It’s the beginning of Walt Disney World’s new fiscal 12 months, which is mainly the bean counter’s Christmas as a result of it means worth will increase. Unsurprisingly, character eating experiences are among the many greatest jumps–breakfast, lunch & dinner at lots of the hottest (and a number of the least widespread!) ones have gone up by a number of {dollars} every. This provides a rundown of earlier than & after pricing, plus our commentary about what didn’t enhance and the impression of the Disney Eating Plan returning in 2024.
This comes amidst different worth will increase to begin the Walt Disney Firm’s new fiscal 12 months. At Walt Disney World, this additionally contains Annual Passes, Reminiscence Maker, parking, excursions, dessert events, water parks tickets, miniature golf, and extra. Over in California, Disneyland elevated park ticket costs…and just about the whole lot else, too.
On the eating entrance, Walt Disney World bumped up the value of a whole lot of menu gadgets throughout the parks & resorts at Walt Disney World. This lined the whole lot from counter service staples to snacks at outside merchandising carts to alcoholic drinks, and the a whole lot–if not hundreds–of various gadgets that went up in worth anyplace between $.20 and $2-3 on common. Unsurprisingly, character eating experiences are on the upper finish of the spectrum. Right here’s a rundown of what we’ve seen with character meal worth will increase at Walt Disney World…
Let’s begin inside Magic Kingdom in the direction of the entrance of the park, with Crystal Palace: A Buffet with Characters that includes Winnie the Pooh and Pals. Breakfast at Crystal Palace went from $45 to $48 for adults and from $29 to $30 for kids. Likewise, lunch and dinner (identical buffet, subdivided by hours) elevated from $59 to $61 for adults and from $38 to $40 for youths.
The worth of this beforehand elevated when Winnie the Pooh and his posse returned final fall, which made sense. You’re clearly paying a premium to fulfill characters, so the value had decreased whereas Crystal Palace was character-free. I wouldn’t say I’m shocked by any of those worth will increase, but when there have been nonetheless a ‘shock scale,’ it will measure highest right here. Crystal Palace might be the least or second-least widespread restaurant on this listing to see worth will increase.
Subsequent up is Cinderella’s Royal Desk, which final noticed worth will increase when princesses returned to the eating room earlier this 12 months. Within the prior two years, Cinderella greeted friends downstairs (unofficially) however the different visiting princesses weren’t again to roaming the principle eating room, making the rounds for photographs resulting from a pronounced ‘princess scarcity.’ Normalcy has since been restored to the dominion, and there was a lot rejoicing.
Following that, October 2023 brings with it the second spherical of worth will increase. Breakfast elevated from $65 to $69 for adults and from $39 to $42 for kids. It’s an analogous story for the lunch and dinner providers, which jumped from $79 to $84 for adults and from $47 to $49 for youths.
On prime of this, varied premium cocktails, wine, and different alcoholic drinks have additionally gone up. We gained’t fixate on this, because it’s already lined in our final put up about a whole lot of worth will increase. Nonetheless, anticipate to pay $.50 to $3 extra for drinks at Cinderella’s Royal Desk, must you order something that isn’t included within the flat-rate prix fixe worth.
Walt Disney World has additionally raised the value of Magic Kingdom’s different royal restaurant. (Okay, so that you’re not really eating inside that toy fort perched atop the mountain…and that large mess corridor within the center doesn’t really feel very regal…however that is nonetheless technically inside Beast’s Fortress!)
At Be Our Visitor Restaurant, lunch and dinner elevated from $67 to $70 per grownup and from $39 to $41 per youngster. Just like Cinderella’s Royal Desk, there are additionally quite a lot of greater booze costs at Be Our Visitor.
Breakfast nonetheless shouldn’t be again at Beast’s Fortress, which actually looks as if Walt Disney World leaving cash on the desk given what they’re charging for lunch and dinner. I’m additionally undecided whether or not Beast is again to greeting friends in his ‘reception’ space that’s a devoted meet & greet, or roaming across the room at a distance from friends prefer it’s nonetheless late 2020. (He wasn’t as of late summer season and I haven’t heard something since, so I assume that’s nonetheless the case.)
I really feel like I ought to cease sharing this opinion as fewer and fewer folks agree with every passing 12 months, however Be Our Visitor remains to be our #2 restaurant in Magic Kingdom. That’s not the very best of reward given the (lack of) competitors, however we expect it will get disproportionate hate. Lots of that’s pushed by sky-high expectations and hype. In the event you take that away, it’s an above-average Walt Disney World restaurant. (That can be wonderful if you happen to order the filet and get an excellent reduce that’s properly-cooked.)
Regardless, even I’m seeing it break the $70 barrier for adults and over $40 for youths and questioning to myself whether or not I’m nonetheless on board. Once more, I’ve misplaced the capability for shock with regards to Walt Disney World rising costs, however I really feel it’s additionally applicable to level out that the recognition of Be Our Visitor Restaurant as measured by ADR availability has completely plummeted over time. Certain, it’s exhausting to e book throughout peak season (e.g. a lot of the subsequent few months), however it’s a lot simpler than it as soon as was.
Whole apart, however it’s fairly wild to me that just a few years in the past, folks have been in a position to do dinner inside Beast’s Fortress and order solely a cupcake. Not simply that, however that this was a identified drawback for a very long time, and it Walt Disney World a number of years to do something about it.(File this beneath “why we are able to’t have good issues.” It’s additionally the reason the subsequent time you’re questioning why one other prix fixe menu is changing an a la carte one.)
From Magic Kingdom, we take a fast stroll (or monorail journey) over to Disney’s Up to date Resort. Within the Grand Canyon Concourse, the flagship character eating expertise has seen one other change, as costs have gone up at Chef Mickey’s.
Breakfast at Chef Mickey’s now prices $54 per grownup, up from $51, and $34 per youngster, up from $33. That’s a rise of $3 and $1, respectively. As with different eating places, smoothies and different specialty drinks have additionally gone up in worth by $.50 to some {dollars} every.
Dinner at Chef Mickey’s has additionally now been elevated to $66 per grownup (up from $62) and $41 per youngster (up from $39). All of those costs went up final October, and once more this spring when the buffet returned and the restaurant went again to regular.
Persevering with on the monorail loop, costs have additionally elevated at ‘Ohana. Every morning for breakfast, ‘Ohana serves up the Greatest Pals Breakfast That includes Lilo & Sew. This character eating expertise has elevated in worth from $45 to $49 for adults and from $29 to $30 for kids.
Though it’s not a personality meal, dinner at ‘Ohana has additionally gone up in worth. Grownup elevated from $59 to $62, and youngsters’s pricing went from $38 to $40. And though it’s neither a personality meal nor on the Poly, Walt Disney World’s Straightforward ADR That’s Higher & Cheaper Than ‘Ohana is now $38 per grownup and $20 youngster–up from $35 and $19. Don’t inform Disney I wrote this, however it’s nonetheless value it!
Staying exterior the parks for a bit, the greatest character breakfast at Walt Disney World additionally elevated in worth. Breakfast à la Artwork with Mickey & Pals at Topolino’s Terrace — Flavors of the Riviera (say that full title 5 instances quick…and even slowly!) beforehand price $45 per grownup or $29 per youngster. It has gone as much as $49 for adults and $30 for youths.
We’re large followers of the newer, ‘elevated’ character meals…however at these ever-increasing worth factors, I feel that’s way more palatable at dinner than breakfast. Maybe it’s a me drawback, however there’s just one entree (the Wooden-fired Butchers Steak) that approaches being value it at this level. I cringe a bit after we order a waffle or actually any merchandise with out meat at this worth–and it doesn’t assist that they not allow you to do a number of entrees.
We subsequent enter EPCOT, the place a few character meal costs have elevated. Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at Backyard Grill raised its costs for each meal–breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast bounced from $42 to $47 per grownup and from $27 to $30 per youngster.
Lunch and dinner went from $55 to $62 per adults, and from $36 to $40 for youths. These are among the many extra vital worth will increase throughout all of Walt Disney World character eating, which is a bit shocking. Backyard Grill doesn’t strike me as a very widespread or aggressive Advance Eating Reservation. Perhaps they’re anticipating the filling in of the Large EPCOT Grime Pit™️ to generate tons of enthusiasm and open wallets!
Again in World Showcase, the extra widespread EPCOT character eating expertise additionally elevated in worth. Breakfast at Akershus Royal Banquet Corridor now prices $55 for adults (up from $53) and $35 for youths (up from $34).
Lunch and dinner at Akershus now cost $67 for adults (beforehand $63) and $43 for kids (beforehand $41). As with the opposite character eating experiences which have separate costs for alcohol, costs there are additionally up.
Exiting out Worldwide Gateway and strolling over to Disney’s Seaside Membership Resort, we discover that Minnie’s Seaside Bash Character Breakfast is now pricier. Each that meal and dinner at the moment are $47 for adults, whereas breakfast is $30 for youths and dinner is $27 for kids.
Strolling or taking the Skyliner or boat over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the price of Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood & Vine has elevated. Breakfast went from $42 to $47 for adults and from $27 to $30 for kids. Lunch and dinner jumped to $63 per grownup (up from $59) and $40 per youngster (up from $38).
Bouncing again to the parks, we head to Tusker Home at Animal Kingdom. For breakfast, grownup pricing elevated $45 to $47, and youngsters’s elevated from $29 to $30.
Beforehand, the all-day lunch and dinner meal at Tusker Home price $59 per grownup and $38 per youngster. Adults elevated to $62 and children to $40. These costs are definitely excessive, however frankly, the buffet is a lot extra ‘value it’ than the prior family-style meal. That was such a downgrade and having the buffet again is a large value-add (or restoration).
Turning to commentary, one of many greatest surprises to me is that the insanely widespread Story E book Eating at Artist Level with Snow White did not enhance in worth! This Wilderness Lodge character eating expertise serving dinner options Present White, Dopey, Grumpy, and the Evil Queen.
Extra to the purpose, Story E book Eating at Artist Level with Snow White is the preferred character meal and hardest Advance Eating Reservation in all of Walt Disney World. Subjectively, I might additionally contend that Story E book Eating at Artist Level is the most effective character dinner (distinguished from breakfast or lunch–a complete cop out by me) in all of Walt Disney World.
So for that cause alone, it’s shocking that Story E book Eating hasn’t seen extra worth will increase. Not simply in October 2023, however generally. A number of of the eating places on this listing are seeing their second worth enhance of the 12 months, whereas Story E book Eating at Artist Level nonetheless prices the identical quantity in the present day that it did final October (when it final went up). For a meal with a critical supply-demand imbalance, that’s shocking. I hate to say it, however Walt Disney World might worth this at $80 per grownup and $45 per youngster and haven’t any points filling tables.
Walt Disney World seemingly acknowledges this, which is why it’s going to require 2 credit on the 2024 Disney Eating Plan. At its present worth of $65 for adults and $39 per youngster, it’s a extremely poor use of DDP credit. (As a result of it’s important to divide that by 2 to find out the per-credit worth.) It’s even worse than Be Our Visitor Restaurant, which is among the many lowest values on the Disney Eating Plan.
As we mentioned within the commentary to the opposite worth enhance put up, it’s frequent for Walt Disney World to extend menu costs to enhance the phantasm of worth on the Disney Eating Plan. In the event you’re doing the maths on meals and evaluating menu costs to the price of the Disney Eating Plan, the latter turns into extra enticing when the previous is greater.
That is very true for households enthusiastic about doing a whole lot of character eating experiences, as these are among the many most compelling “arguments” in favor of buying the Disney Eating Plan. That is doubly true for 2024 with the usual Disney Eating Plan seeing vital worth will increase for adults, the majority of which was presumably pushed by assigning greater values to desk service credit.
Provided that, I’m truthfully considerably shocked that Walt Disney World didn’t push a few of these out-of-pocket costs for character meals greater. It possible would’ve resulted in driving extra gross sales of the Disney Eating Plan, sustaining extra of a captive viewers, and so forth. Walt Disney World is at the moment seeing a pointy drop-off in ADR demand and the competitiveness of character eating reservations shouldn’t be practically as unhealthy because it as soon as was…for now.
I’m guessing that’ll change as soon as the Disney Eating Plan returns, if not earlier for the beginning of this 12 months’s vacation season. There are in all probability a whole lot of followers and households which have been holding off on character meals till the Disney Eating Plan returns, so it’s doable that character eating experiences will see their very own type of pent-up demand in 2024. In reality, I’d be prepared to guess on that.
Then once more, perhaps Walt Disney World is enjoying the ‘wait and see’ recreation, and intends upon rising character meal costs once more in January or February of subsequent 12 months. Assessing demand and doing extra incremental worth will increase might be the savvier technique. Clearly, that’s not what I need to see occur–particularly as a household that can be doing extra character eating subsequent 12 months and doubtless paying out of pocket for a lot of it–however I’m attempting to be a realist about pricing and Walt Disney World’s motivation for it.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider these character meals and different current worth will increase at Walt Disney World? Suppose it is a pure consequence of provide and demand, or one other instance of Disney getting extra grasping? Will these worth will increase impression your plans for future holidays? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Suppose there can be long-term penalties for Walt Disney World ensuing from its pricing tendencies the previous couple of years? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!