Interesting price comparison WDW vs Boston..

[PattnFmly]

Last August (2009), we got ice cream on MK Main St at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. We got 4 ice creams - 2 double scoops in cones and 2 sundaes w/cherries, fudge & whipped cream. Total cost was $16.79 with tax. Yesterday DS#2 spent the day with me at work and we went to Faneuil Hall after work just to wander. We decided on ice cream, and got 2 ice creams - both double scoops with 1 topping each. Total cost was $14.65 !! So for two less ice creams and 4 less toppings I only saved about 2 dollars! I realize that Faneuil Hall is big time "tourist trap" and I suppose a year later prices have gone up, BUT!!.. That's why when people say how expensive WDW is, I don't really feel that's necessarily true because of the costs in our tourist-y areas ... WDW usually is the same or even a better deal!

 

[PixieDustandEeyore]

Disney is reasonably priced. I was at the San Francisco Ghiradelli's yesterday and for the same price as disney world they give you less ice cream LOL!

I don't know I just moved near Sacramento and we decided to use some timeshare timein San Francisco and everything was so pricey food wise. I got a grilled cheese and fries and a diet coke at a beaches n cream time place (not too pricey) it cost me 20 bucks and the food would have been similar quality to beaches n cream ei yi yi!

Disney isn't so badly priced as you said when you compare it to other tourist traps, except disney has a sweet little mouse creating the trap

 

[gillep]

I totally agree with this, I work in Washington D.C. and the prices are very comparable to WDW for a lot of items. I guess it is good that I am used to the prices as I can also understand the 'sticker shock' that some families must feel. Originally I am from Buffalo NY and every time I go back I can't believe how much less expensive some things are compared to the D.C. prices that I am used to.

 

[onelilspark]

We were out at Darien Lake (a theme park closer to Buffalo than Rochester, NY) for a concert. Because it was a good hour's drive, we wound up eating at the venue. 3 Chicken Fingers were $8. Nothing else beside chicken fingers came with that!!! After that I told my boyfriend, "I'm never complaining about Disney's prices again!"

 

[Disney753]

We were at Dairy Queen a few days ago and got 2 sundays,1 childs cone and a Blizzard (small) and the cost was $17.00....I never complain about Disney prices I guess I am so use to them at home.

 

[DVCconvert]

OP - you must have a brain the size of a bus!!

I know for certain that I could not remember the exact price I paid for an ice cream cone 11 months ago!!

 

[PattnFmly]

OP here - - I have to admit I cheated a little! I have all my receipts from last year in a little WDW bag with my trip diary. Don't ask me why I keep them, but I do ... and I was just so shocked to pay $15 for two ice creams in Boston that I had to check back and compare! I will throw the receipts away soon, I will!...

 

[Aristocath]

I think Disney is actually pretty reasonable when it comes to pricing food. We've paid a fortune for standard counter service fare at Sea World, Six Flags, LegoLand, zoos and the like. At least at Disney you can find a variety of food choices.

 

[Lewisc]

Places with a captive customer base can always charge a price premium. That includes ball parks, tourist places like Faneuil Hall and any event in a venue (concert,circus...)

A customer at Faneul Hall might be able to walk a few blocks and get a better deal. A customer in an event could wait 2 hours and eat at home or in a more reasonably priced restaurant/ice cream parlor.

A customer who's in the MK for a long day doesn't really have those options. Disney designed the MK to discourage guests from even going to their car during the day to grab a picnic basket.

 

[ShellyShellfish]

We were out at Darien Lake (a theme park closer to Buffalo than Rochester, NY) for a concert. Because it was a good hour's drive, we wound up eating at the venue. 3 Chicken Fingers were $8. Nothing else beside chicken fingers came with that!!! After that I told my boyfriend, "I'm never complaining about Disney's prices again!"

Their food all over the park is SO expensive and not very good either!

 

[Tiffany]

Last August (2009), we got ice cream on MK Main St at the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. We got 4 ice creams - 2 double scoops in cones and 2 sundaes w/cherries, fudge & whipped cream. Total cost was $16.79 with tax. Yesterday DS#2 spent the day with me at work and we went to Faneuil Hall after work just to wander. We decided on ice cream, and got 2 ice creams - both double scoops with 1 topping each. Total cost was $14.65 !! So for two less ice creams and 4 less toppings I only saved about 2 dollars! I realize that Faneuil Hall is big time "tourist trap" and I suppose a year later prices have gone up, BUT!!.. That's why when people say how expensive WDW is, I don't really feel that's necessarily true because of the costs in our tourist-y areas ... WDW usually is the same or even a better deal!

As a fellow Boston based person I completely agree. I really do think that people's view of prices at Disney or even on a cruise are based on where they come from. Example, a Grey Groose and Tonic on a cruise that I took this past May was $8 and change including tip etc. At any club, bar, resturant in Boston $10.50 plus tip easy and in NYC at the Hilton in downtown $14 plus tip etc. So the cost of things really depends on what you are used to paying at home.

 

[Planogirl]

This is why we always try to leave the tourist traps to dine when we can. They're all expensive.

It doesn't work well with ice cream though. That seems to be expensive everywhere nowadays.

 

[onelilspark]

OP here - - I have to admit I cheated a little! I have all my receipts from last year in a little WDW bag with my trip diary. Don't ask me why I keep them, but I do ... and I was just so shocked to pay $15 for two ice creams in Boston that I had to check back and compare! I will throw the receipts away soon, I will!...

At least write down the prices! My Nana bought a book at the MK back in the 1970s and wrote down what they paid for everything...it's fascinating!!

Their food all over the park is SO expensive and not very good either!

I was so disappointed in their choices too! At least at Disney they'll charge me $8, but it'll come with a side and more than 3 chicken fingers! And I can choose to sub apples or grapes at Disney!

 

[burberryplaid]

Another Bostonian and I agree about Disney prices. My husband and I have paid $11 at Cold Stone for 2 small ice creams! I know Cold Stone is overpriced but nonetheless...

A family if of four would pay an obscene amount for 4 Fenway Franks...Casey's is way cheaper!

I think it is all relative. Those of us in bigger metropolitan areas find Disney to be reasonable.

 

[Cafeen]

When comparing apples to apples (or ice cream to ice cream in this case ), Disney food is quite reasonably priced. Disney is a tourist destination much like the other types of places mentioned, and as such, their prices should be compared to prices from "similar" touristy types of areas. Sure, comparing a steak I can get at Friday's across the street from me to Le Cellier, it's going to look like Disney is ultra-expensive. But, comparing it to a sit down restaurant in a theme park or a "tourist trap" section of a major city, they're going to be relatively close.

Of course, in other locations (except theme parks and maybe sports arenas during the event), you can typically go off the beaten path a little bit fairly easily to get a better deal (akin to the little mexican restaurant across the other street near my house, good food and reasonable prices). Not quite as easy to do this at WDW (DL may be easier due to location), especially since it's quite a large property and relatively few travel with their own transportation.

Now, for an example, you can even do this in Boston. Riding the T a short distance can bring you to a less touristy area where the restaurants are more reasonably priced (well, more reasonably for Boston anyway ) (Keep that with a grain of salt though, I haven't been to Boston in years , and the last few times I did go were mainly for shows at clubs on Mass Ave or to futz around in that general vacinity. I do miss that city though, much <3 for Boston.)

But, um, where was I? Oh yeah, yep, prices at Disney are relatively on-par (or even cheap!) when compared to other touristy destinations, and you're not going to go far comparing them to your local Friday's or Sabor-a-Mexico (well, if you have a local one of those, you either live right near me, or have another one that's completely unreleated)

 

[Rekenna]

To the OP-this is why when people say, "Can't believe you are going there again, it's so expensive!" (Mind you most of these people have never been to WDW). I say, "Nope!", I tell them what our family vacations cost and their jaw about drops, b/c it is so much less than what they think. I am hoping to make converts.

One reason we keep going back to WDW is the $$ thing (we do try to go during Value season, with FD at Value Resorts). I have compared a week at WDW to a week in Gatlinburg, TN (a popular vacation destination around here), Gatlinburg is WAY more expensive!

But to the ice cream point, ice cream seems to be outrageous everywhere, even here in Kentucky!

 

[KBoopaloo]

I think I know exactly where you got that ice cream! Was it one of the stands near one of the entrances to the Quincy Market building? I got a frappe there last summer for an INSANE amount of money. Even as a person who has lived in Boston her whole life and is used to the prices, I was stunned!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Two years ago I had to be in the Cleveland OH area for business for several weeks. One weekend I decided to try Cedar Point. I remember their parking was about the same cost as WDW but the shocker were the cs food prices inside. Every single item I saw - chicken strips, soda , etc was more expensive than it's counterpart at disney. I remember than a glass of soda was over $3, and the chicken type entree was close to $9. The biggest surprise was the Chick-Fil-A the had at the back of the park - same food as any other one but twice the price ! I remember it was over $12 for the standard combo.

Cedar Point also gave me an appreciation for themed queues and Walt's rule against selling gum on property.

At any tourist area you are going to pay a premium for some things - food included. I'm sure the business pays a premium to be in that location and that cost gets passed on to the consumer. We are paying for the convenience of being able to dine at a vacation destination. You can go off-site to eat for much less but then you have to decide what your vacation time is worth to you and your family.

 

[septbaby]

The prices in major league sports venues are crazy and generally don't compare to even Disney prices.

The one place at WDW that is obscene to me is the Pepper Market. The prices are higher than other CS places and they charge 10% for service. I have found the food quality to often be below what I've experienced at other CS venues (Pop, CBR, Deluxes, parks). That hotel caters to so many convention goers on expense accounts they can get away with the upcharge, but they really need to do a better job with both menu planning and food quality there.

I've been on property for meals on two trip this year as a cash customer. The two previous trips I've taken have been on DP, oh my does the DP make the prices go down quite a bit easier (Free Dining, Mod Value rack rate).

I do agree that a Disney vacation really isn't super expensive as so many like to think. My mother just sat through a time share presentation in Orlando and the sales rep told her WDW is $400-500 a nite...lol...they'll say anything to get you to sign.