Just some thoughts on food prices.

[PetefromRI]

I've been thinking lately about complaints that I've heard here and other places about the high cost of eating at Disney.Maybe it's because we live in New England but we never found the cost of eating in Disney bad at all.First of all,your in a theme park.It's always more expensive to eat inside a park than to go off grounds to eat.My wife and I have easily gotten by on 50.00 a day eating in the parks without ever having a burger or chicken nuggets.Now with the QSDP we can even eat more usually with snacks leftover.I know where we live(CT/RI) the average entree at a sitdown restaurant is $18-$30 unless you eat at an Applebees type restaurant.It's really no less than eating at Disney.I think when people go on vacation they tend to eat more ie:appetizers and dessert so it seems more expensive.We've learned to make sure that our eyes aren't bigger than our stomachs when we go on vacation.I also think that Disney portions are much larger than most places.I've never walked away hungry from a TS or QS meal.I'm just wondering what you guys think.Do I just live in an expensive part of the country or is it like this everywhere?

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Their counter service meals run about $2 more than comparable meals here...and table service about 20% more than here.

[megustamex]

I've often thought where you live influences how you rate restaurant pricing at Disney. Compared to Chicago the prices are about the same. The only difference is we don't eat out every meal at home!

[Ms. Mode]

We find the prices to be about the same as here at home too.

I think you're right about eating more on vacation...I think it's a mind set kinda thing:mickey: "I'm on vacation..live it up"

[magicofdisney]

I've often thought where you live influences how you rate restaurant pricing at Disney. Compared to Chicago the prices are about the same. The only difference is we don't eat out every meal at home!
(emphasis mine)

I think this is key. Additionally, feeding 2 doesn't quite compare to feeding a family of, say, 6, which is our scenario.

Plus, I don't eat more on vacation unless I'm on the dining plan which automatically includes dessert and snacks.

Otherwise, when paying OOP, I don't make such splurges.

[Granny Jill A]

I thought the food prices were OK, but the price of a bottle of water was shocking.

[MOJoe]

I've always found WDW food prices to be comparable to other "vacation destination" areas. The difference is that by staying onsite, you are locked in, so to speak, and not able to easily find a low cost alternative.

On other vacations, in other locations, i have stayed at the Hilton, and paid Hilton prices. But also walked down the street for a cheap breakfast. At WDW that is impossible. So while the relative cost is the same, the cumulative effect can be much greater, since your options are more limited. People will complain endlessly, but vacations are expensive luxuries. I'm just thankful i get one.

[BluewaterBrad]

Their counter service meals run about $2 more than comparable meals here...and table service about 20% more than here.


Same as SW Florida.:mickey:

[pdrlkr]

We have no issues with the food prices. We are constantly comparing Disney to other things we do. We are always saying to each other "They say Disney is expensive". Point is that most everything is expensive these days. :secret:

[CiaoBella312]

I've always found WDW food prices to be comparable to other "vacation destination" areas. The difference is that by staying onsite, you are locked in, so to speak, and not able to easily find a low cost alternative.

On other vacations, in other locations, i have stayed at the Hilton, and paid Hilton prices. But also walked down the street for a cheap breakfast. At WDW that is impossible. So while the relative cost is the same, the cumulative effect can be much greater, since your options are more limited. People will complain endlessly, but vacations are expensive luxuries. I'm just thankful i get one.

If someone is concerned about the cost of breakfasts, lunch or snacks, you can always bring stuff from home and eat breakfast in the room before you leave (even in a value resort you can bring cereal/bagels/pop tarts etc.) and have them in the room. I have friends who took a case of water with them, and each morning put a few bottles in their backpack before heading to the parks. It is no different, in that respect, of being off-site and finding someplace "cheaper".

People need to find fewer things to complain about and more things to be grateful for, IMO.

[HoosierDisneyFan]

I would say that the Disney food prices are higher than where I live but not unexpected. I think the food / drink prices are expensive for a NBA or NFL game but that is expected as well. When we are at Disney we usually bring cereal & fruit from home and buy milk at the resort for a quickie breakfast. This saves us both money and time.

One good thing about Disney is there are a wide variety of food options (including eating off property).

[Seasonscraps]

The meal prices are on par with what I expect to pay around here (NYC) so I don't exactly have sticker shock when I vacation. But I do think the food is over priced. In general, I find the quality of the non-signature Disney restaurants to be on par with moderately priced chains like Olive Garden (a place I ate once and won't go back to), Applebees & TGI Fridays, etc. It's not bad food, but there are very few meals I walk away from thinking "Wow, that was really good" and not places I would pay $18-30 for an entree anywhere else.

[lighteningqueen]

The prices at Disney are extremely high from here in Texas. You can get a wonderful steak for about 10-12 dollars and a baked potato and salad to go with it. Breakfast is way far out there. Compared to a I hop or Dennys. Not even a buffet is that high for breakfast here in Texas and yes we get the same items. The food quality is far better here as well as most other states. We tend to season our foods so they do have taste and rarely do you find a place that uses industrial type foods as they do on property.If you pay 18-30.00 a ,meal for one here in Texas you better be dressed to the nines and live in the best of neighborhoods and are an executive..Who gets paid millions for a bonus. We are very lucky here to get good food no matter the ethnic background meaning Chinese Mexican,Italian etc. You just really have to think it thru at Disney what you want to spend your money on. For example 50's pot roast is 17 or 18.00 and it was half of what we were served last year and half the taste. While good it still had gone down in quality. I think they should quit doing the free dining and then go down on prices to match the quality that they have gone down to. Just MHO. No one elses.. No bashing here

[thumperbug]

I find the cost of CS meals to be a bit high. I never feel that the price of the table service meal is too high. Maybe its because I feel I am getting a more quantity of food.

[JPL]

My problem is the quality of the food more than the price. I don't mind paying for a good meal but lately it seems the quality, variety and portion size has all suffered greatly from the inception of the dining plan. It seems each trip it declines a little more. It is almost at the point where I eat more CS than sit down meals.

[LudwigVonDrake]

I go to WDW knowing I will pay a little extra to eat but I really don't mind.

[DVC2004]

I think it compares to prices where I live. Sure I can go to Outback and get the $9.99 special, or if I go to a "real" steak placce then yes it's upwards of $30 and then some. I never found WDW prices to be out of line. And yes I agree- the appetizers, desserts and wine all add to the tab. When on vacation you tend to splurge on things you wouldn't usually order at home.