According to the CDC that advice about surface spread has not changed. Contaminated surfaces may not be the primary way the virus spreads but they also tempered that with the idea that surfaces still need to be disinfected and they are still trying to figure this virus out. I'm not a big fan of buffets for sanitary reasons in the first place but I'm okay with waiting this out. The only buffet I'm interested in is BOMA anyway.
I'm not sure why character meets for other than face characters have to be affected. I would think the CM can wear a mask under their Mickey costume. As for the buffets themselves, in addition to having CMs serve, they might have to limit how many people can get on line at any one time.
How do you clean the outfits in between guests? I'm sure Pooh is pretty germy after a few hugs.
I think they're going to serve you...everything.
I also think Cabanas on the Disney ships will also be the same way -- they're going to serve you...everything.
Out of all of the changes, I think this will have a very good chance of becoming permanent.
I think it will be skillet /family dining style. Every family style meal we've had has been awesome, and the character buffets are hard to time getting up to get food with seeing a character, they seem so rushed and the food is on par with Golden Corral at them all. I'm hoping for skillet/family style with improved food quality.
they had a gift card sale right when this all started I debated buying one Im kind of glad I didn't. their margins were very low so they couldn't afford the more staff that would be needed.Sweet Tomatoes are closing for good. They certainly saw no future in their buffets.
I was thinking more about having a touchless meet and greet. People could stand next to the character for a picture but not touch them. They can mark the floor with an "x" so people knew where to stand. If an inadvertent touch occurs, they can go behind the scenes to change into a new costume and then have someone spray the first costume with disinfectant. Alternately they can have everyone use hand sanitizer before they go up to the character. We don't do these but I know how important they are to some peoples' visits and thought this might work.
Literally no one here knows.