I've never minded paying for what I perceive as value, but I hate feeling like I haven't paid enough

[shh]

People used to insist that Disney prices were high but that you got better quality food there than you did in the other parks. That wasn't true even the first time we went, which was more than a decade back, at least comparing like for like (Disney does offer more sit down restaurants).

That actually was true at one time - but we're talking1980s/1990s. The food we enjoyed back then was generously portioned and very good quality. It was pricey, but you felt you received good value - not to mention the best ambiance in the whole world! This was long before dining plans, which "cafeteria-ized" the dining experience and led to many shortcuts and lower quality.

 

[Carol_]

Right it’s not like Taco Bell asking if you want to make it a medium for 10 cents more. It’s like them saying ice is a dollar more and a straw is 50 cents.

A paper straw

 

[DCLMP]

That actually was true at one time - but we're talking1980s/1990s. The food we enjoyed back then was generously portioned and very good quality. It was pricey, but you felt you received good value - not to mention the best ambiance in the whole world! This was long before dining plans, which "cafeteria-ized" the dining experience and led to many shortcuts and lower quality.

I've noticed the portions have gotten smaller. That would be a good thing since they were always too big, but unfortunately, the price did not go down it went up.

 

[DCLMP]

Hello
Im still curious. Y’all who’ve said your most recent trips were your best, why?

We went last Summer and got upgraded from CSR to a one-bedroom at Riviera at no cost. In January I used a pin code with a deep discount to stay in a preferred one-bedroom at SSR. For us, it was the price we paid and the lack of crowds. I'll admit it was a little dystopic, but I'll never experience Disney world with walk-on lines again. Although there were a lot of things missing. I feel the price I paid for the trips was well worth it.

Our best trips, however, were back in 2010-2012. That was pre-fast plus with low crowds and great discounts. Of course, we were in a bad recession then.

 

[bakerworld]

We agree the Disney Bang is being eroded. Really their marketing strategy is outdated. They shoot themselves in the foot constantly by offering services which are converted to paid experiences = stupid bate and switch mentality. Most the little kids don't even know who M&M are, no idea of what the wild west was (do they even teach that in schools?), twilight zone, Steven Tyler was on his way down when they made RnRC, Star Wars is very specific, AK is a zoo - really the whole place is becoming passé'.

For us, Universal is unappealing - we're not roller coaster people anymore. WDW is going to shortly become the 55+ vacation experience.

 

[moesy4]

I think it is interesting so many have already jumped to Universal. We also did a Discovery Cove/Sea World/Aquatica trip this past March. We had an amazing time and the 5 of us got to do unlimited park visits plus the dolphin encounter for just a little more than one Disney 7 day pass. We stayed at Windsor Hills and although I wouldn’t combine that with SeaWorld and I 4 traffic again, the resort was probably the best part.
The only negative was the food there… the lines were consistently 40 plus minutes long because of the big sell of the meal plan plus a lot of places shut down with Covid. It was really frustrating. But I assume that had improved and it sounds like Disney was almost as bad. The rest of it was amazing!

 

[Goldilocks07]

I'm not sure where you're eating, but with the exception of Tusker House, my sister and I never pay this much for a TS meal, Generally we spend between $45 and $60 for the two of us. We were just there in May and although prices were somewhat higher, they weren't $60/person. But we don't do character dining, so perhaps that's the difference. Also, we don't drink alcoholic beverages.

ETA: I may have a completely different take on dining at WDW because I'm vegan, and out there in America it can be extremely difficult to get a decent vegan meal. At WDW, it's actually easy (with some planning), which is one of the things I really appreciate about WDW. There's even a vegan entree at Flame Tree now--a place I'd never eaten at before and was happy to discover.

LOL "out there in America". What does that even mean? Ugh you poor thing. I love vegan/vegetarian food, but I live in Manhattan, so it's just as good as Del Frisco's. I'm lucky.

No offense, but vegetarian/vegan options at Disney are the least expensive entrees on the menu. And I drink- one glass of wine- and often order a salad or app to share. And, if a patron is ordering one entree each, no drinks, no apps, $60 is still a LOT. And, we like good food. Outside of Disney I don't do fast food, heck, I don't even do Chipotle. I am a foodie. So I'm not ok with eating ball park food for 3 meals a day. Also, I want healthier food. Cheese fries and corn dogs to me are like eating...well...I can't think of anything lower to compare them to. Gross.

And for the record, I eat vegetarian quite often, as those tend to be the healthier and more appealing options. But, my kid is a meat eater and tends to order adult food (she's 10 anyway, so she kind of has to order as an adult).

I would love to know where you eat and what you order. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I'm totally open to hearing where others go to eat under $100 for 2 people. Please help me out.

 

[annekablam]

I'm not ok with eating ball park food for 3 meals a day.

The worst part is the quick service food at WDW is terrible even by ball park standards. I am the opposite of you and can easily live on junk for days, so I figured a few days eating QS meals would be no problem for me. Man oh man, I couldn't have been more wrong. The best meal I had that trip was the Papa Johns pizza I had uber'd to me. The worst was a chicken skewer I purchased for some ridiculous price in MK, I'm pretty sure it was over $10 but I really can't remember. Anyways, I literally handed my money over, took one bite, and then spit it out, all in less than 5 sec haha.

 

[shalom]

That actually was true at one time - but we're talking1980s/1990s.

Oh, no doubt. But I was seeing that claim when I first started seriously researching a trip in 2009, long after Disney had "cafeteria-ized" the experience. For all the raving about how great Disney food was, on our first trip I enjoyed my SeaWorld meals -- which were unabashedly cafeteria -- as much as I did those at Disney, for a heck of a lot less money, and on a considerably more flexible dining plan.

 

[Miffy]

LOL "out there in America". What does that even mean? Ugh you poor thing. I love vegan/vegetarian food, but I live in Manhattan, so it's just as good as Del Frisco's. I'm lucky.

No offense, but vegetarian/vegan options at Disney are the least expensive entrees on the menu. And I drink- one glass of wine- and often order a salad or app to share. And, if a patron is ordering one entree each, no drinks, no apps, $60 is still a LOT. And, we like good food. Outside of Disney I don't do fast food, heck, I don't even do Chipotle. I am a foodie. So I'm not ok with eating ball park food for 3 meals a day. Also, I want healthier food. Cheese fries and corn dogs to me are like eating...well...I can't think of anything lower to compare them to. Gross.

And for the record, I eat vegetarian quite often, as those tend to be the healthier and more appealing options. But, my kid is a meat eater and tends to order adult food (she's 10 anyway, so she kind of has to order as an adult).

I would love to know where you eat and what you order. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I'm totally open to hearing where others go to eat under $100 for 2 people. Please help me out.

First, I almost didn't respond to this, since being called "you poor thing" seemed like a nasty dig. Maybe it wasn't meant that way, but that's how it read.

Second, I live in NYC. When I said "out there" I meant as soon as one leaves a major metropolitan area in the United States, it's extremely difficult to get a vegan meal. Often impossible. This helps make a trip to WDW even more desirable to me. I'm including foreign destinations in this "out there." Can't very well go on a week-long trip and have to buy fruit at the grocery store every day in order to have something to eat. There's a vegan selection at nearly every WDW TS restaurant--maybe even all of them, although there are some choices that I'm not interested in.

Here's are a couple of examples of a meal for 2 that cost way less than $120:

Grand Floridian Cafe. Lunch. 2 orders of avocado toast @ $11 each = $22. 2 apple crisps @ $8 each = $16. Total $38 + 6.5% tax (about $2.50) + $10 tip = $50.50. Add in a couple of salads and it's another $30 or so. Still not $120.

We don't drink alcoholic beverages, rarely order anything to drink other than water (preference, not cheapness), and eat lunch, not dinner, since this both fits in better with our schedule and also I don't eat a late meal at home.

Two orders of vegan fish & chips at Rose & Crown is $50 + tax + tip = about $65. Still not $120.

Please try not to insult me if you respond to this post. This is the DISboard, not some snarky Internet forum. Thanks.

 

[jknc]

We agree the Disney Bang is being eroded. Really their marketing strategy is outdated. They shoot themselves in the foot constantly by offering services which are converted to paid experiences = stupid bate and switch mentality. Most the little kids don't even know who M&M are, no idea of what the wild west was (do they even teach that in schools?), twilight zone, Steven Tyler was on his way down when they made RnRC, Star Wars is very specific, AK is a zoo - really the whole place is becoming passé'.

For us, Universal is unappealing - we're not roller coaster people anymore. WDW is going to shortly become the 55+ vacation experience.

55+? that’s quite a take.

 

[jknc]

Remember in 2015 when they started clearing land for Tron?

 

[shawthorne44]

On a whim, I priced a Universal vacation. For an annual passes for my family and a deluxe on-site room with UNLIMITED EXPRESS PASS, the cost is less than half of the cost of Disney AP's alone. We can WALK to the gate of each park from our hotel.

You will love it. We had Universal AP's that have now expired. We got three trips on it, our last staying at RP then HRH.

I am a little worried that USF will call to DD while we were at Disney. We have a two-week trip with 10-park-day tickets. Original plan was to do the Disney trip during the tail-end of the USF AP's. So we could have hopped over to USF if we felt like it. But Disney trip was postponed for obvious reasons.

 

[Goldilocks07]

First, I almost didn't respond to this, since being called "you poor thing" seemed like a nasty dig. Maybe it wasn't meant that way, but that's how it read.

Second, I live in NYC. When I said "out there" I meant as soon as one leaves a major metropolitan area in the United States, it's extremely difficult to get a vegan meal. Often impossible. This helps make a trip to WDW even more desirable to me. I'm including foreign destinations in this "out there." Can't very well go on a week-long trip and have to buy fruit at the grocery store every day in order to have something to eat. There's a vegan selection at nearly every WDW TS restaurant--maybe even all of them, although there are some choices that I'm not interested in.

Here's are a couple of examples of a meal for 2 that cost way less than $120:

Grand Floridian Cafe. Lunch. 2 orders of avocado toast @ $11 each = $22. 2 apple crisps @ $8 each = $16. Total $38 + 6.5% tax (about $2.50) + $10 tip = $50.50. Add in a couple of salads and it's another $30 or so. Still not $120.

We don't drink alcoholic beverages, rarely order anything to drink other than water (preference, not cheapness), and eat lunch, not dinner, since this both fits in better with our schedule and also I don't eat a late meal at home.

Two orders of vegan fish & chips at Rose & Crown is $50 + tax + tip = about $65. Still not $120.

Please try not to insult me if you respond to this post. This is the DISboard, not some snarky Internet forum. Thanks.

First, I wasn't trying to insult you, sorry about that. And it's how you interpreted it. I live in NYC too, you know.

Good to know about GFC. But to leave a park to go eat there, clearly doesn't work. I have a 10 year old with an adult palate, and like most people, we are in the parks at lunch time. But honestly, I had no idea you could get $11 avo toast. So thanks for pointing that out. Sadly, my kid would want the chicken and waffles ($24). And I don't force her to order off the kids menu, which she wouldn't want.

So I guess you are right, it IS possible to order under $120- but I don't go out to dinner/lunch to order the least expensive thing on the menu and drink water. That's not enjoyable to me. I get it that's the way you eat, nothing wrong with that at all. To each, their own.

For example, we went to Chefs De France- ordered an app salad ($14.25), we split the 3 course meal, $59.90, and she had a soda ($5). That's $80 give or take and plus tax- and then we tip 20% at least. So the meal was $96. I'm sorry, that is RIDICULOUS. Actually, I'm not sorry. Because even though we've been numerous times, when we went a few weeks ago the food was gross and we won't be going back.

And thanks for the feedback. Nothing like waking up to be called 'snarky'. Have a veganical day.

 

[CBMom01]

I'm not sure where you're eating, but with the exception of Tusker House, my sister and I never pay this much for a TS meal, Generally we spend between $45 and $60 for the two of us. We were just there in May and although prices were somewhat higher, they weren't $60/person. But we don't do character dining, so perhaps that's the difference. Also, we don't drink alcoholic beverages.

ETA: I may have a completely different take on dining at WDW because I'm vegan, and out there in America it can be extremely difficult to get a decent vegan meal. At WDW, it's actually easy (with some planning), which is one of the things I really appreciate about WDW. There's even a vegan entree at Flame Tree now--a place I'd never eaten at before and was happy to discover.

“Out there in America” ??
This is the kind of thing that makes me ok with being called “flyover country”. Keeps attitudes like that away

 

[MrBellatrixLestrange]

And we decided to take the extra days and money and go explore the Everglades and Florida Keys. I'm looking forward to venturing out!

Key West is great in the winter time, I went once in the summer and the weather was absolutely unbearable to me. Me and a buddy went on a "power" tour that included snorkeling, jet skiing, and parasailing with beer included (post-jet skis for obvious reasons) and had a blast! The food was even pretty good and was also included.

 

[charmed59]

Genuinely curious, do you not mind having to pay per ride on top of the base admission and on top of Genie+? Wouldn't you rather just have a higher ticket price than be shaken down at every turn? I am personally so frustrated by that alone - as it makes it impossible for me to estimate the cost of a day in the parks (and that's no accident) - that this is now my tipping point.

Of course I'll pay ANYTHING to ride Expedition Everest once I'm at the ride stile having travelled 1000's of miles and paid 1000's of dollars to come to WDW. And just knowing they are taking advantage of me in that moment makes me SO mad I can't even tell you... just really looking forward to UOR now!

If I had my druthers I’d prefer they go to a general admission, maybe around $60, and then pay per attraction, with the most popular attractions being the most expensive. Someone who comes into MK and hits Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates and teacups comes out spending the same as now. Some one who comes in to hit all the mountains and 5 other popular rides will spend more. Someone who comes in to soak up the atmosphere and shop and dine pays less than they do now.

 

[JakeAZ]

If I had my druthers I’d prefer they go to a general admission, maybe around $60

You wouldn't be able to walk anywhere if they did this.

 

[CBMom01]

Key West is great in the winter time, I went once in the summer and the weather was absolutely unbearable to me. Me and a buddy went on a "power" tour that included snorkeling, jet skiing, and parasailing with beer included (post-jet skis for obvious reasons) and had a blast! The food was even pretty good and was also included.

I second that about Key West. If you have time, explore into the area around Marathon - north of the 7mile bridge up to Islamorada

 

[OhDannyBoy]

“Out there in America” ??
This is the kind of thing that makes me ok with being called “flyover country”. Keeps attitudes like that away

Don't take it personal. If you had to live in NY you'd have a bad attitude too.