Tusker House is now 2 dining credits!

[mikepizzo]

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

Hey, some people get off on buying $328 dollar curtains from Anthropology. And I'm sure some people will think the food tastes better just because it's more expensive. That wouldn't surprise me.

EDIT: I should have added that I completely understand what you're saying...I'm just playing Devils' Advocate.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

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 don't often agree...but I appreciate the discourse.

Let me ask you: do you think that WDW might be in a state of travel "bubble"?

Because that is complete game changer to the "people keep coming" argument.

Because of the logistics of what a boom/bust cycle means to WDW travel. That is the longterm horizon.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Hey, some people get off on buying $328 dollar curtains from Anthropology. And I'm sure some people will think the food tastes better just because it's more expensive. That wouldn't surprise me.

EDIT: I should have added that I completely understand what you're saying...I'm just playing Devils' Advocate.

Wow...that may be the best anology I've ever seen here in 10 years...

Bravo...be sure to thank the academy, your parents, and God first and foremost

 

[LaRaine]

The DDP is worth it if you have enough kids who are eating at character meals to balance out the number of adults on the plan.

One frustration is the change in park hours at a late date. Our ppo adr's is one reason we went with the plan. We were going to get our value. But now the park is opening at 8 and we prefer to not eat during the first hour the park is open.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

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

Not if they had never used the DDP before. That is my point. It's not like everyone else in the universe is using a scheme exactly like the DDP. In fact, no one is. So when someone who has never been to WDW starts to plan a vacation, they won't even KNOW that a given restaurant used to be 1 credit but is now 2. For them, 2 will be the norm, because, well, that's what Disney said it was, and they have no history to compare with. This is why Disney can get away with it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Not if they had never used the DDP before. That is my point. It's not like everyone else in the universe is using a scheme exactly like the DDP. In fact, no one is. So when someone who has never been to WDW starts to plan a vacation, they won't even KNOW that a given restaurant used to be 1 credit but is now 2. For them, 2 will be the norm, because, well, that's what Disney said it was, and they have no history to compare with. This is why Disney can get away with it.

You make a valid point about "normal" visitors. That is true.

The problem is that there is NOT an unlimited supply of new customers (Disney has - can confirm - known this for decades but it's a long tale) and at some point the new customers that do come will do simple economic analysis that will notice the expense of the credits whether they intended on noticing or not.

Many will reject outright...many will not return based on the lack of value.

The current ownership is pushing it. Right now they are showing cracks while things are still good...they could get worse.

Stay tuned.

 

[Mac30188]

I think you are underestimating the ability of the consumer to adjust. They may not know that Chef Mickey's used to be 1 TS, but it won't take too long for it to be publicized in most guides, message boards, and first time visit sites that this is a poor value of 2 TS credits. The consumer will absolutely adjust (even those that have never been). The popularity would go down due to the value being poor and Disney would have to adjust. Tony's is a great example. Do some people still eat at Tonys? Sure, but it is not the last reservation filled up by accident. I am sure a good portion of new Disney visitors read the guides, see the reputation, and stay clear. Disney's new answer, tie Tony's reservation to MSEP viewing to increase the value and therefore drive up demand.

The only part that is true in the first time consumer is they are not likely to be upset with the huge price increase, while the Disney frequent visitor who uses Dining Plan will think the doubling of price is gouging. The new visitor never will have known Chef Mickeys to be a good value so they won't understand the big deal. Even those that are upset with the price increase short term tend to have short memories. Eventually as other prices rise it won't look so bad, or they are just one price cut away from being a returning customer.

What I don't get is why Chef Mickeys? I get Tusker House and Akershus. They were poorly publicized service offerings that really were hidden gems. They also are impacted by external factors that drive up their popularity. Chef Mickeys on the other hand I just don't see what is driving the increase. IMHO, they seem most likely to take a nose dive in popularity if changed to 2 credits.

 

[glvsav37]

What I don't get is why Chef Mickeys? I get Tusker House and Akershus. They were poorly publicized service offerings that really were hidden gems. They also are impacted by external factors that drive up their popularity. Chef Mickeys on the other hand I just don't see what is driving the increase. IMHO, they seem most likely to take a nose dive in popularity if changed to 2 credits.

It's a grand diabolical plan just to get people to stop parking in the CR parking lot and walking over to the MK. Make CM overly expensive and less people will book and ADR there with the idea of saving the $15 parking.

I'm kidding....but somehow sadly I can see it being something discussed in a corporate meeting.

 

[glvsav37]

seeing reports that all the credits have been fixed and are now back to 1 credit for each.

 

[Amanda S.]

seeing reports that all the credits have been fixed and are now back to 1 credit for each.

I just checked. They are back to 1 table credit.

 

[Tom P.]

What I don't get is why Chef Mickeys? I get Tusker House and Akershus. They were poorly publicized service offerings that really were hidden gems. They also are impacted by external factors that drive up their popularity. Chef Mickeys on the other hand I just don't see what is driving the increase. IMHO, they seem most likely to take a nose dive in popularity if changed to 2 credits.

I think you are underestimating the popularity of Chef Mickey's. It may not be for everyone, but there is something that is just iconic about that particular place. Something about the combination of being in the Contemporary, right next to the Magic Kingdom, having the "fab five" character interaction, and other less tangible factors. It's always packed, and for many families, it is definitely on their "must do" list. It is for us. And I think if this were true -- which it now appears it is not -- that Chef Mickey's would still remain popular.

 

[beer dave]

1. I do the math.

2. You may be able to eat like this as a couple. I have two small children who can't do apps and drinks for dinner.

3. We always use the deluxe plan so we can do character breakfasts and a nicer meal at night.
Math wise, we always come out ahead.

4. We don't use the basic Disney Dining Plan bc I think it's not easy to use- I was merely making an observation based on my experience.

I get that everyone travels differently, you clearly didn't see the need to do the same things we do. I am not belittling your choice.

When I posted this I almost put an edit in and I should have-- I was reading the few posts prior to yours (including yours) and posted after reading yours-- thought afterwords that I shouldn't have quoted yours for this because it was a general response to the flow of the conversation at the time as opposed to a direct one. My apologies.

My intent was to show that we can go with out any concern to what we spend and still come up much shorter than what the DDP costs, including the adult beverages. I guess if you do the character breakfasts daily, that would put a big dent in the cost, but If I ate a buffet for breakfast, I probably wouldn't be able to eat anything but a light snack at the end of the day, so I still wouldn't break the cost barrier.

When I say apps for dinner, it is 6 of them at 3 different locations, (and not nachos) so they cost us much more than a meal each would.

 

[aprincessatlast]

What I don't get is why Chef Mickeys? I get Tusker House and Akershus. They were poorly publicized service offerings that really were hidden gems. They also are impacted by external factors that drive up their popularity. Chef Mickeys on the other hand I just don't see what is driving the increase. IMHO, they seem most likely to take a nose dive in popularity if changed to 2 credits.

I have never though of these restaurants as hidden gems. Just curious what these service offerings were?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I have never though of these restaurants as hidden gems. Just curious what these service offerings were?

Akershus is anything...but a "hidden gem"

Right there with nine dragons as the worst restaurant in the park.

Why do you think it became princessville in the first place?

 

[LSLS]

Akershus is anything...but a "hidden gem"

Right there with nine dragons as the worst restaurant in the park.

Why do you think it became princessville in the first place?

I actually thought the food was pretty good a few years back. Overpriced sure, and not the best around, but pretty good, and with a little girl, worth it for the princesses (including free Belle photos). But we went maybe 6 months ago and I thought the food was much worse. Curious if breakfast is still any good, but will only do it if I get the free dining plan again (I know, your favorite thing). But certainly not for two credits or for OOP at this point.

 

[Mac30188]

I have never though of these restaurants as hidden gems. Just curious what these service offerings were?

If you turn the clock back several years, CRT meant princess dining. Akershus came a long and offered many similar traits to that service offering. Over time some consumers adjusted to 1 TS for Akershus being better than 2 TS for CRT and popularity has grown. Now that you add BOG to MK and Froway to Epcot, the value differences between these two are getting to the point that an Akershus reservation is harder to get than CRT. The final nail may be the movement of Anna and Elsa to Akershus (just a guess based on no FP). By the time Frozen 2 comes out Akershus may be a harder reservation to get even at 2 TS credits.

Tucker House will benefit...eventually ...by ROL driving up some demand. Avatar likely will also drive up popularity of the park. AK maybe stumbling a little coming out of the gate, but they are still poised for a great 2017.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Not if they had never used the DDP before. That is my point. It's not like everyone else in the universe is using a scheme exactly like the DDP. In fact, no one is. So when someone who has never been to WDW starts to plan a vacation, they won't even KNOW that a given restaurant used to be 1 credit but is now 2. For them, 2 will be the norm, because, well, that's what Disney said it was, and they have no history to compare with. This is why Disney can get away with it.

I think the group of people who don't know what DDP points are and how they work are in the vast minority though. Even first timers are usually educated about them.

When we went on our honeymoon in 2008, it had been years since either my wife or I had been. We were the idiots standing in the long lines for half our trip before we finally realized what fast passes were, but we knew all about the DDP and made reservations well in advance. Our first meal on property together was arrival day at the Yachtsman, finally a chance for the two of us just to relax after the wedding. You bet we knew it was 2 DDP credits, we were as green as they came back then.

When you spend that much money on a vacation, I do believe the majority of the people do the research on things like that beforehand.

 

[TrampDog]

Disney Dining Plan is pretty useless unless you like contributing to the reason America is the fattest Country on the planet. If you want your "money's worth", you have to plan each meal for maximum content, cost, and capacity. For example one snack credit will buy a funnel cake at DHS. There is no reason on earth for one person to eat an entire funnel cake. That funnel cake satisfies three people in my family and we are not "light weights".

Sorry, I like food as much as anyone else but why force yourself to overeat or in most cases, waste food?

 

[LSLS]

Disney Dining Plan is pretty useless unless you like contributing to the reason America is the fattest Country on the planet. If you want you "money's worth", you have to plan each meal for maximum content, cost, and capacity. For example one snack credit will buy a funnel cake at DHS. There is no reason on earth for one person to eat an entire funnel cake. That funnel cake satisfies three people in my family and we are not "light weights".

Sorry, I like food as much as anyone else but why force yourself to overeat or in most cases, waste food?

There have been plenty of reasons listed as to why people like the Dining plan that does not involve insane over eating. First off, I'm willing to bet a lot of people use those snack credits for a third meal (pastry or a bagel in the morning). And if you are going for money's worth, there are much better values than funnel cake (for example, filet during food and wine, fish at a good table service, etc). Just because you don't like it (heck, I don't use it either as I don't see a value in it for our family) doesn't mean it is only useful for the morbidly obese.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Disney Dining Plan is pretty useless unless you like contributing to the reason America is the fattest Country on the planet. If you want your "money's worth", you have to plan each meal for maximum content, cost, and capacity. For example one snack credit will buy a funnel cake at DHS. There is no reason on earth for one person to eat an entire funnel cake. That funnel cake satisfies three people in my family and we are not "light weights".

Sorry, I like food as much as anyone else but why force yourself to overeat or in most cases, waste food?

Oh please, such a judgemental post.

So you buy a funnel cake for a snack and feed 3 people...good for you. I like my Mickey Ice Cream Bar, my wife likes her Caramel Apple, and the boys get their snacks for the parade also.

We've also done the dining plan, because it makes sense for us. We like to sit down for a meal and rest a little bit. I've added it up for what I thought we would eat, and not selecting the most expensive thing on the menu, it makes sense for us to use it. Sure it does not save us money, but it pays for it in advance.

I like the idea of being able to splurge a little bit and get desert, especially at dinner, because I do not do that when we go out to eat most of the time. It's a splurge, a little extra for a vacation. The desert at lunch is too much for me, I like the idea I've heard some kick around about being able to use that as a snack instead, and then being able to grab a quick pastry for breakfast.

This last trip we did the Counter Service Meal, it worked out great for us because we had a 2 year old and therefore didn't have a meal plan for him. But with that being said, we were able to use the child credits for my 3 year old, and purchase adults meals that they could split. So that saved us a decent amount of money.

Too each his own though, but there is no reason to say that the only reason you to use it is to contribute to America being the fattest country in the world.