$43.66 for a 10 year old to eat at Chrystal Palace!!!

[GeorgiaHoo]

I agree that no matter what age, it's not fair to some...but $43 at 10! Yikes.

We've done several character meals each trip (usually at least 3 or 4), but on our next trip all 3 KIDS will be DISNEY ADULTS ~ 10, 12 & 13. So as a family of 5, with 3 kids, we will count as 5 adults. No way we can afford to eat at the places we have loved over the years.

Last trip they were 8, 10 & 12. We were considered 4 adults. OUCH! Thank goodness for free dining

$255 (including a 20% gratuity) for a family of 5 for a not-very-good breakfast and some (perhaps minimal) interaction with characters is CRAZY expensive.

 

[WillAustin]

The way I look at it is this: Do I go on a trip to WDW thinking about how much I am paying for everything, and is that item woth the cost? No, not really.If I did, I would never eat a meal on WDW property. If you were to look at how much a few eggs and bacon cost, of course it isn't worth $70 for a family of 4. However, once you add in that you are having breakfast at the Poly, and dining with Lilo and Stitch and friends, then that changes everything.

I agree with that. That's how we look at it also.

I'm certain we've done plenty of things far more questionable than spending $40+ each to meet Winnie the Pooh and his friends, even if we don't eat a single thing. The look on my youngest sons face the first time he saw the characters walk up was worth far more to me than what it cost.

 

[Doug7856]

Where did you get that price from?? I looked up WDW and ALLEARS for prices, and both were incorrect. I called the Disney DInning number and they got me the actully price for the time of year we are going. I suggest you do the same.

I got the price from AllEars.net. WDWinfo.com just says "$36 to $59.99 per person".

 

[eliza61]

The way I look at it is this: Do I go on a trip to WDW thinking about how much I am paying for everything, and is that item woth the cost? No, not really.If I did, I would never eat a meal on WDW property. If you were to look at how much a few eggs and bacon cost, of course it isn't worth $70 for a family of 4. However, once you add in that you are having breakfast at the Poly, and dining with Lilo and Stitch and friends, then that changes everything.
.

Let me say first that I'm not a big fan of disney dining anymore so I'm probably a little more critical of disney's pricey.

It's so funny how differently people can view things. you're right, rarely do I go on vacation worrying about how much some thing cost but I always have an eye to the value I am getting.
The problem is disney I plan way before I get there. Now the other problem I have is that I do know how much eggs cost so toss in the fact that the markup disney has put on it would be considered Mafia extortion rates anywhere else combine with the fact that generally the buffets are mediocre (quality is very subjective I know, but that's my take) and it's a game I can no longer play.

So for me it's not all about price. Like others throughout my life I've blown money on crazier things but I hate going on vacation expecting good meals and then feeling like I was ripped off.

 

[Doug7856]

Agree--that's a lot but you have to remember, you're paying for the experience, not so much the 2 chicken legs.

Even at those outrageous prices, there are doorbusting crowds all day and night. People don't care how much it costs.

Sometimes I look around and think "what recession?"

I think you're making a good choice for your family. You wouldn't enjoy it if you were sitting there thinking about how much money you're spending. There are so many other great options there.

The experience is a huge part of the meal cost no doubt! For us, this is not a once in a lifetime trip, so it's an experience that would be nice, but not essential. We are DVC members, have AP's and a TIW card and due to family reasons had to bank our 2010 points so we are enjoying a year of multiple trips to Walt Disney World. This particular trip we're staying off site (trying to set my expectations low. LOL) as we use up a week banked from our Wyndham timeshare.

I do find the price of Disney meals shocking now that my son is 10, though.

Last time I walked past Crystal Palace, there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. As a Disney stockholder, I guess I appreciate the brisk and profitable business, but as a dad on a budget, it's a meal we'll pass up on this trip.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

That is just ridiculous pricing. I have never been to a buffet IN MY LIFE that had food worthy of a $40 price tag.

Disney makes MILLIONS every year off making a 10 yr old into an adult instead of going with the age the rest of the world charges for a kid, 12 yrs old becomes an adult in the real world.

Whoever made that decision back in the day made Disney some massive profits.

PPL say THAT is what makes the DDP worth the money. But the DDP is $55 a day for 2012, so you aren't getting that buffet any cheaper, you are just paying for it in advance.

 

[Art 1]

That is just ridiculous pricing. I have never been to a buffet IN MY LIFE that had food worthy of a $40 price tag.

Disney makes MILLIONS every year off making a 10 yr old into an adult instead of going with the age the rest of the world charges for a kid, 12 yrs old becomes an adult in the real world.

Whoever made that decision back in the day made Disney some massive profits.

PPL say THAT is what makes the DDP worth the money. But the DDP is $55 a day for 2012, so you aren't getting that buffet any cheaper, you are just paying for it in advance.

I have, there a number of them that are much more than that and well worth it.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I have, there a number of them that are much more than that and well worth it.

I have too, and there are buffets that are expensive and good (Fogo de Chao), they just aren't at Disney

 

[notnothin]

I have too, and there are buffets that are expensive and good (Fogo de Chao), they just aren't at Disney

I was thinking the same thing. Love Fogo de Chao (and other assorted churrascarias) and don't mind the charge there whatsoever.

 

[asianway]

It never ceases to amaze me how popular Crystal Palace is - the characters are all available in other places(Pooh and Tigger in all 4 parks), they dont wear special outfits, and the characters have been stagnant for about 20 years now.

Food is mediocre.

We used to do it "back in the day", but there are many better character dining options now.

 

[DisneyDoc1895]

Yeah, my youngest will turn 10 this summer too so we are pretty much done with buffets for a while. We love tusker and the Biergarten, but when the cost for 4 "adults" climbs to $150 and 3 of them are really not going to eat much, it is really hard to pay. And, they keep changing things to character meals, and doing away with lunch prices, further chasing us away. I guess the dining plan people will still keep the restaurants full.

Ken

 

[Planogirl]

I agree that the Crystal Palace always has long lines. I do wonder how many people in those lines are there for the first time and don't know what to expect though.

I need to add that I like the CP breakfast. I have always enjoyed it plus the restaurant is pretty and I love Tigger too. I just can't justify spending that when I no longer have a small child. With small children it's different but I don't know how people with several kids afford these places!

 

[KellyNY]

We did it years ago and while it was cute, food was just OK for the money we paid. Personally I do not understand why people pay so much for a brief moment with characters when you can find them in park for free, but to each its own.

 

[ancestry]

At Disney we usually only do buffets when on the dining plan and when we have young children (under 10). If we pay cash or use the TIW card we stick to restaurants where you order off a menu.

 

[conniehar90]

I agree that these prices are insane for a 10 year old. We went to Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace and Garden Grill on our last trip. I went into it thinking it was a splurge for vacation (which doesn't bother me) but ended up just feeliing ripped off. My DD10 is a pretty good eater but she is still eating off of the kid's section so why should she be paying for prime rib! The worst was at Garden Grill where it is not a buffet but it is all you can eat. I specifically asked for the child's plate for her because she wanted the chicken and mac and cheese. They were happy to accomodate her but also happy to charge $35 for the adult meal because she was 10.

 

[stitch34]

It is insane the pricing and that 10 is an adult.
Hated when my daughter turned 10... and this upcoming trip will be the last trip that my twins are 9.... after that comes adulthood in Disney.
We do deluxe dining plan and LOVE doing lots of dining.... not sure what we'll do when all are 'adults'. We have grown too accustomed to doing daily character breakfast buffets and some dinner buffets, too - wouldn't be going to WDW without doing all our favorites! The dining plan is a savings for us versus out of pocket... but will be about $360 a day for my family for deluxe - I liked it better when they were all under 10 and was around $135 a day for deluxe dining!

I know even with my oldest - now 11, that many times even paying as an adult she still wants off the kiddie menu, as nothing on the adult menu always appeals to her tastes yet.

 

[Livia]

That's a steep price. I was hoping it was for dinner and not breakfast?

 

[Amy&Dan]

I haven't read all the replies but its all about the fact they want you to do the DDP. They know if you do the math on full serve dining, it will be a better deal to do the Plan.

We ate at CP in June, the one and only full serve meal we did that trip and there were eight of us, my family of four (my kids were 14 and 16) and my brother's family (his girls were both 10) and with the tip the bill was over $400. Insane.

The food was good, the characters were fine but very rushed and the service was okay but nothing to write home about.

Its our last out of pocket buffet at Disney. If we can go when its free dining and we stay at moderate or above then that's great. But my days of paying over $200 to eat food that I can eat at Golden Corral and see characters that are on a tight schedule is not happening anymore.

Seeing my dd and my nieces all nibble on a few nuggets and some strawberries and told by our waiter "you were at the buffet and Piglet isn't coming back", just sort of made me realize that for us, former character buffet lovers (have been to every single one at both WDW and Disneyland, most several times) its gotten to be too expensive and I guess my kids are too old to really maximize the entertainment factor which is what you are paying for anyway.

 

[Amy&Dan]

That is just ridiculous pricing. I have never been to a buffet IN MY LIFE that had food worthy of a $40 price tag.

Disney makes MILLIONS every year off making a 10 yr old into an adult instead of going with the age the rest of the world charges for a kid, 12 yrs old becomes an adult in the real world.

Whoever made that decision back in the day made Disney some massive profits.

PPL say THAT is what makes the DDP worth the money. But the DDP is $55 a day for 2012, so you aren't getting that buffet any cheaper, you are just paying for it in advance.

But if CP is $43 by itself, by the time you add a counter service meal that comes with a drink and dessert, plus a snack, plus the refill mug, it is going to be less expensive to do the DDP as long as you plan to eat a full serve meal every day.

But I would NEVER pay $55 a day x 4 for my family of four to get the DDP. It has to be "free" (for us a good deal since we have four "adults" and don't stay deluxe) or we pay OOP and find way better deals by eating at non buffets, splitting some meals and not doing the buffets.

 

[blondietink]

The prices are exactly the reason why I cancelled our ADR's for our last 2 trips. I even had a hard to get LeCellier lunch ADR in the mix! We are 4 adults and when you add the tax and tip, some of those meals can come to $50.00 per person or more! OUCH! So, unless it is free dining time, we don't do any sit down restaurants anymore at WDW. We get a snack, split counter service and/or take in our own sandwiches to the parks.