporarily closed. Also, private dining and in-room delivery will not be available initially.

©Disney

Modifications, Cancellations, and Refunds

Given the unprecedented circumstances, Disney has modified some of its policies. All pre-paid dining and experience reservations impacted by the closure will be automatically refunded. Also, guests with reservations at locations impacted by the closure will not be charged a cancellation or no-show fees. As was previously announced, all Disney Dining Plans have been canceled and are temporarily unavailable.

©Disney

As the reopening of Disney World continues to approach, we’re keeping an eye out for additional updates and announcements!

Click here to learn about updated transportation policies that will be in place when Disney World Reopens

Will you be visiting Disney World when it reopens? Let us know in the comments!

Related posts:

  1. NEWS: One Character Dining Experience IS Returning To Disney World!
  2. 21 Myths About Walt Disney World Food DEBUNKED
  3. Is the 2019 Disney World Free Dining Offer a Good Deal?

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Buffet, Character Dining, Counter-Service, Disney News, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservations, dining reservation, disney modifications, disney world dining, Disney World Reopen, Disney World reopening, health and safety, modified experiences, modified guest experiences, Topolino’s Terrace

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Disney World Confirms That Dining Reservations are Currently Unavailable

There has been a TON of news coming out of Disney World today!

Be Our Guest Restaurant

After a lengthy closure beginning back on March 16th, Disney World announced that they hope to reopen Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 11th, followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15th. Whenever the parks are cleared to reopen, guests can expect to experience several changes including new health and safety guidelines, required reservations for park entrance, and contactless menus in restaurants.

Earlier today, Disney World paused hotel reservations and ticket purchases. Guests may have also realized that they were unable to make advance dining reservations on the Disney World website or My Disney Experience app later in the day. Disney World has now added a message to the site confirming that dining and other experience reservations are unavailable at this time.

©Disney

While the travel information page of the website indicates that “reservations will resume at a later date,” there is currently no timeframe available for when guests will once again be able to make reservations.

©Disney

Disney World made its reopening proposal today, so we will continue to keep an eye on any changes in the availability of dining reservations to keep you informed.

Click here to read more about the Disney World reopening proposal!

Which Disney World park are you most excited to return to? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Buffet, Character Dining, disney parks, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservation, advance dining reservations, dining, Disney, disney dining, disney reservations, disney restaurant, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs reopening, disney springs restaurant, Disney World, Disney World reopening, disney world resort, Disney World Website, My Disney Experience, reopening, table service dining, walt disney world resort