Buffets now $60!!??

[GhostHost1000]

What do YOU think ???? My bet is on the how far can we push the rubes at WDW.

If not just a glitch and this won't be the case even next year, then yes again testing the limits is my thought

You have to work hard just to get value out of the dining plan now. I'm not sure how it will be possible if character meals are 2 credits now unless they all go up substantially in price....which based on the trends of everything else doesn't sound all that shocking

I'm here this week actually using the dining plan for the first time in many MANY years (mostly due to blackout dates this week on my TiW card which is stupid) and some of the food I've had is good but also some I've had is not great quality (steaks) and the deserts while presented nice, aren't like they used to be in my opinion either

Luckily they still include the ridiculous desserts in the quick service meals so our dollar store parfait and chocolate cake cravings can be met. I always wish they would have dropped the dessert from
The QS and lower the price but yeah, we know that won't happen...at least with the price anyway

 

[Jon81uk]

Luckily they still include the ridiculous desserts in the quick service meals so our dollar store parfait and chocolate cake cravings can be met. I always wish they would have dropped the dessert from
The QS and lower the price but yeah, we know that won't happen...at least with the price anyway

I assume you know you aren't limited to dessert at QS anymore, you can switch it for any snack. So for example at Flame Tree BBQ that could be onion rings or the pulled pork fries, or a bowl of chilli at Pecos Bills, french onion soup at Be Our Guest etc. You can also swap the drink for any snack, confirming that all non-alcoholic slushies and speciality drinks are included at QS places too.

 

[GhostHost1000]

I assume you know you aren't limited to dessert at QS anymore, you can switch it for any snack. So for example at Flame Tree BBQ that could be onion rings or the pulled pork fries, or a bowl of chilli at Pecos Bills, french onion soup at Be Our Guest etc. You can also swap the drink for any snack, confirming that all non-alcoholic slushies and speciality drinks are included at QS places too.

That's true but to me that's just too much food unless you're using quick service for your large meal of the day rather then just a basic lunch

 

[Jon81uk]

That's true but to me that's just too much food unless you're using quick service for your large meal of the day rather then just a basic lunch

I would agree something like the pulled pork fries would be too much, but at BOG for example I wouldn't expect the soup to fill me up any more than a cupcake would. Of course another option is that one person in the party gets a sweet side and the other a savoury side and you share.

 

[Disorbust]

Some of the UK Disers posted that there were changes for the dining plan when they book for free dining for 2017. They noticed a loss of the dessert for quick service dining plan but one additional snack was added. IMHO is see this as a change that will be coming because I don;t see how they can easily determine who gets dessert with the UK plan vs. anyone else. If this change to the QSDP happens then I can also see in 2017 the character meals going up in price and becoming 2 credits. The fact that really the DDP is only a value if you are doing many character meals is not lost on the penny pinchers who are squeezing the guests once again. How many times have we seen "glitches" in the past (i.e. discounts) that were released early for a few hours then removed.

 

[asianway]

Some of the UK Disers posted that there were changes for the dining plan when they book for free dining for 2017. They noticed a loss of the dessert for quick service dining plan but one additional snack was added. IMHO is see this as a change that will be coming because I don;t see how they can easily determine who gets dessert with the UK plan vs. anyone else. If this change to the QSDP happens then I can also see in 2017 the character meals going up in price and becoming 2 credits. The fact that really the DDP is only a value if you are doing many character meals is not lost on the penny pinchers who are squeezing the guests once again. How many times have we seen "glitches" in the past (i.e. discounts) that were released early for a few hours then removed.

They really give the store away to the Brits...they must be making it up on the room rate?

 

[Jon81uk]

They really give the store away to the Brits...they must be making it up on the room rate?

For this September we are paying around $300 per night for Wilderness Lodge (not including tickets) and then we get free regular dining plan and a $200 gift card for booking early. tickets are around $450 per person for a 14 day ticket including all six parks, mini golf, park hopping and memory maker downloads.

 

[Master Yoda]

They really give the store away to the Brits...they must be making it up on the room rate?

Brits tend to stay longer and spend money like it is water when they are here so as long as the mouse breaks even in the areas they discount, they still make out like gangbusters at the end of the day.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Some of the UK Disers posted that there were changes for the dining plan when they book for free dining for 2017. They noticed a loss of the dessert for quick service dining plan but one additional snack was added. IMHO is see this as a change that will be coming because I don;t see how they can easily determine who gets dessert with the UK plan vs. anyone else. If this change to the QSDP happens then I can also see in 2017 the character meals going up in price and becoming 2 credits. The fact that really the DDP is only a value if you are doing many character meals is not lost on the penny pinchers who are squeezing the guests once again. How many times have we seen "glitches" in the past (i.e. discounts) that were released early for a few hours then removed.

I actually like that idea. Remove quick service dessert and add another snack. Most snacks are better than quick service desserts and on those hot days another water isn't a bad thing

 

[Disorbust]

Except they are removing 2 desserts and replacing it with 1 snack. Plus right now you can exchange dessert for a drink or side but only in the same transaction. There will be no value in the DP come January first.

 

[glvsav37]

not sure if anyone listens to the Dis Unplugged podcast, but they were very admit that this was indeed something that is happening, prob around October they will increase prices and credit allocations for ALL buffets.

doing this will cause close to a 50% increase in the price/credit prices for these meals. And while we enjoy the atmosphere and fun, the food is just not worth it...anywhere...anytime. Feeding a family of 4 will be about $250 for 1 MEAL!!!

People complained about the upcharges on basically option experiences, but now you are gouging food. And people need to eat. Add to the fact that WDW's goal is to lock people on property with the DME and such that they need to be very cautious about squeezing these types of costs out of people.

 

[asianway]

not sure if anyone listens to the Dis Unplugged podcast, but they were very admit that this was indeed something that is happening, prob around October they will increase prices and credit allocations for ALL buffets.

doing this will cause close to a 50% increase in the price/credit prices for these meals. And while we enjoy the atmosphere and fun, the food is just not worth it...anywhere...anytime. Feeding a family of 4 will be about $250 for 1 MEAL!!!

People complained about the upcharges on basically option experiences, but now you are gouging food. And people need to eat. Add to the fact that WDW's goal is to lock people on property with the DME and such that they need to be very cautious about squeezing these types of costs out of people.

You don't need to do the dining plan...

 

[ford91exploder]

You don't need to do the dining plan...

No you don't, I used to get the deluxe Dining plan when it was 65 bucks pp/day and meals were reasonably priced at WDW because figure 20 bucks or so per meal was not a bad deal, and the convenience was also worth it, But about 2012 prices started to spiral out of control for both the Dining plan and the OOP cost at Disney TiW worked for awhile but being a Thrifty Scot I can't throw fiscal sanity out the window when I go on vacation. So now other than a couple of favorites we eat in the room (breakfast and off property for lunch and dinner) and frankly the savings are too large to ignore.

Disney is going nuts on price increases and when you have people earning 6 figures and saying that Disney Dining is TOO EXPENSIVE for them, Well Disney you have a big problem. Where does the money GO from the parks other than to a multibillion dollar per year stock buyback program.

More concerning when the NEXT management team comes in to repair what's left of Parks and Resorts where are they going to get the cash to do so because Wall St will brutalize Disney if it makes the investments needed in the parks to make them a viable park for the next 40-50 years.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Except they are removing 2 desserts and replacing it with 1 snack. Plus right now you can exchange dessert for a drink or side but only in the same transaction. There will be no value in the DP come January first.

Wait they are removing the desserts from both quick and table and increasing the price?

I'm here this week and ate at several big places including be our guest, Ohana, and others and I'm sorry but the food is just not worth it

 

[GhostHost1000]

not sure if anyone listens to the Dis Unplugged podcast, but they were very admit that this was indeed something that is happening, prob around October they will increase prices and credit allocations for ALL buffets.

doing this will cause close to a 50% increase in the price/credit prices for these meals. And while we enjoy the atmosphere and fun, the food is just not worth it...anywhere...anytime. Feeding a family of 4 will be about $250 for 1 MEAL!!!

People complained about the upcharges on basically option experiences, but now you are gouging food. And people need to eat. Add to the fact that WDW's goal is to lock people on property with the DME and such that they need to be very cautious about squeezing these types of costs out of people.

If Disney keeps doing these things they are biting the hand that feeds them. Big time and I'm telling you as someone who is a dvc member and takes 1.5 to 2 week trips multiple times a year i am getting to the point of not going at all next year and taking a year off. I just don't have the same experience I used to especially with changes in the wrong direction.

Just this week I've had 2 quick service locations completely screw up our order and even got yelled at today by a lady I kept trying to point out that our receipt showed something different than what she was trying to give us for the kid meals. She barely spoke English though so not sure she understood but she could raise her voice and attitude in English pretty well

It's so tragical ....oops I mean magical

 

[Biff215]

You don't need to do the dining plan...

But this isn't just going to affect the dining plan, it appears that cash prices will go up as well. We haven't done the dining plan in years and have used TiW instead. Even with the discount, the prices are approaching levels that we simply can't justify paying anymore. We've cut back significantly on set price meals for our July trip. Even if the food quality was fantastic, there's no way I can eat $40-50 worth, let alone my kids at $30.

 

[GhostHost1000]

TiW goes up
Dining plan goes up
Food prices go up
Food quality goes down (in some cases)
Someone at Disney gets a bonus for coming up with such a great idea to make more money on all the stupid tourists

I feel like Disney is trying to price out a certain tier of people...either that or this is their version of crowd control because they don't want to expand the parks, they'd rather rip and replace existing ones

Notice some of the new stores at Disney springs seem to be in that upper tier income level as well

 

[ToTBellHop]

TiW goes up
Dining plan goes up
Food prices go up
Food quality goes down (in some cases)
Someone at Disney gets a bonus for coming up with such a great idea to make more money on all the stupid tourists

I feel like Disney is trying to price out a certain tier of people...either that or this is their version of crowd control because they don't want to expand the parks, they'd rather rip and replace existing ones

Notice some of the new stores at Disney springs seem to be in that upper tier income level as well

In and of itself, that might be reasonable, but they aren't following through. Attract the wealthy with a super high-caliber experience? Reasonable. Attract the wealthy with high prices but small food portions and unsanitary restrooms? Not so much.

 

[Baloo62]

Chef Mickey's is THE biggest rip-off in all of WDW. The biggest differential between food quality and cost at any restaurant. The last time we ate there in 2015 I swore never ever again. Over $300 for my family of five to eat food that would make school cafeteria swill seem like the bill of fare at Le Meurice. FWIW, I love Crystal Palace and look forward to their spoonbread and Mediterranean chicken as much as I do dinner at Le Cellier. I'd sooner eat a tube of Ritz crackers and Kraft squirt cheese in a truck stop bathroom stall than choke down the microwaved septic sludge they serve at Chef Mickey's.

 

[ford91exploder]

not sure if anyone listens to the Dis Unplugged podcast, but they were very admit that this was indeed something that is happening, prob around October they will increase prices and credit allocations for ALL buffets.

doing this will cause close to a 50% increase in the price/credit prices for these meals. And while we enjoy the atmosphere and fun, the food is just not worth it...anywhere...anytime. Feeding a family of 4 will be about $250 for 1 MEAL!!!

People complained about the upcharges on basically option experiences, but now you are gouging food. And people need to eat. Add to the fact that WDW's goal is to lock people on property with the DME and such that they need to be very cautious about squeezing these types of costs out of people.

I don't know how Disney think's it's going to do a price increase on Buffets heck BOMA which is mercifully free of characters is north of 50 bucks PP at dinner and frankly NOT worth it. When it was 29 it was expensive but worth it for the unique items it included. At 50 no way in hell am I paying that for a buffet.