Nasty Menu Changes Teppan Edo & Tokyo Dining

[tony67]

It's all subjective and I think it varies greatly within each family making your use of the word many wrong.

My family stays for 10 nights plus every time we stay. We only stay in the cheapest value resorts at standard level not even Pop anymore since its a little extra. We do upgrade to the ddp.We eat at character meals very frequently. If we do a ts breakfast only if it includes a character buffet. It's Dh, me, ds12 who can eat like a college football player and dd7. I make sure to make the most out of every meal we have.

We get a pizza at the resort using the 2cs credits, get desserts/sides and use our mugs. Get free ice water in the parks and never use a snack credit on drinks. We usually have a dozen of snack credits we use to fill up on treats to take home or souvenirs for teachers, etc.

The list goes on and on.

Did you know a long time ago your snack credit could be used on full family size items if it was under a certain price? Those full sized entemanns donuts were included. We'd have a couple boxes from the resort store for breakfast all week till that was stopped.

I can not be the only family out there that gets more bang for their buck than the tiny room discount would give.

Yeah - this discount the give on the values tends to be very little usual 15% - if you stay at a deluxe it can be 25% of a much larger rate - so I always run it both ways and for my situation (and I'm not alone) the DDP has never been worthwhile since they took away the appetizer and tip after the first year or so - but I bet they lost a fair amount on that.

I do like some the changes they are making though - like two snacks instead of the dessert for QS - and options of a salad instead of dessert for TS in some cases

 

[tony67]

I'm so tired of the assumption that those families selecting the Free Dining promotion do not realize what they are doing. For many - including my family - it is the best deal.
Why does it have to go there every time?

No doubt it works for as many people as it does not - the thing I run into is that package price is often higher with free dining than room only and adding DDP OOP - that's what I don't like - and although lots of people on here spend a lot of time getting the best deal and comparing the packages a lot of people not on this site see the ad for free dining and book it without knowing...I've had enough co-workers do that. One other factor in the pricing issue is there may be basic rooms available in the room only rate and only higher end rooms like Pirate Rooms available with Free Dining - that can be a fair amount of money per night - especially if you don't want the pirate room

The Disney system has gotten better over the last year or so at showing these options on line - and allowing you to build a few packages to compare but you still need to know to check it. Still it's a vast improvement from the days where they did not even show you the special offer price unless you clicked through it in the menus

 

[SGMCO]

Can someone tell me what is included when ordering at Tokyo Dining with the DDP?
Can you order Sushi?
I see that they can be ordered one piece at a time, so how many pieces of sushi do you get with 1 DDP credit?
if any of that make sense. Thanks

 

[goofyintoronto]

What else has changed at Teppan Edo? Can you link me to the updated menu?

I didn't see anything different with teppan edo than from November. What am I missing??

I'm wondering the same thing. Disney's menu online is showing the same to me as allears dated JAN 2016?

@JessicaW1234 @busymommy2pink @Malibustyle23 There's NO change to the Teppan Edo menu since January '16. Both allears and wdwinfo websites have Jan.'16 dates listed. I wish the OP would edit the title and exclude Teppan Edo because frankly, thats giving out incorrect information and just confusing people. All of the items are still there from when i started eating there back in 2008! ...filet mignon, chicken & steak option, chicken option, steak & shrimp...all served with udon noodles and rice.

So no changes to Teppan then? Cause that's my only concern honestly. It's been asked a few times here with no reply. Not sure why Op even has it listed at this point.

I agree. The title should be edited to exclude Teppan Edo as its incorrect. There's no change. Its still as yummy as ever! I even love their desserts!

 

[busymommy2pink]

I really wish they would just do away with the DDP anyhow. But I agree, there seem to be a lot of people that equate "not one credit" with "no longer available".

I don't understand why people want it done away with. Doesn't work for your family? Don't get it. It works great for others. No one forces the dining plan on anyone, it's a choice, and doesn't negate whether or not you can eat somewhere.
We come from Canada, so having everything paid for ahead of time is ideal. We also use cash, not credit, for everything. So guesstimating food cost would cause me anxiety. We can't buy Disney gift cards here to put toward the food, and we pay a fee to purchase American currency at our bank. Oh, and if we don't use it all, we loose money selling it back to the bank. So having it all paid up front is a bonus. We have always broken even, and in most cases, saved a large chunk (I always evaluate at the end of the trip).

 

[wilkeliza]

I don't get people saying this is a Disney cut. I'm pretty sure Tappen Edo and Tokyo Dinning are not owned by Disney so any prices changes or menu changes are actually not caused by Disney. The only thing Disney really controls is what the third party company pays them to be there.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Restaurants aren't the ones who pay for Free Dining. Free Dining is paid for by the resorts themselves. That's how room types/dates are determined or the promotion -- they're set by the General Managers of each resort.

Reimbursement to restaurants, whether owned by Disney, or third-party (and I think TD and TE are third-party, as are most World Showcase eateries), is contractually set during the prior year -- in October for owned restaurants, in December for third-party restaurants. Reimbursement does not change during the year no matter how someone acquired their dining plan.

Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining get the same reimbursement for a DDP credit year-round, regardless of how the user paid for DDP.

Menu changes are because commodity prices change year-round (like scallops, and pork, and beef) and depending on the percentage of diners using DDP, the menu determination is going to be based on the DDP contractual reimbursement. It's easier for a "real world" restaurant just to raise the price of an entree when commodity pricing goes loopy on them. Because the reimbursement is set for 12-months, the lever a GM at a Disney restaurant has is to change the menu, not to change pricing.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I don't get people saying this is a Disney cut. I'm pretty sure Tappen Edo and Tokyo Dinning are not owned by Disney so any prices changes or menu changes are actually not caused by Disney. The only thing Disney really controls is the third party company them to be there.

For some people, every thing that changes at Disney is to save Disney money. If a storm damages a ride, it is because the general manager whipped up a storm so as to not have to run the ride.

 

[fauntleroy1953]

We've eaten at TD 3X,with the last time being part of the Candlelight Processional package ( our first time seeing that show). Even though TD was the most expensive restaurant for the package,I still chose it, based on our previous two visits. This was going to be a surprise for DH and I knew how much he enjoyed that restaurant. Even though the package narrows your choices,it was still a great meal. The service was,as usual,outstanding, as was the food. Looking over the menu in a previous post,I would still eat there again. We don't do DDP, but prefer to eat Out Of Pocket. We feel we get our money's worth at TD. Menu changes happen constantly and it's always disappointing to lose that item that brought you back there. If there was only one thing on a menu that brought you there and that one thing disappears,it can be upsetting.Totally understandable.

 

[samsteele]

I wish the OP would edit the title and exclude Teppan Edo because frankly, thats giving out incorrect information and just confusing people. All of the items are still there from when i started eating there back in 2008! ...filet mignon, chicken & steak option, chicken option, steak & shrimp...all served with udon noodles and rice.

Thanks for this but . . . the scallops are gone at Teppan Edo (which I ordered as an entree last year) plus new entree changes including salmon, julienne beef w teriyaki sauce and a filet with a salad. I view this as a dumbing down/cheapening of the menu. Not everyone will. That's a fair debate.

Look, there's no point in shooting the messenger. WDW is now changing up many menus including signatures and 1 TS spots. If you love Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo and no changes will make you think twice about eating there, then that's great. I'd love to see both dining venues thrive well into the next decade. However, there is no point in sugar coating changes. We either accept them & continue to eat there or not. I'm not. It's a personal choice.

At the very least, this thread has prompted DIS'rs to take a look at updated menus. That's positive.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

WDW is now changing up many menus including signatures and 1 TS spots.

Restaurant GMs are changing the menus, really. At the end of the day, every GM is held accountable for P&L. They're dealing with a fixed reimbursement for DDP users. Since they cannot change the "price," or the labor costs, they have one thing they can tinker with to meet goals.

 

[niffer5150]

when did they do away with the dinner bento? i could have sworn they were there last time i looked.

 

[rinnythepooh]

when did they do away with the dinner bento? i could have sworn they were there last time i looked.

Looks like both the Bento boxes and the Ginza Platter are gone. Our favorites. We were going to park hop to Epcot just for those and to see Illuminations. We are now going to have re think our whole day. I am very, very disappointed with the new menu change at Tokyo Dining.

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't understand why people want it done away with. Doesn't work for your family? Don't get it. It works great for others. No one forces the dining plan on anyone, it's a choice, and doesn't negate whether or not you can eat somewhere.
We come from Canada, so having everything paid for ahead of time is ideal. We also use cash, not credit, for everything. So guesstimating food cost would cause me anxiety. We can't buy Disney gift cards here to put toward the food, and we pay a fee to purchase American currency at our bank. Oh, and if we don't use it all, we loose money selling it back to the bank. So having it all paid up front is a bonus. We have always broken even, and in most cases, saved a large chunk (I always evaluate at the end of the trip).

I do not believe that FD or the DDP is the root of all the changes that have slowly occurred within Disney restaurants, but I do think that it has been a player. As auroraborielis has explained, the dining plan contract ties a managers hands when it comes to dealing with costs. If certain shellfish costs skyrocket a GM cannot simply raise the price and then be reimbursed accordingly so the item is moved fom the menu, or the portion size is reduced. AS the cost of the plan increases menus across the board have increased costs to be sure that the plan is a value to those who puchase it. This is impacts guests who either do not want to puchase the plan, or who are not eligible.

With that, I think that there is more to the streamlined menus that seem to offer variations of the same entrees and desserts from one establishment to the next. I imagine that discounts that are geneally offered from bulk purchases of proteins etc from vendors plays a big part in the decision.

I do believe that Disney may be seeing some unintended consequenses in regards to the whole DDP problem. They raised the cost to the point that most families tend to just break even, and since in order to utilize this plan, you need to book ADR's, which do not allow for a lot of flexibility, the incentive to purchase is reduced. Add that to the fact that the plan is supposed to be an incentive to stay onsite, that incentive just disappeared. Once a family determines they do not gain enough to stay onsite, Disney loses more than one room filled. All the captive dollars associated with that family are now up for grabs in an area that competes for tourist dollars. Disney has relaxed some of the "rules" that have been strictly enforced in the past, and I believe that is to help guests find a value in a plan that is not always teh no-brainer it was 10 years ago.

 

[LovesTimone]

DH and DD love Teppan so its on our list. The scallop option has been a additional charge for a while now, one that I enjoy and am willing to pay for. Scallops are going up and up, look in the fresh seafood counter the price will shock you. Even at the warehouse stores were/when you could get the bagged frozen ones, the price is higher for a less count. We had dinner here over Memorial day weekend and they brought the salad out, and it was so much better than the soup. While it wasn't a salad...salad... it consisted of lettuce and some shredded carrots, with a tangy ginger style dressing, we thought at first... Huh.. then after tasting it.. we both ate it, it was very fresh, refreshing and light. I noticed that almost everyone ate it., Where before the soup had a so so impact, and lots would be left on the table uneaten.

 

[bpadair32]

I don't understand why people want it done away with. Doesn't work for your family? Don't get it. It works great for others. No one forces the dining plan on anyone, it's a choice, and doesn't negate whether or not you can eat somewhere.
We come from Canada, so having everything paid for ahead of time is ideal. We also use cash, not credit, for everything. So guesstimating food cost would cause me anxiety. We can't buy Disney gift cards here to put toward the food, and we pay a fee to purchase American currency at our bank. Oh, and if we don't use it all, we loose money selling it back to the bank. So having it all paid up front is a bonus. We have always broken even, and in most cases, saved a large chunk (I always evaluate at the end of the trip).

Its not a case of me wanting it to go away for any financial reason. I want it to go away because it has caused the food prices to increase for people that don't use it, has caused menu changes because as has been mentioned here previously, the managers can't adjust the DDP reimbursement in response to commodity price changes, and because it has led to higher end restaurants being more crowded than they ever were before, because people are trying to "get their moneys worth" out of the DDP.

For some people, every thing that changes at Disney is to save Disney money. If a storm damages a ride, it is because the general manager whipped up a storm so as to not have to run the ride.

Lol. This literally made me laugh because it seems so true around here.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

#blameshanghai

 

[Lisa F]

Its not a case of me wanting it to go away for any financial reason. I want it to go away because it has caused the food prices to increase for people that don't use it, has caused menu changes because as has been mentioned here previously, the managers can't adjust the DDP reimbursement in response to commodity price changes, and because it has led to higher end restaurants being more crowded than they ever were before, because people are trying to "get their moneys worth" out of the DDP.

I know people think that the DDP has caused menu prices to rise but don't you think that Disney would be raising prices dining plan or no dining plan? If they feel they can get $50 for a filet they will charge $50, not $35. They are not raising prices to make people on the DDP feel good about paying for the DDP. They are raising prices to make more money, pure and simple. Yes they did raise the prices at Le Cellier at the same time they raised the TS entitlements at that place but Disney has a history of taking huge demand and raising the prices to capitalize on it and raising prices in both ways available to them. Hence the tiered ticket prices for different times of the year (and blackout dates on less expensive APs). That has nothing at all to do with the DDP but in recognizing both that they can capitalize on increased demand by raising prices, but also trying to balance the load and hoping that some people will just choose to go at other times of year. Same thing with dining locations - if no one can get into Le Cellier, they can raise the price, make more money and price some people out to eat at other eateries. Believe me, when Disney sees an opportunity to make more money they do. I think blaming menu prices rising on the DDP is a chicken/egg thing. Disney raises prices to make more money, not to make people feel better about spending money in a certain way.

 

[bpadair32]

I know people think that the DDP has caused menu prices to rise but don't you think that Disney would be raising prices dining plan or no dining plan? If they feel they can get $50 for a filet they will charge $50, not $35. They are not raising prices to make people on the DDP feel good about paying for the DDP. They are raising prices to make more money, pure and simple. Yes they did raise the prices at Le Cellier at the same time they raised the TS entitlements at that place but Disney has a history of taking huge demand and raising the prices to capitalize on it and raising prices in both ways available to them. Hence the tiered ticket prices for different times of the year (and blackout dates on less expensive APs). That has nothing at all to do with the DDP but in recognizing both that they can capitalize on increased demand by raising prices, but also trying to balance the load and hoping that some people will just choose to go at other times of year. Same thing with dining locations - if no one can get into Le Cellier, they can raise the price, make more money and price some people out to eat at other eateries. Believe me, when Disney sees an opportunity to make more money they do. I think blaming menu prices rising on the DDP is a chicken/egg thing. Disney raises prices to make more money, not to make people feel better about spending money in a certain way.

Well, you are only focusing on one aspect of what I wrote. But, in regards to that, I do think that the DDP has caused prices to rise, because it has caused demand to rise. There are a number of people that would never have eaten at Le Cellier, or California Grill for instance if they were paying OOP. But since they are on the DDP, they want to "get their moneys worth" and so they go to those restaurants, demand rises, they charge higher prices and price some people out, but the demand stems from the DDP.

 

[tony67]

I know people think that the DDP has caused menu prices to rise but don't you think that Disney would be raising prices dining plan or no dining plan? If they feel they can get $50 for a filet they will charge $50, not $35. They are not raising prices to make people on the DDP feel good about paying for the DDP. They are raising prices to make more money, pure and simple. Yes they did raise the prices at Le Cellier at the same time they raised the TS entitlements at that place but Disney has a history of taking huge demand and raising the prices to capitalize on it and raising prices in both ways available to them. Hence the tiered ticket prices for different times of the year (and blackout dates on less expensive APs). That has nothing at all to do with the DDP but in recognizing both that they can capitalize on increased demand by raising prices, but also trying to balance the load and hoping that some people will just choose to go at other times of year. Same thing with dining locations - if no one can get into Le Cellier, they can raise the price, make more money and price some people out to eat at other eateries. Believe me, when Disney sees an opportunity to make more money they do. I think blaming menu prices rising on the DDP is a chicken/egg thing. Disney raises prices to make more money, not to make people feel better about spending money in a certain way.

Before the DDP plan food quality in Epcot was much better in my opinion, prices were also surprisingly reasonable compared to off site.

Prices everywhere have gone up - that is the reality I get that - I eat out at least once a week - but in Disney prices have gone up and quality and innovation has gone down as far as I am concerned. If the quality was the same I'd be very happy with DDP or paying OOP at the current prices.

There are plenty who agree with that and plenty that don't. Many of the people that were long time hard core members of this board and agreed with that have completely disappeared from this board over the last year or two it seems to me. I'm quite surprised by some of the people that are gone. Maybe like me they took a break for a year.

Anyway with the addition of the DDP things did change - some of the more unusual items were removed because people just ordered the most expensive thing on the menu to get value from the DDP. When they got it they did not like it and sent it back to the kitchen and picked something else...so eventually these items were removed from menus to reduce waste. I recall the mussels being an issue back when they appetizer was part of the DDP. That was around year two of the DDP. Since then Disney has fully optimized the DDP to the point I see no value in paying out of pocket for any of the TS meals at Disney..although I may try one or two this year just because they menus are looking more interesting.

Another factor is that some of the restaurants are not owned by Disney - so those places get a small amount of money for the meals from the DDP, so they have to make that up somewhere - a lot of that is from the Alcohol. Over the years I heard this complaint from more than one manager in Epcot. If you get $16 for a drink, meal and dessert you have to make that up somewhere...to be profitable you have to cost that meal at $5 to cover expenses to make and serve that meal. Even with all the standardization and optimization at Disney that is pretty tough - and if only 50% of your customers are on DDP that would be tough. Something has to give so you charge more to make up for it from the people that pay OOP.

To me it has gotten to the point where I feel that if you do not have the DDP there is no point in eating a TS in Disney - the OOP price it not in line with the quality - even if you consider the location. If you are on DDP (free or as an add on - it really does not matter - I don't have the issue with "free" DDP that others seem to have) then that is a different story.

Before DDP I went to Disney three times a year...now I go a week every other year and spend more time at Universal - because the food is better IMO.
I just don't see the reason to pay out of pocket in Disney for food that is chain quality.

For a family of four "adults" staying at all stars with free QSDP and upgrading to the DDP it is a great deal - no question there.
It works great for you - but that does not mean that those of us who dislike it should just go away and not offer our opinion.

Now that Disney is less concerned about attendance and looking to maximize profit per customer (Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger told analysts the company was focusing on raising revenue even at the expense of attendance increases. "We like the steps we've taken in terms of pricing," he said. "We've taken a number of steps … to essentially grow revenue, in some cases actually at the expense of some attendance." (from the Orlando Sentinel)) it will be interesting to see where things go from here.