When do you think Disney dining will be back to full strength? By that, I mean all restaurants back open, all character meals restored, normal menu variety and selection back, etc.?
I had thought everything would be back by June this year, but now I’m starting to get concerned. What are your thoughts?
Next summer?
Really you think another year? I’ll guess they will be back by the next holiday season; if not Halloween then Christmas
There’s so many things in play here… supply shortages and such that not even Disney is immune to. If things are back to normal by next summer I think that’d be a huge win.
Dang it, I forget about supply chain issues.
I just think things in general are still nowhere near being normal. Staff shortages will probably be a n issue for a long time to come. Supply issues and costs related to foods. There are only a handful of restaurants closed still, but full capacity dining hasn’t even returned to the open ones. So yeah, personally, I think we’re probably another year off from “normal” as we knew it.
They’re very close to normal — almost all restaurants are back open. But it’s that last 10% of normalcy that takes the longest. So, yeah maybe a year to get supply chains, staffing, and menus back to full force.
Only a month ago Disney announced that they are starting the process to bring back the Cultural Representatives. These are the folk that work at many of the countries in World Showcase at Epcot. They’ll be brought back in phases, over time. It could be most of a year before they’re staffed at the pre-Covid levels in this regard.
Once they can get the International CMs back. And that will take time. They’re currently recruiting in the European countries and Canada, but I don’t know when the successful ones will be able to get visas and actually start. Possibly not until the Fall.
That will still leave a shortfall of CMs to fully staff all the restaurants. and with everything else happening now I’m not sure whether Disney will be motivated to move forward with that. There is already talk of major projects being cut and jobs being moved back to CA. Operationally there could well be an impact soon. Just as things were moving in the right direction. 
I’m skeptical, my guess this is a tactic to fight the Reedy Creek dissolution. If the dissolution happens I think this is a real possible outcome, but I think we are a long way from that.
I think some may have already been told they aren’t moving to FL as planned.
My worry is that the damage to WDW could be done before this is finally settled.
I know this isn’t the same thing, but close: I’ve been reading a lot on cruise critic re an upcoming cruise, and people are constantly talking there about how the food isn’t as good etc., mostly due to supply issues. They are guessing, but it does make sense.
What kind of damage do you mean?
Damage as in Disney deciding not to invest in WDW. There is already talk that some people have been told their jobs won’t now be moving from CA to FL. And talk of major projects being cancelled. It remains to be seen how far Disney will pull back on plans that have been announced like jobs moves, affordable housing etc. The affordable housing would have benefitted CMs as much as anyone else in the Orlando area. But also on park developments and operations.
I know there is a Disney Dish thread but what you are reading is the opposite of what Len was talking about on this week’s Disney Dish. He said Disney was hiring construction workers at a rate that could not be explained by anything they are doing. The new areas are being constructed by private contractors so this hiring is unusual?
That may be all before this RCID mess though…
I’m surmising on what projects might be impacted. But I still worry that Disney might not invest as heavily in WDW. Certainly something I have seen recently throws doubt on the relocation plans.
Len seemed confident that RCID will not be an issue?
I don’t think anyone really knows yet. But I suspect he’s right.
Might all be moot.