No Longer Affordable JMHO

[sissy_ib]

I've walked to Mcdonalds once while staying at AS Sports. Its a very short walk. If you really need to go to mcdonalds and dont have a car, just take the bus to AS Sports and walk from there. Would only take about 5-10 min. You can see it from the resort.

It would take 5-10 from the resort. But how long is it going to take to get from a park to the All Stars? Then a 10 min walk back. Going to McDonalds for every meal when at Disney makes no sense for a variety of reasons.

10 min to get out of the park
10 min wait for a bus
10-15 min to the resort
5-10 min walk to McD
20-30 to order and eat
5-10 min walk back
10 min wait for a bus
10-15 back to the park

That's at least an hour and a half.

There's no longer a McDonalds at DTD. There is one near the Allstar resorts, so one wouldn't have to go entirely off property - but you need a car because Disney transportation won't go there.

A lot of Disney guests also take advantage of the DME transportation and don't rent cars, so they won't be going offsite unless they spring for a taxi or walk to the McDonalds (not sure how you do that because I don't see how you cross the street) or Crossroads.

This is a point I had not realized. I do not rent a car at WDW. I have rented a car in Fl before. It cost about $100 for a week. So that is $100 I would have to take out of my food budget if I rented a car for the purpose of eating cheaper offsite. Plus the gas used. At least a tank-I would resn a small car so 12 gallon tank x $3.50 a gallon=$147.
So I would have to subtract $250 from my food budget. Now for guest who drive, normally rent or are staying off property it does not add up the same.

 

[sissy_ib]

I am really thankful for this thread. I received a ton of good information on places to eat, how to spend (or not spend) money and what to expect.

Just wanted to say thank you!!

There are a ton of affordable places. And not all of the CS is chicken strips and cheeseburgers (just most )

 

[DisneySarah80]

Coming in late and not reading the responces, but heres my $.02

If your just looking to eat, go to a regular sit down or counter serve restaurant. If you want a character experience, then go to the more expencive character meal. We have a few character meals booked for our next trip, and when I booked them, my mind wasn't on the food at all - that is not the point of character meals to my family. The point is, to have great one on one time with the characters, and thats it. Its worth paying the $$ to get this for my DDs. The fact that there is food there is great too, and hopefully it will be edible, but my expectations aren't at a 10 for this food.
Having said that, I do expect the food at CRT to be above the food at say Chef Mickeys, since that price is a good deal higher. But even then, its still not about the food.

 

[goofyintoronto]

It would take 5-10 from the resort. But how long is it going to take to get from a park to the All Stars? Then a 10 min walk back. Going to McDonalds for every meal when at Disney makes no sense for a variety of reasons.

10 min to get out of the park
10 min wait for a bus
10-15 min to the resort
5-10 min walk to McD
20-30 to order and eat
5-10 min walk back
10 min wait for a bus
10-15 back to the park

That's at least an hour and a half.

Oh yes I totally agree with you on that!!! When you factor in the travel time to AS Sports, its so not worth it. Even thou I did go to mcd's once to make my son happy, I dont see the need to go there when there are far better options at disney! Plus, you can get a mcd's anywhere!! Lastly, I dont think Mcdonalds has good food to begin with! (except their breakfast, I do like their mcmuffins!).

 

[minnie mouse ears]

I have to agree that Disney food IS expensive. You can find cheaper options in the parks but plan on splitting meals if you have a larger family. We recently came back from Disney and spent a good deal on character meals. I knew going in that those meals would be expensive so I accepted it and went on. We spent over $200 for breakfast for 7 at Chef Mickey's. Yes - that is expensive but I was aware of the cost before we went.

We looked at Biergarten for dinner one night but that was going to cost around $200 - for one meal. Again, it is the experience but that is expensive. We didn't eat there this time but might in the future.

We did split burgers in half and fed two at a time so we could feed 6 for around $50 at some CS meals..... Cosmic Rays, Pecos Bills, Electric Umbrella. We also split food at the CS Mexican restaurant. Saving money for our family meant we split the meals. We also brought in frozen water and snacks and ate some breakfast meals at our rental house and picked up food outside the parks in the early am or late at night.

Personally, we do not eat anywhere at home that costs $25 plus for buffets. An expensive meal out for our family is O'Charleys at around $80 for 6 people.

I think a lot of people stick their head in the sand and refuse to admit that Disney food IS expensive. It is Disney so everything is magical, affordable and perfectly prepared and the best you have ever eaten right? To say otherwise seems to be horrible to some.

We like Disney food, we are willing to occasionally splurge a lot and spend a lot on meals. However, it isn't the best I have ever eaten and it is certainly not the cheapest.

 

[bicker]

I think a lot of people stick their head in the sand and refuse to admit that Disney food IS expensive.

Meanwhile, not a single person in this thread has said that. Folks have pointed out how guests can choose to spend a lot or spend less, but no one said that Disney food isn't expensive. I've actually never seen anyone wave a "Disney food costs less than home" banner, here, so I'm mystified where you're getting the impression you projected.

 

[JimmyV]

Exactly. People some people fail to appreciate the difference in meaning between "expensive" and "affordable". Disney food is expensive. And it is affordable. You can eat a meal for around $10. Even less if you split. Is that affordable? Yes. (In light of the fact that you are on a multi-thousand dollar vacation. If $10 per person per meal is not affordable for you, then you really need to re-think if WDW is where you should be vacationing.) Is what you get in that $10 meal expensive when compared to the "real world" equivalent? Yes. But is it more expensive than Disney's competitors in the entertainment field? (Movie theaters, other amusement parks, ski resorts, sports stadiums). No. It is priced right there with them. Food costs associated with the entertainment field is expensive. But when you are paying $300 for a hotel room and $275 for a park pass, it is hard to look at a $10 CS meal as "unaffordable".

 

[LeahA]

When in the parks we usually have a sit down late lunch. I looked up Crystal palace and it looks like lunch is $35.99.

Just can not justify spending that much per person for a decent meal.

I think this year we will go near by and get a meal or maybe CS?

I totally agree with you 100%.

 

[Tricia1972]

I am not sure that Disney compares well to the "real world" equivalent.

Movie Theaters and Sports Stadiums are both short visits. You may eat one expensive meal there, or you can easily choose to eat prior to the event.

Other Amusement Parks are usually visited one day at a time and if you visit for multiple days you are almost always offsite and dining at a nearby restaurant for one to two meals a day.

I have never done a ski vacation, but it sounds like that may be a fairer comparison to Disney.

The big difference about Disney, and why I think that some seem to feel the pinch more, is that it's more challenging to dine offsite during the 4-14 days that you are there. It's not like it's one or two expensive-affordable meals, it's three meals a day for the length of your stay.

Personally we deal with the cost. We eat and budget so it's comfortable with our budget, but I do agree that it can be expensive. Especially when you're traveling with a large family.

 

[bytheblood]

Yep, the prices are ridiculous for mediocre food, not even decent in my opinion. I do not like to herded like cattle for my meals, so we just eat whatever we want when we are hungry. McDonalds usually, as the food is consistent and so are the prices. Once upon a time, Disney had great food at affordable prices, not so anymore

I do agree with this, but I am still willing to pay for some of the meals. It just depends on what we are getting. Crystal Palace, CRT, Chef Mickey's and such are NOT worth the price - not even for the experience.

We pay out of pocket and do Tables in Wonderland. We choose places like Yachtsman, Le Cellier, Narcoossee's, Bistro de Paris, Tutto Italia, etc. The only character meal we are willing to do is Princess Storybook and Donald's Safari Breakfast - they are still very overpriced, but it gets us into the park early and we are able to still make rope drop. Also, we enjoy those meals quite a bit.

Overall, none of Disney's menu prices are worth it, but you are paying for the Disney experience, not leaving the park (which should be a perk and not a penalty) and quite honestly, it tricks those who get "free dining" or those who pay for the dining plan into thinking they are getting a great deal. Really, Disney is the one laughing at all of us for paying $30 to see Pooh and Tigger while eating run-of-the-mill food.

 

[JimmyV]

I am not sure that Disney compares well to the "real world" equivalent.

Movie Theaters and Sports Stadiums are both short visits. You may eat one expensive meal there, or you can easily choose to eat prior to the event.

Other Amusement Parks are usually visited one day at a time and if you visit for multiple days you are almost always offsite and dining at a nearby restaurant for one to two meals a day.

I have never done a ski vacation, but it sounds like that may be a fairer comparison to Disney.

The big difference about Disney, and why I think that some seem to feel the pinch more, is that it's more challenging to dine offsite during the 4-14 days that you are there. It's not like it's one or two expensive-affordable meals, it's three meals a day for the length of your stay.

Personally we deal with the cost. We eat and budget so it's comfortable with our budget, but I do agree that it can be expensive. Especially when you're traveling with a large family.

If you go away on a week-long vacation and do not cook any of your own meals, you are going to spend money. Period. Don't want to compare Disney to places that you only visit for an hour or a day? Fine. Let's compare it to places that people go for week-long vacations where "off site" transportation, (read as, getting out of the city), is cumbersome. Go to Paris, Rome, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, Aspen, Vail, London or Madrid for a week and eat out for every one of your meals. Then you will start to see just how affordable WDW dining is. Most people who do this do not eat counter service meals at walk-ups three times a day. But nowhere besides Disney that I can think of is this a truly viable option. So someone who wants to really save money and limits themselves to QS dining will probably save money compared to the cost of other week-long vacations. And don't kid yourself into thinking that Disney is not equating a week-long stay there to a vacation at one of these other destinations. That is exactly what it is. It is no longer a quick two-day trip to an amusement park. It is a week-long immersion, 24/7 just like a vacation to Paris, New York, Boston or London would be.

The point that you are making is that Disney doesn't really have a valid comparable when it comes to vacation dollars. I say it does. Ski resorts and vacation destinations as described above. When looked at in those terms, WDW compares very well.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

While we're not cheapskates, we are SOMEWHAT frugal. That being said, we have a really hard time paying for TS meals at Disney. We're staying at the Poly this time and really wanted to try Ohanas. We can afford it, but just really don't want to pay that much for food for a family of 4! We finally also realized that we don't want to spend all our time at Disney sitting down to eat meals (which we've experienced when we've been on the DDP in the past), so we've now switched (with our last trip and our upcoming trip) to QSDP. I know that a lot of people enjoy eating at the restaurants, and kudos to them, but we've just decided that its not part of our Disney experience anymore!

 

[Tricia1972]

If you go away on a week-long vacation and do not cook any of your own meals, you are going to spend money. Period. Don't want to compare Disney to places that you only visit for an hour or a day? Fine. Let's compare it to places that people go for week-long vacations where "off site" transportation, (read as, getting out of the city), is cumbersome. Go to Paris, Rome, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, Aspen, Vail, London or Madrid for a week and eat out for every one of your meals. Then you will start to see just how affordable WDW dining is. Most people who do this do not eat counter service meals at walk-ups three times a day. But nowhere besides Disney that I can think of is this a truly viable option. So someone who wants to really save money and limits themselves to QS dining will probably save money compared to the cost of other week-long vacations. And don't kid yourself into thinking that Disney is not equating a week-long stay there to a vacation at one of these other destinations. That is exactly what it is. It is no longer a quick two-day trip to an amusement park. It is a week-long immersion, 24/7 just like a vacation to Paris, New York, Boston or London would be.

The point that you are making is that Disney doesn't really have a valid comparable when it comes to vacation dollars. I say it does. Ski resorts and vacation destinations as described above. When looked at in those terms, WDW compares very well.

I didn't say that at all. I said that some of your examples weren't valid comparisons. I agreed that a ski vacation would be a more fair comparison.

The cities you mentioned are more similar to Disney than sport stadiums, etc. However, in cities you'll have a much wider swing in pricing because of free enterprise. Some prices will be much higher and some will be much lower than Disney.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Exactly. People some people fail to appreciate the difference in meaning between "expensive" and "affordable". Disney food is expensive. And it is affordable. You can eat a meal for around $10. Even less if you split. Is that affordable? Yes. (In light of the fact that you are on a multi-thousand dollar vacation. If $10 per person per meal is not affordable for you, then you really need to re-think if WDW is where you should be vacationing.) Is what you get in that $10 meal expensive when compared to the "real world" equivalent? Yes. But is it more expensive than Disney's competitors in the entertainment field? (Movie theaters, other amusement parks, ski resorts, sports stadiums). No. It is priced right there with them. Food costs associated with the entertainment field is expensive. But when you are paying $300 for a hotel room and $275 for a park pass, it is hard to look at a $10 CS meal as "unaffordable".

If you go away on a week-long vacation and do not cook any of your own meals, you are going to spend money. Period. Don't want to compare Disney to places that you only visit for an hour or a day? Fine. Let's compare it to places that people go for week-long vacations where "off site" transportation, (read as, getting out of the city), is cumbersome. Go to Paris, Rome, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York, Aspen, Vail, London or Madrid for a week and eat out for every one of your meals. Then you will start to see just how affordable WDW dining is. Most people who do this do not eat counter service meals at walk-ups three times a day. But nowhere besides Disney that I can think of is this a truly viable option. So someone who wants to really save money and limits themselves to QS dining will probably save money compared to the cost of other week-long vacations. And don't kid yourself into thinking that Disney is not equating a week-long stay there to a vacation at one of these other destinations. That is exactly what it is. It is no longer a quick two-day trip to an amusement park. It is a week-long immersion, 24/7 just like a vacation to Paris, New York, Boston or London would be.

The point that you are making is that Disney doesn't really have a valid comparable when it comes to vacation dollars. I say it does. Ski resorts and vacation destinations as described above. When looked at in those terms, WDW compares very well.

I couldnt agree more. Considering your already spending a few thousand dollars for a disney vacation, $10 is peanuts. If someone cannot afford that, then perhaps an all inclusive vacation is something that would fit the budget a bit more? you pay one flat fee and drink/eat as much as you like. You can get an even better deal if you book a last minute trip.

Places like NYC, Paris, etc, are far more expensive than Disney. For example, while in a NYC nightclub we ordered 3 drinks and paid close to $70. Imagine!?!?! $70!?! Maybe some folks arent surprised by this price, but I sure was! And just the other day my DS went to a buffet for dinner with his dad (locally in the Toronto area) and they paid close to $50....thats without characters of course!

 

[JimmyV]

And just the other day my DS went to a buffet for dinner with his dad (locally in the Toronto area) and they paid close to $50....thats without characters of course!

If they were in Toronto, I am sure there were characters around!

 

[JimmyV]

However, in cities you'll have a much wider swing in pricing because of free enterprise. Some prices will be much higher and some will be much lower than Disney.

But this misses the point. The issue isn't what you could spend on vacation in one of these cities. It is, what you will spend. Just because free enterprise keeps the price of street food down, that doesn't mean that people who take week long vacations in NYC are going to eat hot dogs out of a cart 3 times a day. As soon as you go into even the most touristy of restaurants, you are going to spend more than you do at WDW. My point is that Disney offers you about as wide a CS option as can be found anywhere for people who really want to shave costs on a week-long vacation. Short of cooking your own meals, or camping, there are few places to go for a full week where you can dine out 3 times a day and eat moderately well where you will spend significantly less than at WDW. Maybe Disney is a few percentage points higher, but the difference is hardly noticeable over the course of the entire vacation experience.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I don't care if it's Disney, Universal, Sea World, I don't care what city, what country it is, it's utterly ridiculous to consider a child of 10 an adult both for meal and or ticket purposes! Disney set the bar and everyone followed suit!

Sure you have to pay for the experience, and if there is a show like Hoop de Do Review, there's a premium to be paid but it's still crazyness for a child of 10 to pay adult fare.

Just because I'm spending money at Disney doesn't mean that I have to agree to squander it by paying $30 for a buffet for a 10year old child. Everyone has a choice, to pay the premium or not!

Thankfully my kids are done with character buffets, and other than Boma we're done with Disney's lousy buffets! Years ago the quality and the interaction was there, now Disney is even watering that down!

 

[JimmyV]

...it's utterly ridiculous to consider a child of 10 an adult both for meal and or ticket purposes!

Agree 100% on the meal part. Not sure I agree on the admission ticket part. Most 11 year-olds I know want to (and do) ride more rides than the adults! If a fanny is taking up a full seat on Space Mountain, why should that fanny pay less money? But with food, (especially buffets), it is clearly different. Most 11 year olds are not eating the same, or same amount of food as most adults.

 

[carrie6466]

I guess how expensive you consider the food at Disney could also depend on what you'd spend to go out, not only at a sports stadium or amusement park, but where you live.

We live in the NY Metro area and a nice buffet here, for my family of four to go out, could cost $25 pp with no characters. Where I live, we don't have Golden Corral or CiCi's or Old Country Buffet. I've been to them on other vacations such as Colonial Williamsburg or Sesame Place.

BTW, the character meals at Sesame Place have absolutely horrible food, IMO, and the price is on par with Disney. What we really didn't like about it was that you pay for a character meal there and it's timed. Meaning let's say from 4:00 until 5;15. If all the characters haven't been to your table by 5:15, too bad. It's done and they leave. That happened to us twice. I won't ever have another character meal there.

 

[Tricia1972]

But this misses the point. The issue isn't what you could spend on vacation in one of these cities. It is, what you will spend. Just because free enterprise keeps the price of street food down, that doesn't mean that people who take week long vacations in NYC are going to eat hot dogs out of a cart 3 times a day. As soon as you go into even the most touristy of restaurants, you are going to spend more than you do at WDW. My point is that Disney offers you about as wide a CS option as can be found anywhere for people who really want to shave costs on a week-long vacation. Short of cooking your own meals, or camping, there are few places to go for a full week where you can dine out 3 times a day and eat moderately well where you will spend significantly less than at WDW. Maybe Disney is a few percentage points higher, but the difference is hardly noticeable over the course of the entire vacation experience.

I really don't think that my posts disagree with yours as much as you seem to think that they do.

Disney you have very few options other than to spend what they charge, and we agree on that.

I feel that there is more wiggle room for a family with a budget when they are in other cities, venues, etc. You don't. It's really no big deal that we disagree on that point.