Tusker House is now 2 dining credits!

[OldsDr]

Did they raise Le cellier? Absolutely

So Tusker is currently about $30 PP and CM is about $40 pp for breakfast, CRT is about 60. So like someone posted earlier $45 - $55 cash is probably not that unlikely in near future.

 

[ChipnDale79]

What most people here are not taking into account is why price increases work. Disney attendance is NOT made up of just the people on this board, or indeed just repeat visitors. In fact, it is overwhelmingly people who have never been there before. For them, they will think that 2 credits is normal, because that will be all they have ever known. It's much the same in my workplace. Students get all bent out of shape about some issue. Then four years later they have all graduated and the new crop has no idea that the issue ever even existed. By and large, Disney visitors, much like college students, have very little institutional memory. We can rail on and on about price increases here until the cows come home, but in the end, it won't matter one bit. Why? Because the amount of money Disney makes off the readers of this board is literally lost in the noise. It's fun to think that by complaining about Disney pricing here you're making a difference, but in the end, you're just deluding yourself. And most of you will just go anyway even though you were complaining, and pay the price increases. I know I will

Right, but at some point when people price out their vacation (first time or not) and see the total, they are going to say, "nope, not doing that".

 

[glvsav37]

I hate to stereotype...but my gut tells me that the remaining love for the dining plan is reserved for many that are fixated to a particular promotion that is offered about 8 weeks a year in fewer and fewer quantities...

That segment is very vocal on places like Disney websites

I think most others are either take it or leave it or actively have begun to hate it.

somewhat true, but not me....we are DVC, summer travelers and buy the regular dining package. I can never get the promo.

as the topic has been beaten to death for/against....we do it b/c it is easy. I've run numbers, I don't always come out ahead, but not so far behind that it makes a major dent. I like knowing that 95% of my food is paid for and there is no monster credit card bill waiting for me when I get home.

That said, if these types of changes go into effect across more of the resort, I would have to think differently about it. To us, the 2 credit meal isa not so much about the cost, but more about NOT getting an opportunity to eat somewhere else. Dining at Disney is somewhat just as much fun as the parks. And each year we have a short list of locations we just couldn't fit in—be it time, location, or not enough credits. Now, if you are taking 2 credits up for certain locations, then that is another location I am NOT visiting. Yes, I could pay OOP, but I'm not fond of doing both OOP and DP—too much to keep track of already.

The other death nail for us right now is that my daughter just turned 10 and is now an 'adult' in WDW eyes, yet she still eats like a bird. We are considering the DP for us (me, wife and 6 yr old) and paying OOP for her. Not sure.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

Right, but at some point when people price out their vacation (first time or not) and see the total, they are going to say, "nope, not doing that".

While that may be true, the current trends (increasing attendance every year) indicates that more are choosing to pay the increases than not... As long as that is the case, pricing will continue to increase.

 

[DG-12]

I would just add this- a colleague was told by the district sales manager that this entire thing is a glitch and is not accurate.
Whatever that holds for the future I don't know. But for now it's a glitch.

 

[ChipnDale79]

While that may be true, the current trends (increasing attendance every year) indicates that more are choosing to pay the increases than not... As long as that is the case, pricing will continue to increase.

We'll see at the next quarterly report, the previous report stated a decline in attendance.

It's also my opinion that it takes 6 months to a year to see how disney's changes effects their attendance and guests. It's a ripple effect, because these vacations almost require planning so far out advance, you don't see effects of the changes for nearly 6 months to a year after the change is made.

While we're just a small number of disney's customers, we tend to be the most loyal. To me it says something when people on this forums cancel trips because of price increases or such.

 

[ChipnDale79]

If it's a glitch, and is truly that with no increase planned for it, the fact that we are 7 pages deep on this topic says something as well.......

We've seen a lot of price increases lately, I think people are nervous for more.

 

[mikepizzo]

If it's a glitch, and is truly that with no increase planned for it, the fact that we are 7 pages deep on this topic says something as well.......

We've seen a lot of price increases lately, I think people are nervous for more.

I completely agree. I think the market will end up sorting itself out thought. There will always be people that will be able to afford whatever outrageous price Disney puts in front of them. You just wonder how many Disney parks visitors are like that, and where the tipping point is.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

wow...I can't believe they did this...we are usually avid dining plan people, but last month I was doing some pre calculations for our trip next year and I decided it would be cheaper without the dining plan. Now they decide to up 3 of our fav meals to 2 credit meals I am definitely thinking OOP is way way way cheaper than the dining plan, lol. I hope Disney honors the people who already booked these ADRs for 1 credit and that this in fact doesn't go into play until 2017...but who knows with Disney...they are trying to make more money like usual and this is their plan...they probably think people that buy the dining plan and then up the credits to 2 for some of the biggest character meals and that forces people to now have to pay OOP for some of their meals a long with the dining plan

 

[LSLS]

I think we should clarify what a glitch means. A glitch is not just a random thing that happened for no reason. At some point, these places were changed to 2 credits. Whether it is being put into place for holidays, for next year, for tiered dining, or something else entirely, I have no idea. But glitch does not imply a completely random thing where the system just randomly generated the number 2 in place of the number 1 and that there are no plans for these places to be 2 credits. Not sure anyone was being confused by the wording or not, but wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page here.

 

[katriscari]

We are going to upgrade to AP's to cover 2, 10 night trips in May 2017 & April/May 2018--the Tables In Wonderland card is looking better & better....and alcohol is discounted as well when you use that!

 

[mikepizzo]

I think we should clarify what a glitch means. A glitch is not just a random thing that happened for no reason. At some point, these places were changed to 2 credits. Whether it is being put into place for holidays, for next year, for tiered dining, or something else entirely, I have no idea. But glitch does not imply a completely random thing where the system just randomly generated the number 2 in place of the number 1 and that there are no plans for these places to be 2 credits. Not sure anyone was being confused by the wording or not, but wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page here.

Isn't it also possible that the value of dining credits is tied to something else somewhere in their backend. They changed something that the credit is tied to and, boom, increase?

I really have no idea how it works, genuine question.

EDIT: Changed "background" to "backend".

 

[MamaBelle4]

Well, if it turns out they are switching these meals to 2 credits, we won't add it to our ressie. We will just put the money we would've spent on the dining plan on a gift card and go from there.

We are traveling in a large group with a large number of children and planning to do mostly character TS for the kiddos.

 

[HopperFan]

This is why if I go next year I will have a car. I won't be held hostage and fleeced on vacation. I have no problem going to Black angus or Outback, are they premium? Not by any means, but you are getting the quality you pay for. I understand not wanting to leave the parks for dinner, it can waste time. However, the cost benefit for me is better going offsite.

When Canada went 2 credits, did the cash prices increase too? I can't see them not raising the cash price to keep the Dinning Plan savings narrative accurate.

(this isn't the only reason, I also don't like depending on the busses)

We have been doing this more and more. I've actually been eating in room, packing a sandwich for lunch, buying some good snacks I wouldn't normally try to get through day and then leaving to head offsite or DS for dinner. Now with SO MANY new eateries in DS I think we'll be heading there more and more. That said, it is also drawing us to stay offsite. All the money saved on food and hotel means we can book the extras pain-free.

 

[gabriellyn]

We'll see at the next quarterly report, the previous report stated a decline in attendance.

It's also my opinion that it takes 6 months to a year to see how disney's changes effects their attendance and guests. It's a ripple effect, because these vacations almost require planning so far out advance, you don't see effects of the changes for nearly 6 months to a year after the change is made.

While we're just a small number of disney's customers, we tend to be the most loyal. To me it says something when people on this forums cancel trips because of price increases or such.

This. We are DVC members. Our last trip did not include the parks, nor will our next trip in August. Our Spring Break trip next year will not be a parks trip either. Hello SeaWorld, Universal, Florida Beaches, etc. We do have a Disney trip planned the week before Christmas but I am rethinking the parks portion of that trip as well. In the past we have used the Dining Plan on some trips, but increased cost and decreased value have us rethinking that too.

 

[LSLS]

Isn't it also possible that the value of dining credits is tied to something else somewhere in their backend. They changed something that the credit is tied to and, boom, increase?

I really have no idea how it works, genuine question.

EDIT: Changed "background" to "backend".

Yes, it would be possible. But the only thing I could think of is if it is tied to pricing (so when a restaurant hits a certain average price, it becomes a 2 credit option). If that is the case, you either had somebody messing around with the system and lowering that price point, or they are working on making these restaurants more expensive. But I'm not really buying that either unless this affected a lot of other restaurants that people didn't realize. For example, Tusker House is would be the same price point (right now at least) as Boma, Hollywood and Vine, and 1900 Park Fare.

 

[Amanda S.]

I went and made a reservation for lunch at the tusker house right now for oct 2nd, and when you get to the reservation screen, it says 1 credit. So I think it's a mistake that will get fixed.

 

[skier_pete]

I really get tired of the fact that any time virtually anything dining related is discussed around here, some people have to come out of the woodwork to bash the dining plan. Yeah, I get it. Some of you think that the dining plan was invented by Adolf Hitler himself. And you think we're all morons for using it. And for some reason, it seems to actually make some people mad that some of us choose to use it.

The truth is, there is a value in the DDP for some people, and there isn't for others. Some people lose money on the DDP and some save money. Anyone speaking in absolutes ("the DDP always costs more") is just flat wrong. And, regardless, why do you care so much how other people are choosing to spend their vacation money?

We have always done the DDP and will continue to do the DDP. Yes, even if some character meals go up to 2 credits a piece. And I guarantee you that the math will still work in our favor. Because I know our family and how we like to eat on vacation. As always, YMMV.

OK - I don't want to get in an argument and I will agree that you can still get value out of the dining plan. But it's all relative. The dining plan was originally designed as a good value to help fill restaurants. The dining plan started in 2005-2006 at around $35 per person - including tip. It is now 10 years later $64 per person - NOT including tip. So the dining plan went up let's conservatively say 90% in cost. In the meantime, Disney food prices (and I've surveyed this) have gone up about 30-40% in cost. My point is that as designed, it WAS an awesome value. Now it is a marginal value - and ONLY if you use it EXACTLY the right way. We stopped using it, dropped most of the buffets from our regular cycle, and now save significantly versus the cost of the DDP. In 5 years time went from saving big money by being on the DDP to saving big money by not being on the DDP.

I would just say - don't assume that the math will always work in your favor. It's quite easy now to NOT get value from it. If you are using 2 TS credits for a $45-50 buffet meal - as is the gist of this article - that math is NOT in your favor. Its NOT going to work in ANYONE's favor except Disney's.

Why do I care how other people spend their money? Well, I hate seeing anyone get ripped off. But also if we do just accept what Disney charges and keep paying it, well, the $100 per day DDP is just around the corner. Just saying "it's OK I'll pay it" is what led to the MVMCP going from $40 per person to $95 per person in just 8 years. Some of us prefer to say "Look - you don't HAVE to pay for it."

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

So much panic and frustration over what is looking more like nothing. Nice work!

If Disney provided their phone CMs with the right information and training, it wouldn't have gotten this far.

I hate to stereotype...but my gut tells me that the remaining love for the dining plan is reserved for many that are fixated to a particular promotion that is offered about 8 weeks a year in fewer and fewer quantities...

That segment is very vocal on places like Disney websites

I think most others are either take it or leave it or actively have begun to hate it.

I will admit it, we only use the DP because we go when free dining is offered. I do the math every year and it ends up being a better deal for us. I would never pay for the DP OOP. My kids are 10 and 12 and neither of them can eat $60 worth of food.

This is why if I go next year I will have a car. I won't be held hostage and fleeced on vacation. I have no problem going to Black angus or Outback, are they premium? Not by any means, but you are getting the quality you pay for. I understand not wanting to leave the parks for dinner, it can waste time. However, the cost benefit for me is better going offsite.

When Canada went 2 credits, did the cash prices increase too? I can't see them not raising the cash price to keep the Dinning Plan savings narrative accurate.

(this isn't the only reason, I also don't like depending on the busses)

Canada went up in price and got rid of many of its lunch items.

What most people here are not taking into account is why price increases work. Disney attendance is NOT made up of just the people on this board, or indeed just repeat visitors. In fact, it is overwhelmingly people who have never been there before. For them, they will think that 2 credits is normal, because that will be all they have ever known. It's much the same in my workplace. Students get all bent out of shape about some issue. Then four years later they have all graduated and the new crop has no idea that the issue ever even existed. By and large, Disney visitors, much like college students, have very little institutional memory. We can rail on and on about price increases here until the cows come home, but in the end, it won't matter one bit. Why? Because the amount of money Disney makes off the readers of this board is literally lost in the noise. It's fun to think that by complaining about Disney pricing here you're making a difference, but in the end, you're just deluding yourself. And most of you will just go anyway even though you were complaining, and pay the price increases. I know I will

Well if they use 2 credits at CHef Mickey's and then another 2 at Narcoosee's, I think they'll notice a difference.

I completely agree. I think the market will end up sorting itself out thought. There will always be people that will be able to afford whatever outrageous price Disney puts in front of them. You just wonder how many Disney parks visitors are like that, and where the tipping point is.

But will they be happy with the food at Chef Mickeys?

Isn't it also possible that the value of dining credits is tied to something else somewhere in their backend. They changed something that the credit is tied to and, boom, increase?

I really have no idea how it works, genuine question.

EDIT: Changed "background" to "backend".

That would only make sense if the changes were more widespread, like all the character meals.

BTW, remember when Disney decided to charge a cancellation fee go ADRs? At first it only applied to certain restaurants. People defended it by saying you could choose to eat somewhere else. After a year, it was applied to all ADRs.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think we should clarify what a glitch means. A glitch is not just a random thing that happened for no reason. At some point, these places were changed to 2 credits. Whether it is being put into place for holidays, for next year, for tiered dining, or something else entirely, I have no idea. But glitch does not imply a completely random thing where the system just randomly generated the number 2 in place of the number 1 and that there are no plans for these places to be 2 credits. Not sure anyone was being confused by the wording or not, but wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page here.

You got to it before I could (damn treadmill)...

A "glitch" is not an "error" down there...it is an inadvertent early update/release.

Don't doubt that for a second