Deciding if I should change character buffets to other meals

Julie Amber

Mouseketeer
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
We've got a split stay coming up Sept 5-8 at ASMO with DDP+ then Sept 8-13 at Yacht Club without dining plan

Our original plan was to do a bunch of really great character buffets that first part of the trip to really utilize DDP+ and then do mostly QS the rest of the week with just a couple of dining reservations.

But now, I'm concerned that there won't be characters and then not a buffet either. So maybe I should change those reservations to regular dining that is a little better quality.

Would you change any of these resizes for non character dining with better food in the same park? We are not doing park hopper tickets. Thanks for the help!!

Here's what I have for those first few days on DDP+

Sept 5 (Epcot)
Teppan Edo Dinner

Sept 6 (Animal Kingdom)
Tusker House Lunch
Boma Dinner

Sept 7 (Magic Kingdom)- MNSSHP happening today- no tickets so leaving the park around 6
Chrystal Palace Lunch
1900 Park Fare Dinner

Sept 8 (Hollywood Studios)
Prime Time Cafe Lunch
 
If you really want to see the characters, the character dining reservations are certainly nice to have. If I had reservations in September, I would wait to see what Disney's reopening plan will be & then make changes accordingly if needed. Disney is supposed to present their reopening plan to the Orlando Economic Task Force next week, so that should give us an estimated opening date.
Maybe you want to trade in one of the your character meals on Sept 7th & just keep one depending on if you want to see the Pooh characters or Cinderella characters the most?
Teppan Edo isn't a character meal, but it will be interesting to see how they run the hibachi tables with any possible restrictions. It's a fun experience on a normal day.
Tusker house is a good meal, but without characters maybe Rainforest Cafe would be a fun, entertaining family meal without characters & you can usually get walk in seating.
Boma & Prime Time are not character meals anyway, so you will be good with those.
 
If you really want to see the characters, the character dining reservations are certainly nice to have. If I had reservations in September, I would wait to see what Disney's reopening plan will be & then make changes accordingly if needed. Disney is supposed to present their reopening plan to the Orlando Economic Task Force next week, so that should give us an estimated opening date.
Maybe you want to trade in one of the your character meals on Sept 7th & just keep one depending on if you want to see the Pooh characters or Cinderella characters the most?
Teppan Edo isn't a character meal, but it will be interesting to see how they run the hibachi tables with any possible restrictions. It's a fun experience on a normal day.
Tusker house is a good meal, but without characters maybe Rainforest Cafe would be a fun, entertaining family meal without characters & you can usually get walk in seating.
Boma & Prime Time are not character meals anyway, so you will be good with those.

my guess is that they would try to have larger parties of the same family for Teppan Edo.
 
I would be figuring that buffets with characters may not happen for a while or have limited or no interactions. So I would guess that the experience would not be as normal. Also there is no chance I would risk a buffet. I suspect they will serve people and not let buffets be self serve. Just going to have to wait and see on that.
 


I would switch to breakfast at TH. I have only been there for that meal but I heard the lunch there and Boma dinner are very similar. I would do Rainforest Cafe for lunch instead.
 


You could also do TH at 10:30 am or 10:45 am. You pay breakfast price, get to start with breakfast items, and get to eat some lunch items as they transition. But price won’t be a problem on DP.
 
If you think you would not want to go to a modified experience at a former character buffet, I would pull the plug now and rebook, because when WDW does announce their reopening plans, a component of that may be restricting the number of advance dining reservations they allow to ensure distancing between tables. If so, you might find yourself unable to switch to your preferred "backup" restaurants.
 
I'd book both your first choice and a second choice (you may need to use another person to book the backups). Then when the announcements come out on what Disney will do, you can make your decisions and cancel accordingly.
 
I know everything is speculation until Disney makes an announcement, but I felt the same way you do. I am using the DDP for the first time for my late July trip. Some ADRS that I booked were Teppan Edo, Biergarten, and Tusker House. (The rest are not buffets/character dining issues.) I ended up changing my Tusker House reservation because of the fear that character dining will not continue. I decided to keep Biergarten and Teppan Edo. I know TE isn't a buffet experience but they do seat you with other parties as does Biergarten. I'm thinking that won't be the case anymore for either restaurant. I think Biegarten could become a "cafeteria style" buffet or at least adopt an all-you-care-to-enjoy platter type system like Garden Grill and Ohana. I'm holding on to those two reservations until I hear any more information. OP, with your trip being in September, I think you should wait it out. My trip (hopefully) will be right after the parks reopen, so I didn't want to risk it with keeping my Tusker House reservation.
 
I'd book both your first choice and a second choice (you may need to use another person to book the backups). Then when the announcements come out on what Disney will do, you can make your decisions and cancel accordingly.

Please don't. I know we're all stressed out here with the uncertainty, but there are a lot of people who are booked for June and possibly July that are going to need to reschedule for later this year, and hoarding multiple reservations doesn't sit right with me at the moment (or ever, really).
 
The Disney buffet experience always scared me in the past, now.....I don't see myself doing one. That may change over time and/or based upon how Disney pivots to accommodate but then again, I am not planning on doing a WDW trip again for quite some time
 
Sep 5 - Swap Teppan Edo for Coral Reef (not large group seating, fish tanks will entertain) or Garden Grill (hoping there are Mickey and friends, but family style instead of a buffet, rotating views are cool) OR Space 220 if it's open!
Sep 6 - Swap Tusker House (blech) and Boma (meh) for Tiffins. Worth the 2 credits.
Sep 7 - Swap Crystal Palace Lunch for Skippers Canteen (I would suggest BoG for the atmosphere, but gotta make good use of DDP+ credits!) Swap 1900 Park Faire for Artist Point (Snow White instead of Cinderella, not a buffet and really good food, still easy transport from MK just a ferry instead of monorail)
Sep 8 - I genuinely think the best food at HS is at Docking Bay 7, but that's quick service, so how about Sci-Fi Cafe? I imagine they'll be giving families their own cars for social distancing, and the movie drive-in aspect should be fun.

Hope you're able to have a fun and safe trip.
 
I have several character meals/ buffets booked for our late August trip. I’m keeping them with hopes we can have a normal experience by that time.
 

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