Why Does a Mickey Bar Cost $3.49?

[pilferk]

And what about the employees who don't feel the grifter guest should be rewarded for his con job on Disney, yet the guest still gets the magic from managers (the CM's supervisor)? Are managers under so much stress to keep guests happy that any disgruntled guest is placated with freebies/comps, even those who are out to scam the resorts/restaurants, etc? Do you think this affects/effects employee morale? And at what cost if good employees leave Disney?

They should voice those opinions to their managers and the company leadership.

Who will then decide whether those opinions serve the best interests of the company, at large.

That's why there is a chain of command. The front line CM is not always going to (or able to) distinguish the granularity of a given situation. They have a "micro"view while those higher up in the company would (you'd hope) have a more "macro" view.

And if the employee is unhappy with the direction of the company, or is morally opposed to the actions of the company...they have every right to go seek employment elsewhere.

 

[Wadecool]

The Disney employees who take it personally also have a right to go find work elsewhere. They're not indentured, and Disney doesn't hold them hostage.

If Disney doesn't make a profit, they don't employ anyone. They're not a charity.

 

[pilferk]

Actually OP has a point...

The OP would have a point IF he were simply commenting on the entitlement mentality that pervades our society and how it might be found during a Disney vacation.

Trying to relate it to some sort of extreme skyrocket/differential in prices, though, isn't apt. It just isn't. It's simple math. There's far too many transactions at WDW for the cost of compensation to be anything substantial.

The thing is: We all remember (and talk about) the exceptions....the out of the ordinary...because that's what we notice. The "ordinary" is white noise.

There's the guest who filed suit because "Disney should have known it would rain and built the park under a dome"

There's the guest who wanted medical car for thier busted ear drum... caused by the "sudden pressure descent" in the 'Hydrolators" at the Living Seas.

And so forth (and no, I didn't make those up, they were confirmed to me by someone at Disney once )

I have seen some CMs be "attacked" by guests who wanted something for "Free" or something they weren't entitled to...

Front desk staff are really under the gun.

(Of course my personal favorite was the guest at the Beach Club SCREAMING that her TA had guranteed her an OCEAN view and all she could see was some old lake CM actually had a map out trying to explain WHY he could not help her out!)

FILED does not mean TRIED.

I would guess (though without anything other than heresay, it's tough to track those suits down) if filed that any judge would get defenses (ie: Disney's) motion to dismiss and act on it immediately. That is if they didn't dismiss it out of sure friviolity, first.

 

[pilferk]

We probably have about $500 a night in comps on average some of the comps are legit while others are people trying to get a "freebie" Especially in these "times." We have a separate budget to cover this cost but we do go over sometimes.

Just because I'm curious:

What do you think the overall take is, at the restaurant, per day.

Over 25k?

For the comps, is that $500 retail? Or is that the food cost?

 

[larryz]

4) The reason the Mickey Bar is $3.49 is because people will pay $3.49 for it. Disney can charge a premium because a) they have a captive audience in their parks and b) people will pay the premium. If people found the price egregious, they'd stop buying Mickey bars, and Disney would either be forced to lower their price OR stop selling Mickey bars.

Personally, I'm going to blame the price increases on free dining.

Like everything else included in the dining plan, they had to raise the price to make up for the "free" snack bars being disbursed.

 

[Oglet]

Seriously what is wrong with

Replacing a dropped ice cream, a lost shoe, spilled drink, ruined t-shirt etc


I replaced a lost autograph book once. A young child was crying so I went over and asked what was wrong, they told me they had lost their autograph book with all their autographs in it so without thinking I fixed the problem the best way I could.

I got them a new book and got them all the character autographs that were available within that particular area. The child was happy, the parents were thrilled and I left feeling great about my job.

Sure you might be a few people who scam the system but who really cares?, its the people you can make a difference for that make it all worth while.

 

[pilferk]

Personally, I'm going to blame the price increases on free dining.

Like everything else included in the dining plan, they had to raise the price to make up for the "free" snack bars being disbursed.

Except...I don't think the price of the mickey bar increased, substantially, when FD came into being. Did they? Anyone remember?

I could be wrong...but I think they were around 3 bucks back in 2002.

And the funny thing about FD is: It's not really free. But that's a discussion for another thread.

 

[pilferk]

Seriously what is wrong with

Replacing a dropped ice cream, a lost shoe, spilled drink, ruined t-shirt etc


I replaced a lost autograph book once. A young child was crying so I went over and asked what was wrong, they told me they had lost their autograph book with all their autographs in it so without thinking I fixed the problem the best way I could.

I got them a new book and got them all the character autographs that were available within that particular area. The child was happy, the parents were thrilled and I left feeling great about my job.

Sure you might be a few people who scam the system but who really cares?, its the people you can make a difference for that make it all worth while.

NOTHING is wrong with that. At least not to me.

 

[larryz]

I love it that Disney lets you bring your own food in. Many theme parks and amusement parks charge higher prices for food than Disney plus don't let you bring food and drink in. le.

Amen to that. I submit for your consideration the $12 foot long Subway sandwich at Kings Island, followed closely by the $30 large pizza "deal" for pass holders (includes four small fountain drinks, a family-sized salad and a large cheese or pepperoni pizza).

On the other hand, however, they offer a barbeque lunch buffet for under $13.99.

I guess the moral of the story is to be judicious in your food choices and you can usually find affordable food.

 

[larryz]

OMG! I had a woman I was dining with (not a friend...a mutual friend) do this the other night. She had ordered her 3rd Strawberry Margarita and when she realized that everyone was done with their meals and done drinking, she told the waiter it tasted funny so she didn't have to pay. Totally common!

Don't worry -- if she paid for the first two, she MORE than paid for the third.

 

[larryz]

Maybe not totally, but pretty darn close.

What are you complaining about -- it sucked YOU in!!!

 

[mom2rtk]

Personally, I'm going to blame the price increases on free dining.

Like everything else included in the dining plan, they had to raise the price to make up for the "free" snack bars being disbursed.

Like some sort of wealth redistribution plan?

Seriously, free dining is just a different packaging of a vacation discount. Doesn't matter which column they put the discount in.

 

[Wadecool]

What are you complaining about -- it sucked YOU in!!!

True, true.

 

[kidd_freeper]

Why Does a Mickey Bar Cost $3.49?

Because people are willing to pay that amount. Welcome to capitalism.
Don't like it? Keep your money in your pocket. You have a choice.

 

[crostorfer]

What in the Sam Hill is going on with this thread? My head hurts now.

And I agree with what Mom2rtk said several pages ago: They charge so much because they can. A full day at Disney costs me no more than 2 and a half hours at a Seahawks game. My ticket is nearly $100, my beers are $8.00 a piece, my hotdogs and nachos cost the same. At least at Disney I get to spend a whole day for those prices and am guaranteed to have a good time. And I'd bet that Centurylink Field isn't charging me more for those items because of discounted ticket and food vouchers, or because they give away free miniature stuffed footballs some nights.

 

[perdidobay]

We call those folks grifters.

Dang it Uncle Remus, now it is stuck in my head and I am going to have to load up Netflix and watch The Grifters again! Thanks to you now I NEED to see Anjelica Huston and John Cusack get into it again..... all except that horrific ending.

 

[chartle]

Dang it Uncle Remus, now it is stuck in my head and I am going to have to load up Netflix and watch The Grifters again! Thanks to you now I NEED to see Anjelica Huston and John Cusack get into it again..... all except that horrific ending.

Never saw that one but I do remember "The Sting".

Newman and Redford can't go wrong.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

Disney is a business and they do need to make money. I guess that is why they cost 3.50 not 1.50

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Is it because some Disney guests (*really grifters) set out to bilk Disney outta every comp they can get?

I mean when a guest looks for some reason (baby's binky is missin') to create a tragedy for precious who is now not enjoyin' every magical moment advertised by Disney?

What about the hard workin' mother who takes her 3 kids to a buffet known as Cinderella's Table, but her kids didn't like the food, should she be compensated?

Or the man who put bleach in the washer instead of detergent, should Disney reimburse him for those clothes so he 'n his family can go to the parks without stares 'n giggles?

Yes, all true stories 'n probably the reason why a Mickey bar costs $3.49.

Have you ever seen anyone bilk Disney, heard any stories?

*thanks to s&k'smom

Just wanted to say that Frank Zappa's song "Uncle Remus" is awesome. It's on the album "Apostrophe". Short and sweet but one of my favorites. Beautiful piano intro and a wonderful guitar solo midway. Builds to a great finish. I always have to play it twice.

Forget the $3.49 Mickey Bar....go spend $.99 and download it and you will not be disappointed.

 

[perdidobay]

Never saw that one but I do remember "The Sting".

Newman and Redford can't go wrong.

Ahhh, thanks, now I need to watch that one again too! It was the first movie I went to see with my (now) DH!

We still say "Ya follow?" to each other!


trivia: the scene of Loretta and Johnny Hooker at the diner late at night was the inspiration for Bob Seger's song We've Got Tonight.


On the same theme of movies about grifters, one of the best IMHO is Paper Moon with Ryan and Tatum O'Neil.
Now do I have this thread totally off track?!!