Are You Cancelling Buffets?

[jjohnson]

Did they happen to say what the notice dated 6/17 said? I have read a post from a CM that it only refers to pre-paid AR's such as HDDR.

I read that post too. Dining had me convinced yesterday that they knew what they were talking about. She said if any restaurant gives me a "hard" time to tell them to look at the notice on their computer dated 6/17. I had written it down but can't find it. I do know it said something about honoring all AR's made before 7/1. I'm going to call back. I have 15 SD booked for the week that I can easily cancel most (my kids are just as happy eating off site).
There's only 3 of them that they care about.

There has been WAY too many changes this past year. Enough already.

 

[lorik]

I think that what I said needs to be clarified. I never said that I thought the adult prices were reasonable. What I said was that most restaurants start charging adult prices at 10. I definitely think that charging as much as $28 for a buffet is a lot of money, but then any sit-down meal at Disney is even more expensive if you're getting an appetizer, entree and dessert without the dining plan.

 

[melaniemiller2002]

We live in an area that has a TON of buffets (the casino's all have buffets in them) and even the most expensive buffet, which is the surf and turf buffet on Friday and Saturday night is $26.99 for adults and $19.99 for children under 12. Most buffets run about $19.99 for adults and $13.99 for children under 12. I can't imagine paying almost $30 for my DS to eat in less than a year when he turns 9. That's just crazy.

My family is in the restaurant business and I DO understand bottom line costs. Food has to be marked up at least 30% for the establishment to make a profit. People don't have a clear concept how expensive it can be to run a restaurant (I'm talking from a self employed restaurant and not a big business like Disney). And when you have items such as fresh fruit/veggies and meat, it gets really complicated because of the wide fluctuations in market pricing for these options. My folks run a BBQ restaurant and my parents lose money on their baby back ribs throughout the year due to the increase in meat. My mom refuses to continually change the price of their 1/2 rack babyback ribs just because the cost of meat rises and falls.

That being said, Disney obviously isn't affected as much by the change in food prices, but they do have to cover their costs somewhere. People finding "loopholes", sharing meals, etc.....it all affects their bottom line when multiplied by millions of visitors per year. I still think that charging almost $30 is insanity for a 9 year to eat and they should implement some sort of junior pricing. Yes, it will probably be abused by those with small children or even those who are young looking adults and go for the junior price. But they do need to figure out something or people will start staying off site, renting cars and eating elsewhere, or just going elsewhere altogether.

Of course, we will still visit.....and have to save up that much more $$ during the year for our trip....sigh.

Melanie

 

[jjohnson]

Ok..I can stand behind what I said in my other post.

I called Dining again & they have reconfirmed that all AR's made before July 1st will be honored at the 11 and under price.

They said its right in their computer (restuarants) when you called & how old the children are & if they still have a problem to tell them to call Dining.

 

[notnothin]

I don't really understand the big fuss over this. If this change makes it too costly to take your young children to eat at buffets in WDW, then the simple solution is not to eat at buffets. There are plenty of other dining options available, both within and outside WDW.

 

[babybunrab]

Arggh! I just wish we could all get the SAME information! I called yesterday and today and was told both times by different CMs that the 'book before July 1st and pay the old child's price' thing was ONLY for pre-paid buffets, not for ADRs. JJohnson has gotten information that contradicts that twice as well. I don't doubt we were both told conflicting information. I'm so confused...

 

[jjohnson]

It's making me

I guess we won't really know until posts after July 1st. Everyone please report back.

 

[babybunrab]

I just hope, hope, hope that Jjohnson is right and that I'm wrong! (I usually am wrong, though, so that should give everyone hope...)

 

[Brendita]

YES I canceled all Character Buffets.
Made sure they knew why.
Also wrote a long detailed letter as to why.
Even if my DS was a big eater.
I can't see paying over $50. for 1 meal for only 1 adult & 1 child.
I don't care what they say an 11 yr old is a child.
NOT AN ADULT & should be charged as such.
We will do a few none character lunch buffets.
No more Dinner or Character buffets .
I do love Disney but I can only do Disney on a budget.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

If so, make sure that Disney knows why! I just called and cancelled all of our PSRs for buffets. When I did it, the CM was able to put in a reason for cancellation. She put that it was due to the change in children's pricing. If you cancel reservations for this reason, please be sure to make sure Disney Dining knows about it! I refuse to pay full adult prices for my ds to eat at a buffet. She stated that I was the 6th person she'd had call to cancel reservations this morning!

Just a reminder:

E-Mail complaints to: Guest Communications

Write letters to:

WDW Guest Communications
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0400

Be sure to provide contact info so they can get back to you!

The new pricing is CRAP!!! We always do TONS of character meal buffets!! We LOVE them, now if we want to do them I will have to pay adult price for my 10yo DD who eats absolutely NOTHING!!! GEEZ!!! The eight yo eats VERY LITTLE, but we are "safe" with her for another year! So, we will have 5 @ the adult price and one a child price. I really hope Disney gets the message!!! Get those e-mails and letters going!!!

 

[packy]

We are going the last week of August and have free dining so it doesn't matter but we have an 11 year old on the trip. If at a buffet my 11 year old would probably eat salad (if we made him) and macaroni and cheese and not much else. Paying $25-$28 for my 11 year old would be a compete waste of money. I think Disney needs to come up with three categories with different prices.

 

[Meezers]

Does anyone else think this is happening because of poor planning with the dining plan?

I have read of many people who are using the dining plan.....ordering and using credits for the adult TS...paying for the childs meal and "banking" the TS meal to use for an adult.

Now I don't blame people who have taken advantage of this. I think it was short sighted on Disney to not be able to tell the difference between a child dining credit and an adult dining credit. They set themselves up for this and now have decided to make everyone pay for it.

Is anyone else getting very disenchanted with Disney in general? I am beginning to feel like I am being treated like a walking wallet....bummer

 

[jjohnson]

Does anyone else think this is happening because of poor planning with the dining plan?

I have read of many people who are using the dining plan.....ordering and using credits for the adult TS...paying for the childs meal and "banking" the TS meal to use for an adult.

Now I don't blame people who have taken advantage of this. I think it was short sighted on Disney to not be able to tell the difference between a child dining credit and an adult dining credit. They set themselves up for this and now have decided to make everyone pay for it.

Is anyone else getting very disenchanted with Disney in general? I am beginning to feel like I am being treated like a walking wallet....bummer

Maybe but it can't be too difficult to seperate the adult & child credits on the KTTW card. This would solve the problem of adults banking the child TS.

 

[Lorelai]

Has Disney ever changed a policy back?? Does anyone think that by pulling out of reservations (based on the new pricing) that Disney will revert back to the old pricing?

We were there in April, and I have to say that my 11 year old ate a little bit of chicken, mac & cheese and fruit. Definitely NOT worth paying an adult price for.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I understand that no matter what the age limit, someone just misses the cut-off, which is why the Junior pricing for buffets seems to make sense. It would dovetail into the adult park ticket pricing, but still allow flexibility for those of us who have "bird like eaters". If a child is a big eater and orders off the adult menu at a TS, then IMO, they should pay full price, but if a "junior" orders off the child's menu, they should pay the price listed on the child's menu. It just makes more sense to pay for what you get. Junior pricing at buffets would be a nice middle of the road. For every big eater there is probably a bird like eater - it seems like it would all come out even in the end.

 

[sugermouse]

This is Disney...stop complaining

 

[C.Ann]

This is Disney...stop complaining

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Why? Just because it's "Disney" people aren't allowed to voice their displeasure?

 

[patsal]

Well I cancelled all PS's for buffets and dinner shows. I did let them know why. I'm sure this is all well and good for those on the dining plan, but for DVC we can't get the dining package and it is just another way to eradicate the nominal amount we save with DDE. ($175-20% for a dinner show versus $200-20% for the dinner show jsut doesn't cut it for me). Not worth it for us.

 

[n2mm]

This is Disney...stop complaining

I'm sure disney wants to know what we think. If they didn't, they wouldn't hire all of those survey takers that lurk at the entrance of their parks to catch you coming and going and taking surveys. And they surely wouldn't be sending us survey postcards if they didn't want our opinions. I have filled out 4 already this year. They are interested in our opinion, good or bad. I have emailed and called them and hope they call me back. Waiting until alot of us already have our dining arrangements made, including buffets and dinner shows under the current prices, then we find out they decided to change the prices (thank you disboards). I don't know about the rest of you, but I did not get a call from dining to tell me that my ressies have now been modified and my grandson who was booked as a child at Cape May, is now an adult.

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

I have now called several times and still am getting the same answer. Children 10 and up will now be considered an Adult,it doesn't matter that you booked 90 days out or not!!!! I am keeping my buffet ressies for now but am scrambling to come up with alternatives. Now I feel bad,cause I am holding so many ressies that I know I will not be using. I just hope I remember to cancel them so I don't get charged (Fantasmic,Princess...)! I will be down on June 29th and if I bring my computer,I will report right back. If anyone knows any further information,please let us know!!!!