The pandemic temporarily changed a LOT of things in Disney World, like transportation, character meet-and-greets, and even merchandise.
While many things have since returned to “normal” in Disney Parks, there are still many ways the pandemic has changed how we eat in Disney World.
What’s different about dining now in Disney World? We’re getting into it.
Eating Outdoors
Since Disney World reopened after its initial closure due to the global pandemic, eating outdoors has become more popular for some guests.
Outdoor spaces can sometimes offer more social distancing and tend to have better ventilation, so many people might continue to prefer eating outdoors compared to indoors.
That means outdoor seating can be popular, and not just at table service restaurants. It can actually be pretty difficult to find an outdoor seat at a quick service location too!
Of course, not everyone is dining outdoors, but it’s become significantly more popular (and, for some, necessary) over the past few years.
Table Service To Go
In September of 2020, Disney introduced Table Service To Go on the My Disney Experience app. This feature essentially works just like the current Mobile Ordering system, just with Table Service restaurants!
Instead of sitting down for a meal at a Table Service restaurant, you can use Table Service to Go to place your order, pick it up when it’s ready, and then take it somewhere else to eat. But this feature is only available at the Disney World hotels.
The process is very similar to how it works when your Mobile Order from a quick service spot. You pick the restaurant, choose an arrival window, then build your order. You pay in the app, and once it is time for you to pick up your order, you can go grab it and you’re good to go!
We’ve seen this feature available at places like Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Steakhouse 71 at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and Trattoria al Forno at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. That’s right, you can order a steak, and then bring it to your hotel room to feast!
Many people may continue to utilize this service rather than go to sit inside and eat at a restaurant for a prolonged period of time.
Mobile Walk-Up Waitlist & Dine Check-In
Mobile Walk-Up Waitlist was added to the My Disney Experience app in the summer of 2020 as a way for you to check the current availability at table service restaurants and put your name on the list.
Now, you can do this through the Disney Genie system! Genie will show you all of the restaurants for the park you’re in and their availability, including the option to join the Mobile Waitlist if applicable. This is super convenient and can save you from a lot of stress when you’re hangry!
Mobile Check-In was also introduced in the summer of 2020. This is a way for you to bypass having to check-in with the host for your Advanced Dining Reservation.
My Disney Experience should send you a notification when it’s time for your dining reservation and prompt you to check-in using your phone. If not, you can scan the QR code found in the lobby of the restaurant, and it will lead you to check-in on your phone.
When it’s time for your party to be seated, you’ll get another notification to go to a specific location for seating. This system can help increase contactless interactions at the restaurants and possibly reduce the number of people who can gather in the check-in area of a restaurant lobby.
Menu Changes
We have definitely seen a lot of menu changes since Disney World reopened in July of 2020. For one, some menus have just gone away entirely because the restaurants still are not open.
Another big change is the increase in prix fixe meals we’ve seen around Disney World. For example, lunch at Be Our Guest used to be a quick service meal, but it is now the same prix fixe meal offered at dinner, meaning you pay one price ($62 for adults, $37 for kids) and can choose your own appetizer and entree from a small list of offerings.
We’ve also seen prix fixe menus introduced at new restaurants like Space 220 and La Creperie de Paris (although La Creperie also offers a quick service option as well).
Check out menus before you go to Disney World so you’re not surprised by one of your favorite items being gone!
Character Meals
Character meals changed tremendously when Disney first reopened. And, they changed by basically disappearing! There were no character meals for a while besides breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace. But, you could only see characters from a distance during this dining experience!
Eventually, more character meals did return, like at Tusker House and Hollywood and Vine. You still had to stay seated and could only take pictures with characters from a distance.
It later changed again, and you were allowed to get up from your table and take a socially distanced photo with the characters.
And finally, on April 18th, 2022, character dining returned to “normal” in many restaurants around Disney World.
But be aware that some character meals might not be available or quite back to normal yet, like Cinderella’s Royal Table, where Cinderella is only making appearances in the lobby. Characters also haven’t yet returned to the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall also hasn’t reopened and thus is not offering its traditional character dining. So just be sure to check and see what the situation is like at the specific restaurant you’ll be visiting.
Buffets
As expected, buffets did not return for safety reasons when Disney World initially reopened. Instead, the restaurants were either closed or converted to family-style dining.
When some places that previously had buffets finally reopened, they were changed to all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style dining instead, like at Trail’s End and Chef Mickey’s.
Eventually, buffets did recently return to some restaurants! Crystal Palace switched back to a buffet, Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge reopened as a buffet, as did Biergarten in EPCOT, among other restaurants.
However, other places have still remained family-style, so make sure you check before making a dining reservation!
You Might Want Your Phone to Eat
It’s very hard to do Disney World without a phone these days, and that includes with dining — your phone is now part of your meal experience! You might need it to scan the QR codes to access menus in a lot of restaurants.
It’s also important to have your phone to Mobile Order food, check mobile waitlists, and check-in on your mobile device.
So, make sure you have your device and it stays charged throughout the day!
Those are all of the ways dining has changed at Disney World since the global pandemic began. Stay tuned to All Ears for more Disney dining news and updates.
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Which change do you want to stick around in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!
I’ll be at DW in October, 2022. I hope that menus are expanded. I have dietary limitations and am afraid that I’ll be eating 10 days’ worth of salmon, pasta, and cheese sandwiches. At extortionary prices. However, it is also frightening to commit to eating in restaurants outside of the World, since there are no mask mandates or other precautions being taken in Florida.
Seriously. Florida is wide open and you aren’t stepping over bodies in the sidewalk. Turn off your TV and start living again. JFC
You’re welcome to do whatever you wish, but I need to be cautious because of health issues. As far as I am concerned “being wide open” is not a point in Florida’s favor.
I’m trying to start living again. Unfortunately, I have an immuno-deficiency condition and need to be careful. I would feel safe in DW with a KN-95 mask and lots of hand sanitizer. I’m not as confident about other areas of Florida, or other states, for that matter. Sometimes there are real reasons for concerns, and insulting and snarky replies are not appropriate.