Nobody wants to use the term “cafeteria style” for those lovely buffets, do they? 
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I might have said cafeteria style if I had thought of it.
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Excellent idea that I hadn’t considered. 
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You know, we’ve included buffets on most trips - I’ve never even thought to be concerned about the much used serving utensils. Wasn’t on my radar at all. 
Even now with Covid-19, I’m not sure I’d shy away from a buffet because of utensils. I’d be happy sanitizing once I’m at the table.
I’d have no problem with buffets becoming family style. Or whatever iteration they need to make things work.
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I hate family style because there’s always at least one person in my group that doesn’t like anything in the skillet and another who will not eat if the food is touching something they don’t like. That’s one of the reasons we’ve come to depend on buffets.
I’m fine with cruise style buffet where they serve the food. TBH I’m fine with regular buffet and then just sanitizing like janamelia said.
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We have that person.
But it’s ALL food touching. Even liked food!
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Our favorite meals last trip were buffets, never gave the utensils any thought. Now I can’t not think about it. Hand sanitizer at the start of the buffet line as well as on the tables might help.
My first thought when buffets opening back up was hand sanitizer at the tables.
Another place I like hand sanitizer is when I’m leaving a store/medical place.
Saves on my sanitizer in my vehicle.
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Posted in the wrong thread.
I have now been thinking that since I have so many unknowns in the planning of this trip, I am considering not taking a mid day break on four of our days. We will still RD, but stay through until about 4 or 5PM and then go to dinner.
Anyone with advice on no break days?
Bring strollers so the kids can nap. Rent from Kingdom Strollers do you get comfy ones that recline and that aren’t a hassle to push.
We never use a stroller at home for our kids beyond the age of 1–we force our kids to walk around the huge zoo, our state’s amusement park, and on 3+ mile hikes up mountains on a regular basis. We took our six year old on a five hour hike a few weeks ago. But even we think Disney is too damned big for young kids to walk.
We will definitely be bringing strollers for our three and six year old to Disney, since we don’t do rest days. When we tried rest afternoons in the past, the kids couldn’t sleep and a huge amount of time was wasted getting to and from the parks. So strollers are perfect. They get to nap while we switch off doing stuff. Even if they don’t nap, they aren’t as tired overall.
We went with our then 2 and 5 year old, and with strollers we were able to stay from park opening to closing everyday. On party nights, that meant midnight. Our record exit time was 1:30 AM after we hopped in line for Jack and Sally at 11:55 PM. I really don’t think my oldest could have lasted all week if she was made to walk the same 45 miles we did with no breaks.
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I just finished my ADRs for our early/mid November trip, and I was surprised at how hard it was to get a lot of places. Garden Grill had zero availability. Beaches and Cream was mostly limited to late evening. For our departure day, I had a list of seven restaurants to check, and NONE of them had a single breakfast opening. I ended up booking Ohana breakfast, which is fine, but I’d already booked that for another day, so I’m just hoping something different will open up for either day.
Bottom line, have backup plans and don’t be picky. I don’t know whether it’s a matter of people rescheduling their trips to the fall, or Disney releasing fewer reservations in the name of social distancing, or people holding backup reservations in case of unpredictable circumstances.
I can’t imagine Disney will just decide to close buffets without creating an alternative for all the people who made reservations there. It will probably look a little different at each buffet place, but they’ll feed people somehow.
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Hydration of course.
Try scheduling a late sit down breakfast or a counter service with air conditioning in the eating area.
Inside shows/ rides - with a.c. - from about noon to 4.
Outside shows/ rides from rope drop to midday meal and early evening.
I was thinking late supper but perhaps the park hours are shortened.
It may be that must do park restaurants are given priority - after the really super priority hard to get restaurants.
Perhaps allow must do resort restaurants (that don’t fit in the really super priority) to be supper times.
We’ve loved having kids fall asleep in strollers - store time!
Finally got one toddler to nod off in the stroller at HS and here came Lightning McQueen on his noisy way to a m&g, I think. 
Oh well. Who needs a nap!
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Thank you for the heads up regarding availability. I will have my list prepared with either or options for dates, basically flipping 3 restaurants on three different days. We will be trying for 2 PPO breakfasts and most dinners will be early times. If I can’t get what I am after, then we won’t upgrade to the DDP+. Can hardly wait to stay up until 3:30 a.m. doing ADRs to end up frustrated.
That is a great suggestion to have inside shows and attractions in the afternoon. We normally go back to the hotel at that time, so good to keep in mind. With no break, we will do an early dinner, take the DGDs who will be 2 and 4 years old, back for a swim and bed. Four of the 5 adults could continue in the parks, if they choose.
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Now I am wondering if I can plan to PH in December. Should I book a breakfast or lunch ADR in one park and a dinner in another? How long does anyone think that the reservation system and the reduced capacity might continue?
And now, after reading in another thread about park hours, I looked at the new hours posted on TP through the end of October. Epcot doesn’t even open until 11 most days and HS not until 10. Does that mean no PPO breakfast at GG or Akershus? My plan had been to be in HS at RD, have about 3 hours before walking over to Trattoria for a late breakfast. My trip isn’t until December, but now how to I plan this?
I have a few (now useless) PPO breakfasts for August. I assume they will be cancelled or even better if I could rebook them to 10am for GG (with open at 11). It is much easier for us to get there for 10am breakfast than 8am breakfast. I think whenever dining ADRs reopen, there won’t be options listed like 8am Garden Grill anymore.
If HS is not open until 10, I would plan for your breakfast to be at 8:30 or so at Trattoria. Then you won’t miss any park time.
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I just tried looking at dining reservations and discovered that they are currently closed. That was probably in another thread, but I missed it. My ADR morning is in 10 days. Looks like it is back to the drawing board. I almost had a plan that I liked.
My family will be happy sleeping in, especially the three of us on Pacific time. The regular DDP is probably going to be enough, although now I could fit more resort breakfasts into the plan.
Yeah, they shut off dining reservations, FPP, and new resort and ticket bookings for now. Not sure how long dining and FPP will be down, hopefully not long or if it stays down maybe an explanation about what is going to happen to FPP and ADRs.
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