Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[AEfx]

The one thing I lament about WDW QS is why can't it be more like DLR's - so much more variety. We have our favorites we return to in both places of course, but man outside of epcot (festivals more often than not), QS is just sad at WDW.
Oh and churros are way too expensive. $6+$? So ridiculous.

This was my #2 takeaway from Disneyland, after #1 being so impressed by how their Fantasyland is set up (truly making you feel like the characters live there and you are just wandering around finding their attraction homes).

It was just amazing how much good, fresh food with a nice variety was available - and the hours they were open. For being a place where so many people are captive, WDW has always had pretty lousy food availability hours. At Disneyland, multiple places serve food from the time the park opens (like, actual quick service breakfasts that aren't just pastries), until they close. That was one of the many reasons that even when I went to WDW regularly, I wouldn't go without my own vehicle - if it's 10PM and you are hungry after leaving the park or at the resort, you basically have to eat out of vending machines.

 

[Laketravis]

I'm local, and I visit WDW often just for lunch or dinner as it's higher quality (most of the time) and quicker service. A new chicken tender place (Slim Chickens) opened in Celebration a few months ago and a 4-pece tender meal w/ fries is about $10.79 with no drink... nearly the same price as WDW ($10.99).

Meanwhile we're lucky a WDW executive hasn't seen SeaWorld's pricing... $19.79 for (3) tenders and fries.

I was at the Cancun airport last week and had some pesos to burn so I did something I rarely do - bought some airport food.

A double cheeseburger and vanilla shake at Johnny Rockets was $28usd. And that didn't include fries.

 

[Nubs70]

I was at the Cancun airport last week and had some pesos to burn so I did something I rarely do - bought some airport food.

A double cheeseburger and vanilla shake at Johnny Rockets was $28usd. And that didn't include fries.

That food court has been over priced for going on a decade. The sushi place just up the way on the left is a much better value

 

[Jrb1979]

I'm local, and I visit WDW often just for lunch or dinner as it's higher quality (most of the time) and quicker service. A new chicken tender place (Slim Chickens) opened in Celebration a few months ago and a 4-pece tender meal w/ fries is about $10.79 with no drink... nearly the same price as WDW ($10.99).

Meanwhile we're lucky a WDW executive hasn't seen SeaWorld's pricing... $19.79 for (3) tenders and fries.

To be fair SeaWorld is like most regional parks, the majority of pass holders have a dining plan added to their pass. They do offer an all day dining pass for $50. They most likely price it that high to get people to buy those dining passes

 

[Andrew25]

To be fair SeaWorld is like most regional parks, the majority of pass holders have a dining plan added to their pass. They do offer an all day dining pass for $50. They most likely price it that high to get people to buy those dining passes

Yes, that's the sole reason why prices are so high... but I can't imagine it's sustainable long-term. Currently it's $59.99 (not on sale at the moment) for all-day dining - which requires you to at least have 3 meals a day to break-even (with SWO pricing). That's kind of ridiculous as SWO's food is rather basic and the quality has gone down in a spiral. Voyager's used to be the best QS at any Orlando park... now it's inedible.

 

[Nubs70]

I was at the Cancun airport last week and had some pesos to burn so I did something I rarely do - bought some airport food.

A double cheeseburger and vanilla shake at Johnny Rockets was $28usd. And that didn't include fries.

That food court has been over priced for going on a decade. The sushi place just up the way on the left is a much better value

 

[John park hopper]

The cost of everything has gone up and continues to go up

 

[Lilofan]

The cost of everything has gone up and continues to go up

Not the $4.99 whole cooked chicken at Costco!

 

[John park hopper]

Not the $4.99 whole cooked chicken at Costco!

It has here in Mt Pleasant SC Costco

 

[jpeden]

It has here in Mt Pleasant SC Costco

I find that hard to believe that Costco changed the price of their rotisserie chicken at any warehouse - it's designed to be a loss leader to get you in the store and it would be big news if it went up. I'd need to see a picture of the price tag for proof of this.

 

[easyrowrdw]

This was my #2 takeaway from Disneyland, after #1 being so impressed by how their Fantasyland is set up (truly making you feel like the characters live there and you are just wandering around finding their attraction homes).

It was just amazing how much good, fresh food with a nice variety was available - and the hours they were open. For being a place where so many people are captive, WDW has always had pretty lousy food availability hours. At Disneyland, multiple places serve food from the time the park opens (like, actual quick service breakfasts that aren't just pastries), until they close. That was one of the many reasons that even when I went to WDW regularly, I wouldn't go without my own vehicle - if it's 10PM and you are hungry after leaving the park or at the resort, you basically have to eat out of vending machines.

Aren't resort quick services/food courts open until 11:00 or midnight?

 

[AEfx]

Aren't resort quick services/food courts open until 11:00 or midnight?

Maybe at some resorts? I know when I used to regularly stay at Pop Century, the food court was always closed by the time I got back from the parks (and I usually go in the slower season where parks were closed by 9PM, lucky if you got 10PM at MK). I remember once getting over to the Contemporary and it had some place open until like 11PM.

In any case, it was just one of the many reasons I started only staying with my own vehicle - just so much easier (and cheaper) to go out and grab some Steak and Shake or even McDonalds at the end of the night. Not to mention being able to stop at a gas station and buy...GASP...Pepsi products, LOL.

 

[C33Mom]

Aren't resort quick services/food courts open until 11:00 or midnight?

I can’t speak for all resorts or the last few months but for most of 2023 it was extremely slim pickings if you showed up at Beach Club (where you’re paying about $700 a night for a standard room!) after 10pm. Sometimes the marketplace was open past 10 but often it wasn’t…and if it was open it was less selection (of food) than your average gas station mini mart. I think at Poly you could get their quick service until 11 sometimes, but never past that.

 

[easyrowrdw]

Maybe at some resorts? I know when I used to regularly stay at Pop Century, the food court was always closed by the time I got back from the parks (and I usually go in the slower season where parks were closed by 9PM, lucky if you got 10PM at MK). I remember once getting over to the Contemporary and it had some place open until like 11PM.

In any case, it was just one of the many reasons I started only staying with my own vehicle - just so much easier (and cheaper) to go out and grab some Steak and Shake or even McDonalds at the end of the night. Not to mention being able to stop at a gas station and buy...GASP...Pepsi products, LOL.

Yeah that’d be pretty frustrating. We haven’t had that issue in recent years but I couldn’t say the exact times. I wonder if it has changed or maybe we’ve just been lucky.

Also, steak n shake

 

[HauntedPirate]

Maybe at some resorts? I know when I used to regularly stay at Pop Century, the food court was always closed by the time I got back from the parks (and I usually go in the slower season where parks were closed by 9PM, lucky if you got 10PM at MK). I remember once getting over to the Contemporary and it had some place open until like 11PM.

In any case, it was just one of the many reasons I started only staying with my own vehicle - just so much easier (and cheaper) to go out and grab some Steak and Shake or even McDonalds at the end of the night. Not to mention being able to stop at a gas station and buy...GASP...Pepsi products, LOL.

Pepsi products???

I have to admit, though, Pepsi Max was pretty darn good when I had it in Helsinki last year.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Received an email from a Good Neighbor Hotel about 30 minutes ago - Get an additional 10% off their best available rate this summer when you book a minimum of 3 nights.

 

[Nubs70]

Does anyone know what the High Temp, Wet Bulb Temperature, and Real Feel Index will be from 9/16 to 9/22?

I have a sales conference at Universal plus a few extra days after meetings.
 

 

[JoeCamel]

Does anyone know what the High Temp, Wet Bulb Temperature, and Real Feel Index will be from 9/16 to 9/22?

I have a sales conference at Universal plus a few extra days after meetings.
 

Will there be a hurricane in the area or not?

 

[cranbiz]

Does anyone know what the High Temp, Wet Bulb Temperature, and Real Feel Index will be from 9/16 to 9/22?

I have a sales conference at Universal plus a few extra days after meetings.
 

Will there be a hurricane in the area or not?

 

[fairy8i8]

Do VIP tour guests only go in LL queues? I assumed they would get escorted to the front.

All of the silly YouTube videos that are done with various scenarios… I’d be very curious to see “create your own VIP” vs an actual VIP, along the lines of your suggestion to pay for all the advantages (which add up to way less than a VIP package).

They pretty much only go in the LL. There may be a few exceptions, but not many. It is NOT a front of the line pass like the VIP tour at Universal or other parks. I think this is why old outside companies in Orlando would do VIP tours. They had a runner or two get you a bunch of Fastpasses, and they could give a similar experience to Disney's official VIP tour. With Genie+, it's much harder for these companies to mimick Disney's VIP tour, which is basically like having mostly unlimited LL (still some restrictions for the most popular rides), but also a car that drives you around backstage.