Buffets now $60!!??

[olie64]

I am currently at WDW and from what I can tell the parks are definitely less busy and table service seems to be less busy and with more empty tables during prime dining hours.

 

[Rider]

Live tonight from Animal Kingdom: up to the minute character buffet pricing just for this thread.

 

[AEfx]

Yeah, I think it's only Thanksgiving and Christmas for those prices, not 100% sure.

We have a VIP Premium Tour booked for Black Friday (starting to have buyer's remorse and not certain if I will keep it but that's another convo lol), anyway, the tours range from $400 per hour - $600 per hour, 7 hour minimum. When I called I was almost hoping that I would be quoted $600 so I could scratch it off the list. Surprisingly- it isn't near $600 during that week, which is one of the busiest times of the year. From what I've heard anyway, this will be our first time during the holidays. But, it seems like their "highest" prices are more the minority of days than majority for dining/rooms/tours.

You are going to spend over $3,000 for someone to walk you around the park for a day?

 

[21stamps]

You are going to spend over $3,000 for someone to walk you around the park for a day?

Ok so if you added about 6 exclamation points to that question, then you would be asking the same thing I've been asking myself for the past week.lol.

Here was my reasoning- it's supposed to be a 9/10 crowd level day. Chewbacca and Kylo Ren don't have FP availability. Epcot's tiers will make it tough to do everything, and Almost most importantly- a Jedi Training spot is guaranteed with my tour. So, I thought in 7 hours we could get all of the "big" things done at Epcot and HS, and then at night do a CP dinner package.

We leave on a cruise the next day, and then return to WDW a week later, staying for 4 nights. 2 MK days (one of those attending MVMCP), and then 1 day split HS/Epcot again to concentrate on the story tellers and then do Fantasmic. (Without having to be at HS at 8am for JTA sign ups)-- this would allow us to have a little slower paced trip post cruise.

I spent like 2 weeks deciding if I should do it, finally pulled the trigger and was excited. Then reason kicked in.. Now I'm questioning the decision. If a room discount comes out I'll feel a lot better!

 

[AEfx]

Ok so if you added about 6 exclamation points to that question, then you would be asking the same thing I've been asking myself for the past week.lol.

I spent like 2 weeks deciding if I should do it, finally pulled the trigger and was excited. Then reason kicked in.. Now I'm questioning the decision. If a room discount comes out I'll feel a lot better!

Well, here is my take (unsolicited haha):

1. If you've got the cash and won't miss it, and this is once in a lifetime trip, by all means - spend it on what you think will make you happy.

2. I don't know your personal tastes, so I may not be able to make a good example for you, but I'd think about what $3K could buy: two brand-new high-end home theater set-ups (very nice TV's, surround sound, speakers, and Blu-ray player - x2), five decently featured laptops, 4 or 5 iPads, a decent above ground swimming pool, or the average family's food budget for about 9 months...

3. Chewie and Kylo and Epcot aren't going anywhere...for $3K you could book an entire other week-long trip at a moderate to come back and do them another time.

I can see where you'd think long and hard - because honestly, the Studios and Epcot in particular just don't seem worth it, unless you are wealthy enough not to care (in which case again, go for it! LOL).

 

[GoofGoof]

Well, here is my take (unsolicited haha):

1. If you've got the cash and won't miss it, and this is once in a lifetime trip, by all means - spend it on what you think will make you happy.

2. I don't know your personal tastes, so I may not be able to make a good example for you, but I'd think about what $3K could buy: two brand-new high-end home theater set-ups (very nice TV's, surround sound, speakers, and Blu-ray player - x2), five decently featured laptops, 4 or 5 iPads, a decent above ground swimming pool, or the average family's food budget for about 9 months...

3. Chewie and Kylo and Epcot aren't going anywhere...for $3K you could book an entire other week-long trip at a moderate to come back and do them another time.

I can see where you'd think long and hard - because honestly, the Studios and Epcot in particular just don't seem worth it, unless you are wealthy enough not to care (in which case again, go for it! LOL).

Chewie and Kylo will be around for at least a decade, but I heard a rumor that they were going to convert EPCOT into a casino

 

[AEfx]

Chewie and Kylo will be around for at least a decade, but I heard a rumor that they were going to convert EPCOT into a casino

Disney really did miss out by not building a replica of Monaco at World Showcase, didn't they?

 

[21stamps]

Well, here is my take (unsolicited haha):

1. If you've got the cash and won't miss it, and this is once in a lifetime trip, by all means - spend it on what you think will make you happy.

2. I don't know your personal tastes, so I may not be able to make a good example for you, but I'd think about what $3K could buy: two brand-new high-end home theater set-ups (very nice TV's, surround sound, speakers, and Blu-ray player - x2), five decently featured laptops, 4 or 5 iPads, a decent above ground swimming pool, or the average family's food budget for about 9 months...

3. Chewie and Kylo and Epcot aren't going anywhere...for $3K you could book an entire other week-long trip at a moderate to come back and do them another time.

I can see where you'd think long and hard - because honestly, the Studios and Epcot in particular just don't seem worth it, unless you are wealthy enough not to care (in which case again, go for it! LOL).

Ok well here's my semi justification lol-

1. Try to "find" money for it to make me feel better than just being an added cost.
I drink 1-2 venti x shot lattes per day, I've now cut back to 1 per week since booking the tour. (I did the math and that's a whole heck of a lot of "found" money!). I'm also trying to pay more attention to what I spend money on- as in "Do I really need this new (insert any household item here)?" And realizing that No. I don't need it.
I won't let any vacation cut into our daily lifestyle, but I know there's places that I can cut without impacting that.

2. Yes. I know what it can buy. Including a good portion of my son's tuition. * See answer # 1

3. We have 2 cruises booked for 2017. One out of Copenhagen, the other out of San Diego. So a 2017 WDW trip won't be happening.

My kid just turned 6, and no it isn't the only time we will be to WDW (We were there 9 nights this past September), but it is the only time he will be a 6 year old. And I don't know if he'll care as much about characters and Disney in general at age 8 (including DCL), by that time we would do a WDW/Universal combo. He's already a roller coaster junkie now.lol. Disney World wasn't our only destination on that September trip, we did a week in Key West following Orlando, and I don't think it ever will be. But with this upcoming trip being DCL/WDW combo- it is a once in a lifetime "all things Disney" trip.

No I'm not anywhere near wealthy enough not to care!! So we'll see. Like I said, if I keep up on my Starbucks cutback, and a room discount comes out for my week- I would feel a lot better. TBD..

 

[21stamps]

Chewie and Kylo will be around for at least a decade, but I heard a rumor that they were going to convert EPCOT into a casino

Disney really did miss out by not building a replica of Monaco at World Showcase, didn't they?

I'll give Disney credit where credit is due-
They can make you spend obnoxious amounts of money on a room/resort no where near 5 star quality.. But charge more than a 5 star hotel, and yet somehow you justify it by waking up with a view of Cinderella's castle.
They can make you spend double the amount of money for their cruise line. (But they didn't get me for Northern Europe! I watched in horror at opening day prices and went with another line for Iceland- over $13k for 2 people? No thank you!!!).
They can make you pay too much for average tasting food just so you can meet a character.

And after you realize the obnoxious amount you spent? You somehow justify it, because - it's Disney, and it's "magical". I can't decide if I love or hate them for it.lol

 

[AEfx]

O
My kid just turned 6, and no it isn't the only time we will be to WDW (We were there 9 nights this past September), but it is the only time he will be a 6 year old. And I don't know if he'll care as much about characters and Disney in general at age 8 (including DCL), by that time we would do a WDW/Universal combo.

Well, if it helps:

1) If he likes Star Wars, if he admits it or not he'll always want to meet the Star Wars characters (heck, I've waited in line for a few and otherwise I haven't waited for a character since I was a kid, and I'm pushing 40).

2) By the time he is 9 or 10, he will be likely even more into Star Wars than he is now, and there will be an entire land devoted to it at the studios. Even if he hates "Disney" by then, he will be all about going back to the studios. Kids his age who like Star Wars are very likely only to continue and become much bigger Star Wars fans as this new trilogy proceeds.

Just a little info. I know it can be tough because you want to cram it all in, but to really get a gut check - ask him. Offer him an iPad to possibly skip out on a couple character meet and greets. He'll probably take it and you can save $2500 even if you buy him one, LOL.