WDW to Raise All Buffet Prices By Almost 50%?

flynnibus

Premium Member
I mean seriously... the cost of the regular DDP for a family of four on a 5 night trip is $865. That. Is. Insane.

That price of averaging ~$45 pp a day would have been fine under the old models. 3 meals a day.. full meals.. etc. But under the current stripped down system, its basically just a pre-paid system under Disney's crazy inflated pricing.

There are a lot of cost and corner cuts that WDW can get away with an the average family won't notice but price is one point that EVERYONE looks at. I'd honestly be stunned if they don't get some hard pushback at some point because the gouging is starting to get ridiculous.

Not as only as they keep that 'free dining' carrot out there.
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
That price of averaging ~$45 pp a day would have been fine under the old models. 3 meals a day.. full meals.. etc. But under the current stripped down system, its basically just a pre-paid system under Disney's crazy inflated pricing.



Not as only as they keep that 'free dining' carrot out there.

The DDP never offered three meals a day, unless going for deluxe.

The original plan was still one QS (inc dessert) and one TS. But the TS was three courses and TIP included. Having to add the tip on makes a big difference to us!
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
The DDP never offered three meals a day, unless going for deluxe.

The original plan was still one QS (inc dessert) and one TS. But the TS was three courses and TIP included. Having to add the tip on makes a big difference to us!

Back in the day it did.. before it was called DDP. When we would go in the 80s, with magic kingdom club we'd have all recreation included too. Back when it really was the vacation kingdom...
 

LuvtheGoof

DVC Guru
Premium Member
Is there anything supporting the 50% increase rumour yet or is this another 'lets rile up the masses for fun' thread?
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. :D
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Is there anything supporting the 50% increase rumour yet or is this another 'lets rile up the masses for fun' thread?

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
 

wannabeBelle

Well-Known Member
Exactly so Jon, I saw the two credit listed on the My Disney Experience app for a few places, Tusker House, Chef Mickey's for dinner and Akershus for lunch and dinner the other night. Perhaps speculation that this was right, led to the idea of if it was two credits, that the pricing would have to go up to still be considered a value? Marie
 

disneyflush

Well-Known Member
Feels like there are decision makers playing a Name that Tune-ish game where the first goes 'I can raise that price by 3%' and the other goes 'I can raise that price by FIVE percent!' and it just goes back and forth as everyone looks admires the guts and courage to be so risky with your division and products.
Back in the day it did.. before it was called DDP. When we would go in the 80s, with magic kingdom club we'd have all recreation included too. Back when it really was the vacation kingdom...

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.
 

fosse76

Well-Known Member
Cynics will say it's the 1%. I think the sad truth is DW is now a major tourist trap.
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.
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
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.

Exactly
 

Wendy Pleakley

Well-Known Member
Eventually this pricing is going to catch up to them in a bad way.

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.
 

Nj4mwc

Well-Known Member
Just got back from a short visit to WDW. We had not been in three years. I expected food prices to be high but we were a little more than shocked. The price gouging was off the charts - even for this seasoned Disney fanatic. The only food value left at WDW seems to be the buffets. We had have a nice meal in the Germany pavilion at World Showcase and Monday night at BOMA. If the buffet prices increase to 60.00 a person versus 40 a person I am way beyond shocked.

The 32.00 we spent on a hot dog and a chicken sandwich and a side of beans (3.99 for less than a 1/4 cup) and two drinks. And the food was not good. In contrast, we ate at the SIMPSONS food court in Universal for much less and better food quality AND better service. Universal had people guiding you in line, and lead us (while helping to carry our food) to a table that was clean and reserved for us. As I stood to leave and reached for my tray, there was another team member telling us that they would take care of it and being as happy, helpful and polite as possible.

Did I mention the 72.00 we spent for two on one salad, one soup and two pasta dishes at Tony's on Saturday? (Gay Days). I understand you pay more but this was over the top.

Did I mention the 40.00 counter service at Animal Kingdom (next to YAK and YETI) ???
I can have a nice sit-down meal at OUTBACK steakhouse for what this shy portion of average food we received at this counter service.

I am not sure who Disney thinks their customer is but I have been saying for a while and it was reconfirmed this visit, it is NOT us. My husband and I both are blessed to have nice jobs and live comfortably in Connecticut (not a cheap state to live) and we kept shaking our heads at the prices.
I prefer the dining options at universal now to what disney offers.
 

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
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.

Disney was enjoying the newly rich from the Brazilian oil boom, With the collapse of oil prices well that revenue source has dried up and now with the US/Canada basically self-sufficient in oil/gas production that money is not coming back soon.
 

fosse76

Well-Known Member
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.

The problem right now is that enough people are coming to make-up for the people who stop going. Lot's of first time visitors are making up for the repeat guests who have stopped coming. Price increases are significant enough to the point that it makes up the difference between those who spend and the increasing number who don't. But at some point, particularly with the increased presence of Universal, Today's first time guests may not ever become tomorrow's return visitor. What happens in the next recession? As I said above, while no doubt the 1% go to Disney, they couldn't keep it in business. And if you price out the middle class, where do you get your guests?
 

Nj4mwc

Well-Known Member
When you prepay for DDP the funds are placed in a interest bearing account and until you use your DDP credits Disney collects interest on that money it's called 'float interest' in the banking world.
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
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom