A Spirited Perfect Ten

[gmajew]

59 bucks for some mediocre cupcakes and watered down soft drinks, When the dessert parties STARTED they were 26 bucks and a interesting selection of treats. At 26 bucks they were worth doing, at the current price point, Well I may be crazy but I'm not stupid...

I have done one the past two years because my wife enjoys them. And happy wife makes for a happy life! They are incredibly over priced and the deserts are just ok have a few good things but the majority is lacking. Much rather get Ice cream from the ice cream shop. Lol.

 

[Mike S]

Just tossing out there, cause "dessert parties" come up...comparing Disney vs Uni...

I just booked a dessert and reserved seating experience for the Uni Cinematic Spectacular. Cost was $45 per person. That includes a meal at Lombards (appetizer and entree), a reserved section for show viewing, and a dessert buffet during viewing. That's really not a bad deal when you crunch the numbers.

What does the Wishes dessert party cost again? Or the Illuminations one? <ahem>

 

[englanddg]

59 bucks for some mediocre cupcakes and watered down soft drinks, When the dessert parties STARTED they were 26 bucks and a interesting selection of treats. At 26 bucks they were worth doing, at the current price point, Well I may be crazy but I'm not stupid...

Yeah, the value didn't really hit me until I was updating my notes in MDE after buying it (the Uni one, I've mapped out the Uni part of the trip in MDE as notes, so I'm sure Disney Data Miners will be happy to see that, aside from DCL, I've peeled off 1/3 of my vacation to go visit "the Park that shall not be named"...)

I was like...heck, I'd spend 45+ for a 3 course meal (cause I'm getting desserts at the dessert party) anyhow...this really is a fair deal! Good value!

And kids are only $13 (under age 10...mine, unfortunately, is no longer under age 10)

 

[gmajew]

Are you sure the cream will rise?

Yeah cream will rise to the top. If someone is really is a great leader they will rise to the top in any organization. Problem is usually they are stolen and go to a smaller firm because they talent and passion is noticed sooner then at the big companies.

 

[Quinnmac000]

Yeah cream will rise to the top. If someone is really is a great leader they will rise to the top in any organization. Problem is usually they are stolen and go to a smaller firm because they talent and passion is noticed sooner then at the big companies.

I disagree...sometimes, its the biggest puppet who makes it to the top nowadays rather than someone with creative visions and values to innovate and create positive business chain within already established companies.

 

[gmajew]

I disagree...sometimes, its the biggest puppet who makes it to the top nowadays rather than someone with creative visions and values to innovate and create positive business chain within already established companies.

I am not saying a pure visionary will be the one to rise it has to be someone that is passionate about the business and loves the business. All sides of the business. The days of having just a visionary at the helm of a company are numbered for the big companies because they have shareholders etc to make happy.

Startups will have pure visionary leaders. Public companies need someone that walks both sides because they have a different group to make happy as well.

 

[ford91exploder]

I disagree...sometimes, its the biggest puppet who makes it to the top nowadays rather than someone with creative visions and values to innovate and create positive business chain within already established companies.

The Igerbot comes to mind

 

[ford91exploder]

happy wife makes for a happy life!

Agree!

 

[ford91exploder]

Are you sure the cream will rise?

The MODERN American corporation is organized along the lines of a septic tank, The really big chunks rise to the top.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Just tossing out there, cause "dessert parties" come up...comparing Disney vs Uni...

I just booked a dessert and reserved seating experience for the Uni Cinematic Spectacular. Cost was $45 per person. That includes a meal at Lombards (appetizer and entree), a reserved section for show viewing, and a dessert buffet during viewing. That's really not a bad deal when you crunch the numbers.

What does the Wishes dessert party cost again? Or the Illuminations one? <ahem>

Trend setting. Disney set the market, universal is just doing what the rest of the market is...

 

[englanddg]

Trend setting. Disney set the market, universal is just doing what the rest of the market is...

Well, yeah, I gathered that much. But, when I read into the details, it's a bit different. It's a full meal for $45. Granted, they do limit what you can order, but they post it on the website, and menu looks appetizing enough to me!

My point was that it's a reasonable cost, for a decent return (app, entree, dessert, reserved seating).

Disney's dessert parties are NOT reasonable costs, they are market costs (because they can, because they are in high demand...but there really isn't much "value" to them).

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well, yeah, I gathered that much. But, when I read into the details, it's a bit different. It's a full meal for $45. Granted, they do limit what you can order, but they post it on the website, and menu looks appetizing enough to me!

My point was that it's a reasonable cost, for a decent return (app, entree, dessert, reserved seating).

Well.... I'm not sure anything more than $30 could be considered reasonable for the concept.

Other then that, my point is that Disney sets the market.

 

[Mike S]

Trend setting. Disney set the market, universal is just doing what the rest of the market is...

Let's hope they don't follow "surge pricing" as well.

 

[englanddg]

Well.... I'm not sure anything more than $30 could be considered reasonable for the concept.

Other then that, my point is that Disney sets the market.

It's akin to me going to a Fork and Screen. When I went to see Jurrasic World on Friday, I spent, after tip, around $45, and that was just by myself. I had 3 courses (app of buffalo wings, sriracha chicken sliders entree and a brownie sundae)

 

[PhotoDave219]

Let's hope they don't follow "surge pricing" as well.

I think we're all smart enough to come up with a more accurate description of that concept.

Perhaps proctological pricing?

 

[AEfx]

59 bucks for some mediocre cupcakes and watered down soft drinks, When the dessert parties STARTED they were 26 bucks and a interesting selection of treats. At 26 bucks they were worth doing, at the current price point, Well I may be crazy but I'm not stupid...

Gosh, I feel like they were even cheaper...we did one in like 2007 and I didn't think it was more than $20...maybe we had a discount, I had an AP back then. But yes, they were a value - though the viewing space just wasn't great (a roof over your heads isn't the best haha).

Still, it was a nice place to relax, relatively quiet, and the deserts just kept on coming. There was a really wide selection, they kept pushing you to try more. Non-alcoholic drinks served by wait staff included. I remember my mom only took one small thing when she went up the first time - she thought that one first cart was for everyone, LOL. Then she relaxed and had more once she saw them keep on coming.

It was totally worth it though, even then. I can't imagine people are paying $60 a head for what sounds like a lot less of a fun food experience.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It's akin to me going to a Fork and Screen. When I went to see Jurrasic World on Friday, I spent, after tip, around $45, and that was just by myself. I had 3 courses (app of buffalo wings, sriracha chicken sliders entree and a brownie sundae)

Nicely done. I always wanted to try the AMC fork and dine at PI but I always heard the food was horrid.

 

[Mike S]

I think we're all smart enough to come up with a more accurate description of that concept.

Perhaps proctological pricing?

Perfect

 

[Milk Crate]

Disney "forgetting the middle class" isn't so much a Disney problem as it is an America problem. I had the same reaction as Niles--what middle class?

'Something's gotta give at some point', I think optimistically.

But I have the same issues we all have with Iger with my own leadership--it's not just a Disney problem. And you're a fool if you don't think Uni will get there just the same. I somehow doubt Disney announcing the equivalent of a Hello Kitty "interactive retail experience" would garner any praise in this community.

The biggest problem I have is that no CEO is Walt. What compromise would please me? I'm unsure. As much as I'm no Iger fan, it could be much, much worse. I know--I've seen it. Just as "one man" created it, so could it be undone. I've seen firsthand what "one man" can do. I've watched, in my own company, as "one man" cut every corner, pinched every penny, restructured beyond recognition to ensure his own paycheck while slashing every budget to the company's detriment, then peace out when the ship began to sink to preserve his own legacy. Disney is not nearly as dramatic as all that. It can and, I'm confident, will recover.

Gone wildly off on my own tangent, haven't I? I suppose my real point is that those who claim Disney is irreparably off track are being insanely dramatic.

I suspect feeling "priced out" of Disney has more to do with stagnant wages, increasing cost of life, and a decreasing middle class than it has to do with Disney's price increases.

 

[Mike S]

Speaking of Disney setting trends, has anyone else seen the sign in Universal for the "ride reservation system?" Did Uni add a smaller scale FP+ right under our noses? It's kind of hidden at the front but it is there.