UPDATE:
DFB contributor Sarah Holodick recently received confirmation on the price increase from an in-the-know cast member friend. Here are the details she received: “The higher pricing will affect ALL buffets property-wide for dinner only. Cinderella’s Royal Table will have price increases for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” Thanks Sarah!
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We’ve been chatting a lot about prices around here lately, and here’s another piece of info to toss around.
We’ve got a credible rumor that as of October 3, the regular price of Disney’s dinner buffets will bump up to $36.99, and the seasonal pricing (usually in effect during high traffic times like Summer, Thanksgiving, Spring Break, and Christmas) will be raised to $40.99.
No details on which restaurants will be included and excluded, and those of you on free dining and the Disney Dining Plan don’t have to worry a lick, but this could make a difference for large groups traveling without the Dining Plan.
Still rumor status until it’s announced by Disney, as always. Hopefully more info later.
Thanks to TouringPlans for the info.
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Are they out of their ever loving minds!?! I would NOT pay that per person to eat at some buffet. My favorite restaurant is Ruths Chris and when my family of 3 dines there the total is usually about $135 with tax and at least 20% gratuity, we are aren’t app eaters but we do get desserts. With tax and tip my family would pay about $150! For mediocre buffet food? Outragous!
Mmm…Ruths Chris! I haven’t been there, yet, but it keeps calling to me… (BTW, this is why I more often do breakfast buffets — cheaper!)
Ok, seriously? I usually don’t do buffets at Disney because they are simply not a good bargain. Sure it’s all you can eat, but you will never leave any of the regular sit-down restaurants hungry and you’ll save a bundle.
There are only three things in life that are inevitable: death, taxes, and Disney price increases.
I had Ruth’s Chris a couple months back on Sand Lake Road in Orlando. Overrated. I would have rather had Charlie Palmer Steak, Morton’s or The Palm.
As for the price increase rumor, I won’t be surprised if it does happen. The date makes sense since it’s the first Sunday of Food & Wine Festival. It will probably be followed by increases to DDP as well – make the buffets cost 2 TS credits. Consider how much food is wasted on partially eaten plates, the entertainment value of cast members that perform as characters or the oompah band in Biergarten (I know not every buffet has these performers), and the fact that’s it’s Disney and it will always be expensive.
I don’t do many buffets as they are a poor value for me personally, although I do have a reservation at Ohana’s in January that could possibly be affected. I’d rather spend $40 on an entree at one of the Signature restaurants. 🙂
Does the cost of the dining plan go up seasonally (assuming it is not “free dining” season)?
Wow, does Disney realize that Vegas buffets, which outshine Disney in almost every category (except characters),most notably the Bellagio and the Wynn, rarely top the $30-35 level? And when they do, they offer fresh lobster, filet mignon and other options that Disney would never even consider offering. Such a rip off. Especially as the options at Disney restaurants, including buffets, are consistently trimmed down and are made more generic.
Just another sign that the Dining Plan must be a huge money-maker for Disney. The more they raise rack rate restaurant prices, the more people will think the Dining Plan is a good deal and either sign up for it on its own, or extend/create a trip just to get “free” dining.
The DDP makes this possible increase moot to many. Most folks go to these for their kids to see the characters. Otherwise buffets are generic, lukewarm, and unless you are a big eater or a teenage boy, I mean how much can you eat at one sitting? And yet strangely, they are very popular, so go figure.
Historically this happens on or about October 1 every year since this is the start of Disney’s fiscal year. It’s easy to notice buffet price increases because they are fairly consistant year round but I’m sure ala carte dining as well as recreation rates, etc. are about to increase. Those increases are less noticable since there are thousands of individual prices.
Thanks for the info, Pudge.
Seems it’s just in time for the Food and Wine Festival….coincidence?
Unbelievable. $40 for a mediocre buffet? The only buffets my husband and I will even consider anymore are Ohana’s and Boma, but at $40+ I don’t think we’ll even be going there anymore. Disney really needs to think twice about the poor choices they are making here. They’re are going to continue to lose a lot more locals and regulars who don’t partake in the DDP and never will 🙁
The buffet dining is getting pricey. My “new” favorite spot: the food court at The Land. (EPCOT). Very good food. Pork chops, mashed potatoes and cooked carrots plus a drink for 2 for about $25. And throw in the boat ride. There are also many more entrees to choose from.
YIKES!!!! that usually feeds my 3 member family. Only my husband can kill a buffet, so this wouldn’t be benefit to us unless we took some containers 😉 We still like to hit up the all you can eat on international dr. 🙂
This is exactly why I don’t do buffets unless its for breakfast. Breakfast buffets are cheaper and usually eliminate the need for lunch, or as big of a lunch as normal. I also have a hard time seeing the food being worth the price on a buffet at any other time but that’s just me. Ill take that and go to Via Napoli or another high quality table service, which I’m sure many others will do as well, which would then start driving down the number of people doing dinner buffets right? Maybe I’m off but this doesn’t make alot of sense
Pudge, you’ve made a really good point. Also, I don’t think it’s fair to compare the price point of a Disney buffet with a Vegas buffet as there’s a lot more in play in Vegas (pardon the pun). However, for this non-DDP family, I think we’ll be limiting buffets to lunch and breakfast from now on. I’m guessing that the price increase will also increase at the “all you can eat, family-style” restaurants as well, like ‘Ohana and Garden Grill… alas, those we will miss.