More of a white/blue card divide in the future?

[CanadaDisney05]

For me, if they added in food discounts at those counter service locations in the park, I'd be happy. There's profit and then there's greed. $4 for a cup of soda, when the cost to produce one with all materials is ~$0.25 is ridiculous.

This is not unique to Disney. Most pricing is not done as a markup (say 10% over the cost). Most pricing is based on what consumers are willing to pay. Have you ever gone to a restaurant (not at Disney) and paid $5 for your meal? Probably not even though that's what the cost of the materials probably are. I've actually always felt Disney's prices were more than reasonable considering where you are purchasing. If I go to a hockey game, or a concert, I'm easily paying $20 for a hotdog, a small fry, and a medium coke.

 

[EYL]

This is not unique to Disney. Most pricing is not done as a markup (say 10% over the cost). Most pricing is based on what consumers are willing to pay. Have you ever gone to a restaurant (not at Disney) and paid $5 for your meal? Probably not even though that's what the cost of the materials probably are. I've actually always felt Disney's prices were more than reasonable considering where you are purchasing. If I go to a hockey game, or a concert, I'm easily paying $20 for a hotdog, a small fry, and a medium coke.

I've overpaid for food at concerts and hockey games, and I don't believe that to be normal as well. $9 hot dogs are way overpriced, even here in New York City. But I felt like I had more of a choice here in Madison Square Garden: I can either satisfy my hunger now or wait a few hours to get it outside for $2. But at Disney it feels different. It's almost like you're locked in a place and have to be price gouged for a whole week. To save time and maximize your $100+ tickets, you have to eat in. You go to a fast food joint, and the largest soda is $1. You go to a nice restaurant, the soda is $2.99 with refills. You go to Disney: $4, no refills, and "we're increasing it next year because people will buy it." I'm not expecting a soda for $1 in Disney. I expect it to be more. But $4?

No one skips down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom saying that food at Disney is reasonably priced. So add a discount to the Blue Card perks and I'll be happier.

 

[jarestel]

As direct prices continue to rise, I expect DVD will search for new ways to add perceived "value" to direct purchases. There's no reason to think they're finished with the campaign to differentiate resale vs direct contracts. As I've said before though, the biggest resale restriction on the horizon is the diminishing years left on the 2042 resort contracts which will do more to impact resale pricing than anything DVD decides to implement.

So yes, I expect more "pot sweeteners" from DVD in one form or another until the time when the DVC saturation point is reached and they slow way down or quit building DVC resorts altogether.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

I've overpaid for food at concerts and hockey games, and I don't believe that to be normal as well. $9 hot dogs are way overpriced, even here in New York City. But I felt like I had more of a choice here in Madison Square Garden: I can either satisfy my hunger now or wait a few hours to get it outside for $2.

I agree it's way overpriced for an average restaurant, but your not eating at an average restaurant. Your paying a premium because of the location and accessibility. At MSG, your paying a premium because there is no other reasonable choice to eat without leaving the venue and forfeiting your event tickets. At WDW, your paying a premium to eat on property and not have to take a bus and leave property. Your paying for that convenience.

But at Disney it feels different. It's almost like you're locked in a place and have to be price gouged for a whole week. To save time and maximize your $100+ tickets, you have to eat in. You go to a fast food joint, and the largest soda is $1. You go to a nice restaurant, the soda is $2.99 with refills. You go to Disney: $4, no refills, and "we're increasing it next year because people will buy it." I'm not expecting a soda for $1 in Disney. I expect it to be more. But $4?

That's the point though. The food cost is minimal. Your not paying them to cover the food cost. Your paying for the convenience of having something to eat near all of the amenities that WDW has to offer. You always have the option to leave property and eat elsewhere, but like you said, it's not worth your time to do that. They are simply charging you for the value that is not leaving property.

No one skips down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom saying that food at Disney is reasonably priced. So add a discount to the Blue Card perks and I'll be happier.

Funny you say that, because I actually do. It's one of the things I always tell people back home. Food is reasonably priced at Disney when compared to similar places. If your comparing eating plain noodles at home, no it's not close. But that's not an apples to apples comparison. But if I go to any local fair, sporting event, concert, or any other type of entertainment, I always feel like prices are more expensive than at WDW, and the quality is way worst. The blue card just makes it all the better

 

[jerseyduke]

Funny you say that, because I actually do. It's one of the things I always tell people back home. Food is reasonably priced at Disney when compared to similar places. If your comparing eating plain noodles at home, no it's not close. But that's not an apples to apples comparison. But if I go to any local fair, sporting event, concert, or any other type of entertainment, I always feel like prices are more expensive than at WDW, and the quality is way worst. The blue card just makes it all the better

Agreed! Disney is great with food, imho. Sure, its pricey. But no way more so than any other restricted location. Go buy a bottle of water at the airport!
And, Disney is one place that allows you to bring food in. You can spend an entire day at the park and not spend a penny on food inside of said park, and not have to be hungry Where else can you do that?

 

[CanadaDisney05]

And, Disney is one place that allows you to bring food in. You can spend an entire day at the park and not spend a penny on food inside of said park, and not have to be hungry Where else can you do that?

This is actually a key point. I actually didn't believe that this could be true when we first travelled to WDW a few years ago. It boggled my mind that a place like WDW could allow this type of thing.

 

[Wakey]

The bringing food in is great. You can also do it at Universal, Seaworld and Busch. I took in sandwiches to all this summer, multiple times, no issues at all.
Six Flags though, that's a different matter.

 

[KStash]

I bought resale and don't have any direct points. I live a 2 hour plane ride away and will likely only go once a year, and would never be able to get to Moonlight Magic anyway. I just don't find the perks to be all that important, but saving 40% from the direct price for my resort was important to me.

I did buy after the newest restrictions, so I can't stay at Riviera. But I bought at the Poly, a resort I LOVE, so I'm okay with that. And honestly, if I find I need more points, I can always add on an extra 100 direct points when Reflections opens (I like the theming and location there better than Riviera).

 

[mustinjourney]

I've overpaid for food at concerts and hockey games, and I don't believe that to be normal as well. $9 hot dogs are way overpriced, even here in New York City. But I felt like I had more of a choice here in Madison Square Garden: I can either satisfy my hunger now or wait a few hours to get it outside for $2. But at Disney it feels different. It's almost like you're locked in a place and have to be price gouged for a whole week. To save time and maximize your $100+ tickets, you have to eat in. You go to a fast food joint, and the largest soda is $1. You go to a nice restaurant, the soda is $2.99 with refills. You go to Disney: $4, no refills, and "we're increasing it next year because people will buy it." I'm not expecting a soda for $1 in Disney. I expect it to be more. But $4?

No one skips down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom saying that food at Disney is reasonably priced. So add a discount to the Blue Card perks and I'll be happier.

Disney does allow you to bring your own food and drinks into the parks. I always order a 12 pack of soda and a case of water -- saves quite a bit. And if you really want to push the savings -- you can buy bread and lunch meat and pack sandwiches for the parks.

 

[sethschroeder]

For me the biggest enticement for buying direct would be bigger food discounts (the margin is huge), and bigger AP discounts

If they locked these in with baseline minimum discount % I would likely bite. If they went a step further and gave me an option to buy BWV direct for the next 73 years I would bite on that as well even with the appropriate change in pricing for the extended time.

 

[SecondEventuality]

Disney does allow you to bring your own food and drinks into the parks. I always order a 12 pack of soda and a case of water -- saves quite a bit. And if you really want to push the savings -- you can buy bread and lunch meat and pack sandwiches for the parks.

Right, just don't forget to pack a few solid ice packs to freeze overnight since bagged ice isn't allowed into the parks.

 

[Wakey]

I buy loads of water, loads of sugar free Gator or Poweraid.

I bought 2 of these- https://www.amazon.com/MIER-Portabl...id=1573689181&sprefix=Mier++lu,aps,323&sr=8-2

And some thin ice packs. They are perfect for holding two of those Italian sub rolls all the supermarkets sell with some cold cuts in.

It takes us less time to make up 4 rolls than queue at a quick serve.

We don’t do it every day but it’s nice to just find a decent spot, sit down and eat a healthier sandwich. We come for 10+ days a time so don’t want restaurant meals twice a day every day.

We save a fortune when we do it this way.

 

[EYL]

Disney does allow you to bring your own food and drinks into the parks. I always order a 12 pack of soda and a case of water -- saves quite a bit. And if you really want to push the savings -- you can buy bread and lunch meat and pack sandwiches for the parks.

Thanks. And I get it. It's great that Disney is flexible about outside food and we can save some money. But to tie in the original point in my post. If food prices were reasonable, would people be working so hard to bring food and drinks into the parks? My guess is no, unless you have other dietary restrictions. $4 for a soda is a lot and for the quality of the food, it's hardly worth the $15 entree. As of now, with others' responses, it sounds like a "convenience fee" was added on top of it - "for your convenience of not having to carry water and food around, here's a soda for $4."

So, if the Blue Card gave a discount on that "convenience fee", I'd definitely be happier.

 

[LuigiSpice]

I put other, because I would think they will probably remove more benefits from the white cards, rather than grant benefits to the blue.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I put other, because I would think they will probably remove more benefits from the white cards, rather than grant benefits to the blue.

What do you think they can remove?

DVD rental?

 

[mustinjourney]

Thanks. And I get it. It's great that Disney is flexible about outside food and we can save some money. But to tie in the original point in my post. If food prices were reasonable, would people be working so hard to bring food and drinks into the parks? My guess is no, unless you have other dietary restrictions. $4 for a soda is a lot and for the quality of the food, it's hardly worth the $15 entree. As of now, with others' responses, it sounds like a "convenience fee" was added on top of it - "for your convenience of not having to carry water and food around, here's a soda for $4."

So, if the Blue Card gave a discount on that "convenience fee", I'd definitely be happier.

I don't think of it as a convenience fee -- I look at it as a location fee. Any comparable venue (concerts, movies, sporting events, etc...) charges more or less the same prices....but NONE of them allow you to bring in outside food/drink (with the exception of bottled water at some places).

I will say the fact that they don't allow you to refill resort mugs in the parks is quite annoying. My guess is it has something to do with accounting between Resort Hotels (which sell them) and Resort Parks not getting hit with most of the usage without the majority of the revenue. Of course -- they could alleviate this by actually selling those mugs in the parks as well. I'd probably buy one if I could use it in the parks -- and I'd probably even pay $25 instead of $20.

 

[Arthur2990]

The only resort that might get extended is BRV, to bring its expiry to align with CCV and it's a stretch. No chance for BWV and BCV, absolutely zero. Vero and HHI will probably be sold and exit DVC.

I tend to agree with you about these. The other exception i see is that since OKW has already extended their land lease to 2057 to accommodate contract extensions i could see a date where the offer an extension again to exsisting 2042 OKW contracts to 2057 for a fee.

 

[Rick195275]

What do you think they can remove?

DVD rental?

Maybe the pooling hopping we all use so much

 

[Bearval]

Right, just don't forget to pack a few solid ice packs to freeze overnight since bagged ice isn't allowed into the parks.

Freeze a couple bottles of water to use to keep things cold and you can drink them later if need be.

 

[Fred M]

My 160 point contract would have been $11,360 more going direct - what can they offer me to offset that?

$11,361?

I totally agree that Vero an HHI will be sold and removed from the DVC collection I also believe that Aulani will be sold too when that expires in the distant future.

We have Aulani as a home resort but I'll be 91 when that happens. I'm good with that!