Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[TheMaxRebo]

Well, no matter how Disney food prices compare to where you live, both are going up in price and for most outpacing any salary increase you are getting, just like many cost of living elements, and it is all making it harder to pay for a Disney trip meaning it needs to provide a higher return for that money spent than in the past

For some (many) that return is still seen, but not for all and even if the return is there overall many having to cut back on elements of the trip (why, probably, the resorts and restaurants seem to have a bigger impact than the parks

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I thought the same thing until our last two trips with the grandkids. We went to Storybook Dining dinner and Topolino’s breakfast and I would easily pay the difference for the character interaction we got there.

We have hilarious videos of my granddaughter trying to give her small Minnie doll to Minnie and her Mickey toy to Mickey. When she didn’t have a toy for Donald she gave him her fork. His reaction was priceless!

Also, we had excellent food and service in both places. The salmon dish at Storybook was one of the best meals I’ve had on property.

Whether that has enough value to you to make it worth the extra cost depends on the individual.

Definitely I think the difference for some options than others.

Fully agree on Story Book Dining as good was the excellent and character interactions were great and 3 of the 4 characters you can't easily find around the parks so some uniqueness there

Vs something like Chef Mickey's with mediocre food and characters that, other than being in chef coats, are easy to meet in the parks for no extra cost

 

[JD80]

That's not just one local place. That's the average price for many places where I live. While I expect it to cost more at Disney, it's hard for me to justify when you compare it to what I usually pay for eating out.

The one I don't get is character meals. Why pay $60 for lousy buffet food to see characters I can see for free with a park ticket

Do you live in the US, if you do would you share what part of what state you live in?

For character meals, I'm not sure if you have kids but I've had 2 and 3 with all my WDW trips. When I can sit in air conditioning and having a meal and the characters come to me and not wait in a 30-60m line with a 3 5 and 8 year old it's worth $100+.

 

[Lilofan]

I thought the same thing until our last two trips with the grandkids. We went to Storybook Dining dinner and Topolino’s breakfast and I would easily pay the difference for the character interaction we got there.

We have hilarious videos of my granddaughter trying to give her small Minnie doll to Minnie and her Mickey toy to Mickey. When she didn’t have a toy for Donald she gave him her fork. His reaction was priceless!

Also, we had excellent food and service in both places. The salmon dish at Storybook was one of the best meals I’ve had on property.

Whether that has enough value to you to make it worth the extra cost depends on the individual.

Interaction much better in the dining areas instead of standing in line sweating in the heat of the summer in outside character meet and greet.

 

[Jrb1979]

Do you live in the US, if you do would you share what part of what state you live in?

For character meals, I'm not sure if you have kids but I've had 2 and 3 with all my WDW trips. When I can sit in air conditioning and having a meal and the characters come to me and not wait in a 30-60m line with a 3 5 and 8 year old it's worth $100+.

I live in Ontario Canada and not in a major city. I'm sure that plays a big part in how I view things financially.

I do have a 4 year old and not into characters at all. All she wants to do is ride rides.

 

[JD80]

I live in Ontario Canada and not in a major city. I'm sure that plays a big part in how I view things financially.

I do have a 4 year old and not into characters at all. All she wants to do is ride rides.

Fair. I wouldn't know much about pricing in Canada. I was in Kitchener ON in January this year and food seemed similarly priced.

 

[LSLS]

Again, WDW is not 300% more expensive. Quick example is a meal at Burger King a large burger/fries/drink can range from $12-$15. Satuli's Canteen can be anywhere from $17-22 with a soft drink.

Skipper Canteen is $28-38 per plate for dinner.
Outback Steakhouse (northern MD) Steaks range from $28-38. Pastas and Chicken are $20-30.
Local Restaurant ranges from 20-25 with pasta, 20-30 with chicken and seafood.

It's really not that far out of whack.

For the character meals, you're really paying $20-$30 a person for the meet and greet stuff. It's up to you to say if that's worth it or not.

I don't totally disagree with you that it's not quite as crazy as it seems like, but I think it's a bit apples and oranges. If I remember, a hanger steak around me costs about the same as a sirloin at the supermarket, which is much less than filet (so the $38 hanger would compare to the Outback sirloin, not filet). In general, it looks like roughly 33% more expensive than outside of the parks.

But, for me, it's way past price in that the quality is just much lower along with being more expensive. Skipper aside (as I've never been there), 8 times out of 10 I'd take Outback over whatever sit down I can find at the parks. And for me personally, I thought the quick service has gotten really bad too (Satuli is an exception though I very rarely get there).

 

[JD80]

I don't totally disagree with you that it's not quite as crazy as it seems like, but I think it's a bit apples and oranges. If I remember, a hanger steak around me costs about the same as a sirloin at the supermarket, which is much less than filet (so the $38 hanger would compare to the Outback sirloin, not filet). In general, it looks like roughly 33% more expensive than outside of the parks.

But, for me, it's way past price in that the quality is just much lower along with being more expensive. Skipper aside (as I've never been there), 8 times out of 10 I'd take Outback over whatever sit down I can find at the parks. And for me personally, I thought the quick service has gotten really bad too (Satuli is an exception though I very rarely get there).

I think I'll have to disagree, but it's probably extremely location dependent with quality of food. I was at SH71 for lunch a year ago and it was Fantastic. I've never had a bad meal at Skipper's.

Tusker House always has good food and I think the majority of quick service options are fantastic assuming you're just not going after a simple burger/nuggets type of meal. Ronto Wraps? yes please.

But food is different for everyone, but there are some bad restaurants and good ones. WDW is not immune to that.

 

[erasure fan1]

Again, WDW is not 300% more expensive. Quick example is a meal at Burger King a large burger/fries/drink can range from $12-$15. Satuli's Canteen can be anywhere from $17-22 with a soft drink.

It can be. A good comparison would be sci-fi drive in to something like chilis.
At Sci-fi,
Burger $20, app $11, soft drink $5 = $36
Chilis has Burger, app, drink = $11 with their 3 for me.
I wouldn't mind so much if the burger at Sci-fi was great. But the burger at chilis is a lot better in my opinion. Again, it's just a quality to cost ratio. The average price of something like McDonald's or Burger King by us is $9 for a meal. A Disney quick service equivalent is $17ish. So that's almost double.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Anyone who thinks theme park food is not overpriced does not live in reality.

It’s overpriced and we accept it because theme park food is always overpriced and of course it’s not limited to Disney, if fact, when Disney raises prices, IT ALLOWS other theme parks to raise prices.

 

[Ayla]

You expect to pay a lot for dining out when you're on vacation. There's paying a lot and then there's just ridiculous prices for what you get and WDW is the latter.

I spent two weeks in Europe this Summer eating really good quality food for nowhere near the price of WDW. I don't pay WDW prices when we eat out at home either.

We eat out 3-4 times a week and spend about what one sit down meal would cost at WDW.

 

[Indy_UK]

I think though where Disney has gone so hard and fast on the price rises that they are not allowing themselves much manoeuvring going forward with rises except for selling a less food, for more money to less people.

But we thought that was what Disney wanted to do with park ticket prices to reduce the crowds which we now know was a lie.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Where do some you live that Disney food prices are comparable to home? For my family of 4 when we eat out it's usually $80 if we don't have any beers.

Wow, for dinner? I live in Philly. We had cheesecake factory Saturday, which I consider an average chain restaurant. 3 people $150.00 bucks. No booze. We split 2 appetizers and had 3 entrees and 1 dessert.
Generally in Philly 60 bucks pp is a nice meal. When I'm home in nyc we generally budget 75 pp for dinner

 

[JD80]

It can be. A good comparison would be sci-fi drive in to something like chilis.
At Sci-fi,
Burger $20, app $11, soft drink $5 = $36
Chilis has Burger, app, drink = $11 with their 3 for me.
I wouldn't mind so much if the burger at Sci-fi was great. But the burger at chilis is a lot better in my opinion. Again, it's just a quality to cost ratio. The average price of something like McDonald's or Burger King by us is $9 for a meal. A Disney quick service equivalent is $17ish. So that's almost double.

Yeah and a local place near me had a deal for a $4 spicy chicken sandwhich and with a soda it was $5.50. So I guess Chili's is 200% more expensive. Chilis is over priced!

Just look at their regular menu if you really want to compare apples to apples. Chili's has burgers from $12 to $18 near me.

 

[JD80]

We eat out 3-4 times a week and spend about what one sit down meal would cost at WDW.

That's cool. What are you eating 3-4 times a week to match about $35 a plate at WDW?

 

[wannabeBelle]

Yeah and a local place near me had a deal for a $4 spicy chicken sandwhich and with a soda it was $5.50. So I guess Chili's is 200% more expensive. Chilis is over priced!

Just look at their regular menu if you really want to compare apples to apples. Chili's has burgers from $12 to $18 near me.

I checked and a burger with cheese and bacon at the local Outback's is $13.99. The same type of burger at Sci Fi Dine In is $23-$25 so just shy of double the pricing is about correct. Marie

 

[Lilofan]

Wow, for dinner? I live in Philly. We had cheesecake factory Saturday, which I consider an average chain restaurant. 3 people $150.00 bucks. No booze. We split 2 appetizers and had 3 entrees and 1 dessert.
Generally in Philly 60 bucks pp is a nice meal. When I'm home in nyc we generally budget 75 pp for dinner

In Philly, Pats or Ginos cheese steak with a soda, sitting on a picnic bench outside and I'm content. Why can't WDW make something similar.

 

[celluloid]

I checked and a burger with cheese and bacon at the local Outback's is $13.99. The same type of burger at Sci Fi Dine In is $23-$25 so just shy of double the pricing is about correct. Marie

And while your service might be better, just speaking for price for price, that means tax and gratuities' percentage makes the meal a lot costlier too.

 

[Ayla]

That's cool. What are you eating 3-4 times a week to match about $35 a plate at WDW?

LOLOL $35 a plate at a Disney sit down? You're funny.

We eat at mostly local places. We went to a local hotspot on Friday evening and got a crabcakes app to share ($16), two entrees of lake perch with sides ($15), one dessert ($12) and two drinks ($12)...plus tax and tip.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Anyone who thinks theme park food is not overpriced does not live in reality.

It’s overpriced and we accept it because theme park food is always overpriced and of course it’s not limited to Disney, if fact, when Disney raises prices, IT ALLOWS other theme parks to raise prices.

And a lot of that goes into other factors, I went to a local beach this summer called point pleasant nj. Ordered a plain large pizza (16 inch) pie. Cost $32.00 bucks. under normal circumstances would I do that?? Heck no but we weren't packing up our stuff, walking somewhere else and then coming back. So we accept the cost of going to the shore, no to mention having to buy beach tags just to sit on the beach