The Covid pandemic made a lot of things that people really enjoy impossible because of the inability to social distance. Walt Disney's (DIS) Disney World found ways around many of the restrictions that the virus forced upon us.
Plexiglass barriers got added to rides and lines were spaced so people could stand six feet apart. The theme-park company also used digital ordering so people would not have to stand in line waiting for food at its quick-serve restaurants.
It was (and is) a miserable time, but the Mouse House found ways to make a Disney World (or Disneyland) visit as normal as possible.
The company, however, still had to sacrifice certain things that Covid-19 simply made a bad idea. These included character meet-and-greets because having people line up to stand next to and hug Mickey, Minnie, Donald and friends created an ideal way for the virus to spread. And sanitizing the characters between people would have created some less-than-magical images.
Along with character photos, another Disney favorite went away during the pandemic making a Disney World trip less than it was before Covid. Now, with the virus still a factor but becoming more something we live with rather than something that completely disrupts everyday life, a favorite guest activity has returned.
Image source: Walt Disney.
Disney Has Struggled to Deliver Some Popular Experiences
Disney World's (and all theme parks') attendance has not recovered since the pandemic forced parks around the world to close. Disney and rival Comcast-owned (CMCSA) Universal Studios have reopened their parks, but some restrictions remain.
Disney World, for example, still requires masks in inside areas. And while that seems like a small consideration, some guests don't want to book a Disney vacation -- or spend the thousands of dollars it costs to bring a family to the parks -- until something closer to the old normal returns.
That has been happening slowly as Disney has brought back many guest favorites that were sacrificed in order to operate safely under the threat of Covid. Nighttime fireworks have returned and parades -- something many guests consider essential when it comes to a Disney vacation -- have begun making their way down Main St. once again.
It's a slow return to normal, but one major thing -- something that families love to do because it's crowd-pleasing and a strong value -- had not returned.
That has finally changed -- and Disney guests can get excited about a final piece of normal coming back to the parks (which could lead to a busy spring and summer season).
Disney World Welcomes Back a Guest Favorite
"Buffets have long been a mainstay experience at the Most Magical Place on Earth --that changed dramatically with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, and not just at Disney parks," wrote Theme Park Tourist, a popular Disney blog.
"The return of buffets to restaurants around the world has long been a delicate issue, one Disney has had to navigate carefully. While many Disney dining locations switched over to a family-style menu during the pandemic, others closed entirely and have not yet reopened."
Disney has welcomed back many of its buffets. That may seem like a small thing, but buffets offer families meals where everyone can eat exactly what they want. That's a welcome thing as parents struggle to find dining choices that make sense for the whole family,
And while family-style dining -- which replaced buffets in many cases -- offers the all-you-can-eat factor, it did not offer the same level of food choice that a buffet did.
"Guests have largely had mixed reactions to the 'family style' switch at many former Disney buffet locations," Theme Park Tourist wrote.
"The problem, however, is the shift has meant Disney has had to limit the once-expansive menus of their buffet restaurants, focusing only on the most popular dishes. This has proven a bit of a bummer for guests who had specific favorites at buffets, and it also can result in a lot of food wasted."
It may seem a small thing, but buffets -- and the associated gluttony/not having to care if your kid eats only chicken nuggets -- represent normal for a Disney vacation.
Bringing back this option, which the company has done at most (but not all) of its popular buffet restaurants ,makes people more likely to spend the thousands of dollars it costs to visit Disney World or any of the company's theme parks,.
