Animal Kingdom launches new category of dining - Picnic in the Park

[Ausdaddy]

i really like this idea but i think the prices are a tad high for the first one.

They're trying to get you to move up to the next level.

 

[NewfieFan]

Been to BK McD's or KFC lately? These prices seem very reasonable.


By the way,

I like that Animal Kingdom is working with Dasani. I still think Dasani should sponsor a fully themed "Ice Cave" cooling station near E:E that features free Dasani flavored water samples :slurp: similar to the Club Cool attraction at Epcot.

That'd be nice!!! I like the Dasani flavored water a lot!

 

[Exprcoofto]

I like that Animal Kingdom is working with Dasani. I still think Dasani should sponsor a fully themed "Ice Cave" cooling station near E:E that features free Dasani flavored water samples :slurp: similar to the Club Cool attraction at Epcot.

That would be a really cool idea, especially if it looked like the cave came off the side of the Everest. Maybe add it between the shop and the bridge to DinoLand. Nice thinking, I would surely visit it.

 

[jt04]

That would be a really cool idea, especially if it looked like the cave came off the side of the Everest. Maybe add it between the shop and the bridge to DinoLand. Nice thinking, I would surely visit it.

It would be a huge addition and AK definitely needs a place or two for people to cool off. An ice cave could be very cold.

They could even add some faint Yeti scream sounds on occasion (in case people don't have enough goosebumps) and add some great rustic elements. Even "windows" that had HD video of the real mountain scenery.

OK, I'm done drifting.

 

[Exprcoofto]

It would be a huge addition and AK definitely needs a place or two for people to cool off. An ice cave could be very cold.

They could even add some faint Yeti scream sounds on occasion (in case people don't have enough goosebumps) and add some great rustic elements. Even "windows" that had HD video of the real mountain scenery.

OK, I'm done drifting.

@_@ Awesome ideas. I wish it was real. lol

 

[Ausdaddy]

It would be a huge addition and AK definitely needs a place or two for people to cool off. An ice cave could be very cold.

They could even add some faint Yeti scream sounds on occasion (in case people don't have enough goosebumps) and add some great rustic elements. Even "windows" that had HD video of the real mountain scenery.

OK, I'm done drifting.

No, no. Please continue. I'm right there with you! :wave:

 

[DisneyPirate85]

I love this idea!:sohappy:
Thanks Steve....

 

[MichWolv]

It looks like a really interesting option. I am a little disturbed about the "3 adult credits" thing. As has been pointed out, they don't track them separately, BUT CAN tell how many adults/kids you have in a room by your card. So, it does potentially cut out all those people who don't have kids OR don't have kids over 9 years old. It seems to me that this is a big portion of their "target demographic". Well, okay, I don't know what THEIR target is, but it certainly would be my target. Who needs to picnic more than the people who have young kids who can't sit still in a restaurant?

Of course, this brings me around to another rant... If they aren't going to track the credits as adult/kid, why bother trying to enforce it? What if I'm starving and I want to order two meals for myself at the same time? I've got the credits, by golly, I should be able to use them however I want! Isn't that flexibility actually one of the selling points of the dining plan? GRRR! I ran into this problem at a place where I wanted something for now and something for later. Who are they to--in effect--call me a liar by presuming that both meals are not for myself?

Okay, enough of that, I guess... A couple of people here are arguing ("discussing"?) whether this is to "fix" a problem in the park. Here's what I have to say: it COULD be--does anyone here have guest surveys, etc. that say "not enough dining in park"? Without having access to Disney's data, it's hard to say if that's the basis for the decision... My guess is that someone at Disney said "Can we make more money doing this?", and someone else said "Yes." --POW--a dining option is born.

Honestly, until AK becomes a "full day" park (if it ever does), I would think that the need for dining would be considerably less than the other parks. I'm sure you have PLENTY of people who just plan to snack or eat quick service until park close, and then eat elsewhere (Epcot, DTD, Hotel room--whatever). This picnic option is probably expected to be something that will get some of those "wait and eat later" people to slow down and spend some money inside the park. Of course, I still think that the "3 adult credits" thing alienates the majority of those who would actually WANT to use it (couples, and families with young children)... but I guess I'm just being an "armchair executive"...

Actually, given the pricing on this, I think the target is people without the dining plan. $25 for three sandwiches, a side, three desserts, and three bottles of a water is a steal at a Disney park -- so it's great if you're paying and a "waste" if you use dining plan credits, compared to, let's say, a $16 meal of barbecue ribs, dessert, and a drink at Flame Tree.

But who cares what the market is. And who cares if it is solving a problem. It's new, it's different, it doesn't take away from anything else, and it fits the natural theming of the park perfectly. Thumbs up.

 

[pinkabell_87]

good idea but doesn't seem to be much on offer for veggetarians

 

[NewfieFan]

good idea but doesn't seem to be much on offer for veggetarians

Maybe if it's popular enough they may add a vegetarian option in the future!?! Who knows...

 

[jakeman]

You did judge me by calling my post negative in my eye. :wave:

You have a history of this, and I'm not getting sucked in. However, if dining was plentiful, they wouldn't be offering more options. It is simple business. Why pay to add an option when it isn't needed? It doesn't make fiscal sense.

And, no, you cannot enter Rainforest from the park. The side entrance/exit also has a set of turnstiles you exit out of before you go into the restaurant.

Now, you have a nice day being on negativity patrol. :wave:

Apologies if you did not mean it in a negative light. So much news around here is met with so much resistance that reasonable discourse is hard to interpret.

I still stand by that this is unique dining opportunity not related to any "problem" the park has. Just because AK does not have as many sit down dining options as other parks does mean that it doesn't have enough. I know it is anecdotial but I have never had problem dining in AK. Also Rainforest is literally ten feet outside the gate of AK.

 

[Sadiebird]

good idea but doesn't seem to be much on offer for veggetarians

I was thinking the same thing.

Funny that they just introduced this idea. I was just talking about doing a picnic lunch on Tom Sawyer Island in MK for my son's 4th birthday. I wonder if they'll introduce it in other parks.

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Sounds good!
Finally a unique idea.

 

[bugsbunny]

Thanks for spending $70/head to get in! We have a lovely bag lunch you can purchase where you feel like you are getting a FEMA handout rather than being at the #1 vacation destination on the planet.

Have a magical brown bag day!! :ROFLOL:

 

[TURKEY]

What's a piece (how big) of rotissere chicken?

 

[WDWRLD]

Yay baseless negativity!

I think this program has promise and Animal Kingdom is probably the best park to do this in. It will give people the opportunity to take in some of the more subtle aspects of AK and maybe even see animals they would normally pass over.

Yea....I can see those birds now waiting for table scraps all around the tree of life now.....
As long as they dont go to those plastic kids meal containers that you end up hauling all day for the chirldrens meals.....plus they dont help with their enviromental immage.

 

[maggiegrace1]

Thanks for spending $70/head to get in! We have a lovely bag lunch you can purchase where you feel like you are getting a FEMA handout rather than being at the #1 vacation destination on the planet.

Have a magical brown bag day!! :ROFLOL:

Seriously..it sounds like something that will work and be fun for most people..

Why be against it before it has even started?

The negativity towards so many things before people even see how things are is really ridiculous..


It is all food that you can purchase in the parks anyway yet they are giving people a chance to eat it in a different setting in the park that sounds like it will be fun!

 

[jakeman]

Yea....I can see those birds now waiting for table scraps all around the tree of life now.....
As long as they dont go to those plastic kids meal containers that you end up hauling all day for the chirldrens meals.....plus they dont help with their enviromental immage.

I wouldn't think that it would be any worse than the other outdoor seating areas in the park.

Animal Kingdom has always had different packaging standards. I would think they would continue through to this endevour as well.

 

[Victoria]

I got the Twitter update about this before and was really intrigued all day until I could check this out now. I really like this idea. AK has always suffered from a lack of good food choices IMO and I think this helps out a bit. I would be very interested in seeing a photo of some of these designated "picnic spots." If anyone is thinking about checking these out in the coming days, please posts some pics. I also hope that at some point they think about adding a 2 person option. I am usually in the parks with just one other person so the 3 person meal is a bit much for me. :shrug:

 

[wdwmomof3]

I think it's a great idea. I am now going to consider doing this when we go. It will be nice to have a quite lunch somewhere else in the park.