Disney restaurant prices

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I see lots of people complain about the cost of Disney restaurants. What do you usually spend when you go out to eat?

I was thinking of this because my DH said that we could pay for two TS meals OOP in addition to the free DDP. We were at a restaurant at the time, and this is what we paid for our meal here:

$10 for our appetizer
$20 each for our entree
$7 x 2 for kids meals.
$1.50 x 2 for kids dessert.
$6 for 1 adult dessert to split.

Plus we each got beers.

This was at a regular family restaurant. I think the pricing is really similar to Disney TS.

We consider our local Mexican place to be pretty cheap and we usually spend about $12 to $15 per person on our entrees. Heck, today I was at Five Guys and spent $10.XX on a burger, fries, and soft drink.

Now, it could be because I love in a major metropolitan area, but I can barely walk away from Cosi or Panera for less than $10 at lunch time unless I don't get a drink. This seems pretty similar to what you'd pay at Disney. I definitely consider the Signature places to be expensive, but if we go out for a nice dinner without the kids, we spend a similar amount both in our suburb or if we go into DC. NYC prices are even higher!

 

[honeymo78]

I agree. I was just doing some quick pricing for some of our meals in two weeks and for the most part they aren't much different from when we go out at home. Unless we are at a steakhouse we spend about $60 for two adults without alcohol (1 app, 2 entree, 1 dessert) and really that's what most of our meals look like at disney with the exception of Cali Grill and Shulas. Of course when it comes to breakfast buffets, we never spend $40-50 on breakfast at home, however I don't get to see Stitch or Pooh at a restaurant at home. Our non character breakfasts are around $20-$30 which is what we can easily spend at IHOP or even Denny's depending on what we order.

 

[catne]

well, one of our favorite restaurant meals is at Old Chicago in Omaha...and we'd typically spend about $50 for appetizers, entrees, beer & cocktail and dessert.

We just ate at Via Napoli In Epcot on Saturday & had beer & cocktail, appetizers, pizza and dessert. The total before tip was $99 and change. For lunch.

For two people.

So yes, Disney prices are high. But I guess we just expect to pay for location, too...and use the dining plan to cover some of that excess pricing.

Bythe way, I see no point in comparing Disney prices to NYC, because I don't live there and don't vacation there, so it's apple to oranges for me.

 

[Hugpug]

I don't see where free dining is free when you have to pay rack rate for your room. Absolutly not a benifit for a solo traveler. I have tried every combination possible and can't justify the cost of paying rack rate to get free dinning. Only way I can benifit is if I get an AP and a WOT and go two times within a 12 month time frame then I can get a savings.

 

[dixonsontour]

Look on allears it gives menus and pricing.

On the actual wdw site some restaurants have their menus with pricing.

If you are doing DDP and paying for a couple oop obviously pay for the cheapest eg we will pay for sci fi and cape may breakfast oop.

 

[tony67]

For two people I can spend anywhere from $20 at the local Indian buffet with beer to $200 at Capitol Grill or Market by Market by Jean Georges.

I find the prices at Disney very high for the quality they provide.
To me it is just not worth it unless you are on the DDP.

We used to eat one sit down meal at Epcot every day and sometimes twice when we were on vacation.
We never found it overpriced and the quality was very good.
But that has changed in the last few years.

 

[drenalin'junkie]

Really subjective and regional.

Locally we spend as low as $15 for the China Superbuffet PP and as much as $100+PP at one of the 2 5*places locally.Location and quality determine the relative $.

Quality wise the food is variable,I have had meals to rival places I've eaten in Paris,London,NYC,Chicago,Palm Beach,Bahrain,Brussels and host of other places and I've had meals that have caused me to completely drop a restaurant of my list.

All the BBQ is weak as is most of the seafood.

 

[gillep]

Since we live just outside of Washington D.C. DH and I find the prices to be very comparable to what we are used to when we eat out here.

 

[eliza61]

Plus we each got beers.

and soft drink.

Now, it could be because I love in a major metropolitan area, but I can barely walk away from Cosi or Panera for less than $10 at lunch time unless I don't get a drink. This seems pretty similar to what you'd pay at Disney. I definitely consider the Signature places to be expensive, but if we go out for a nice dinner without the kids, we spend a similar amount both in our suburb or if we go into DC. NYC prices are even higher!

I think one of the issues is that you are going to Higher end chains. sort of like when you go to Starbucks. Yes in NYC they are higher but in nyc you can get the local, privately owned lunch for 6 bucks. for example I use to go to a place in the village near W 6th street and get a 1/2 roasted chicken with 2 sides and a drink for $6.99.

Breakfast at the world is ridiculously expensive. generally 10-15 bucks a person. Heck, even in NY Ihop has 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 meats for 4 bucks.

Lastly, as many people have said, I expect higher prices at restaurants in tourist places what I hate is lousy quality and food. No way could the food at Mexico in Epcot be served in a Mexican restaurant in Spanish Harlem, they'd burn the place down. And for God sake, why does Disney try to pass Pizza planet off as a pizza?

My dh & I love to eat out so restaurants are important to us when we travel.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I think one of the issues is that you are going to Higher end chains. sort of like when you go to Starbucks. Yes in NYC they are higher but in nyc you can get the local, privately owned lunch for 6 bucks. for example I use to go to a place in the village near W 6th street and get a 1/2 roasted chicken with 2 sides and a drink for $6.99.

Breakfast at the world is ridiculously expensive. generally 10-15 bucks a person. Heck, even in NY Ihop has 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 meats for 4 bucks.

Lastly, as many people have said, I expect higher prices at restaurants in tourist places what I hate is lousy quality and food. No way could the food at Mexico in Epcot be served in a Mexican restaurant in Spanish Harlem, they'd burn the place down. And for God sake, why does Disney try to pass Pizza planet off as a pizza?

My dh & I love to eat out so restaurants are important to us when we travel.

This is my issue with Disney prices. I don't mind the cost but it's very rare that I have a meal in Disney that I enjoy as much as similar or lower priced places offsite or where I live.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

Since we live just outside of Washington D.C. DH and I find the prices to be very comparable to what we are used to when we eat out here.

We're in DC too and prices are pretty comparable to what we pay here.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

I don't see where free dining is free when you have to pay rack rate for your room. Absolutly not a benifit for a solo traveler. I have tried every combination possible and can't justify the cost of paying rack rate to get free dinning. Only way I can benifit is if I get an AP and a WOT and go two times within a 12 month time frame then I can get a savings.

Yes, you're choosing between discounts. It's free based on rack rate. For us, as a family of 5 (well, one of us is a baby), free dining is the best deal when staying at a Moderate resort. We ran the numbers and it's the only discount that makes sense when we would definitely be getting DDP anyway (we like to eat out and we enjoy TS meals).

 

[*pixie*dust*]

I agree with OP. Unless you are an avid fast food eater only, eating at WDW is not that much different from eating out at home. The difference is that it seems like a lot more because it is EVERY meal for a whole week.

Yes, if you are a "dollar menu" eater, it is definately more. If you normally eat at sit down restaurants, it is similar.

 

[princssdisnygina]

Free dining is beneficial when there are at least 2 people in a mod resort or lower. The room discount is cheaper if there is only one person in any resort or you are staying as a family/single in the deluxe resorts. However, if you don't plan on eating at least one table service a day it wouldn't be beneficial anyway.

 

[Huff]

No way could the food at Mexico in Epcot be served in a Mexican restaurant in Spanish Harlem.

The food in Spanish Harlem wouldn't go over too well in Mexico anything south of Sonora and most likely not in Sonora as well. I wouldn't go to NYC for good Mexican food! Although there are some exceptions such as Los Dos Molinos which is run by a family from Arizona and Mexico.

When people think of Mexican food in the USA, they think of the food thats more common in the Mexican state of Sonora. Plenty of Tacos, Burritos, Chimichangas, Enchiladas and lots of hot salsa. A VERY narrow view of Mexican food. Travel south of Sonora and food is vastly different. Marinades such as Mole (which San Angel serves) are more common in place of red salsas .

 

[Huff]

Disney is VERY expensive!

The prices at some Disney restaurants at first glance may seem in line with offsite. But you don't get the same quality, quanity and thus value.

Take Teppan Edo for instance compared with Benihanas or most any other Teppanyaki. At Benihanas you get a shrimp appitizer, rice, veggies, noodles, soup, salad and with some entrees ice cream dessert all included at about the same price as Teppan Edo which gives you the entree, rice and veggies. No soup, no shrimp appetizer, no salad and no dessert.

Very close to DTD is a Teppanyaki restaurant called Kobe's. They are a FAR better value, better quality food and larger serving size.

Dollar for Dollar Disney is simply not even close to value when dining offsite. That said we do enjoy the restaurants at WDW. They do have decent food. However, if we are staying offsite and/or have a rental car we tend to dine offsite more often.

 

[GalDisney]

Well lets see at Tony's Town Square Restaurant at the MK an entree of Eggplant parmesan is 18.00 and thats all you get no sides . You can go to Olive Garden and get the eggplants entree with a side of spaghetti, all you can eat salad and all you can eat breadsticks for around 13.00. And there are more examples i can give of how expensive disney dining is but this will do for now :

 

[budbeerlady]

We live in a touristy area and do not find the prices to be out of line.

Breakfast normally is around $15 here but I am not eating with characters or anything special. If I am paying OOP for a meal I chose breakfast because the costs are lower.

I dont think it fair to compare it to chain dining. TGI Fridays does a meal for $12.99 for an appetizer, entree and dessert. You get a $12.99 meal. At Sci-Fi or 50's Prime time you are adding an experience, not just eating.

 

[eliza61]

The food in Spanish Harlem wouldn't go over too well in Mexico anything south of Sonora and most likely not in Sonora as well. I wouldn't go to NYC for good Mexican food! Although there are some exceptions such as Los Dos Molinos which is run by a family from Arizona and Mexico.

When people think of Mexican food in the USA, they think of the food thats more common in the Mexican state of Sonora. Plenty of Tacos, Burritos, Chimichangas, Enchiladas and lots of hot salsa. A VERY narrow view of Mexican food. Travel south of Sonora and food is vastly different. Marinades such as Mole (which San Angel serves) are more common in place of red salsas .

It's not what the food is but how mediocre the food at disney has become. I realize that most places outside of those bordering Mexico have a water down version of the authentic stuff. But it would be hot, flavorful, with tender meat and spicy marinades. Can you honestly say the marinades at San Angel are good? Have you tasted the rice? how the heck can you mess up rice? Can you honestly say the pasta at Tony's is any thing above applebees? And sorry, I pay the ticket price for the "experience" when I go to the restaurant I'd at least like a pizza that doesn't taste like it's been cooked on a childs ez bake oven. Pizza planet is the Joe corbis pizza that little leaquers sell for fundraisers.

And for me it's stuff that is easily doable, for example we were at Pecos bills last august for lunch, well I guess in order to save time, they had "prefilled" the soda cups. so of course by the time the customer orders the soda it is a watered down drink. At least 5 customers came up during the few minutes I was there to switch soda, I of course asked that they give me 4 fresh cokes. Now the cm's were lovely, very accomodating, very prompt with the fresh drinks but when do you stop being stuck on stupid and say "hey, guest don't like watered down coke" let's take the extra 3 minutes and give them an icy cold carbonated soda fresh out of the nozzle?

 

[tony67]

The food in Spanish Harlem wouldn't go over too well in Mexico anything south of Sonora and most likely not in Sonora as well. I wouldn't go to NYC for good Mexican food! Although there are some exceptions such as Los Dos Molinos which is run by a family from Arizona and Mexico.

When people think of Mexican food in the USA, they think of the food thats more common in the Mexican state of Sonora. Plenty of Tacos, Burritos, Chimichangas, Enchiladas and lots of hot salsa. A VERY narrow view of Mexican food. Travel south of Sonora and food is vastly different. Marinades such as Mole (which San Angel serves) are more common in place of red salsas .

There are plenty of family run Mexican places that serve a mole that is far better than the one you get at Disney and $10 less per plate.

People always try to make the argument that we don’t know real Mexican food and that is why we do not like San Angel Inn.

Yes I like Tex-Mex, tamales, and fish tacos and I also like mole.
As I always say I really liked San Angel Inn years ago, but it went downhill.

Up until a year ago they were serving Tostitos out of a bag and salsa from a jar.
Even a chain restaurants like Margarita’s or Chili’s can serve fresh hot chips and decent salsa.

The food was not good IMO, it may be better now, but I still don’t think it will be worth the price they charge.
As for the atmosphere, the tables are jammed so close together who could enjoy it.