"Character dining value"

[RichGuy]

The WDW Today podcast went on a rant today about how expensive character dining is and what a bad value it represents.

Since a character buffet like Crystal Palace and 1900 Park Fare are one table service credit, it strikes me that the dining plan is THE way to do character meals.

When I mentally compare breakfast at the Crystal Palace to breakfast at Whispering Canyon... it seems on par, value wise. One might have a preference for one or the other, but that's different.

...or am I way off base? The last time I did the dining plan was just after they stopped including gratuity.

[mydisneygirls]

I think all the meals are priced outrageous! If it weren't for the free DP, I wouldn't eat on property at all. Last trip, it cost me over $100 for my DD's and and myself. I think we at about 2 pieces of bacon and a muffin. Meals on property are WAY overpriced...IMO!

[SallyMcQueen]

I have to agree the character meals are overpriced. The first time we went to WDW we did the DDP. With the DDP I think its a good deal. At that time (2008) it was something like $38/day for adults, thus if one meal cost roughly that much you definitely got your money's worth. Because essentially you then got a TS, QS and two snacks for the price of one meal for that day.

When we go in February we've decided not to do DDP. We are only doing one character meal, Chef Mickey's, and that's only because this will by DS4's first trip. For dinner for four people it's going to cost roughly $120. I think what the problem/issue with the character meals is that they are all pretty much buffet. You don't have the option of splitting a meal. My kids aren't big eaters when we eat at restaurants, so I'm going to pay $20+ per kid to eat probably about $5 each of food. But people, myself included, are willing, however reluctantly, to pay those prices.

[mydisneygirls]

If the DDP is offered in your package, you might want to include it. You will end up saving money unless you are intending to eat off property.

Disney Dining Plan for 2012: Regular Pricing is $51.54 per adult, $15.02 per child. Holiday/Peak Pricing is $53.54 per adult, $16.02 per child. The Disney Dining Plan includes a refillable mug in 2012.

For the cost of just your one character meal, you could get a snack, CS, and TS for just about the same price.

[TinksGoofyMom]

We've gone to WDW every other year since 2005 and always done the DDP. It's "MY" vacation too. I'm not getting a kitchenette at a Disney or outside hotel so that I can cook. I'm also not eating McDonald's or hotdogs during the 1 week out of 100+ that I don't have to cook. If you break it down and price it against comparable menus around the country, it's not very unreasonable. You also can't find dinner and a show many places even for the price of 2 table services on the DDP. To me, the all inclusive also means that I don't have to make sure I have enough money to eat by the end of the week. If you don't have kids, it may not be worth the character meals, but by DH and I enjoy it just as much if not more than our kids do.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Yeah, the food is mostly over priced. We started using the DP on our second trip and won't go without it again:mickey:

[disneyfan328]

its also worth mentioning that while the DDP for 1 ts 1 qs and 1 snack now includes the refillable mug, that the quick service plan has lost the 2nd snack that has always been there in the past.

Quick service plan is now just 2 qs meals 1 snack and refillable mug :( I really liked the 2snacks because the kids knew the got 2 per day and were able to pick there own. Now with them only being allowed one(unless I pay oop for it) they will have to be much more careful with what they choose. It was easier knowing that they had to picks each day. There are sooo many favorites on the DDP for snacks that having 2 made choosing easier.

[DizneyRox]

NEVER use a TS credit for breakfast (character or not) if you're looking for value. A TS creidt is worth $30+ I believe (I haven't been keeping up quite honestly) and that's WAY to much for soggy bacon and overcooked eggs, even if Mickey Mouse brings it to you.

[MOJoe]

NEVER use a TS credit for breakfast (character or not) if you're looking for value. A TS creidt is worth $30+ I believe (I haven't been keeping up quite honestly) and that's WAY to much for soggy bacon and overcooked eggs, even if Mickey Mouse brings it to you.

I tend to agree with this. And it sounds like the WDW Today team does too.
The only time i ever could justify a character breakfast was the morning i checked out of the BC. We had a early afternoon flight, so a big breakfast with Minnie and Goofy seemed like a good idea. Gotta say it was fun. But i expected more than food like we get at a Shoney's for more than twice the price. Good value? No way. But on a travel day i might do it again.

[gaffz70]

MOJoe, I like that idea of having a character BF the day you leave. It sounds like a great way to end the week. We generally leave late am/early afternoon. Just not enough time to really do anything. Thanks for the idea!

[Janmac]

We've gone to WDW every other year since 2005 and always done the DDP. It's "MY" vacation too. I'm not getting a kitchenette at a Disney or outside hotel so that I can cook. I'm also not eating McDonald's or hotdogs during the 1 week out of 100+ that I don't have to cook. If you break it down and price it against comparable menus around the country, it's not very unreasonable. You also can't find dinner and a show many places even for the price of 2 table services on the DDP. To me, the all inclusive also means that I don't have to make sure I have enough money to eat by the end of the week. If you don't have kids, it may not be worth the character meals, but by DH and I enjoy it just as much if not more than our kids do.

This is us. We don't go on vacation to cook or to eat hamburgers or hot dogs. We have tried the breakfast in our room before heading to the parks and were cranky-hungry before lunch time. Last trip we had one character breakfast ADR and were much happier during the morning. For our next trip we are having breakfast buffets every morning - out of pocket. We're using the DDP for lunches and suppers, except for Storybook Princess at Norway. That one meal almost breaks even for the rest of that day.

We also like the all inclusive plan, and not even thinking about what the cost would be for whatever sounds good on the menu. Even when no dining plan was offered, we'd estimate the total amount needed, and have that set aside as a sort of dining plan.

As to value received, that is very much in the eye of the beholder. Our son-in-law used to complain bitterly about a WDW being so expensive, and yet he gladly paid $300 to $500 yearly, as his share, for a hunting place, even tho he rarely saw anything to shoot. Didn't seem like such a good value.

Jan

[mom2morgan]

Well, I don't go to Disney expecting great "value" for the meals! But I agree that the character meals (except CRT) are priced exactly the same as the same meals without characters in many cases, so I can't say they are any "worse". And honestly, we went to Disneyland last summer and had MAJOR sticker-shock; a meal at Goofy's (the equivalent of Chef Mickeys) was a third again as expensive! I believe we paid $180 for 4.