CS Dining Prices Are UP (for real)

[chabs]

I agree. It's best to overbudget if you are worried about money. I only keep track so that when I book my next trip, I can decide if the room discount or free dining is a better deal. We usually stay CL so the room discount is usually the better deal but now I'm starting to wonder!

 

[TheRatPack]

I agree. It's best to overbudget if you are worried about money. I only keep track so that when I book my next trip, I can decide if the room discount or free dining is a better deal. We usually stay CL so the room discount is usually the better deal but now I'm starting to wonder!

It's funny....I keep my menus and my receipts in my Passporter and when I get home I write it all down and put it in my new Passporter for the next year. That way, when I'm planning I can see if it was worth it to stay with QSDP, pay OOP or upgrade to the TS and buy our mugs and extra snacks...etc.

It's good to have those records, makes planning the next year easier doesn't it.

 

[havoc315]

Not saying it won't be > 2-3%, not at all, just that one CS place out of however many CS and TS places there are at Disney isn't a strong sample.

Early reports suggest far ranging and significant price increases to CS meals.... BUT -- Not across the board, and not all items.
Certainly not all meals.

From the very limited sample I've seen... items that were just under $10, are staying there. It's too magical of a number-- raising a price from $9.99 to $10.39 will cause a reduction in demand that is not offset by the price increase.

For example, the Pecos Bill cheeseburger went from $9.29 to $9.69 -- a 4.3% increase. pretty close to 2-3% expectations.
The fried shrimp basket at CHH apparently went from $9.89 to $9.99. A mere 1% increase, to keep it under $10.

Of course there are a handful of CS entrees that are over $10, but they appear to still be trying to keep the vast majority of entrees below that threshold.

Further, in the limited menus I saw, most CS desserts did not see any price increases.

So in terms of the DDP and QSDP -- You're not looking at the cost of a CS meal going from $16 to $18 or anything so dramatic.

The overwhelming majority of entrees are still under $10 -- So taking $10 for the entree, an increased price of $2.59 for a soda (up .40) and the fairly standard $3.59 for a dessert -- Plus tax -- The vast majority of CS meals will still be $17 or less. The basic price range previously was still $16-$17. The big difference with the price increases, is that more meals will be closer to $17 than 16.
So 2 typical CS meals (lunch and dinner) will still usually run no more than $34. (And can easily be a couple dollars less) With the QSDP costing $35 per adult in 2012 -- the expected savings in 2012 basically comes down to a discounted snack (Paying $1-$3 for a $3-$4 snack) plus the "free mug."
And just as previously, if you use the CS meal for breakfast or skip the desserts, it will lose money. And just as previously, if you do a bunch of CS at WPE or the combo platter at Cosmic Rays, you can save more significantly.

 

[Cafeen]

Early reports suggest far ranging and significant price increases to CS meals.... BUT -- Not across the board, and not all items.
Certainly not all meals.

From the very limited sample I've seen... items that were just under $10, are staying there. It's too magical of a number-- raising a price from $9.99 to $10.39 will cause a reduction in demand that is not offset by the price increase.

For example, the Pecos Bill cheeseburger went from $9.29 to $9.69 -- a 4.3% increase. pretty close to 2-3% expectations.
The fried shrimp basket at CHH apparently went from $9.89 to $9.99. A mere 1% increase, to keep it under $10.

Of course there are a handful of CS entrees that are over $10, but they appear to still be trying to keep the vast majority of entrees below that threshold.

Further, in the limited menus I saw, most CS desserts did not see any price increases.

So in terms of the DDP and QSDP -- You're not looking at the cost of a CS meal going from $16 to $18 or anything so dramatic.

The overwhelming majority of entrees are still under $10 -- So taking $10 for the entree, an increased price of $2.59 for a soda (up .40) and the fairly standard $3.59 for a dessert -- Plus tax -- The vast majority of CS meals will still be $17 or less. The basic price range previously was still $16-$17. The big difference with the price increases, is that more meals will be closer to $17 than 16.
So 2 typical CS meals (lunch and dinner) will still usually run no more than $34. (And can easily be a couple dollars less) With the QSDP costing $35 per adult in 2012 -- the expected savings in 2012 basically comes down to a discounted snack (Paying $1-$3 for a $3-$4 snack) plus the "free mug."
And just as previously, if you use the CS meal for breakfast or skip the desserts, it will lose money. And just as previously, if you do a bunch of CS at WPE or the combo platter at Cosmic Rays, you can save more significantly.

Yup.

(Ok, I have to respond with more than "Yup")

There are still some cases where QSDP can work out, but it will take just as much planning ahead as the other plans do. For example, last year at Cantina de San Angel, my first meal was $19.50(ish, not sure of the cents). This was the tacos, a drink, and the churros dessert. Certainly still a deal on QSDP for both years. However, it takes effort to find all these places, and the loss of the snack will certainly impact the planning (as your per meal targets are now roughly $1.50 more each).

As for OOP, I just don't think that extrapolating that since drinks went up ~17% and CS Kids' Meals went up ~10%, that we can expect those types of numbers all over.

I do expect them to rise, and more than likely more than the 2-3% historical, simply as food prices have risen more lately than they have historically as well, and it his all outlets. Disney (much like my local Mexican place) isn't going to cut their profit margin down when their costs go up (e.g. keeping the same price, but overhead is higher) and I wouldn't expect them to. Now if they start rising far greater than demand and overhead can account for, that's something else entirely.

 

[havoc315]

Yup.

(Ok, I have to respond with more than "Yup")

There are still some cases where QSDP can work out, but it will take just as much planning ahead as the other plans do. For example, last year at Cantina de San Angel, my first meal was $19.50(ish, not sure of the cents). This was the tacos, a drink, and the churros dessert. Certainly still a deal on QSDP for both years. However, it takes effort to find all these places, and the loss of the snack will certainly impact the planning (as your per meal targets are now roughly $1.50 more each).

As for OOP, I just don't think that extrapolating that since drinks went up ~17% and CS Kids' Meals went up ~10%, that we can expect those types of numbers all over.

I do expect them to rise, and more than likely more than the 2-3% historical, simply as food prices have risen more lately than they have historically as well, and it his all outlets. Disney (much like my local Mexican place) isn't going to cut their profit margin down when their costs go up (e.g. keeping the same price, but overhead is higher) and I wouldn't expect them to. Now if they start rising far greater than demand and overhead can account for, that's something else entirely.

Saw more qs menus come out, and read more about the price increases.

Unlike resort prices, which go up across the board, each year, menu prices change with sudden shifts.

QS beverage and kid's meal prices hadn't changed for several years. So the sudden increase does really amount to a 2-3% increase, per year, over the last several years.

General CS menu prices outside of kids meals and beverages, have been much more inconsistent in the price increases. Many many items have seen 0% increases.. while some items have seen as much as 5-10% increases.

I was looking at the Flame Tree BBQ Menu:
The more expensive items saw no price increases: Rack of ribs, half chicken are the same price. They did add a new combo meal, but that's a new item. The pork sandwich is up about 3.5%. The turkey sandwich is up a whopping 10%. The fruit plate and the chicken salad saw 0% increase.

So -- 4 items were 0%. 1 item was 3.5%. 1 item was 10%.

It does look like, over all... we are still talking about increases of well under 5%. Not large enough to justify the increased prices in the dining plans.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I just got back and I felt quick service was pretty pricey. Usually about $50 for our family of four to eat chicken fingers and fries with drinks. No dessert. I didn't really notice an increase for TS, although we did TIW which saved us a bit.

 

[lugnut33]

Now i'm re-looking at costs for upcoming WDW trip. To DDP or not to DDP? this is the question?!?!

Disney wants you on the DDP, so you should do it.