Is Disney's food cost out of line??

[jaklgreen]

We like the meals at Epcot better then anywhere. The shawarma plate in Morocco is a good value and it is delicious. Also getting a bowl of rice with some vegis is a great lighter meal at a reasonable price. MK needs some serious counter service updates. Get rid of the the crappy burgers and chicken strips and put in family style food options.

 

[LAKid53]

We do that too. We (as a family) enjoy eating out. We used to eat at TS restaurants almost every night. Not any more. We book a few, but that is it.

We have always done breakfast in the room - It saves a lot of time, and in my family everyone gets up at different times. I especially like to get up early and relax with a cup of coffee before everyone else gets up. Some people are sleeping, some are showering, others are eating - it just works better.

We now do more QSFB at the resort, or we will do something simple in the DVC unit. As a rough estimate, I would say WDW has lost half of our dining expenditure. Most of that has shifted to garden grocer at a much lower cost

We have a few favorites we like to eat at and will make ADRs, but like you, if we're not eating in our villa, it's usually the resort's QS or one in a park, mainly for lunch. Publix now gets that $$.

That cup of coffee (tea, in my case), on the balcony before everyone gets up is a nice way to start the day.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Most of the sitdowns are now significantly overpriced (not necessarily at springs though)...but I don’t find the counter service or the “fast gourmet” type places out of line much...some - like pucks express - are some
Of the best value to cost you can find anywhere. Others not so much.

 

[larryz]

The real question is why you would ever use Filet to make that dish....

Never use a tenderloin for stroganoff.

I don't use the main muscle -- I use the "chain."

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

 

[jwutony16]

I've vacationed in NH, VT, Maine, Georgia, and SC and by and large food costs were not expensive. In fact we frequently vacation in NH, and its extremely inexpensive, its not in the woods (I've done that), but in some of the touristy towns (think North Conway if you're familiar).

I do find the price of meals at WDW to be extremely expensive, but I also realize there are locations that can be just as pricey, such as San Francisco, where I had a simple sandwich, coke and chips, and that ran me 30 dollars. Where I live, for the same price, I could feed my kids, and myself that same meal

Santas Village! I spent most of my summers at Weirs Beach. I miss the good food and low prices down here in Florida

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

but I don’t find the counter service or the “fast gourmet” type places out of line much...some - like pucks express - are some Of the best value to cost you can find anywhere. Others not so much.

Agree that some of the "fast gourmet" are okay. The price higher but the quality is there - at least more than it is with the Disney owned (run) joints. Disney QS doesn't have much value for cost.

I've enjoyed many of these type places in Springs. I think the burger at CoD or Deluxe is far superior to anything I've had at Cosmic's or the Commissary. On the subject of CoD, IMO their fish-n-chips is far superior to Yorkshire over at EPCOT.

 

[winstongator]

I think the delineating factor is if the restaurant has a captive audience or not.

When you are at a theme park, stadium or the like, guests tend to either stay in or are locked into that bubble. This forces guests to buy from the on property vendors who can pretty much charge whatever they want. Not only is it generally expected for the prices to be higher in places like this, it is often necessary for them to be due the price per square foot lease prices being astronomical. To put it quite simply, they charge more because they can.

When you vacation to a place like "the beach" you tend to be eating at your normal local and chain style restaurants. They do not have a captive audience and the normal competition/supply and demand factors take over and brings the prices down to a more reasonable level.

20 years ago I went to the ballpark at Arlington. My dad and I were amazed that they let you bring food in. We’ve packed lunches maybe once, but definitely bring snacks and drinks into the parks. I usually do breakfast in the room with things we bring. I’ve heard of the Amazon grocery delivery but haven’t used it.

 

[mj2v]

Will still never forget walking to work one day and hearing a tourist say to his I-assume-wife, "I don't care if it's more expensive than at home, we've GOT to eat there! Don't you want to tell our friends we ate at the WORLD'S LARGEST APPLEBEES?"

I-Drive will soon have the worlds largest Denny’s. I only had the pleasure one time. That was enough.

 

[mj2v]

We are local. There are many great places off property, and there are several on property that we eat at relatively inexpensively.

 

[DarthVader]

Santas Village! I spent most of my summers at Weirs Beach. I miss the good food and low prices down here in Florida

Nice Avatar, though the Hilltop is long gone and a strip mall of some sort is going in tis place.

 

[Phonedave]

Santas Village! I spent most of my summers at Weirs Beach. I miss the good food and low prices down here in Florida

I'm more partial to Clark's Trading Post, or a trip down the Kangamangus (I KNOW I didn't spell that correctly) to Lost River, but Santa's Village does have it's charms, especially since they installed the Ho Ho H2O zone.

I have family in Danville and Newbury VT and had family in Monroe NH - Spent a lot of time in that corner of the Notheast

 

[Phonedave]

I don't use the main muscle -- I use the "chain."

Don't knock it 'till you've tried it.

I used to save chain meat, with plans for using it for stew or pounding it out for cheesesteaks. I would freeze it, then forget about it, then find it in the bottom of the deep freeze a year later.

Now, I gill it along with the steaks. I eat the good bits while I grill, and the dog gets the rest.

 

[Horizons '83]

So I'm reading the reviews on the new chicken place at Disney springs and the complaint is that it's "expensive". Now in the interest of full disclosure I live in Philly.
The menu had a chicken combo for 12 bucks. That's expensive??? I just went to the Phillies game. a burger fries and drink. $19.00 plus tax. A small bucket of chickie and peetes crab fries?? 12 dollars.
Earlier this year I went to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, lol you want to talk about expensive.

I am not saying that Disney is cheap, what I'm saying is that I don't find it to be out of line from other vacation/entertainment venues. Went to see Ed Sheeran earlier this year, don't get me started at the cost of a soda. although that may not be comparable because Philadelphia has a soda tax.

Are folks comparing the prices to "at home". Even my favorite go to vacation spot, Ocean City NJ, a plain pizza on the boardwalk is going to set you back $25.00 bucks.

Where's your go to vacation destination where food is as cheap as home?

We love going to this incredible Beach Resort in St. Pete, Florida. The food is very pricey, but we know that going in and budget accordingly. A Quesdilla is $16 bucks, which is a bit aggressive. we plan Disney the same way, by looking at the menu prices for the places we know we will eat at and budgeting a little buffer for extra things.

 

[jaklgreen]

Can I ask all of the Florida people out there. Does the water all taste the same as at WDW? The nasty swamp water taste? I only do bottle drinks at WDW because of this flavor. They use it for the ice and I can taste it in the soda. Why does it taste so bad?

 

[KRM]

We were talking about this at WDW in April. We are from the midwest so the food is a lot more expensive in comparison. There seemed to be a lot of people from Jersey when we were there. I said to my husband I bet they don't think the good is really that expensive since the cost of living in general is higher.

And in my experience all water in Florida tastes and smells disgusting.

 

[ABQ]

Nice Avatar, though the Hilltop is long gone and a strip mall of some sort is going in tis place.

But where have all the plastic cows gone?

 

[Cado603]

I haven't been in a bit, but you hit on something that does annoy me about Disney "breakfasts"...

The eggs.

Man, their eggs are bad.

When I travel, I generally stay at a Hilton Garden Inn, and there they have someone that, included in my room rate, will cook me an omelet to order, or eggs over easy, etc.

Disney has more volume than that, so I understand their more "food court" approach (I worked in food service management for over a decade for a national chain, I get it...I really do)....but....that said....the eggs.

The watery, seized up, nasty nasty...eggs....ugh.[
Wow the last Hilton Garden I stayed at charged me for everything for breakfast. I was not used to that. So has something changed at their chain. Went back to Hampton Inn

 

[Think Tink]

I feel like as far as amusement parks go, I think they are in line or on the lower end for QS. I went to Cedar Point and noticed their prices seemed higher to me than Disney. I guess they need to make their money in about 6.5 months rather than 12 lol.

 

[DarthVader]

But where have all the plastic cows gone?

They auctioned them off.

Here's a rendering of what it will look like
http://www.wickedlocal.com/news/201...for-former-hilltop-steak-house-site-in-saugus

 

[jaklgreen]

We were talking about this at WDW in April. We are from the midwest so the food is a lot more expensive in comparison. There seemed to be a lot of people from Jersey when we were there. I said to my husband I bet they don't think the good is really that expensive since the cost of living in general is higher.

And in my experience all water in Florida tastes and smells disgusting.

I'm from the midwest and our food costs are very high. Even groceries are more expensive then bigger cities like Chicago. It has to do with quantity. Our smaller city does sell as much as opposed to bigger cities. I have friends who have moved here from bigger cities and they always comment on much more they have to spend on food. Not just at the grocery store but at counter service restaurants.