New Dining Package at Festival of the Lion King

[Biff215]

Perhaps because tiffins doesn’t have the same low quality, high fat, high sugar stuff that the dining plan has installed in every other restaurant?

The first time I went to Tiffins - I loved it (going back this month)...
...which means I knew it would struggle.

You can’t charge people $40 for something you may not get on a day to day basis. But vats of sausage links with a couple of chipmunks walking around?...fire away

The problem with Tiffins is it might be too nice for DAK. Walking around sweating in what feels like Disney’s hottest Park is not exactly the best lead-in to a signature dinner. And then add in a drenching on Kali.

I’m also not sure Pandora has really made AK a full day park yet for many. If you have early FP, you might not be staying for dinner. It’s also RoL not doing its job unfortunately.

We love AK and enjoy a few nice dinners during each trip, but we haven’t tried Tiffins yet either. I doubt we’re alone in that.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Perhaps because tiffins doesn’t have the same low quality, high fat, high sugar stuff that the dining plan has installed in every other restaurant?

The first time I went to Tiffins - I loved it (going back this month)...
...which means I knew it would struggle.

You can’t charge people $40 for something you may not get on a day to day basis. But vats of sausage links with a couple of chipmunks walking around?...fire away

lol, because that's what vacations are for. Seriously. I generally made my kids eat healthy in real life. Yep vacations is when they knew they could order chicken nuggets and mom wasn't pushing vegetables at them. Mom wasn't telling them to have fruit instead of ice cream.

Real life, the mom lady is making them eat fish and cut down on red meat, so yep the old guy on vacation is looking for that gigantic turkey leg followed by a couple of mickey ice cream bars.
Now Tiffins is not my type of menu, Fried caulifower and octopus? nope but I do like that it is different.

I'm not mad at Disney for this, this is the American diet. I do wish I had a more "adventurous" spirit when eating out, I tend to go to the traditional staples but I will honestly say that if I have a choice between Tiffins and Rainforest cafe, my family and I would probably pick the RC.

 

[harryk]

As said by previous writers - this is just another way to empty a guests pocketbook. ToLK is not that hard to get into. Have enjoyed the show every year we go - and it is every year. I view it as a not to be missed show. No seat is a bad seat and if into picture taking the back rows of the theatre are great since you can stand up and take pics over every one. We have dined at Tiffins several times since it opened and it is really great. Don't need a dining package though - FoLK and the safari is always accessible. Don't expect padded seats though - they are not at any of the other dining package shows as yet.

 

[danlb_2000]

I don't see much value in this for me. As others have said FotLK is easy to get into and all the seats are pretty good so priority seating doesn't get you much. Basically the FotLK part is a paid fastpass.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'd say its combination of a couple of things, but Tiffins has struggled on numbers since the day it opened.

Some guesses as to why:

- Locals don't want to pay for park admission to eat there, instead of Jiko, Yachtsman, California Grill or Flying Fish
- DDP guests don't want to waste two credits on it, when other, more popular restaurants are already asking for that (Cinderella's, Le Cellier)
- The "exotic" menu puts off many of WDW's meat-and-potatoes customer base
- It's too new to have developed any substantial reputation or following
- WDW has too many "signature" restaurants. When character dinners cost upwards $50/adult, people don't want to pay any more than that

 

[Jon81uk]

Also I expect most people who do want the signature dining are already going to Jiko. Getting people who love Jiko, Boma and Sanaa to switch to Tiffins is probably difficult.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

lol, because that's what vacations are for. Seriously. I generally made my kids eat healthy in real life. Yep vacations is when they knew they could order chicken nuggets and mom wasn't pushing vegetables at them. Mom wasn't telling them to have fruit instead of ice cream.

Real life, the mom lady is making them eat fish and cut down on red meat, so yep the old guy on vacation is looking for that gigantic turkey leg followed by a couple of mickey ice cream bars.
Now Tiffins is not my type of menu, Fried caulifower and octopus? nope but I do like that it is different.

I'm not mad at Disney for this, this is the American diet. I do wish I had a more "adventurous" spirit when eating out, I tend to go to the traditional staples but I will honestly say that if I have a choice between Tiffins and Rainforest cafe, my family and I would probably pick the RC.

Don’t get me wrong...I love some sugar and fat.

I’m more commenting on the menu streamlining and overall decline in quality coupled with double the price. That’s igers “food legacy”

 

[MaximumEd]

Any signature restaurant in a park other than Epcot, which is know as the food park even though DS is eroding that a bit, or MK because Princesses is going to suffer. The bulk of the WDW clientele has been conditioned to pay ludicrous rates to eat bad food with characters or a 50 dollar strip steak. The acceptance of the dining plan and what it has done to food makes the once in a lifetime or decade visitor hesitant to pay 100 bucks for a meal that doesn’t include characters for food they don’t normally think they would enjoy. Tiffins is cool, but not in the right place to thrive, IMO.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Any signature restaurant in a park other than Epcot, which is know as the food park even though DS is eroding that a bit, or MK because Princesses is going to suffer. The bulk of the WDW clientele has been conditioned to pay ludicrous rates to eat bad food with characters or a 50 dollar strip steak. The acceptance of the dining plan and what it has done to food makes the once in a lifetime or decade visitor hesitant to pay 100 bucks for a meal that doesn’t include characters for food they don’t normally think they would enjoy. Tiffins is cool, but not in the right place to thrive, IMO.

Excellent points.

Even in Epcot...bad food is overpaid for/rewarded. People act like le cellier is peter Luger...

And it’s definitley more in the outback mold.

 

[MaximumEd]

I’ve eaten at Le Cellier twice over the years. The first time was not bad at all. The last time made me wish it was Outback.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They could just lower the prices vs. charging more for a "package" for a show that's not hard to get into to. This package would even make more sense if you got an extra FOP FP instead of the Lion King.

They really can’t lower prices...it could catch like a wildfire and maybe even people might notice the relationship between prices and satisfaction.

That’s the “break the glass” plan.

 

[hokielutz]

So I guess they are targeting the people who stupidly pay $46 a day for 'preferred parking' to squeeze additional revenue out for a long running show that pushes the serfs further and further back. Gone are the days when one could get in line 10-15 minutes early to guarantee a better seat.

 

[hokielutz]

I've seen this show three times. It's okay, but not on a must do list anymore.

Never was it an issue getting in, nor finding a decent seat because the house is small to start with, think theatrical tent: everyone is close to the stage. So... what is the appeal to paying for a dining package for this? I just don't understand.

Your little one will have a greater chance of getting picked for audience participation to lead their animal section in bleating, roaring, etc....

 

[Biff215]

Your little one will have a greater chance of getting picked for audience participation to lead their animal section in bleating, roaring, etc....

That would truly be sad if true. A couple years ago we were running to the theater trying to make the next show when a CM pulled us in a separate entrance and seated us in those seats. It was an awesome surprise for our kids, and that’s what it should continue to be.

 

[JohnD]

When do you guys think the UP! A Great Bird Adventure dining packages will be out? Kidding.

Don’t give them any ideas.

 

[JohnD]

I'd say its combination of a couple of things, but Tiffins has struggled on numbers since the day it opened.

I thought it was banking on more customers after Pandora opened. Apparently people are making a beeline for FOP, waiting for NRJ or not then on to the next area.

 

[Tavernacle12]

This is so bizarre. It's not as bad as the Star Wars 'tour' was, I guess. I feel like there's gotta be better options for these things, though. I have no idea what the numbers are for how many people book them, but I'd imagine the cost would be more justifiable if you were actually getting something unique with it.

I imagine Tiffin's problem is that it's seen as too fancy, too exotic, too expensive, is located in a park that a lot of people still don't spend all day in, and, to be honest, a lot of Animal Kingdom's other food options are actually pretty good. I've had decent meals for not terrible prices at many of their counter service restaurants (I love Harambe Market and the stalls on Discovery Island usually have some fun menu items too). Tiffins also seems to be themed around Animal Kingdom itself, and it's a park that just doesn't seem to have a fanbase that can sustain that yet. Like, you could probably have a restaurant themed to 'old school' Hollywood Studios or Epcot Center and it'd be booked solid for months as soon as it opened. AK just doesn't seem to have the fan support even if it is more popular now.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

This is so bizarre. It's not as bad as the Star Wars 'tour' was, I guess. I feel like there's gotta be better options for these things, though. I have no idea what the numbers are for how many people book them, but I'd imagine the cost would be more justifiable if you were actually getting something unique with it.

The "cost" is justifiable right on its face. This isn't any more than what you'd pay for a meal at Tiffin's anyways. You're basically getting FotLK thrown in for free. You're not PAYING for Festival. You're paying for Tiffins and getting a bonus Fastpass.

 

[Tavernacle12]

The "cost" is justifiable right on its face. This isn't any more than what you'd pay for a meal at Tiffin's anyways. You're basically getting FotLK thrown in for free. You're not PAYING for Festival. You're paying for Tiffins and getting a bonus Fastpass.

If you can order anything on the menu for each course and order the most expensive thing for each course you wind up at about $62 for an adult and $26 for a child (not counting drinks). So if you do the higher tier you're paying $37/$23 for VIP seats and a better tour and $13/$3 for just VIP seats. The lower tier kids option actually maybe seems worth it if you want better seats, but it's still an up charge (and again, that's assuming going to Tiffins normally you'd be ordering the most expensive thing on the menu).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Wait...how much is this thing?? (I can’t look at any upsell prices anymore now on the advice of my attorney and cardiologist)