WDW to Raise All Buffet Prices By Almost 50%?

[Biff215]

I recall hearing that a while back CMs at Crystal Palace had to start telling guests as they seated them what the cost of their meal would be, because the sticker shock for the unaware was so great that Guest Services was getting overwhelmed with complaints. I wonder if this is still going on. (I wouldn't know because I seldom do buffets.

With the price hikes and vague ranges given, I think Disney should be required to give you the set price of these meals at the time of booking. It wouldn't really be that hard. If the price goes up, they simply email you with the change. This would be so much more transparent and guest friendly. You can already do it with any other a la carte restaurant, so why not tell people up front what their meal will cost? (Other than they don't really want you to know before it's too late to change your mind.)

I actually don't have a strict budget while vacationing but know plenty who do (and may have to). How many other areas can you think of where you really don't know the exact price you will be paying? We shouldn't have to ask at the host podium.

Anyone know of a site or app that provides this info?

 

[Jon81uk]

I think this is true. While members of the 1% no doubt go to Disney, it's not the vacation destination for them that Disney tries to market it as. I would venture to guess that most 1%-ers who go to Disney do it as a weekend-type trip as opposed to a full-on vacation. They go to Europe or other exotic locations. WDW is too common, even if you are staying at the Grand Floridian.

Disney is primarily a middle-class vacation spot, it doesn't matter how fancy they make their hotels or how much they charge for them. Disney seems to continually raise prices as if the customer base is in the upper echelons of society, yet most are probably middle class. Eventually this pricing is going to catch up to them in a bad way.

I would expect most truly rich people stay at the Four Seasons or just rent a full house offsite and have a chauffer/taxi take them to the parks.
Those who really have money would use VIP services rather than any dinner package or dessert party. All upcharges are aimed at middle classes

 

[Nj4mwc]

^THIS. On our trip in May, we had a breakfast at Boma with family (which was awesome, and quite possibly the most expensive breakfast I've ever eaten) and then went to the grocery store and loaded our DVC villa with food. Years ago, we would have eaten 2-3 character breakfasts, a bunch of table-service lunches in the parks, and 4-5 table service or buffet dinners on property. Those days are GONE. It has become a matter of PRINCIPLE, not economics. It's not whether I can afford it, it's that I recognize I'm being GOUGED and I'm not going to accept it. I compared it to living inside a professional sports stadium - they have you and they know it. For a 3-hour game that's one thing, but for a 7-10-day vacation? Not cool.

The Atlanta Falcons have announced that in there new stadium food and beverage prices are goi g to be drastically lower than other stadiums to make it a better guest experience. If i recal correctly hot dogs and pretzels in the 1 to 2 dollar range for example, affordable beer a`d such. I am not a sports fan by any stretch but i do enjoy the occasional live game but always am turned off by food and beverage cost. I would fully suppirt the Falcons and attend games more willingly if i lived in the area. I would love to ve able to say the same about disney

 

[GoofGoof]

THat just ticked me off knowing they are making even more money off me withfloat dollars and not just over charging me on the food

It's not a big deal. They do the same for park tickets if you buy them in advance. Same with the your airline tickets. There are numerous examples of things you pay for in advance of receiving the good or service.

 

[NearTheEars]

The Atlanta Falcons have announced that in there new stadium food and beverage prices are goi g to be drastically lower than other stadiums to make it a better guest experience. If i recal correctly hot dogs and pretzels in the 1 to 2 dollar range for example, affordable beer a`d such. I am not a sports fan by any stretch but i do enjoy the occasional live game but always am turned off by food and beverage cost. I would fully suppirt the Falcons and attend games more willingly if i lived in the area. I would love to ve able to say the same about disney

That sounds great to me, but I hope they put a limit on beer. I know I'd be tempted to overindulge if the stadium prices were low.

 

[GoofGoof]

That sounds great to me, but I hope they put a limit on beer. I know I'd be tempted to overindulge if the stadium prices were low.

The rumor is $5 beer. Not exactly cheap in real world standards but at a stadium it's dirt cheap. Unfortunately it probably won't take long before an incident involving a drunken moron forces them to raise the prices. If the public perception is that they are selling "cheap" beer the media will crucify the team if/when a problem occurs.

 

[NearTheEars]

The rumor is $5 beer. Not exactly cheap in real world standards but at a stadium it's dirt cheap. Unfortunately it probably won't take long before an incident involving a drunken moron forces them to raise the prices. If the public perception is that they are selling "cheap" beer the media will crucify the team if/when a problem occurs.

I know some stadiums limit you to two beer purchases at a time. Does WDW have a limit?
I guess you can only buy so many $9 beers before it makes you sick to your stomach ... financially.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I know some stadiums limit you to two beer purchases at a time. Does WDW have a limit?
I guess you can only buy so many $9 beers before it makes you sick to your stomach ... financially.

Yes, it is 2 drinks per person at one time. No limit to the number of times you can go back though.

 

[Biff215]

People have been saying this for as long as I can remember.

Every time tickets or annual passes go up in price, every time they add a new up-charge event, every time the dining plan is devalued, etc.

"Disney has finally gone too far", I've been hearing for years, even decades.

And just about every time, the people keep coming. The people keep paying.

The notion that the masses will ever say "enough is enough", feels like fantasy.

And that's coming from someone who agrees that the buffet prices are heading into "no way" territory for himself.

You're absolutely right, this reaction has always been going on to some extent. While no one is ever happy about prices going up, I've always been able to still see the value in a WDW vacation. I think this is where now is different. People like you or I are finally reaching our limit, and the number of people like us is growing. Disney won't feel this immediately, but over time it will affect their bottom line.

 

[Rutt]

The website did briefly show two credits needed on DDP for some character meals. Also given how quickly QS meals have gone up in price in the last six months it wouldn't be a surprise to have more buffets at $50+ when the pricing gets done in October

Right, but theres a thread for that already right? Raising the prices by 50% is a rather large increase and one that would obviously draw an angry response, which is why I am asking if there is anything to support that title, or separate this thread from that one (which imho had a much more accurate title).

 

[Rutt]

You're absolutely right, this reaction has always been going on to some extent. While no one is ever happy about prices going up, I've always been able to still see the value in a WDW vacation. I think this is where now is different. People like you or I are finally reaching our limit, and the number of people like us is growing. Disney won't feel this immediately, but over time it will affect their bottom line.

I think you've nailed it. Even the hardcore folks are starting to feel it. More offsite stays, less sit down meals, no special events. That's us in October sadly. Even DW is seriously contemplating reducing our annual visit to a tri-annual vacation.

 

[GoofGoof]

Right, but theres a thread for that already right? Raising the prices by 50% is a rather large increase and one that would obviously draw an angry response, which is why I am asking if there is anything to support that title, or separate this thread from that one (which imho had a much more accurate title).

No. Read the first post. 74 said it was a rumor spreading on Twitter and he wanted to see what others were hearing anything.

 

[BernardandBianca]

My family went in 1990 and I remember a gold card with a key on it that let us eat anywhere on property 3 times per day. Plus any activity we wanted to do like fishing, boat rentals, etc. Can't find the information on it but I specifically remember that gold key card when we stayed at the Poly that year. Only year we got it though.

It was the Gold Key Program, and it provided an all-inclusive vacation, down to rental of golf carts, clubs and shoes (though not balls). We used it a few times, until it went away, and would always save our receipts and add up how much everything would cost if we were paying (it was just like a regular receipt with costs etc.), and compare to what we did pay. We always came out ahead if you just take into account what we actually did, instead of what we would have done if paying then and there.

The biggest complaint we had ever was that by the 4th or 5th day, the kids were "Do we have to eat AGAIN". It was a lot (really a lot) of food. And the servers were always willing to bring us the best and most expensive meals, since their tips were (included) and 15% of what the costs would have been.

 

[BiffyClyro]

If bookings and so on are down, why would you raise prices of stuff even more?

Disney is hiking it's prices up on everything so much that it's going to become something only the really high end earners will be able to afford. Ridiculous.

 

[Jon81uk]

Right, but theres a thread for that already right? Raising the prices by 50% is a rather large increase and one that would obviously draw an angry response, which is why I am asking if there is anything to support that title, or separate this thread from that one (which imho had a much more accurate title).

The dining plan change was the major thing that prompted the rumours of price change.

Also the 50% price increase would take some buffets into the $50+ prices I said

 

[TeriofTerror]

That sounds great to me, but I hope they put a limit on beer. I know I'd be tempted to overindulge if the stadium prices were low.

I hail from the land of the 10¢ Beer Night Riots. It's my default mode.

 

[WDW1974]

It is not because it is tolerated. It happens because of the age we are in. If you tell someone they can not do something guess what happens s million Twitter and Facebook post about the experience. Hence then th4 customer gets free stuff.

It is a ugly circle we are in these days.

And everyone steals soda that is built into the prices these days everywhere. Like people asking for water cups and filling up with the good stuff instead. Just the way it is these days.

I do it because I was told by dozens and dozens of CMs at different locations over 15 years to bring my mugs back. And then Disney saw that a tiny amount of people were doing it and decided they were losing money. (They weren't ... because I wasn't buying a new mug ... I wasn't going to dine at the locations if I couldn't refill etc.) It's beyond ridiculous ... but gotta love RapidFill ... so now I go where I know the system is shut off and fill up for free (right now, it's Captain Cook's ... drink well, my friends!) or buy a small/child's beverage and they get $$$ from me, but not what they want.

When you nickel and dime like WDW does to its Guests, especially longtime loyal ones ... you have to expect that they are going to get some of that back one way or the other.

I do take soap and H2O shampoo from maid's carts as well (actually, usually I just ask them and they hand me loads of of it ... even if I am staying at UNI!!!)

 

[WDW1974]

I find that fascinating. I recently took a day-long media tour of the Magic. Aside from a handful of things I noticed that just aren't for me ,I could squint and almost see the value from a certain perspective due to the extremely attentive service. Part of that: princesses popping up everywhere. Seemingly randomly. With careful attention paid to each young guest. Like at the MK of my childhood. If the "magic" of that becomes a scheduled upcharge boor then DCL will start losing some of what makes it unique. (Positive note: other than some really questionable carpet choices in some spots and carpet fading in others and the extremely boring disco new chandelier replacing the original Chihuly the old girl remains in fine shape after all these years)

DCL still sports some real MAGIC. For how long, I dunno. There are things that are concerning -- and Karl Holz is hands down one of the worst of the Eisner era execs still around. And when they jump to six ships will the quality remain as high, because I have serious doubts that the Disney Price Premium will be able to be sustained.

 

[WDW1974]

The rumour is that character meals (Tuskar House, Chef Mickeys etc) will go to two dining plan credits and the price will increase to over $50. But that may just be seasonal pricing, its possible its only for Thanksgiving meals only or something else like that.

Not only character buffets. All buffets across property.

 

[WDW1974]

Prices are increasing, but nowhere near the 50% range. And yes, it's a rile up the masses thread, regardless of whether it was originally posted as a rumour.

If a meal is now $35 and it winds up being $59 ...what percentage is that? ... And how do you know what is going up and when?

And why do you have an issue with riling up the masses? Do you think Disney's food prices aren't obscene enough?