Surcharge only for buffets?

[Brer Shay]

Have gotten conflicting info - is the meal surcharge only on buffets or on all meals?

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I am not sure if this is what you are talking about but this is from wdwinfo.com

"During seasons of high demand, Disney raises the prices at most of the prix fixe restaurants.

Below are the restaurants and dates when you can expect to pay more. On average, it's $4.00 more per person ages 10 and up, $2.00 more per child ages 3 -9.

December 16, 2008 - January 3, 2009
April 5 - April 18, 2009
May 24 - July 11, 2009
Restaurants:

1900 Park Fare
Akershus
Biergarten
Boma
Cape May Cafe
Chef Mickey's
Cinderella's Royal Table
Crystal Palace
Garden Grill
Hollywood and Vine
Liberty Tree Tavern (dinner)
Ohana
Trails End
Tusker House

NOTE: This list is subject to change without notice and does not exclude other dining venues. There is no impact on guests using the Disney Dining Plan. "

Ohana, LTT, CRT and Garden Grill (did I miss any?) are not buffets. Aside from CRT for lunch and dinner, those I just mentioned are family style... best of both worlds imo... all you can eat and you don't have to get up.

 

[tinka-belle]

It's not just buffets. Seems to be all fixed-price meals, though those are mostly buffets and character meals. Easy to just change the price at the check in area.

Not so easy (though I'm sure they'll find a way) to change and use menus with prices on them. There's always the chance that the wrong menus would be given out and cause confusion and problems. But I think they will do this at some point though.

 

[TDC Nala]

It's all fixed price restaurants.

 

[ammo]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but has there been any explanation of why it is only the fixed-price restaurants? There doesn't seem to be any additional service or menu offerings during the surcharge period, or anything that would raise costs on the fixed-price vs. menu restaurants. The implication is that they simply raise prices because they can.

 

[Justsyd2]

It's based on supply and demand. During the Holiday and Peak periods the surcharge goes into effect. The "additional" service is the strain on the restaurant during those times. I'm not saying it's right...I'm just answering the question.

 

[ammo]

It's based on supply and demand. During the Holiday and Peak periods the surcharge goes into effect. The "additional" service is the strain on the restaurant during those times. I'm not saying it's right...I'm just answering the question.

Is there no additional demand for the menu restaurants? I always assumed they had a limited number of seats available and they controlled the number of diners in that way.

 

[Justsyd2]

I know that most of these places have extended hours during those periods, but I'm not sure about the other restaurants.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Is there no additional demand for the menu restaurants? I always assumed they had a limited number of seats available and they controlled the number of diners in that way.

Sure there is - but how would you implement a peak period (or any other) surcharge at an a la carte restaurant, where each item is priced separately?

You can't add a specific percentage to each item - the surchage at the fixed-price meals isn't a percent, it's a flat rate across the board, no matter how much the base menu price is. Guests are paying the same additional $4.00 for dinner at CRT ($42.99) as at Trail's End ($20.99).

Relatively pointless to add a flat rate to just certain courses - e.g. $4 to each entree - in part, again, due to the range in prices (example: Le Cellier's dinner entrees run from $20 to $35). Also, that would just encourage people to dine on appetizers, or share meals...

Add a percentage? That would entail reprogramming the computer system, then rereprogramming it at the end of the peak period, then rerereprogramming it at the beginning of the next peak period... AND being 100% positive the correct menus, and ONLY the correct menus, are distributed on the appropriate days.

 

[smiths02]

Total speculation, but I would imagine that the demand doesn't rise quite as much for the menu meals.

They add the holiday surcharge at a time when school is not in session...meaning more families go...families have children, they want character meals, they want a buffet/family style so everyone can be happy....

 

[DianeV]

In other words they do it when they know generally more peope will be there..ie. because they can