Price Increase on Buffets

[PrincessDadx2]

Heads up to all budget people. I saw on the restaurant board and allearsnet.com that the price of almost all of the buffets has been bumped up by $1 a person, so plan accordingly.

One thing this does do is make the breakfast vouchers more valuable. I may have to pick up a few more for our trip.

[Mic]

I would like to add that there have been changes made to two of our favorite restaurants as well: Tony's and Teppanyaki(Japan). At Tony's, the great bread and dipping sauce is no longer served at lunch(my husband loves this stuff), but the menu prices still seem to be about the same as they were in June. At Teppanyaki, however, the food prices went WAY up(several dollars for each entree, as well as the kids' meals). A small salad is no longer included with an adult entree, either; there is now a charge for it. The small fruit salad that used to be included with the kids meal is not anymore, but the small ice cream dessert still is. Our total bill went up by 1/3 (from $100 for lunch to $135), so this restaurant is no longer a must-do for us. Just thought I'd pass this along, as I really appreciate the information about the buffet price increase.

[my3kids]

The $2.00 per person increase at Cinderella's breakfast is making the vouchers I purchased from Hotwire an even better deal!

[BethR]

*Sigh* When we went to the 1900 Park Fare for dinner this past August (a "must do" for our family) it was $25.99 per adult and $10.99 per child. It was over $170 for one meal!!! :eek:
Now it has gone up by $2 per person - adult or child - and with the tax and tip going up with it, will now cost us nearly $200!!! :earseek: :earseek: :earseek:
Maybe it will no longer be a "must do" for us... :(

[bigsis1970]

I am leaving in 15 days and am glad to have gotten adult and children vouchers for our 3 character breakfast!! Michelle

[crzy4mickey]

Can anyone tell me how the food vouchers work and where to get them. We'll be doing a few character dinners/breakfasts and would, of course love to save some money!

[BethR]

crzy4mickey,

Just take a look at the top of this board and you will see a thread entitled "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Connection Vouchers."

It should give you some good information and if you still have questions, you could post to that thread or ask here. :)

Hope that this helps! :)

[frannn]

go up in May 2005 a few dollars as well..... Chef Mickey's is a must do for every trip, but I thought it was overpriced at 26 per adult (or is it more?). Anyway, 28/adult is even worse. We will probably keep this one in our plans each year, but will most likely cut out a few others. I wonder if Disney will lose $ by raising prices because people will go to fewer character meals? It's not the same as raising ticket prices; it's easier to say "Let's skip CM" then "lets skip MK". Although, I wonder if 2. per person will bother many people.

[javaj]

Voucher prices went up in January 2004, so I'd think they could probably go up in Jan 2005.

Originally posted by frannn
Wow! I wonder if the voucher prices will go up in May 2005 a few dollars as well.....

[Maddle]

We just went to Chef Mickey's at the end of September. As we were standing in line to check in, we became aware of the price increase since the last time I was there this past winter. We were already in line, and the kids were out of their mind with excitement....so we stayed and swallowed the cost. It just would have been mean to walk out at that point.

BUT - I was thinking to myself "have a good time, because this is probably the last time I can justify this." Now, if it's going up ANOTHER $2, ...well, that clinches it. Most likely, no more Chef Mickey's for me. It is fun, and you are paying for more than just the food (no matter how good it is or it isn't)...but when you tax and tip it out, it is very hard to justify....you could almost add another day to your park hopper ticket for that kind of money.

Maddle

[tinkerbell13]

I just wonder about the price increase though. If I already put a deposit down on our breakfast, are they really allowed to just up the price on what I was told it was going to be? If I didn't belong to these boards I probably wouldn't have know about the increase, and would have been a little surprised, especially if I didn't have the vouchers.

[kitn]

The prices before the increase were way too high for my 3 and 5 year old. I just cant imagine paying 11.00 for each of them to have a few fries. I just hope the vouchers dont go up that much. Sigh...It is crazy that it is cheaper to go to a sit down placce like Le celler than a buffet.

kitn

[patsal]

We cut out many buffets last trip and will do the same this time, though I love the character interaction, I can live without it for that price! They can and have raised voucher prices midyear before, so be prepared.

[bigsis1970]

I imagaine if they raise the price mid year the voucher is still good even if you got it at the lower price ?

[SnowWitch]

I'm sorry but I have long felt the quality of the food at the buffets and the selection has went downhill. And now they have a price increase. Nope, no way! I have marked Ohana off $27 per adult there is no way that one is anywhere near worth that. I can go to Le Cellier for that thanks!! I will keep Boma only because we will be spending a weekend at the AKL and we will keep Crystal Palace dinner only because of the nephew but this will be our last character meal.

[janskin]

I have already bought vouchers for the breakfasts at CP, CRT and PSB. I have decided to drop one of our buffet dinners, it just seems like too much money when you have to pay for 4 adults and one child.


Jan:earseek:

[CarolA]

Sorry, but I still think the buffets are a good deal. When you figure the cost a Disney vacation standing in line for an hour for Mickey is actually pretty expensive too. (Price of tickets/ hours in park times hours wasted waiting for characthers!)

The one time we went O'Hanas we ate so much that even with the price increase we got our money's worth (in Shrimp alone LOL!)

And yes, they can change the price even though they quoted you something else over the phone. There is no real contact here. (you don't recieve a written confirmation on the cost like you do a hotel room)

[Cinderpals]

The price increase will cause me to cut back on some of the CM and substitute some counter service etc... I made my budget a long time ago. I was told that the price increase would be $1 per person, not $2! I have two trips planned before the end of the year, and will just cut back 2 or 3 per visit. They are fun though.

[lc1965]

I don't have a problem w/ most prices at WDW. I know that by the end of the week it all adds up to a small fortune, esp. if you have a family. Nevertheless, each individual meal is not absurdly expensive, for the most part. Of course, that can vary, based on the restaurant, but anywhere you go there will be "expensive" places & "reasonable" places & "stupid cheap" places. I don't think $23 for an adult or $11 for a kid's meal is expensive. I don't do it every day -- I can't afford it so I don't -- but I don't blame Disney for their prices. I go maybe once or twice while I'm there & the rest of the time have counter sevice, etc.

[crisi]

I'll admit I'm always a little shocked at how many DisBoarders do multiple character meals a trip - and on a tight budget! Some of these people will skip one, some will just save a little extra. For a family of four a $2 increase is only $8. Some will, of course, not be able to do buffets, even if its "just" $8 more.

But I doubt Disney will notice anyone's absence. Most of these restaurants are very popular. And they do need to raise prices - I know my grocery bill has gotten more expensive in the past year, I'm sure Disney's has as well.

I do agree with SnowWitch - we've always found the menu meals a "better value" than the buffets. Boma wasn't much cheaper by the time we were done than Le Cellier, but the food at Le Cellier was MUCH better. We could stuff ourselves silly at the Biergarten, but we were all more than amply fed at Marrakesh for only a few dollars more with better food.

[SnowWitch]

Thanks crisi. Thats my point-its not that an extra $2 is going to break the bank its the fact the quality and selection of the buffets don't justify paying $26.99 per adult. Let's consider Ohana for amoment which is now $26.99, if you don't want the pineapple and carmel for dessert then you have to chunk over another $5.69 (I believe) for dessert so that brings the total to $32.68 before tax and tip. Nope this girl will be at Le Cellier or Artist Point.

[crisi]

Just to play devil's advocate.

I reserve the right to change my mind when my son is sixteen instead of six, consumes three courses at Le Cellier and is stopping for more food as we enter the UK....

And Ohana, even at $30.00, is probably still a good deal for a family that will eat endless amounts of shrimp

[Trixiezzz]

The only buffets we're doing are our 2 Character Breakfasts ~CRT and CM ~ so I'm even happier with our decision to purchase meal vouchers.

And by the way, I just checked. Hotwire has NOT increased its prices.

So you can still buy Breakfast Vouchers for:

~~~~~~~~~ $ 18.25 adult ~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~$ 11.00 child ~~~~~~~~

So you can ignore the price increase with these ( and they already include tax & tip, which will be higher, too without vouchers).

I'm very happy with Hotwire!

~Trixie
:wave2:

[vald1977]

Originally posted by Trixiezzz
The only buffets we're doing are our 2 Character Breakfasts ~CRT and CM ~ so I'm even happier with our decision to purchase meal vouchers.

And by the way, I just checked. Hotwire has NOT increased its prices.

So you can still buy Breakfast Vouchers for:

~~~~~~~~~ $ 18.25 adult ~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~$ 11.00 child ~~~~~~~~

So you can ignore the price increase with these ( and they already include tax & tip, which will be higher, too without vouchers).

I'm very happy with Hotwire!

~Trixie
:wave2:

I was wondering about this. Thanks for checking into it :D . I'll be joining Hotwire savings club today.