New Dining Package at Festival of the Lion King

[Rteetz]

I've seen this show three times. It's okay, but not on a must do list anymore.

Never was it an issue getting in, nor finding a decent seat because the house is small to start with, think theatrical tent: everyone is close to the stage. So... what is the appeal to paying for a dining package for this? I just don't understand.

People love this show. For me it’s my favorite show on property. Do I need this package to see it though? No I always just standby.

I’d say if someone is going to do Tiffins and the show it’s worth a look. I have done the Tiffins dining package for RoL twice now and find good value in that one.

 

[note2001]

...they’ll drink the sand.🏝

I had never heard this term before, so obviously looked it up. It seems appropriate for most of what Disney does.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Wow, Is there anything to which Disney won't attach an up sell? Next they are going to add a "dining package" to The Carousel of Progress.

No...because people are not seeing what purchasing these things does to the management style.

It’s all “I want” instead of “what will they do next if I buy?”. The first stance allows them to not have to deal with the second question - because nobody is asking.

The poster child is “after hours magic”...the biggest collective consumer failure in Disney parks history.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I had never heard this term before, so obviously looked it up. It seems appropriate for most of what Disney does.

It’s one of my mottos now...the others are oldies but goodies

 

[Rteetz]

The poster child is “after hours magic”...the bigger collective consumer failure in Disney parks history.

Not that I would pay the full price for it but if they keep doing it how is it a failure?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not that I would pay the full price for it but if they keep doing it how is it a failure?

Not a failure for Disney...for the customers.

The fastpass + system has completely wrecked the amount of attraction volume and time you get at the parks...so now they sell part of the day.

For the first 40 or so years a higher attendance would have been compensated by longer hours...to keep you in the park spending on ancillaries.

Now they sell a small block of time at high rate with reduced staffing levels.

That is what happened. It’s not really a debate. Good for them...but for us what is next based on this? 7 pm closes at mgm or Epcot in 2 years?

What’s your gut tell you?

 

[Rteetz]

Not a failure for Disney...for the customers.

The fastpass + system has completely wrecked the amount of attraction volume and time you get at the parks...so now they sell part of the day.

For the first 40 or so years a higher attendance would have been compensated by longer hours...to keep you in the park spending on ancillaries.

Now they sell a small block of time at high rate with reduced staffing levels.

That is what happened. It’s not really a debate. Good for them...but for us what is next based on this? 7 pm closes at mgm or Epcot in 2 years?

What’s your gut tell you?

As long as people keep paying there won’t be a stop. They keep adding new ways for people to spend money and a lot of them stick around for that reason. The general WDW consumer is not like the avid Disney fan consumer. So many guests won’t see it as a failure.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

As long as people keep paying there won’t be a stop. They keep adding new ways for people to spend money and a lot of them stick around for that reason. The general WDW consumer is not like the avid Disney fan consumer. So many guests won’t see it as a failure.

Who cares what they think?!?

Who will still be around when they cancel their trip in a recession?

...that’s right. It’s a slippery slope...which you know has always been my point. Scroll this thread...it’s not a foreign idea.

 

[I am Timmy]

When do you guys think the UP! A Great Bird Adventure dining packages will be out? Kidding.

 

[Jon81uk]

$7 more for Tier II than for the RoL dining package, which I assume is the same menu selections. Wonder if that means an increase is coming for the RoL packages?

Does the current RoL package include beer/wine? The new FotLK package does and could explain the higher price?

 

[GhostHost1000]

I wish Disney would stop the trend of taking up "normal folk" seating by offering these pay more for better seat schemes. These dining packages IMO are just a way to get you to pay more for something that anyone used to be able to get with park admission. Now it seems they are tacking on more and more upcharges if you want to experience things how you used to be able to. I understand it's a way to make money.. I get it... but where does this end.

"pay $10 more for your cosmic rays burger meal and get to ride in the front seat of your space mountain car!"
"pay $95 for your meal at Be Our Guest and get to star in Enchanted Tales with Belle!"
etc.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wish Disney would stop the trend of taking up "normal folk" seating by offering these pay more for better seat schemes. These dining packages IMO are just a way to get you to pay more for something that anyone used to be able to get with park admission. Now it seems they are tacking on more and more upcharges if you want to experience things how you used to be able to. I understand it's a way to make money.. I get it... but where does this end.

"pay $10 more for your cosmic rays burger meal and get to ride in the front seat of your space mountain car!"
"pay $95 for your meal at Be Our Guest and get to star in Enchanted Tales with Belle!"
etc.

Well that’s exactly what these are...locking people into restaurants to pay slightly more using show inventory that you’ve already paid for at least once that day...

...in other news: today is a day that ends in the letter “y”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ok...seriously I’m embarrassed at what great things are on the internet that I DONT know about

 

[marni1971]

Not a failure for Disney...for the customers.

The fastpass + system has completely wrecked the amount of attraction volume and time you get at the parks...so now they sell part of the day.

For the first 40 or so years a higher attendance would have been compensated by longer hours...to keep you in the park spending on ancillaries.

Now they sell a small block of time at high rate with reduced staffing levels.

That is what happened. It’s not really a debate. Good for them...but for us what is next based on this? 7 pm closes at mgm or Epcot in 2 years?

What’s your gut tell you?

Wow. I’d click “like” twice if I could.

Well, I could but it’d defeat the object.

 

[larryz]

They really do take us for rubes.

Here's your shirt...

 

[Biff215]

Not that it makes it right, but is this more about filling empty seats at Tiffins? If they’re starting to book this for later this month then plenty of reservations must be readily available.

 

[wdwmagic]

Not that it makes it right, but is this more about filling empty seats at Tiffins? If they’re starting to book this for later this month then plenty of reservations must be readily available.

I'd say its combination of a couple of things, but Tiffins has struggled on numbers since the day it opened.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'd say its combination of a couple of things, but Tiffins has struggled on numbers since the day it opened.

Perhaps because tiffins doesn’t have the same low quality, high fat, high sugar stuff that the dining plan has installed in every other restaurant?

The first time I went to Tiffins - I loved it (going back this month)...
...which means I knew it would struggle.

You can’t charge people $40 for something you may not get on a day to day basis. But vats of sausage links with a couple of chipmunks walking around?...fire away

 

[eliza61nyc]

As long as people keep paying there won’t be a stop. They keep adding new ways for people to spend money and a lot of them stick around for that reason. The general WDW consumer is not like the avid Disney fan consumer. So many guests won’t see it as a failure.

Ding ding ding. We have a winner.

And that is who Disney is marketing for. They are going after the folks who are first timers maybe 2nd timers. who see Disney as a once in a life time visit. I was very much like that my first visit. We paid for every experience, every what you would call an "upcharge" etc. because at the time we believed that we would only being doing Disney that one time.
Our favorite story is how we purchased 100 bucks worth of Mickey ears, ( and this was back in the late 90's) the nano second we stepped onto Main street and by the end of the night everyone had lost their mickey ears.
Our first trip we were eating huge ice cream desserts every night until my late husband finally said on the 5th night, uhm Eliza, you know we are dropping 60 dollars a night on ice cream. lol.