Disney testing new Express Fresh in-room dining

[TrojanUSC]

This is a money-saving trend for a lot of mid-range hotels nowadays, it started at the Hilton Midtown who saw profits rise and it expanded to their mega Hilton Hawaiian Village resort and many other hotels are now doing it. I'd imagine Disney is doing it to gauge guest reaction were they to replace traditional room service with this offering. The "benefits" are that the food is delivered quickly, the negatives are that it's pre-made, presented in traditional to-go packaging and you're losing out on a classic hotel amenity (room service) so the hotel can save a couple dollars, as they can have one server deliver ten orders in the time it would take him to normally deliver five.

At least for now it's not replacing traditional room service... but this test is not a good sign of things to come.

 

[jbeechuk]

So.......my $95 order of 2 BLTs and 2 lemonades just gets dropped off at my door....only to get stolen by some hungry thieves. Pure genius, Disney.

 

[Laketravis]

Why is everybody assuming that delivery to the door means on the hall floor or door handle. It doesn't. It means knocking on the door and giving the bag to you. It's delivered in 30 minutes and you will be there. The only things that change are that the food is delivered in disposable containers that you throw out afterwards and they don't set it up for you.

This accomplishes at least two things. Time saving by not having to set up the meal and not having to come back to pick up dishes and secondly reducing trays in the hallway. As a hotelier I can tell you similar models are already in use in the industry and that's how it works so do stop this silliness of the food being left in the hall.

 

[I am Timmy]

I'm just wondering if the food is packaged in a bag (with handles) that would hang from the door handle, versus a box that would be placed on the floor outside the door.

Yeah, like they do with my towels and toilet paper. Wait, so now where will they put my towels and toilet paper........

 

[I am Timmy]

Definitely. People are so annoying with the way they want to be paid for their work

And tipped. They don't even get to stick around for a tip with this, they just get the pleasure of running all the meals to all the rooms for their wage alone.

 

[I am Timmy]

Why is everybody assuming that delivery to the door means on the hall floor or door handle. It doesn't. It means knocking on the door and giving the bag to you. It's delivered in 30 minutes and you will be there. The only things that change are that the food is delivered in disposable containers that you throw out afterwards and they don't set it up for you.

This accomplishes at least two things. Time saving by not having to set up the meal and not having to come back to pick up dishes and secondly reducing trays in the hallway. As a hotelier I can tell you similar models are already in use in the industry and that's how it works so do stop this silliness of the food being left in the hall.

Well, as long as all these "disposable" containers are recyclable.......

 

[xdan0920]

lol seriously people... disney is doing a test. Maybe it will be huge! Disney can't win,

They could win. Just test less dumb things. Test things that aren't stupid.

why has no one thought about the five finger discount yet?
leaving food outside someone's door for God knows how long......maybe there IS such a thing as a "free lunch" !

How dare you?!?!? I have never done that sort of thing at 2am in Atlantic City after 12 hours at the tables. NEVER! I resent the accusation. Honestly.

 

[peter11435]

They could win. Just test less dumb things. Test things that aren't stupid.



How dare you?!?!? I have never done that sort of thing at 2am in Atlantic City after 12 hours at the tables. NEVER! I resent the accusation. Honestly.

I'm not really sure what is dumb about this. Room service will continue to be offered as it always has been and will likely never go away due to to the significant markup on the products. This is an additional guest service for those who essentially want their counter service meals delivered so they can save time and hassle. Nothing changes for those who choose not to participate in the new service.

 

[xdan0920]

I'm not really sure what is dumb about this. Room service will continue to be offered as it always has been and will likely never go away due to to the significant markup on the products. This is an additional guest service for those who essentially want their counter service meals delivered so they can save time and hassle. Nothing changes for those who choose not to participate in the new service.

Okaly dokaly.

ps. I am positively flabbergasted that you came to the defense of Disney. Never would have guessed.

 

[peter11435]

Okaly dokaly.

ps. I am positively flabbergasted that you came to the defense of Disney. Never would have guessed.

I'm positively flabbergasted that you wasted everyone's time with a post that adds nothing to the conversation. Never would have guessed.

It's not about defending Disney. It's about not attacking them for no reason. What is so bad about this new (test) offering.

 

[xdan0920]

I'm positively flabbergasted that you wasted everyone's time with a post that adds nothing to the conversation. Never would have guessed.

It's not about defending Disney. It's about not attacking them for no reason. What is so bad about this new (test) offering.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh, to your question. It's a dumb offering. IMO.

 

[peter11435]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Oh, to your question. It's a dumb offering. IMO.

You're entitled to your opinion. But as long as you continue to not actually answer the question and explain why you feel it's dumb then you are wasting everyone's time.

Just because you personally won't use the service doesn't mean others won't use it and appreciate it. And the best thing about this service is that if you choose not to utilize it then it will have no impact on you in any way whatsoever.

 

[xdan0920]

Just because you personally won't use the service doesn't mean others won't use it and appreciate it. And the best thing about this service is that if you choose not to utilize it then it will have no impact on you in any way whatsoever.

Do you have this paragraph saved to clip board? Got it at the ready to plop into every thread regarding Disney and new offerings? Save yourself time, don't want to write the same thing 800x a year.

 

[peter11435]

Do you have this paragraph saved to clip board? Got it at the ready to plop into every thread regarding Disney and new offerings? Save yourself time, don't want to write the same thing 800x a year.

You sure do enjoy avoiding questions and adding nothing to a conversation. Have a good day. Although I'm sure that's hard for you.

 

[xdan0920]

You sure do enjoy avoiding questions and adding nothing to a conversation. Have a good day. Although I'm sure that's hard for you.

I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER THEN YOU ARE. THAT IS A FACT.

 

[Lets Respect]

And tipped. They don't even get to stick around for a tip with this, they just get the pleasure of running all the meals to all the rooms for their wage alone.

Really good point

 

[jakeman]

I understand the concern that this option could replace room service and thus diminish the perception of the quality of the resort. That's not an insignificant perspective to take. I understand the slippery slope principle folks are worried about.

On the other hand, if you're completely honest, can you really say that room service is something you've used enough that if worst case happens it would affect your vacation?

Again, I understand the perception, but several leaps need to be taken to get to this doomsday room service apocolypse:

• The test has to be successful
• The profit margin has to be greater than room service
• The use has to greater than room service since there is less cost per meal

I don't want to get into theoretical numbers but it seems like there is more profit in higher ticketed room service items than prepackage sandwiches. I just can't believe that room service is so busy that it's a volume business.

EDIT: Usual disclaimer because folks can be a bit nutty. This isn't a defense of this decision. It's something I'm opinion neutral on because I will never use it.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I understand the concern that this option could replace room service and thus diminish the perception of the quality of the resort. That's not an insignificant perspective to take. I understand the slippery slope principle folks are worried about.

On the other hand, if you're completely honest, can you really say that room service is something you've used enough that if worst case happens it would affect your vacation?

We used it once in the last 10 years when staying at the VGF. It was nice to do it once,but not something we would do every trip. People here just want to gripe about anything and everything nowadays. And no one here has even used the service to comment on how it was. Just a bunch of whiners for no reason.

 

[peter11435]

I AM SO MUCH HAPPIER THEN YOU ARE. THAT IS A FACT.

Haha.. Doubtful.

Or was that an alternative fact?

 

[LAKid53]

And tipped. They don't even get to stick around for a tip with this, they just get the pleasure of running all the meals to all the rooms for their wage alone.

I've only used room service twice at WDW, mainly because I wasn't feeling well enough to go to a restaurant. But this isn't a service I'm going to use, as the prices for room service menu items are typically higher than if you were ordering in the restaurant. A gratuity is added to the room service bill. I like to tip the individual bringing my food, just to say thanks.