News Round Up 2016

[Eoghann]

They have little Ipad kiosks at the park. They pull you aside and have you take the survey on them, so not your device to get a screen grab from.

Ah, well that makes a bit more sense then.

 

[Eoghann]

Rumor

The frontierland expansion is still in early development. However there is a a consensus that something big needs to be done for the 50th at WDW by people within Disney. We just need to hope that it's more than a parade and new fireworks.

Frontierland would be an obvious expansion spot. Shall I upset people by pointing out just how much land is "wasted" by Rivers of America?

But if they want something in place for the 50th they need to get a move on.

 

[rteetz]

I thought 2020 was phase 3 at DHS??

If phase 3 happens yes that's when it would be.

 

[RAD]

Having flown into Orlando many times in the last 2 years for non Disney stuff, I have to say it's one of the slowest baggage claims I've encountered around the country. I suspect it might have to do with sorting out all those yellow tagged bags. Just a word of caution about the speed of grabbing your own bags. Use as you will.

MCO baggage claim was bad even before MK began.

 

[skier_pete]

Can we finally call the dining plan what it was always meant to be? A bait and switch scam.

Not quite - it started out as a way to fill seats in the TS restaurants - that worked spectacularly. Before the DDP, it was rare to see a full restaurant.

The DDP then trained people that they MUST eat daily at the TS restaurants. That you HAVE to book them 180 days out to get those must dos!

THEN they hiked prices excessively for about 5 years - that's when the bait and switch scam took place. Only a few of us won't take the bait.

 

[skier_pete]

Frontierland would be an obvious expansion spot. Shall I upset people by pointing out just how much land is "wasted" by Rivers of America?

But if they want something in place for the 50th they need to get a move on.

GAH! NO! You CAN"T take out Rivers of America! It's Tradition! Walt Designed it!

(Actually I don't really care - I wouldn't miss it if it were gone.)

 

[Eoghann]

GAH! NO! You CAN"T take out Rivers of America! It's Tradition! Walt Designed it!

(Actually I don't really care - I wouldn't miss it if it were gone.)

Heh... but... They're doing it at Disneyland!

Seriously though you could build an entire new land in that space. It's insanely large for how little is done with it.

 

[Phicinfan]

I thought there was still an expansion pad in the BTMRR area, near RoA?

 

[adam.adbe]

It's insanely large for how little is done with it.

Agreed.

I will say, as someone who isn't all that emotionally invested in "the original vision" (I was 40 the first time I visited a Disney park), RoA stood out to me as very much a uniquely Disney thing. The fact that it exists at all, coupled with the fact that there's a large area just to walk and explore nearby is, I think, pretty great.

As with the train though, better care of landscaping, a few extra details to see, and an effort to make sure backstage stays backstage would be appreciated.

 

[LSLS]

The math becomes increasingly difficult to justify each time they do this...

The quick serve is already wrong. If I eat the best quickserve on property - Wolfgang puck express - twice a day...I'm still only barely getting to $40 a person. Where's my savings? Laying under the tap at pop century and chugging mr. Pibb?

Can we finally call the dining plan what it was always meant to be? A bait and switch scam.

Not true, prices at the restaurants are being increased at a much higher rate. They are pushing towards making it a savings (just in the direction you wouldn't think they could). $24 for a cronut.......

 

[Eoghann]

Not true, prices at the restaurants are being increased at a much higher rate. They are pushing towards making it a savings (just in the direction you wouldn't think they could). $24 for a cronut.......

It's only a "savings" if you eat at the quantity and from the locations that the Dining Plan pushes you to, which most people wouldn't do normally.

 

[Eoghann]

I thought there was still an expansion pad in the BTMRR area, near RoA?

I believe so yes.

But think how many more expansion pads you'd have if you halved the size of RoA!

 

[Spacedog1975]

Frontierland would be an obvious expansion spot. Shall I upset people by pointing out just how much land is "wasted" by Rivers of America?

But if they want something in place for the 50th they need to get a move on.

I think Disneyland is living proof that Rivers of America real estate can be repurposed if they decide to.

 

[rteetz]

I thought there was still an expansion pad in the BTMRR area, near RoA?

Yes there is.

 

[Eoghann]

Agreed.

I will say, as someone who isn't all that emotionally invested in "the original vision" (I was 40 the first time I visited a Disney park), RoA stood out to me as very much a uniquely Disney thing. The fact that it exists at all, coupled with the fact that there's a large area just to walk and explore nearby is, I think, pretty great.

As with the train though, better care of landscaping, a few extra details to see, and an effort to make sure backstage stays backstage would be appreciated.

Yeah I was pretty disappointed the first time I road the train. As a method of getting around the park it's comfortable but slow... it's mostly trees with the occasional ugly building.

 

[LSLS]

It's only a "savings" if you eat at the quantity and from the locations that the Dining Plan pushes you to, which most people wouldn't do normally.

True, but I'm not debating if it's a savings. Simply pointing out that it is not becoming harder to justify. Food prices have risen the same amount or slightly higher than the DDP rose in the past week, so it's actually becoming a little easier to justify (if you do somehow find a savings in it), and that if they continue the trend of raising food prices by 10%, it could become a savings.

 

[skier_pete]

Not true, prices at the restaurants are being increased at a much higher rate. They are pushing towards making it a savings (just in the direction you wouldn't think they could). $24 for a cronut.......

DDP was $35 per adult in 2006 and included tip. Now $63.70 and doesn't include tip. That's a 82% + 18% (for tip) = 100% increase in 10 years. The food prices haven't doubled in that time. DDP used to be a good value. DDP CAN be a good value if you eat all buffets and every dessert. (And by your example if you order a $24 cronut for a QS meal.) However, it's not the value it USED to be. I used to recommend to friends the DDP. I stopped 3 years ago. You expect a dining plan to takeaway flexibility in favor of saving money. The DDP takes away flexability while barely saving money.

As I said in an earlier post, we did the 3 of us for 10 nights back in Aug/Sept for $1643 dollars, or just under $150 a day. We had 7 TS meals (including Yatchsman's so that's actually 8) and BOG for lunch in there. Yes, we mostly avoided the buffets (had Ohana for breakfast), but really didn't restrict our dining choices in any way. That also includes alcoholic drinks which would'nt have been included on the DDP. The DDP would've cost me $1855 + $200 in tips + another $200 in alcohol - so I would've spend $2255 on the DDP for 2 extra TS meals. YMMV of course - but everyone needs to look very, very closely at whether the DDP is right for them.

 

[LSLS]

DDP was $35 per adult in 2006 and included tip. Now $63.70 and doesn't include tip. That's a 82% + 18% (for tip) = 100% increase in 10 years. The food prices haven't doubled in that time. DDP used to be a good value. DDP CAN be a good value if you eat all buffets and every dessert. (And by your example if you order a $24 cronut for a QS meal.) However, it's not the value it USED to be. I used to recommend to friends the DDP. I stopped 3 years ago. You expect a dining plan to takeaway flexibility in favor of saving money. The DDP takes away flexability while barely saving money.

As I said in an earlier post, we did the 3 of us for 10 nights back in Aug/Sept for $1643 dollars, or just under $150 a day. We had 7 TS meals (including Yatchsman's so that's actually 8) and BOG for lunch in there. Yes, we mostly avoided the buffets (had Ohana for breakfast), but really didn't restrict our dining choices in any way. That also includes alcoholic drinks which would'nt have been included on the DDP. The DDP would've cost me $1855 + $200 in tips + another $200 in alcohol - so I would've spend $2255 on the DDP for 2 extra TS meals. YMMV of course - but everyone needs to look very, very closely at whether the DDP is right for them.

I think people are taking my tongue in cheek attack on the raising of virtually all prices on the menu within the last week as me stating that the DDP now has value or that it is much better. I was trying to make a comment about how ridiculous all of the price raises on food are and how the recent price raise actually outpaced the rise in the DDP this time. Point was that this increase shouldn't make it any harder to justify for people to justify the DDP as the prices of all food went up right along with it. Anyways, I will accept I failed and move on from this.

You do bring up something interesting though (which I don't know the answer to). I wonder how much the price has really risen for food in the last 10 years. The only one I really remember is ESPN, and I think it has come close to doubling in price for more than a few items (I swear I used to get the Dinger sandwich around $7 including a lot more food and it is up to $13 or $14 last time I was there). I think most quick service the increase is probably closer to 75% off a pure guess ($8 to $12 sound about right?). Once again, not that I am in any way trying to justify the DDP or REALLY say there is actual value for most people. Anyways, just something interesting you made me think about. Like I said, we can move on.

 

[skier_pete]

You do bring up something interesting though (which I don't know the answer to). I wonder how much the price has really risen for food in the last 10 years.

This isn't a certainty - but I would say based on memory that prices have risen about 30-50% in the last 10 years. In 2006, Buffets were running around mid-20s for dinner and high teens for breakfast, and now are in the high thirties for dinner, mid to high 20s for breakfast. A typical QS meal was $6-9, and now I see usually $9-12. Soda was maybe $2.50 now $3.50.

I tried to track down some 2006 prices - best I could do quick maybe a good example - Hoop Dee Doo was raised to $59, $55 and $51 in Tier pricing in 2007. Current prices are $72, $67 and $64. Increase of 21-25%. The 2 TS credits it would cost you on the DDP to see the show in the meantime have gone up 80% in cost.

 

[Eoghann]

I tried to track down some 2006 prices - best I could do quick maybe a good example - Hoop Dee Doo was raised to $59, $55 and $51 in Tier pricing in 2007. Current prices are $72, $67 and $64. Increase of 21-25%. The 2 TS credits it would cost you on the DDP to see the show in the meantime have gone up 80% in cost.

But... if you go in Fall, stay at a deluxe, click your heels and believe in fairies... you might get free dining! I'm feeling particularly sarcastic today apparently.

I'm tired of the Disney is a business excuse. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you have to and that is true for businesses as well.

But I'm equally tired of people accepting the endless gouging and continuing to go one, two or three times a year for a vacation which while fun is not fundamentally more magical than all sorts of other trips. When you're at the point of scrimping, saving and thinking of picking up extra jobs just to afford Disney you should be asking yourself if Disney actually deserves that sort of devotion. What have they done to earn it?