New Dining Package at Festival of the Lion King

[Rteetz]

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

Festival of the Lion King Dining Packages Coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The Tier I Festival of the Lion King Signature Dining Package (which includes lunch or dinner at Tiffins Restaurant, priority VIP seating at Festival of the Lion King, and a safari tour) is $99 per adult and $49 per children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuities not included).

The Tier II Festival of the Lion King Signature Dining Package (which includes lunch or dinner at Tiffins Restaurant and priority reserved seating at Festival of the Lion King) is $74 per adult and $29 for children ages 3-9 (tax and gratuities not included).

 

[Biff215]

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.

How are you figuring that? Seems like @Tavernacle12 proved the contrary.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You just reaffirmed why I don’t look.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

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).

Are you lying or just bad at math? This comes with appetizer, entree, desert, and beer or wine.

Charred Octopus $16
Wagyu Rib-eye $53
Chocolate Ganache $12
Kungaloosh Ale $9

That's $90. Not $62. More than the price of the dining package (not counting the option that includes a safari tour, which is a separate experience you can't otherwise get). Nice try though.

The Parks Blog post specifically includes surf and turf as an option as well. I don't see it on the current menu, but it's definitely at least as expensive as the ribeye.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

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

How are you figuring that? Seems like @Tavernacle12 proved the contrary.

You just reaffirmed why I don’t look.

Wrong. See above. This is actually priced at a discount.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The tour sounds a lot like the personalized safari ride of Savor the Savanna: Evening Safari Experience, but with the Tiffin's meal replacing the savanna-side small plate soirée.

Which, if it is, is a bargain compared to the price of $169, which is the cost of two hour tour.

 

[Biff215]

Are you a liar or just bad at math? This comes with appetizer, entree, desert, and beer or wine.

Charred Octopus $16
Wagyu Rib-eye $53
Chocolate Ganache $12
Kungaloosh Ale $9

That's $90. Not $62. LESS than the dining package (not counting the option that includes a safari tour, which is a separate experience you can't otherwise get). Nice try though.

The Parks Blog post specifically includes surf and turf as an option as well. I don't see it on the current menu, but it's definitely at least as expensive as the ribeye.

Fair enough. So with tier 2 you’re getting a “free” appetizer and FP. Of course that’s assuming you want to order the most expensive items on the menu, and have room for both an appetizer and dessert per person. So like the DDP, value largely depends on the individual. Personally I don’t like to eat that way, and I also know the FP is unnecessary, so I’m not going to commend Disney on this one. I imagine there will be some who find value in it though, so to each their own.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Fair enough. So with tier 2 you’re getting a “free” appetizer and FP. Of course that’s assuming you want to order the most expensive items on the menu, and have room for both an appetizer and dessert per person. So like the DDP, value largely depends on the individual. Personally I don’t like to eat that way, and I also know the FP is unnecessary, so I’m not going to commend Disney on this one. I imagine there will be some who find value in it though, so to each their own.

Agree with all of this. Strategically, this isn't about Disney trying to upcharge existing Tiffin's diners, it's about Disney trying to create NEW Tiffin's diners by creating additional (perceived) value. For those of us who know that a Fastpass for Festival is relatively worthless, the perceived value isn't there and this becomes roughly a break-even proposition.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Wrong. See above. This is actually priced at a discount.

So you’re using right to left ordering AND excessive over eating as the “measuring stick”?

...don’t run over my foot with your ecv at chef Mickey’s, please?

 

[JohnD]

Are you lying or just bad at math? This comes with appetizer, entree, desert, and beer or wine.

Charred Octopus $16
Wagyu Rib-eye $53
Chocolate Ganache $12
Kungaloosh Ale $9

That's $90. Not $62. More than the price of the dining package (not counting the option that includes a safari tour, which is a separate experience you can't otherwise get). Nice try though.

The Parks Blog post specifically includes surf and turf as an option as well. I don't see it on the current menu, but it's definitely at least as expensive as the ribeye.

I get your point about the math. Okay fine. But it is equally valid to point out that seats which previously were FP+ or maybe even standby are now, for all intents and purposes, ticketed seats with a meal and tour thrown in. You have to pay to get the best seats and standby becomes more limited. This isn't the Candlelight Processional, Fantasmic, or Rivers of Light which are end of the day shows. These are ongoing throughout the day. They have just monetized daily ongoing shows. Up next: Yak and Yeti and Finding Nemo: The Musical.

 

[Biff215]

Up next: Yak and Yeti and Finding Nemo: The Musical.

Nope...but only because that’s not Disney’s restaurant. Maybe they’ll use Tusker instead.

 

[JohnD]

Nope...but only because that’s not Disney’s restaurant. Maybe they’ll use Tusker instead.

Whichever. The point is made. Then comes dinner seating for the Frozen show, BATB, Indiana Jones, etc. This also diminishes the value of a park ticket BTW.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I get your point about the math. Okay fine. But it is equally valid to point out that seats which previously were FP+ or maybe even standby are now, for all intents and purposes, ticketed seats with a meal and tour thrown in. You have to pay to get the best seats and standby becomes more limited. This isn't the Candlelight Processional, Fantasmic, or Rivers of Light which are end of the day shows. These are ongoing throughout the day. They have just monetized daily ongoing shows. Up next: Yak and Yeti and Finding Nemo: The Musical.

No. They are not monetizing the show because the guest isn't paying for the show. The guest is paying for a prix fixe meal at Tiffin's with a "bonus" Fastpass thrown in. I've already proven that the price is menu rate, meaning the Fastpass for the show has zero imputed value.

Not sure how often you're at Festival, but the shows are almost never full, especially late in the day. This isn't taking anything away from anyone.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So you’re using right to left ordering AND excessive over eating as the “measuring stick”?

...don’t run over my foot with your ecv at chef Mickey’s, please?

The package costs $74. I overshot and got to $90. You can easily construct a lighter meal and still find value at $74, especially with beer or wine included.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The package costs $74. I overshot and got to $90. You can easily construct a lighter meal and still find value at $74, especially with beer or wine included.

True...but those are floating targets.

One reason I don’t like the dining plan or these type of things is that they make you work for it...you prepay the bill (and often lose)...but you have to stress the menu.
Different strokes...I guess.

You can eat well at tiffins and don’t need special seating for lion king for under $74 bucks...the case remains.

...and still don’t run over my foot with your ecv.

 

[JohnD]

No. They are not monetizing the show because the guest isn't paying for the show. The guest is paying for a prix fixe meal at Tiffin's with a "bonus" Fastpass thrown in. I've already proven that the price is menu rate, meaning the Fastpass for the show has zero imputed value.

Not sure how often you're at Festival, but the shows are almost never full, especially late in the day. This isn't taking anything away from anyone.

 

[larryz]

The tour sounds a lot like the personalized safari ride of Savor the Savanna: Evening Safari Experience, but with the Tiffin's meal replacing the savanna-side small plate soirée.

Which, if it is, is a bargain compared to the price of $169, which is the cost of two hour tour.

Well, we all know what the 3-hour tour cost...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

True...but those are floating targets.

One reason I don’t like the dining plan or these type of things is that they make you work for it...you prepay the bill (and often lose)...but you have to stress the menu.
Different strokes...I guess.

You can eat well at tiffins and don’t need special seating for lion king for under $74 bucks...the case remains.

...and still don’t run over my foot with your ecv.

I don't like it for myself either. I was simply disagreeing with the characterization of it as an "upcharge" event.

 

[Tavernacle12]

Are you lying or just bad at math? This comes with appetizer, entree, desert, and beer or wine.

Charred Octopus $16
Wagyu Rib-eye $53
Chocolate Ganache $12
Kungaloosh Ale $9

That's $90. Not $62. More than the price of the dining package (not counting the option that includes a safari tour, which is a separate experience you can't otherwise get). Nice try though.

The Parks Blog post specifically includes surf and turf as an option as well. I don't see it on the current menu, but it's definitely at least as expensive as the ribeye.

Thanks for calling me a liar. I think I forgot to include the drinks. My point is you have to work to get the price to justify itself. If you’re not actively gaming the system you can easily lose money on the deal, which can be true of the dining plans in general.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Thanks for calling me a liar. I think I forgot to include the drinks. My point is you have to work to get the price to justify itself. If you’re not actively gaming the system you can easily lose money on the deal, which can be true of the dining plans in general.

Very correct...even fans of the dining plan have acknowledged its just a convenience for prepay at this juncture - not a cost savings. It is what it is - and that’s fine.

The “packages” are a completely different animal. There really isn’t an intrinsic value to them...it’s just a splurge. And that’s ok too...as long as people are honest and cop to it.

Even worse for the premium ticket events and some of the “tours” (the ultimate animal kingdom thing last year to pay $269 to get a fastpass for the avatar ride comes to mind...). Again...a splurge that borders on “come rob me”. But I see constant posts trying to break it out to how it’s “worth it”.

It’s a mentality that I will defend castle black for...you can see where this goes on the horizon. It reeks of a new money attitude (a problem at wdw since the 80’s) that really harms everyone specifically at walt disney world.

There was somebody on another board (I think from Texas) that went By “disney running girl” - or something like that - that got snippy and nasty everytime she pumped up things like after hours and the space mountain smoking area cabanas...because “her time was too valuable”

No...she was just a spoiled twit...and never considered that her choices will eventually lead to me (and everyone...rest assured) paying more at citricos or for a parking spot at an overpriced hotel...

...so “till my watch has ended”