Gripe - Food in the Parks

[pampam]

Why don't we all just each of us bring in a can of corn and sit on the curb and eat it.

 

[BonnieA]

Why don't we all just each of us bring in a can of corn and sit on the curb and eat it.

AH, I remember that post. Those were the good old days. I also remember the post about the foreign lady in the rest room. And just a couple years ago, the post about the lady losing her bathing suit on a slide at a water park. Great laughs.
Didn't we all get along better back then? I don't remember as many conflicts. But then again, there was a debate forum where all this stuff got moved to and could be ignored by those who didn't find the need for conflict.

 

[lillygator]

Although, lately we have noticed quite a few people with coolers at such places as Tusker House, etc....there was never a shortage of tables. Now mind you, this was also not busy season so I can't say the same for summer.


And I agree with the posts about manners....for that is simply what it is.

 

[mainewmn]

This a thread that doesn’t end, it just goes on and on my friends
Some people started brining food not knowing what they did and others got upset because they had no place to sit….

 

[apostolic4life]

Ok, I am going to have to disagree with you. WDW is for people who can AFFORD it. There are no picnic areas, because WDW wants you to PAY FOR FOOD. They want your money. WDW is there for one reason, and one reason only, to MAKE MONEY. I love the magic as much as the next person, but as much as we all love it and want the share the magic, WDW was built to make money, that is the bottom line.

At Six Flags Great Adventure, they do not let you bring in food. It stays outside the park, and people eat at their cars. If you can't afford the food inside any of the amusement parks, there are places outside you can go.
I have brought in water bottles, and some small snacks more for convenience. I have also carried bp&j sandwiches for my little one, only because he will not eat uncrustables.

I can now afford to go to WDW and buy anything and everything I want, so I could very well take your position, but I came from a family of 4 who lived on $800 - $1000 a month since the day I was born (Dad was a carreer Navy man). I did not get to go to WDW untill I was 33 years old, but my family would save money to go to other parks in the Richmond/Williamsburg VA area. We would bring a cooler of food so we could afford the trip.......should this have been a disqualifing factor in our visit to the park?? I believe if you research the history of Walt's dream he said "a place for all to come", not all who can exclusively buy everything from my company!

Let's not try to alter what the original dream of the man who created what we all enjoy intended. Yes, WDW wants as much of your money as they can get, but I am sure they also want the money from those who can only afford gate admission too.

 

[Deb & Bill]

A trip to WDW is not a right. It's a privilege. It costs money. If you don't have the money, you need to get the money by saving or borrowing.

I took my first trip to WDW when I was 47. I never went to DL. I have a trip scheduled there in June. When I was a kid, we went to Wrigley Field once a year and brought sandwiches, because they allowed it way back when. That was our annual vacation. Now you can't bring in sandwiches so you buy the $5 hot dog and $3 Coke. And tickets cost a whole lot more at Wrigley Field than they did in the '50s.

 

[apostolic4life]

lillygator, think of it this way...it's just more tourist behavior we get to watch, endure, and enjoy.

Remember one thing before you mount the white stallion you obviously have parked in the garage: Florida residents get huge discounts on food programs and lodging. This may make it easier for these self annointed rule makers to afford this wonderful park.

Wait, I have an idea, seal off the Florida border to all tourist traffic so nobody except state residents can enjoy this part of the country. I bet then you may get to see what full admission and food costs are!

I am not trying to be mean, just poking a little fun

 

[apostolic4life]

OHMYGOODNESS - you are still going on about this? You guys must be bored.

And your still reading............magically addictive isn't it???

 

[lillygator]

Remember one thing before you mount the white stallion you obviously have parked in the garage: Florida residents get huge discounts on food programs and lodging. This may make it easier for these self annointed rule makers to afford this wonderful park.

Wait, I have an idea, seal off the Florida border to all tourist traffic so nobody except state residents can enjoy this part of the country. I bet then you may get to see what full admission and food costs are!

I am not trying to be mean, just poking a little fun

huge discounts on what food are you talking about? the lodging are usually a couple bucks higher than AP discounts, so I don't buy your self annointed remark.

Plus during tourist season our food prices at the local grocery store go up so thanks for that too.

 

[lillygator]

Wait, I have an idea, seal off the Florida border to all tourist traffic so nobody except state residents can enjoy this part of the country. I bet then you may get to see what full admission and food costs are!

I would gladly pay full price for that!

 

[Sylvester McBean]

Ahh, the tourists. The people who keep the taxes down for the Floridians who live there

yes, ahhh the tourists. no way could we ever afford to live here without them. property taxes, housing prices have nothing to do with that equation. I sleep better at night knowing the tourists allow me to live here. without them, orlando would go back to being an environmental area. the roads would unclutter. the erosion of the beaches and natural beauty due to condo and hotel encroachment would cease. the 27 million billboards on the GA/FL border promising 'last chance' discount tickets to WDW would be magically gone. and here we would be, drifting in the boat offshore sarasota with a couple of fishing lines in the water and a beer in hand watching the sunset.

seal off the border, nah.

 

[DMRick]

I would gladly pay full price for that!

Wow, you must be one of the few original Floridians, who want the tourists to stay home. I think you would be shocked at what your costs in Florida would be, without the tourists. I remember well, after 9/11 the resorts alone shut down at Disney, when the rooms couldn't be filled, as well as the CM's let go to try to find other jobs. It affected way across the board, when the tourists stayed home. You'd rather have no tourists, just so you could find a table at a CS? Interesting.
I know those of us in NYS appreciate the tourist money spent here, and all are welcome. It keeps our taxes lower and our people employeed.

Also, FL residents discounts may be a few bucks more than AP rates, but you don't have to buy the AP to get them, and the rooms seem to be more plentiful. My friend was able to make her WDW plans to meet us much sooner than I could, since she knew about her discount. I have no problem with that..it's a perk of living in FL, but I wonder, if there were no tourists, who would be paying rack rate?

 

[apostolic4life]

huge discounts on what food are you talking about? the lodging are usually a couple bucks higher than AP discounts, so I don't buy your self annointed remark.

Plus during tourist season our food prices at the local grocery store go up so thanks for that too.

You have access to a discount program for food discounts too .......look into it, maybe you can save a few more bucks!

 

[DMRick]

yes, ahhh the tourists. no way could we ever afford to live here without them. property taxes, housing prices have nothing to do with that equation.

You really believe that prices wouldn't be higher without tourist income? That all those campgrounds and housings filled with snowbirds and tourists spending doesn't help keep your taxes down? Then I wonder...why do your politicians (that the FL people elect), keep trying to bring more tourists?

 

[lillygator]

You'd rather have no tourists, just so you could find a table at a CS? Interesting.

never ever said that! I wasn't really referring to tourists at WDW but tourists to Siesta Key area and other parts of Florida. and I was half kidding, but I wouldn't mind paying higher prices to alleviate some issues.

I for one, stated that I could care less about the CS issue until there comes a time when it effects me the paying customer. I was here mainly for the "bringing food into the parks" issue.

 

[lillygator]

You have access to a discount program for food discounts too .......look into it, maybe you can save a few more bucks!

if you are talking the DDE - do you know about it? It's 20% table services rest and you have to pay to get it.

 

[lillygator]

You really believe that prices wouldn't be higher without tourist income? That all those campgrounds and housings filled with snowbirds and tourists spending doesn't help keep your taxes down? Then I wonder...why do your politicians (that the FL people elect), keep trying to bring more tourists?

I think the point was that everyone who visits/vacations in Florida are under the assumption that they are the sole contributors to everything. You can even tell from some of the posts on here that people feel that way. And no, they don't come out and type it....but you can read between the lines.

 

[DMRick]

never ever said that! I wasn't really referring to tourists at WDW but tourists to Siesta Key area and other parts of Florida. and I was half kidding, but I wouldn't mind paying higher prices to alleviate some issues.

Oh, I thought you were talking about Disney.

Yes, it would be nice if no one had to have their "area" encroached on..however, when there is a nice warm place, others want to enjoy it too..and they do spend money, which does make it easier for the original tenants to afford to live there. Lake George in NY is a sleepy little town, that would literally "go under" if not for the summer tourists. Many of those live in LG for the summer and FL for the winter, so they help us both out.

 

[DMRick]

I think the point was that everyone who visits/vacations in Florida are under the assumption that they are the sole contributors to everything. You can even tell from some of the posts on here that people feel that way. And no, they don't come out and type it....but you can read between the lines.

I guess I've never seen that. I do think tourists are important though (no matter what state it is), and I have to admit I resent when the Yankees are told to go home. Collectively, we spend a lot of money in FL and that money does help in FL. There are a lot of Floridians employed by the theme parks...with no tourists they would hurt. We hae a lot of friends in Florida..and they seem to like the moola we bring in, to keep parks open.
Just turning this back to Disney..it's really too bad they aren't clear on issues. If they didn't want the tourists or the Floridians to bring in food, with the guards checking the bags, it would be able to be fixed easily..but they have all these "unwritten" rules, that the only way we find out about them, is on the Disboard. The other million people who don't read them, have no idea about these issues.

 

[lillygator]

and don't get me wrong, I love to encourage people to come to this area to check in out, but the last few years some of the people we have encountered are horrid (not just tourists) but the "season" has become much worse. Can't get into restaurants, higher grocery prices, etc....and are snow birds tourists? I mean, they live here 6 months out of the year...so maybe I am complaing about snow bird issues and not tourist issues.