2017 Dining Plan Changes: Is the QS now officially overpriced?

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
Let's not forget the TIW also includes those overpriced adult beverages, which brings them down to a more reasonable price.

I think that's a pretty good description of TiW in general. With the 20% discount, food and beverage prices are on the high end of what seems reasonable to me (generally, of course -- some exceptions are there in both directions).
 

DisneyDebRob

Well-Known Member
But even that is much less of a value than it was.

At $150 or more it's now double what it was 5 or 6 years ago (when it switched from DDE). It no longer offers a free card for spouse/partner, and technically no longer allows for splitting the check for larger parties.

Add to that the fact that even with the discount food is still obscenely overpriced, and the huge increases in AP costs: like much of what WDW offers these days, it's a pale shadow of what it once was, at a significantly greater price. It was a great deal for us in the past, but no longer.
Totally agree it's not what it used to be. But when ranking the best value out of the two, 9 out of 10 times I still come up with TIW.for the way we dine anymore anyway.
 

Nj4mwc

Well-Known Member
Losing a dessert from your QS meal and gaining an additional snack is worth it in my opinion. Sometimes I don't feel like I could eat the dessert anyway and would much rather save that for later in the day for another snack.
But your losing 2 desrts for 1 snack
 

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
I felt something on my recent trip to WDW that I'd never felt before.

I'd been countless times before and never felt this particular emotion. I've done DDP, I've gone without DDP, I've done TIW, I've eaten signature, character, QS. I've done it all.

But in May 2016, I felt something new each time I dined at WDW.

Resentment.

WDW has a markup on everything - it's an elaborate tourist trap, and that's fine. But the markup has gone from reasonable to absurd and they don't even try to deliver value in any way shape or form.

So, I'm done. I won't renew my AP, I won't be back for at least a few years. This was the first trip where I felt like a number, and not a guest. I didn't enjoy the feeling.
 

xstech25

Well-Known Member
I honestly have no idea how these things are priced but I think they will continue to sell regardless of what changes they make to it. If you're taking a family vacation to WDW for more than a couple days you pretty much have to some sort of pre-purchased dining package. Even if it doesn't save money, psychologically ponying up $40-60 for every meal for several days in a row would be...well, extremely taxing.
 

tirian

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I felt something on my recent trip to WDW that I'd never felt before.

I'd been countless times before and never felt this particular emotion. I've done DDP, I've gone without DDP, I've done TIW, I've eaten signature, character, QS. I've done it all.

But in May 2016, I felt something new each time I dined at WDW.

Resentment.

WDW has a markup on everything - it's an elaborate tourist trap, and that's fine. But the markup has gone from reasonable to absurd and they don't even try to deliver value in any way shape or form.

So, I'm done. I won't renew my AP, I won't be back for at least a few years. This was the first trip where I felt like a number, and not a guest. I didn't enjoy the feeling.
I felt the same way in mid-May. Despite the bellyaching we fans do online, we usually lose a lot of the frustration when we're in the parks because we're having fun. But in mid-May, I was aware of the cutbacks and absurdly priced food. I also didn't purchase a single thing because the merchandise was unbelievably bad or overpriced. (Seriously Disney, you can't even make all the expensive kitchen merch dishwasher safe?)
 

seabreezept813

Well-Known Member
We've done the QS plans a few times. I've only used it when the one snack was offered. In one way the flexibility is nice, but you are losing food. We usually never had room for dessert, but would take something and bring it back and eat it for breakfast. It would be great if they reduced the amount of food, if they also reduced the price. Either way, I don't think many people come out on top.
 

cslafferty

Well-Known Member
For us, it's a win. We usually stay at a mod and get free dining (don't hate me!) my husband isn't a big sweets eater, and frankly the desserts offered with QS meals are small and leave a lot to be desired. And, I'm usually full after the meal, and end up tossing most of the dessert (don't really want to carry it around the park!). With an extra snack credit, my husband can get something he likes, and I can get a MUCH more satisfying dessert (DOLE WHIP!!!) Even if you get the QS plan, I think you'd be better off getting say a giant cupcake with your snack credit and cutting it in half - that would more than make up for the 2 sub-par "desserts" that come with QS meals - IMHO.
 

Punky

Well-Known Member
Even if it doesn't save money, psychologically ponying up $40-60 for every meal for several days in a row would be...well, extremely taxing.
This is the very reason I do the dining plan (plus we do a lot of character meals). If I had to come directly out of pocket we might eat one or 2 meals and do Honey Nut Cheerios the rest of the trip.
 

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
I honestly have no idea how these things are priced but I think they will continue to sell regardless of what changes they make to it. If you're taking a family vacation to WDW for more than a couple days you pretty much have to some sort of pre-purchased dining package. Even if it doesn't save money, psychologically ponying up $40-60 for every meal for several days in a row would be...well, extremely taxing.
Disagree. Money paid as I go vs prepaid in advance certainly seems the same to me.
 

MichWolv

Born Modest. Wore Off.
Premium Member
It looks like you would have to eat at the higher priced QS restaurants to break even, like BOG or WPE. Unless you think the refillable mug is worth $5 a day. I agree it would be hard to break even at this price point.
Is not hard to break even, but it is hard to feel like you got a great deal. Snacks are worth about $5 each, the QS meal (without dessert) is about $13-$16. So as long as the TS is around $30-35, and many of then are, you're "breaking even".
 
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Jimmy Thick

Well-Known Member
I never use up my snack credits anyway, plus taking away something sugary is a win for your health.

Jimmy Thick- Cracking open coconuts with my biceps...
 

xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
I honestly have no idea how these things are priced but I think they will continue to sell regardless of what changes they make to it. If you're taking a family vacation to WDW for more than a couple days you pretty much have to some sort of pre-purchased dining package. Even if it doesn't save money, psychologically ponying up $40-60 for every meal for several days in a row would be...well, extremely taxing.

I think it's pretty rough either way. At least paying out of pocket you can manage your spending a little bit. I know the cash prices for a lot of these things are absurd, but without getting the DDP, at least you can choose how often you get robbed.
 

Seanual757

Well-Known Member
With what we ended up bring home on our last day from our weeks long trip to WDW I think we are fine. It was always hard to eat a dessert with the amount of food you get anyway. This is the QS plan we had as with anything Disney will cut and charge more it never stops.

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