Changes

The Crystal Palace opened with the rest of the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971<ref name= "florida"/>. When the restaurant opened it was a cafeteria-style experience <ref name= "florida"/>. This changed however in lasted until 1996 when the format of the dining experience changed to an all -you -can eat buffet featuring character dining <ref name= "florida"> http://www.florida-project.com/walt-disney-world-photos/magic-kingdom/main-street-usa/crystal-palace-restaurant </ref>. At this time, the restaurant began to be referred to as The Crystal Palace, A Buffet with Character <ref name= "florida"/>

*Locations that influenced the design of the Crystal Palace include: the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, England's Kew Gardens and the Crystal Palace in New York <ref name= "Wright"> The Imagineering Field Guide to the Magic Kingdomat Walt Disney World: an Imagineer's Crystal Palace is based on -Eye Tour Alex Wright - Disney Editions - 2005 </ref>.  * Some sources cite the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, which was initially built to house the Great Exhibition of 1851 as another source of inspiration<ref> http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/crystal-palace/ </ref>. * The Victorian exterior of the Crystal Palace was designed to serve as a transition between [[Adventureland]] and [[Main Street USA]] <ref name= "Wright"/>