Churro Waffles- Concierge Only?

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Would charging for churro waffles be considered the nickel and diming that DCL fans
accuse other cruise lines of doing but that DCL doesn’t do? Seriously, charging for a freaking waffle is absurd. It’s not like Waygu beef or lobster with a high cost.

Yes. It absolutely would. It’s another example of a formerly included / free part of the experience (DME, FP, extended evening hours, etc) that has been paywalled. It’s not being universally applied across the boats (yet) and the ability to continue offering it to all guests is something they could easily do yet are choosing not to.

As for the waffles I thought they were fine. But that’s not the point. This is part of a broader effort to paywall things and charge up charges on things that used to be freely offered. I’d be just as upset if it was an experience or attraction I didn’t personally particularly care for.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

I totally get where you're coming from but most especially with the pandemic things went away and the price went up as the end result. So in your example about the buffet coming back and being upset likely has more to do with what they are paying for but not getting. If your rates don't reflect the more limited options people can and do understandably get upset especially if they are paying the price as if it was the full buffet. I don't think it quite works out here with churros but I think the overall mentality does where people feel they would be paying for the fare and having an option that used to be included now upcharged.

Yep. I’m on. A sailing soon without my kids. If they suddenly imposed a restriction for the Oceaneer’s Club for certain nights where it’s only available to Concierge level guests I’d be irate even if it doesn’t personally affect me in the slightest.

 

[Mommb]

Yep. I’m on. A sailing soon without my kids. If they suddenly imposed a restriction for the Oceaneer’s Club for certain nights where it’s only available to Concierge level guests I’d be irate even if it doesn’t personally affect me in the slightest.

There is a difference between limiting access to something advertised for all guests to Concierge guests and providing certain food items to Concierge guests and not to other guests.

I have no idea what was served in the Concierge lounge on my cruises. Unless there is a notice in the Navigator "these food items are available only in the Concierge lounge," that would be true of most guests.

While I've seen cases when certain restaurants or lounges have been open only for Concierge guests, that almost always happens at times when those places wouldn't have been open for other guests anyhow (such as embarkation day when one restaurant and the buffet are open to all, or mid-afternoon in a lounge that typically opens in the evening).

I do think it was unfair to combine Vibe and Edge on the Dream and Fantasy to make more room for Concierge (although I haven't actually seen many complaints about that from or about people in that age group). I can also understand objections to turning the Outlook Lounge on the Wonder into a Concierge lounge. Those are among the few instances, though, where non-Concierge guests would even notice what Concierge has that they don't. Most Concierge benefits have very limited effect on other guests.

 

[lilmc]

I don’t understand why churro Mickey waffles are being targeted? They’re cheap, I assuming. It’s not like they’re taking steak, shrimp, chicken tenders, etc away from Cabana’s/Marceline as a cost cutting measure, so it can’t be a cost thing. What would be their goal here? Selling a full sized version can’t bring in *that* much revenue compared to the ire it creates.

 

[Marley21]

I don’t understand why churro Mickey waffles are being targeted? They’re cheap, I assuming. It’s not like they’re taking steak, shrimp, chicken tenders, etc away from Cabana’s/Marceline as a cost cutting measure, so it can’t be a cost thing. What would be their goal here? Selling a full sized version can’t bring in *that* much revenue compared to the ire it creates.

In my opinion, the purpose is to make the conciege guests feel like they have an exclusive benefit and in turn justify the amount they are paying for concierge. When you look at the actual perks of concierge, there's very little value in the benefits offered to justify the cost (other than the quiet space of the lounge). With DCL looking to expand the number of concierge guests on its ships, it has to create perks essentially out of thin air to make the concierge guests feel like they are receiving things of value. And as you point out, the churro waffles are relatively inexpensive in the whole grand scheme of things, so it costs DCL next to nothing to give this exclusive perk to the concierge guests.

Notably, DCL does not offer very many perks that are of value to concierge guests (e.g., free Wifi, a meal in Palo, etc.). So it has to create these other perks to make the concierge guests feel like they are exclusive.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

In my opinion, the purpose is to make the conciege guests feel like they have an exclusive benefit and in turn justify the amount they are paying for concierge. When you look at the actual perks of concierge, there's very little value in the benefits offered to justify the cost (other than the quiet space of the lounge). With DCL looking to expand the number of concierge guests on its ships, it has to create perks essentially out of thin air to make the concierge guests feel like they are receiving things of value. And as you point out, the churro waffles are relatively inexpensive in the whole grand scheme of things, so it costs DCL next to nothing to give this exclusive perk to the concierge guests.

Notably, DCL does not offer very many perks that are of value to concierge guests (e.g., free Wifi, a meal in Palo, etc.). So it has to create these other perks to make the concierge guests feel like they are exclusive.

Wait until the “free” and “unlimited” Mickey Bars are paywalled behind concierge. I can’t wait to see the contortions some here go through suggesting this isn’t that big of a deal, and isn’t indicative of a broader effort to boost yield motivated by craven corporate greed.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So it has to create these other perks to make the concierge guests feel like they are exclusive.

I don't think churro waffles, an existing product, is going to make a concierge guest feel exclusive. I agree with the premise but DCL can create something brand new as a feature only available to concierge guests to make it exclusive because from the beginning you could only get it if you stay there. Then again there was a person who said they were booking concierge just to be able to have better breakfast options for room service and not for anything else (they ended up looking at other lines that gave them what they wanted without having to book concierge) so I won't discount that some guests will book it purely to get their waffle fix. I just don't think DCL has to use waffles as the other perk to make someone feel exclusive.

 

[Mom2Anna&Elsa]

I like the churro waffles, most of my family does too. We look forward to them every sailing.

Not going to lie, I’d be mad if this was a change they made. DCL charges so much for their cruises, and since my husband is in education, and we have two kids in school, we travel during peak times and pay quite a bit.

If they removed from all ships and all guests, I would be bummed. But if they’re only letting concierge have them, that’s ridiculous. I worry about what this means for other things.

Just surprised that Disney would do something else to irritate customers when the amount of discounts seem to indicate they’re having trouble filling all of their ships.

Did they learn nothing from the ‘ Ohana noodle fiasco?

 

[SL6827]

What will be the next thing to go to concierge that was included before? Charge for the shows, but free for concierge guest. Charge for the Aqua Mouse, but free for concierge? Slippery slope.

 

[SL6827]

In my opinion, the purpose is to make the conciege guests feel like they have an exclusive benefit and in turn justify the amount they are paying for concierge. When you look at the actual perks of concierge, there's very little value in the benefits offered to justify the cost (other than the quiet space of the lounge). With DCL looking to expand the number of concierge guests on its ships, it has to create perks essentially out of thin air to make the concierge guests feel like they are receiving things of value. And as you point out, the churro waffles are relatively inexpensive in the whole grand scheme of things, so it costs DCL next to nothing to give this exclusive perk to the concierge guests.

Notably, DCL does not offer very many perks that are of value to concierge guests (e.g., free Wifi, a meal in Palo, etc.). So it has to create these other perks to make the concierge guests feel like they are exclusive.

Well said. When I think of Club Level, at Disney World, its the food! And I never really even considered CL on the ships, cause the food is included. (well at this time anyways) So ya, I can see where Disney may need more of the backs of the general public to make CL more appealing at the lack of shame pricing they want.

 

[Pixarfans]

Reports are coming out the the service in the main dining rooms wasn’t great. So I’m going with it was about training and staff issues, so they will be back. New ships always take time to get fully up to speed.

 

[Stormypetrel]

I don’t even eat the churro waffles but would still be disappointed if this turns out to be true. Churros are just, to me, such a classic thing I associate with Disney. We always hit up the churro carts when we visit WDW or DL (I just don’t like them for breakfast lol). Obviously concierge guests should have a more premium experience, perks like hot room service choices, free alcohol etc. But this is not just adding a premium perk to concierge guests, it is *taking away* a classic Disney experience from other guests who are already paying a premium over other cruise lines specifically for those classic Disney experiences. Churro waffles are not even anything special, they’re literally the same waffles thrown into the deep fryer. IMO it would be equivalent to putting Mickey bars, or any Mickey shaped waffles, or admission to the shows, or character meet and greets behind a paywall. Maybe that’s an overreaction to a food item I don’t even eat, but as someone earlier pointed out with the ‘Ohana noodles, Disney cultivates and profits from this devotion to specific items people sentimentally associate with Disney, so of course it’s going to cause backlash if they decide to take it away.