Disney announces that all character meals are temporarily suspended

[jo-jo]

Soooo....
No parades
No fireworks
No character interactions
No character meals
I’ve heard no entertainment...not sure if that means no shows (FOTLK, VLM, castle show) no street performers? (Main Street and Hollywood) No music groups at World Showcase and AK?

I don’t think it’s a nail in a coffin for Disney at all. I think they are going to see that they can be Six Flags and charge the same prices and still be successful.

We have a trip in Nov and rethinking it because of not having those items. Our days at disney usually have 2 or 3 shows/ movies a day (like COP, France, Frozen show, FOTLK) and milder rides ( SSE, TSM, Buzz), and a few street performers. Head back to resort and watch fireworks from there.

I'm concern Disney will find, hmmm we don't have all those things and people are still willing to pay full price, why bring them back. I so miss the night time parade at MK. And while I'm on a roll, the fountain at Epcot and lights of winter......Yeah, I know really really lost cause.

 

[dachsie]

We have a trip in Nov and rethinking it because of not having those items. Our days at disney usually have 2 or 3 shows/ movies a day (like COP, France, Frozen show, FOTLK) and milder rides ( SSE, TSM, Buzz), and a few street performers. Head back to resort and watch fireworks from there.

I'm concern Disney will find, hmmm we don't have all those things and people are still willing to pay full price, why bring them back. I so miss the night time parade at MK. And while I'm on a roll, the fountain at Epcot and lights of winter......Yeah, I know really really lost cause.

I have a trip after Thanksgiving planned and am also considering moving it. I am going to see how things are by end of Sept - first of Oct before making a decision

 

[tinkerhon]

I've had the same thoughts about GG. It seems excellently set up for social distancing and still having a compelling setting even without characters.
I'm also just curious if characters could still come by and wave, but we can't get up to stand next to them for photos. I would be happy to listen to an explanation why they're in more danger than the waitperson bringing me my food. Is it just that the wait staff will be in masks and it would be difficult to wear a mask in an already sweltering costume? I'm genuinely curious. Wait staff, people at the gates as we enter the parks, people checking seat belts and lap bars on rides seem like they will all have to come closer than six feet to people.

Don't get me wrong - like the food at GG, and the atmosphere, but GG is the best character meal on property, IMHO - just because of the amount of time the characters spend at the table and the photo ops - without the characters, would be just average meal - and for that price (severe sticker shock last visit!)

 

[gharter]

I'm not surpried at what has been cancelled at this time.
To minimize crowds, it makes sense.
The real question is how long will these restrictions remain in place?
I'm not sure even Disney knows the answer to that yet. Time will tell.

 

[Doingitagain]

I read the article, and it is an email where the dining plan was pulled. Has Disney announced there will be no character dining altogether, or are they saying they can’t offer it under a dining plan, possibly because of capacity?

Shanghai Disney Resort is currently offering a modified version of character dining. Instead of characters visiting each table, they will simply make an appearance at each meal and wave to guests, who are able to take photos of them at a distance.

 

[lilypgirl]

You assume this will end. Interesting.

It seems as though by the gatherings recently it already has! Hopefully no big spikes in numbers after this weekends events.

 

[kevtlas]

Shh, don’t tell my three teenagers who insist on character meals for their nostalgia value but I am ok without them and their expense. Will be slightly more upset if no Boma or ‘Ohana.

I would assume since Ohana is served family style it will still be open. And if they decide no buffets for a while, maybe Boma along with all other buffet style restaurants, will temporarily change the way they operate and either go family style as well or even do a temp ala carte menu.

 

[stephk1981]

I understand the importance of not allowing characters bear others for hugs/ pictures etc. I am hopeful that they will make appearances somewhere to wave to the children. My DD2 loves all of them, if there are no characters anywhere at all...... that's definitely an overpriced six flags! There would be no reason imo for them to not show up somewhere as they are at SDL, there are safe ways.

 

[lilypgirl]

I would assume since Ohana is served family style it will still be open. And if they decide no buffets for a while, maybe Boma along with all other buffet style restaurants, will temporarily change the way they operate and either go family style as well or even do a temp ala carte menu.

Do you think Garden Grill will open without characters?

 

[kevtlas]

Do you think Garden Grill will open without characters?

Absolutely. They may even open up with a modified character meal with little or no close up interaction. As other posters have said, GG is perfectly set up for a distancing situation.

 

[stephk1981]

Absolutely. They may even open up with a modified character meal with little or no close up interaction. As other posters have said, GG is perfectly set up for a distancing situation.

Have they stated if this is just in the beginning, like July/ August? Or for the rest of 2020? I wonder if they could get a modified character meal up and going ( as you said) before the end of the year.

 

[Lumpy1106]

do you think that restaurants that normally have character meals will be closed, or will they just adjust the price of the meals to reflect the fact there are no character interactions? Take Garden Grill for instance. Served family style already and a good restaurant for social distancing. Would they just adjust the price of the meal or keep restaurant closed altogether?

My question exactly. We REALLY want to eat in the castle, but even my youngest is pretty much over princesses. A meal, in the castle, with a lower price and maybe a quick appearance by the royal court? Count us in - that's even better IMHO. Garden grill too. Love the scenery and the food, don't necessarily need the added cost of the characters - or the characters at all for that matter.

FTKT - first week of August trip, we have tickets and ADR's - no e-mail as of today.

 

[Moliphino]

I understand the importance of not allowing characters bear others for hugs/ pictures etc. I am hopeful that they will make appearances somewhere to wave to the children. My DD2 loves all of them, if there are no characters anywhere at all...... that's definitely an overpriced six flags! There would be no reason imo for them to not show up somewhere as they are at SDL, there are safe ways.

Does your Six Flags not have characters? The one near me does. What they don't have is all the great themeing and quality of WDW, which is why I never go to Six Flags.

 

[stephk1981]

Does your Six Flags not have characters? The one near me does. What they don't have is all the great themeing and quality of WDW, which is why I never go to Six Flags.

I've never seen a character at six flags near us, no. They haven't had them at ours since 2015.

 

[kevtlas]

Have they stated if this is just in the beginning, like July/ August? Or for the rest of 2020? I wonder if they could get a modified character meal up and going ( as you said) before the end of the year.

At this point I am just speculating. I haven't seen anything official from Disney yet, but my opinion is they will already have something in the works when they open back up or may even have some restaurants try it out in like a soft opening type of fashion. Unannounced and the characters kind of just show up and keep their distance. I can't imagine they would keep things reduced any longer than necessary. At some point customers would begin to lose interest in paying the same prices for a reduced experience.

 

[stephk1981]

At this point I am just speculating. I haven't seen anything official from Disney yet, but my opinion is they will already have something in the works when they open back up or may even have some restaurants try it out in like a soft opening type of fashion. Unannounced and the characters kind of just show up and keep their distance. I can't imagine they would keep things reduced any longer than necessary. At some point customers would begin to lose interest in paying the same prices for a reduced experience.

Thanks for sharing, let's hope you are right!

 

[PattnFmly]

When we went to GG last summer, myself and one DS always got up to hug the characters but other DS and DH did not. Character just stood behind them in a funny pose so I could take the picture. GG does have space for that. Not sure people could/would abide by not touching the characters but that is an option as well. Just a photo op....

 

[only hope]

My question exactly. We REALLY want to eat in the castle, but even my youngest is pretty much over princesses. A meal, in the castle, with a lower price and maybe a quick appearance by the royal court? Count us in - that's even better IMHO. Garden grill too. Love the scenery and the food, don't necessarily need the added cost of the characters - or the characters at all for that matter.

FTKT - first week of August trip, we have tickets and ADR's - no e-mail as of today.

We’ve done CRT just once (last year) because of the insane price tag. I loved it. I loved it enough to want to make it a once every five years or so special meal (I’m local). I would love it less without princesses, but if they adjust the price that may get me to return much sooner than I had planned.

 

[Jacq7414]

We’ve done CRT just once (last year) because of the insane price tag. I loved it. I loved it enough to want to make it a once every five years or so special meal (I’m local). I would love it less without princesses, but if they adjust the price that may get me to return much sooner than I had planned.

We did it last year as well and loved it as well. Probably being with our daughter made it more magical. I’m not sure if it would be as magical without the princesses though. We had a perfect table by the window where we could see the Beast’s Castle.

 

[Katybird]

Sad as it is, I think this is the right thing to do as a temporary measure. I do hope that Disney doesn't look at this and see that they can survive without the character dining and down the road make this a permanent thing though.