Disney World gate rises to $79 for single-day, single park

but it's still some of the best food I've ever eaten, anywhere.

I've found most of the Disney restaurants (the non-signature ones) to be pretty average, but I also live in a town with pretty good food. Some are better than others, though. The African-inspired items on Boma's breakfast buffet are very very good.

I've also never spent quite as much on food as the 'equivalent' dining plan would have cost, just eating where and when we want. That's because we don't quite eat exactly one TS meal per night---not because we're trying to save money, but just because that's what we want to do. If we purchased the plan, and used it as it was intended, we'd "save" money compared to menu costs, but we'd still be spending more out of pocket, and we'd be spending more time in restaurants than we usually do, and ordering more food than we really want to eat.

Even the one trip we took without the kids wouldn't have worked. We ended up eating five TS-credit meals over a four night stay, but several of them were less expensive. The worst "plan value" would have been a light lunch at Brown Derby. The entire meal cost about $60 for the two of us, but would have required 4 table service credits. The regular plan would not have covered us, and the Deluxe plan would have been much more expensive than what we spent.

IIRC, the lunch service at Brown Derby is one table service. Dinner is 2.

The dining brochure lists it as 2. Even if it had been one, we would have only about broken even---we really only had one "blow out" meal on the trip at Chefs de France. We saved most of our caloric intake for Kungalooshes at Adventurer's Club.

I prefer the Tables in Wonderland card to the dining plan. Passholders can buy it (I think it's now $75), for a flat 20% off your bill, including booze, at sit-down places.

The most underwhelming meal of my last trip, happened to be at Chefs. It was rather unfortunate, that it came so close after Citricos.

Not one of us cared for our meal at Chefs. Of the 9 TS meals we had it ranked number 9. Of course having Remy visit our table was great fun.

Of course our next trip will be with free dining so it is worth what we paid for it. 5 night with tickets & meals for 4 = $1423. Yea it as at a value, but unlike Ken we are not resort snobs.

Hey! I resemble that remark..

BTW.. I like Saratoga. I wouldnt make it my home resort, but its nice as a DVC. Also nice access to Downtown Disney, however, it would be even better if there were still clubs at PI. ::sigh:: I want my spinny dance floor ;)

That's a shame. The braised lamb shank was pretty good. It was probably better having started with a cocktail, and having a bottle of wine with dinner. They also really did a good job replicating your average Left Bank bistro, except that the drink prices on the chalkboard are in dollars raher than euros or (reaching back some) francs.

I'm put Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco below my last experience with Chefs, but only because the food wasn't as flavorful as I'd expected.

None of the restaurants are BAD, by any stretch of the imagination. My favorite Epcot restaurant, in the whole park, has to be Coral Reef. When it comes to World Showcase, I was really impressed with Cafe San Angel in Mexico. I'd always avoided it, because I thought it would just be standard fare "Mexican" food, but I should have known better...

I did find out something interesting as we prepared to renew our AP at Disney.

Not only did the price go up a bit (knew that), but I guess to appease those passholders with the price hike, they gave us an extra 3 months onto our APs. So now they are 15 month vs 12. Which works out for us as it takes us early on into the Christmas season for next year.

So I guess I cant be totally mad for the price change..

I myself have dined at Epcot, Once! Back during ACE's Convention, I ate in the Hibachi restaurant, at the Japan Pavilion. I liked it, from what I can remember. I never had a chance to try the sushi bar though, as I was really watching the spending. Hell, after the registration cost alone, I'm surprised that I had enough money to afford food down there.

OK, Coasterphan, we GET it. You think WDW is expensive, and it doesn't have the thrills to suit your tastes.

Some of us prefer the overall experience, and that makes what seems like an expensive vacation worth it.

Not to mention, as has already been mentioned, if you go for a week, or 10 days, it takes the ticket price down to about $33/day, which is less than a day at CP - for all 4 parks.

What is with the segment of people who expect to go to Disney World and have it not cost anything? It's a premium experience top to bottom. If it's not the kind of experience you prefer, that's cool, but clearly tens of millions of people dig it and spend money there.

Jeff said:
What is with the segment of people who expect to go to Disney World and have it not cost anything? It's a premium experience top to bottom. If it's not the kind of experience you prefer, that's cool, but clearly tens of millions of people dig it and spend money there.

I must be getting soft because that's clearly the correct answer, yet I never responded with such.

A Disney vacation is incredibly affordable for the experience you get.

Raven-Phile said:
OK, Coasterphan, we GET it. You think WDW is expensive, and it doesn't have the thrills to suit your tastes.

Some of us prefer the overall experience, and that makes what seems like an expensive vacation worth it.

Not to mention, as has already been mentioned, if you go for a week, or 10 days, it takes the ticket price down to about $33/day, which is less than a day at CP - for all 4 parks.

Sorry, Maybe you've grown a defense towards my responses around here, but I never mentioned anything against the "Thrills" at Disney World. For the record, I think that Expedition Everest is probably the most thrilling coaster at Disney.

Maybe you were responding to my, not so bow down worthy, review of the Hibachi restaurant. It that is the case, then I can honestly tell you, that I really do only vaguely remember it. I was seriously trying to get in as much as possible due the Convention cost. Not trying to make it sound likea stab at Disney, but if you had(I'm assuming that you did not, I'm betting that I'm wrong with this assumption.) attended the Convention, I'd be willing to bet that you could see my side on the cost thing. For the record, the Con was a week.

Coasterphan said:

(I'm assuming that you did not, I'm betting that I'm wrong with this assumption.)

Uhh what?

I would suggest Vegas wouldnt be the best place for you. ;)

^Hell I don't need to go to Vegas to know that I suck at gambling. :)

Oh, I'm right there with you on that Hibachi place CPhan. It was just OK - but I can get the same food around here. Hibachi is kind of all, well, hibachi, to me. The "flair" is what's appealing, not necessarily the food.

My apologies on taking the offensive - I thought you were being one of "those" that don't see Disney as worth anything because it's not a thrill zone.

Hibachi is not Japanese food, as far as I'm concerned. The concept of "Japanese steak house" strikes me as silly as well. The other, traditional half of the restaurant, however, is pretty good, especially during Illuminations.

That, I can agree with. The food is good, the view is incredible. I have yet to try the remodeled one, in the middle with all of the waterfalls, Yakitori House, I believe. I've heard it's pretty good now.