Onsite table service dining cost - wow

[pantherlj]

I am shocked at the cost of onsite dining for sit down meals! We had a visit with free dining when it included tips so I didn't pay much attention to the cost. Our last trip we didn't do onsite table service. For our upcoming 20th anniversay, I want to do a couple of nicer meals. I thought it would be cool to take the girls to a couple of places we had dinner on our honeymoon but it looks like Coral Reef (assuming I can get ADRs) would be $150 for dinner for 4 by the time you add up 4 entrees and drinks and a couple of adult beverages? Even 50's prime time looks pricey - another spot we went to for our honeymoon. I have a soon to be 10 year old that doesn't eat much at meal time. Are portions at most sit down places big enough to share? Do they care if you split an entree? Do they charge a fee to split an entree?

 

[crusoe2]

I agree that the food prices have gotten awfully high. You should be able to split an entree at any restaurant except the buffets or family style places. There is a photo thread on the Restaurants board that might give you some idea of portion sizes.

 

[eliza61]

I think the prices at disney are ridiculously high (for the food quality they serve). Generally in a 8 day trip we do 1 or 2 favorites.
They don't really care if you split. I have 2 sons who have always been good eaters so sharing is not possible for my family. I've tried all the places that people swear serve really large portions but usually what happens is that we have to "add" to the meal in order for both folks to feel satisfied. Now I have had meals that have been more than what I can eat but not enough for me and a 2nd person.

 

[granmanh603]

Boy do I agree about the meal cost for TS...ever since the debut of the meal plan, prices and food quality have taken a hit.. they keep raising the prices to force you into the dining plan and to make you think you are saving a bundle.. my biggest shock was we ate at Cape May in Dec 2009 for 27.99 a person and it is now close to 45 !!!!! they raised the prices of all the Character meal buffets too...
We get the TIW card(20% off food and liquor) and use that if we have to eat in a Disney TS..but try to avoid that, or go for lunch....(we are older and don't eat as much) we like the Big River over at Boardwalk and some , Yak and Yeti, used to go to HOB but they just changed the menu and not as appealing . I feel sorry for families...

 

[maggiew]

I am shocked at the cost of onsite dining for sit down meals! We had a visit with free dining when it included tips so I didn't pay much attention to the cost. Our last trip we didn't do onsite table service. For our upcoming 20th anniversay, I want to do a couple of nicer meals. I thought it would be cool to take the girls to a couple of places we had dinner on our honeymoon but it looks like Coral Reef (assuming I can get ADRs) would be $150 for dinner for 4 by the time you add up 4 entrees and drinks and a couple of adult beverages? Even 50's prime time looks pricey - another spot we went to for our honeymoon. I have a soon to be 10 year old that doesn't eat much at meal time. Are portions at most sit down places big enough to share? Do they care if you split an entree? Do they charge a fee to split an entree?

I haven't compared the prices, but try Coral Reef at lunch instead of dinner. It should be cheaper. (Although I have noticed that a few restaurants are going to the same lunch/dinner menu.) My teen DDs were allowed to order the kids meal pizzas at Coral reef.

We've never eaten at Prime Time, so I can't really say anything about portion size there.

When my girls turned 10, we started to stay away from the fixed price places and only go to the places you can order off the menu. We almost always share and have never had a problem at Disney.

Maggie

 

[iheartpeterpan]

My daughter & I split every meal at Disney except the buffets. No problem ever. We are both fairly light eaters - however, they give you a ton of food.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

We have always used the dining plan but this time we will be on our own so I have been checking the prices too and they are high. There will be six of us going and I have chosen two of our favorites, and the only place we will be splitting meals will be 50's Prime Time. They give you so much food!! Plus my kids enjoy the desserts there so we will be splitting some of those too.

To get a better idea of portion size, go to the food porn thread and look at the pictures. Eat first though or you will get mighty hungry!

 

[Marionnette]

I guess that I must be living in a high COL area because I don't consider $150 for 4 meals to be out of line. We're not talking TGIFriday's here. We're talking about table service restaurants within a theme park. $37.50 pp after tax and tip is not a bad price at all, IMO.

But I do agree that the quality of the food has suffered over the last few years and Disney dining is not the experience it once was.

 

[SaraJayne]

I am shocked at the cost of onsite dining for sit down meals! We had a visit with free dining when it included tips so I didn't pay much attention to the cost. Our last trip we didn't do onsite table service. For our upcoming 20th anniversay, I want to do a couple of nicer meals. I thought it would be cool to take the girls to a couple of places we had dinner on our honeymoon but it looks like Coral Reef (assuming I can get ADRs) would be $150 for dinner for 4 by the time you add up 4 entrees and drinks and a couple of adult beverages? Even 50's prime time looks pricey - another spot we went to for our honeymoon. I have a soon to be 10 year old that doesn't eat much at meal time. Are portions at most sit down places big enough to share? Do they care if you split an entree? Do they charge a fee to split an entree?

I agree that the sit down restaurants are ridiculously high for the quality served. That is why we rarely eat sit-down meals at disney, anymore.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I guess that I must be living in a high COL area because I don't consider $150 for 4 meals to be out of line. We're not talking TGIFriday's here. We're talking about table service restaurants within a theme park. $37.50 pp after tax and tip is not a bad price at all, IMO.

But I do agree that the quality of the food has suffered over the last few years and Disney dining is not the experience it once was.

It's not out of line for one or two meals out, but when you do this for 8 nights it can really add up. Plus you have other meals to buy. Ours will be right at $200 for TS meals due to having six of us. I normally spend about $200.00 a week on groceries so $200 for one meal IS a lot of money. I don't mind while we are on vacation though.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

I totally agree that the prices have gotten incredibly high.

However, we only get to travel to WDW every 2-3 years, and we do tend to splurge on eating at TS meals while we are there. I've got two kids who will count as adults this time (and two who count as kids), so...there goes a huge chunk of change!

We're staying 10 days, and I'm seriously considering getting an AP for one of us so we can get the TIW card, knowing full well we'll spend a ton eating on site.

At least we do know how expensive eating will be going into all of this, and it all works right into our trip budget. That's what we use our Disney Visa points on..dining. So, it's not a terribly huge expense out of pocket.

 

[Kay1]

I think the prices at disney are ridiculously high (for the food quality they serve). Generally in a 8 day trip we do 1 or 2 favorites.
They don't really care if you split. I have 2 sons who have always been good eaters so sharing is not possible for my family. I've tried all the places that people swear serve really large portions but usually what happens is that we have to "add" to the meal in order for both folks to feel satisfied. Now I have had meals that have been more than what I can eat but not enough for me and a 2nd person.

I agree with you. Some portions may be large enough to share but not all by any means. I've seen plenty that were just barely enough unless you add an appetizer and/or salad.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I guess that I must be living in a high COL area because I don't consider $150 for 4 meals to be out of line. We're not talking TGIFriday's here. We're talking about table service restaurants within a theme park. $37.50 pp after tax and tip is not a bad price at all, IMO.

But I do agree that the quality of the food has suffered over the last few years and Disney dining is not the experience it once was.

I agree. $150 for four people doesn't sound that high for me. Dinner last night for two was $50 and that was for a shared appetizer and two entrees. No alcohol.

 

[Marionnette]

It's not out of line for one or two meals out, but when you do this for 8 nights it can really add up. Plus you have other meals to buy. Ours will be right at $200 for TS meals due to having six of us. I normally spend about $200.00 a week on groceries so $200 for one meal IS a lot of money. I don't mind while we are on vacation though.

There's no law that says you must eat a TS meal every day. I see no need for Disney to make them cheaper just because a guests decides to dine at a sit-down restaurant every night for a week. The food would be really bad if that were the case.

No matter where you decide to vacation, you will need to feed your family. Whether it's by dining out or preparing meals in your condo, you're still going to have to spend the money to do it. IMO, you budget accordingly and take it into consideration when you plan your vacation.

 

[eliza61]

I guess that I must be living in a high COL area because I don't consider $150 for 4 meals to be out of line. We're not talking TGIFriday's here. We're talking about table service restaurants within a theme park. $37.50 pp after tax and tip is not a bad price at all, IMO.

But I do agree that the quality of the food has suffered over the last few years and Disney dining is not the experience it once was.

I think that's my problem, I think most of the places at disney are along the lines of fridays, applebees or friendlys. I definitely get out of applebees for less than $150 bucks.

food is so subjective, which is probably another reason why some ones high prices is another mans normal.

 

[DizzyStitch]

I was at Cedar Point in Ohio last summer and the price for Subway and Chick Fil A were at least double what you pay in the non theme park world. So I would assume that the prices for Disney food goes along the same lines. It's just plain expensive! I thought 8.00 for a 6" sub at Subway was more ridiculous since I could get that elsewhere for about 3.00. You can't always get the same stuff at the Disney Table Service other places, or at least not as easily in one area.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I don't find the prices to really be all that high honestly. DH & I often drop $100 for dinner at home for just the 2 of us. I always expect theme park or resort area meals to be more

 

[MomtoGKC]

I think $150 for dinner including some adult drinks sounds about right IF the food was good quality. When I eat a $150 meal at home I get much better food than I get at Disney. We easily spent over $200 at Universal for dinner for 5 of us including a few beers & vodkas & dessert, but we ate at Emeril's and the food was incredible!

 

[dzorn]

It's not just the cost I think the quality for that cost is too high. We are cutting back on our TS meals because of this.

It think it also depends if you live in low or high cost area at home.

Look at some of the TS lunches are cheaper than dinners to save a little. We do enjoy LLT for lunch. DSs what CP and I have not booked it yet. Given they are Disney adults I much perfer to skip buffets especially when they eat so little they can usually eat of the kids menu most other places.

Denise in MI

 

[tasha99]

I agree that it's a combination of the cost and the quality. With few exceptions, Disney's restaurants have subpar food--you're paying for the location and the ambiance.