Lol that's just wrong
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Are Disney food prices really over the top?
- Thread starter eliza61nyc
- Start date
Nope, this was one Pina colada in a plastic cup at the Venetian
I knew a guy who used to work at Cracker Barrel pre Covid. He mentioned if a customer came to the hostess stand and said they did not have any money to pay for a meal and if there is anything they can do , that customer is directed to the back loading dock and the customer is given a free burger and fries by a kitchen staff member.
The people that think Disney should charge McDonald's or Wendy's prices for a burger think it's over the top. Others, like us, don't ever eat at those places, and have no issue with Disney prices. It is what it is.
Beacon Joe
Well-Known Member
Setting aside table service restaurants or prixe-fixe menus at Disney World, WDW's food prices don't seem that over the top when compared with counter service places other theme parks and even amusement parks. Whenever WDW food prices make me wince, I just meditate on the food prices for pretty bad food at Kings Dominion, or the food prices for awful food and nasty customer service at the local Six Flags. Now Busch Gardens, especially if you use the all day dining plan puts WDW to shame in terms of price for quality of food and good customer service.
Now for sit downs, some WDW prices get a little crazy.
Now for sit downs, some WDW prices get a little crazy.
DisneyDreamer08
Well-Known Member
My husband was given a gift card a while back for Coldstone Creamery. After carrying it around for months, he realized he was never going to use it and gave it to me. I stopped in this past Friday and ordered a small off the menu board. No extras, no changes, just a small peanut butter something.
$8.20
$8.20
My husband was given a gift card a while back for Coldstone Creamery. After carrying it around for months, he realized he was never going to use it and gave it to me. I stopped in this past Friday and ordered a small off the menu board. No extras, no changes, just a small peanut butter something.
$8.20
$4.29 at the Walgreens on the strip. Time to switch to water
Absolutely, I really wasn't trying to "justify" Disney's prices but neither am do I vilify them. It's not a issue of what is "right"?? I do find a few folks act like this is something " exclusive " to Disney.
This is my first time to Vegas in decades and I'm laughing at the prices for food. Lol got a great deal on my hotel but they are definitely giving wdw a run for their money price wise.
Last edited:
SplashJacket
Well-Known Member
If everything is expensive, it’s called inflation.
If companies are leveraging their position to charge more and maximize profits, it’s called capitalism.
The reality is that Disney is generally charging less (for food) than companies in a similar position.
If we’re still dissatisfied with the prices, it becomes more a question of whether we’re willing to separate ourselves from our cash to have a Disney experience.
Going to any sports venue or movie theater guarantees absurd drink and food prices for mediocre product, so if we choose to attend these events, we’re knowingly buying into that.
Going to theme parks generally is the same absurd prices for low quality. Cosmic Ray’s currently charges $12 for burgers worse than McDonalds. That’s an issue. But none of the restaurants opened in the Iger era (to my knowledge) have very bad food. Generally the food is expensive (priced comparable or less than other iron-curtain food locations), but the quality is generally higher than the new locations.
Personally, I wish Disney made zero profit off my food so I could pay as little as possible, but that’s not the case in a capitalist society.
Jimmy John’s comes to mind when I think of overpriced food. I find their sandwiches strictly mediocre and incredibly expensive for the quality provided. I find Subway sandwiches far tastier, and a better value. As a result, I eat Jimmy John’s at a far lower frequency.
This past weekend, I saw Doctor Strange 2 in theaters. I bought the tickets, food, and drinks, and enjoyed myself, but ultimately, I didn’t think the theater-going experience met the cost.
It has nothing to do with Doctor Strange 2, but it didn’t feel worth it to me.
That Braves game on page 1 where I bought that $17 burger, however, did feel worth the cost. To me, Disney still feels worth the cost and up charges that come with it.
There are large costs associated with Disney, but their food prices are hardly the worst offender. But regardless, with anything, we have the choice whether we should or shouldn’t do something. If Disney no longer feels worth the cost, don’t go as often or at all.
My point in all this, the food prices likely won’t be the straw that breaks the camels back — they’re really not that outrageous. It’ll be some other factor, or combination of factors that minimizes the value of a Disney vacation beyond the point you’re willing to take it.
You shoulda gone to New Orleans. Pat O'Brien's still sells their signature Hurricane cocktail for $11.50!
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
The prices in Vegas should stay in VegasLol. Happy Mother's day gang . The reason why I ask is because I'm currently in Las Vegas and I just paid 34 for a Pina colada.
I immediately thought this place could give Disney a run for the money
YES, YES, YES, the Disney food prices are over the top when you can simply drive off site and get high quality food for less.
I can't justify Disney food prices because Vegas food prices are high.
And what is really happening here is other venues are following Disney's lead; when Disney raises prices, other venues raise their prices because Disney raises their own prices.
As for who is following who? In my opinion, Disney leads, others follow..
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
On Disney property thats a $35 dollar burger.
SplashJacket
Well-Known Member
If you're in Epcot and need lunch, if you go to a restaurant like Olive Garden, a chicken parm at the locaiton marked sets you back $19.
If you're paying $100 a day per person to be at EPCOT, the car ride between the two locations will be about 30 minutes round-trip, but the trek to leave the park, go through security again, etc will likely take another 30 minutes. So if we assume you're at Epcot for 10 hours, by driving to an off property location, you're using $10 worth of park time.
Instead of paying $19 for Olive Garden italian, you can spend $29 at Tutto Italia and have exceptional Italian, like the amazing lasagna.
Going off site is a pain and a financial expense. Obviously, if you're an AP, the economics change, but regardless, it's still a hastle, and you're wasting your time.
Disney could charge a lot more. Their food prices are not completely absurd. For the most part I'd even say they're reasonable.
Restaurants are quite expensive now.
I've seen some families brown bag and eat on a park bench. Load up on the free breakfast buffet in non WDW hotels that offer it, then snack during the day or brown bag.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Well, yes it’s true, the super height priced food onsite has enabled restaurants just off WDW property to raise their prices too. Disney leads, others follow.
And today, with the tremendous inflation, the energy costs through the roof, there is some justification there.
That said, the Disney price increases always outpaced any increased costs, but then again, they always did.
flynnibus
Premium Member
It's part of the 'ultra' angle that took over the vegas strip in the last 15yrs. When everything went 'ultra lounge' and everyone was trying to be the hip spot... prices raced up to look high end too. Hopefully the 'its a deal' trend swings back in... because the lounge everything suxxxx
flynnibus
Premium Member
No, when people usually make that comparison.. they like comparing to say a football game or something.. which is nothing like Disney. A football game is a 3-4hr experience that only happens a few times a year. Disney is the kind of place you spend DAYS at, start to finish. They aren't trying to make all their money in a 3hr visit like a baseball game or NFL game where you may buy a single meal.
Disney4Lyfe
Well-Known Member
This is so condescending it’s actually hard to read.
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
I agree that Disney food prices are hugely inflated, but it's hard for me to get too mad about it when every local festival and amusement park in my own locale does the same thing, and when I have a meaningful choice to do something different. Disney still allows us to bring in our own food, and (subject to capacity restrictions), I'm free to come and go from the parks to dine at less expensive offsite locations if I choose. I'm fully aware that if I pay $20 for a Disney hamburger, I'm not paying for a great-quality hamburger (because it probably won't be): I'm really paying for the convenience of not having to pack it, or travel to it, myself.
As much as Disney wants its guests to think that onsite dining is a "must-do," especially for non-locals staying for long periods, it's not, and never has been. I spent my childhood Disney visits (all done on a shoestring budget, staying at the campground in our second-hand popup) eating bologna sandwiches, apples, and potato chips out of my mother's giant magical Mom purse, much as @Lilofan describes above, and the closest we came to a character meal was dinner by Chef Boyardee. There's no shame in that kind of approach, and it's become even easier to do (and to do healthfully) in these days of ubiquitous hotel mini-fridges and grocery delivery. It's a dining model my own family is gradually moving back to, since our response when Disney raises prices isn't to pay more -- we simply buy less.
As much as Disney wants its guests to think that onsite dining is a "must-do," especially for non-locals staying for long periods, it's not, and never has been. I spent my childhood Disney visits (all done on a shoestring budget, staying at the campground in our second-hand popup) eating bologna sandwiches, apples, and potato chips out of my mother's giant magical Mom purse, much as @Lilofan describes above, and the closest we came to a character meal was dinner by Chef Boyardee. There's no shame in that kind of approach, and it's become even easier to do (and to do healthfully) in these days of ubiquitous hotel mini-fridges and grocery delivery. It's a dining model my own family is gradually moving back to, since our response when Disney raises prices isn't to pay more -- we simply buy less.
Last edited: