Palo Dinner cost question

[ArielRae]

I see that Palo is $45 for their prefix menu. If you order all your food off the ala cart menu not the prefix do you pay for only what you ordered or you have to pay $45 if your food is less then that amount?
For example:
I want the pappardelle pasta and dessert for $30 total
DH wants the porterhouse, side, and dessert for $74 total
I assume soda is free. We don’t drink alcohol.
What would we be paying?


Edited to add menu links:
Dinner
https://disneycruiselineblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DCL-Palo-A-La-Carte-Menu-May-2021.pdfDessert
https://disneycruiselineblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DCL-Palo-Desert-Menu-May-2021.pdf

 

[TRTRguy]

It is now a $45 minimum per person

 

[sethschroeder]

It is now a $45 minimum per person

So it depends on how the waiter punches it in then I guess? Or is it just average? Since the side/dessert could apply to the first meal making both over $45.

 

[Cheburashka]

It is now a $45 minimum per person

Are you sure? Has a trip report backed that up? It was my understanding that you either paid pre-fixe or ordered a la carte, and that ordering a la carte meant your cost was simply the combined cost of the items you chose.

 

[TRTRguy]

So it depends on how the waiter punches it in then I guess? Or is it just average? Since the side/dessert could apply to the first meal making both over $45.

My understanding is a $45 per person minimum pooled per table, if you both order ala cart add up the total in your example is $104 minus the $90 , so you would owe an additional $14

 

[SirDuff]

My understanding is a $45 per person minimum pooled per table, if you both order ala cart add up the total in your example is $104 minus the $90 , so you would owe an additional $14

I thought that the $45 per person thing only applied to those Platinum Castaway cruisers getting the $45 "credit" as a perk.

 

[ArielRae]

Anyone else have experience with this?

 

[jimandshane]

We only did brunch but friends of ours on the ship who went for dinner confirmed that you could spend less than $45 for dinner, if you only ordered from the a la carte menu.

 

[epcotrulz]

Wait til they get people just having a drink and a soufflé…. I hope this change is temporary…..

 

[Cheburashka]

We only did brunch but friends of ours on the ship who went for dinner confirmed that you could spend less than $45 for dinner, if you only ordered from the a la carte menu.

Yes, that was my understanding from what I read. Nice to see it confirmed.

 

[Cheburashka]

I thought that the $45 per person thing only applied to those Platinum Castaway cruisers getting the $45 "credit" as a perk.

You can choose either a $45 pre-fixe meal, or order & pay for individual items a la carte. Applies to everyone but Platinum have complained the loudest due to some of them now having to pay extra to get all of the items they want.

 

[Cheburashka]

Wait til they get people just having a drink and a soufflé…. I hope this change is temporary…..

Very unlikely to be temporary as this is DCL cost-cutting rather than than Covid-related, & Disney cost-cuts tend to stick.

I'm sure they've done the math & figure that what they'd lose from the few drinks & souffle only diners will be more than made up for by charging a la carte for those who like big meals and/or expensive menu items.

DCL isn't WDW, which has a much wider range of customers in terms of income than current DCL customers. Most DCL customers can easily afford $45+ per person for a meal, & will want an actual meal when going to Palo. Palo also is not a place for the whole family (kids), so that makes the price more tolerable than it would be at a restaurant at Magic Kingdom, for example, where local discounted annual passholders once could easily drop in at Be Our Guest just for a cupcake & to enjoy the ambiance with the whole family in between rides.

 

[DisneyConvert]

My understanding is a $45 per person minimum pooled per table, if you both order ala cart add up the total in your example is $104 minus the $90 , so you would owe an additional $14

I would like this understanding of the Palo meal cost (which seems fair and workable) to be true.
We are Platinum and go to Palo at least once per cruise and have no problem paying for "extras" . . . the reality is that servers and preparers tend to be very generous in their version of what a plate includes, so I have always felt we get more than our value when "upgrading" at Disney.

 

[Wallyworld81]

So we just looked at the dinner menu changes and this is just ridiculous! We have always done brunch and dinner at Palo when cruising but this price fixed dinner menu change isnt what we want. I dont want a salad course - and Penne with red sauce as a main? Are they joking? $22 for the antipasto plate that always was part of the meal? Disney just keeps slapping us in the face with these increased prices for less of an experience! They dont even have a filet on the a la carte part of the menu!

 

[Meriweather]

My husband was a dollar short on ala carte for the $45. Had to add something else.
Also if ala carte they add 18 percent tip....luckily I told my son before he and DIL went or they wouldn't have known

 

[closetmickey]

Wait til they get people just having a drink and a soufflé…. I hope this change is temporary…..

Actually I hope this happens! It will help bring back the all inclusive pricing.