Do you think restaurants should charge for firework view tables?

[Ryan2016]

I have to agree with shadeDK if Disney wanted to do this they would find away to do it.

The issues Disney would need to fix or look Into are

1. I don't know if you would get the restaurants to agree to do this thou.
2. Hard sell and limited seating plus what % does to the restaurants and right to Disney and at what price. Because you will know what meal costs at the restaurants
3. It would compete with the dessert parties

Disney will find away!

 

[gillep]

NO!!!!

 

[vacamom4]

Nope, no extra charge. If you get a table where you can easily see the fireworks, consider it some pixie dust for you. No need to stress about it. We were at O'hana's one evening and didn't even realize it was time for the fireworks. We were not next to the window, but still had an excellent view. Magical.

 

[HeidiGW]

good heavens, don't give them any ideas!!!!!!
Delete this thread!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wubar]

Although I'm against the precedent (explained below), I'll play devil's advocate. Disney could do this - the restaurants could take the firework view sections out of rotation about two hours before show time, set the reservations for about 30-45 minutes before fireworks start, and they'd sell out every table for every night in a heartbeat as soon as they were available.

Worried about the cost of shutting down that section for part of the evening? Or guests that just book the table for dessert or an appetizer? No worries - make it a package. Guests reserving a fireworks view table pay a flat rate package fee per person that not only includes the cost of dinner but also the upcharge for the premium firework view as well as the average per table revenue that the restaurant loses by closing off those tables before the event.

And that's where it gets tricky. I'm guessing the starting price on something like that would be around $250 to $300 per person. People already pay close to $100 a head for the dessert parties. Restaurant fireworks tables would come at a significant premium - very lux and very exclusive. But there'd still be high demand. It's Disney. These would be one of the hottest tickets in the kingdom (given that there are, what, maybe 100 tables that could participate each night? 150?). And while the people who score those tables wouldn't stress about getting a good view, you've just transferred that stress to thousands of people who will do everything they can to secure that package the second it opens and fret for weeks or months to find a dropped reservation.

Currently? It's luck of the draw. Like winning the lottery. Everybody's in contention - all you need is a reservation. As for the bad precedent? I like that Disney generally offers the same basic park experience to anyone who walks through the gates. Disney offers "shortcuts" and upgrades to enhance the experience or make it easier (dessert parties, tours, EMM, etc.), but it usually doesn't rope off the basic experience only to those willing to pay even more (everyone can still ride the same rides, eat in the same restaurants, see the same shows, watch the same fireworks). It might require a little more effort, waiting or luck than just forking over more money to bypass those inconveniences, but the experience is available for "free" with some perseverance. Bad precedent for Disney to monetize some the best and most magical base experiences only for those able to pay a substantial premium.

Hey hey hey now, let's not do Disney's due diligence and game plan for them! Do you own Disney stock or something??

 

[ShadeDK]

Hey hey hey now, let's not do Disney's due diligence and game plan for them! Do you own Disney stock or something??

No stock (thank goodness with that ESPN albatross around Disney's neck). But I will gladly accept any honorarium. Or perhaps credit towards any future fireworks package (given expected pricing I'd still probably have a difference to pay).

Sadly, I wouldn't really be shocked by something like this. Disney's realized they can upsell the fireworks pretty easily. The dessert parties are proliferating and spreading. And it's still not enough. Last year I did a Plaza Garden dessert party the week before Christmas - got reservations in mid-November and practically an entire level of the Terrace to myself for the actual party. This year? They released the parties earlier (in August) and they've been sold out completely for quite awhile (SW and FEA dessert parties are open - so MVMCP and the new-car smell of HEA probably are helping those sell-outs at MK - but still....). I mean - I guess they could try to charge me a premium to watch Illuminations while casually sipping wine on the terrace of Spice Road Table - but I'll just pick up my glass, move fifty feet to the left and watch for free along the sparsely populated railing.

 

[agavegirl1]

For Fireworks and Night time shows..."All The Best Spots Are Taken!" before you even get there. Even if you were willing to plant yourself for two hours in a prime location, it is not available to you for your $$$ ticket. Wanna ride popular rides with low or no wait? Shell out some serious cash, arrange it well in advance and it's done! Magical! Want an 8PM Dinner at Rose and Crown and hoping for a little "pixie dust"? That'll be $25 dollars additional to guarantee. I'm already upset enough thank you.

To continue to nickel and dime the Disney Parks to bail out the dumpster fire that is ESPN, and to a lesser degree, ABC is unconscionable. I own precisely 5 shares of DIS stock, down from over 100. I sold in 2015 for around $120/share. One of my better decisions since I bought it in the $40's.

I only go about every four years so each time, there are major changes to my experience good (new attractions) and bad (more limitations and upcharges).

While I dislike taking away from the general admission people and charging for what once was free, I would not be surprised if WDW did this. I would be disgusted, but I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[kungaloosh22]

Bad precedent for Disney to monetize some the best and most magical base experiences only for those able to pay a substantial premium.

Bottom line, I agree with this. Disney offers SO MANY upcharge events now. They need to leave some basic magic available to everyone, not just those who can pay extra!

I'm surprised no one would want this. I would lol. I specifically don't book restaurants to watch fireworks because the chances of actually getting a good view are slim to none. But I prefer to be away from the crowds to watch and would enjoy a way to do that. I've considered dessert parties, but I'm not really big into sweets so the food aspect isn't really worth it to me, whereas a full dinner would be.

I understand where you're coming from. I'm one who will book dessert parties, though I'm not thrilled about so much dessert. I'd prefer meals, too. But I just can't be a fan of Disney upcharging every possible advantage. Taking away all the best dinner tables from those who can't pay extra would seriously go too far.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I think this is already a practice. Many people dine at the California Grill largely for fireworks viewing on the observation deck.

 

[GillianP1301]

I don't see this as that big of logistically nightmare as some are saying it would be. It would require a designated area of the restaurant be allocated for a fireworks view meal only and have those tables all seated at the same time (like a dessert party reservation). I'm not sure how many restaurants this would apply to and if the view is good enough to warrant such a "package" (I've never dined at a restaurant specifically looking for a fireworks view), but I see it as pretty easily doable. Now, would I want that as a consumer? Not me personally, but if people are willing to wait an extra long time for a good view table, then I expect they'd be willing to pay a premium for it and not have to wait.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't see this as that big of logistically nightmare as some are saying it would be. It would require a designated area of the restaurant be allocated for a fireworks view meal only and have those tables all seated at the same time (like a dessert party reservation). I'm not sure how many restaurants this would apply to and if the view is good enough to warrant such a "package" (I've never dined at a restaurant specifically looking for a fireworks view), but I see it as pretty easily doable. Now, would I want that as a consumer? Not me personally, but if people are willing to wait an extra long time for a good view table, then I expect they'd be willing to pay a premium for it and not have to wait.

So you would take those tables out of circulation the rest of the time? I can't imagine what they would have to charge to make that work.

 

[FSU Girl]

So you would take those tables out of circulation the rest of the time? I can't imagine what they would have to charge to make that work.

My thinking is they would be normal tables up until a certain point. Then they would switch it over to be special firework tables. So they'd probably lose one hour of the table or something to do the switch.

 

[TeresaWen]

My thinking is they would be normal tables up until a certain point. Then they would switch it over to be special firework tables. So they'd probably lose one hour of the table or something to do the switch.

I’d love love love to see Disney deal with a table that just won’t leave in time. I’d be for this just to see what they would do

 

[tarheelmjfan]

My thinking is they would be normal tables up until a certain point. Then they would switch it over to be special firework tables. So they'd probably lose one hour of the table or something to do the switch.

They're losing that on most tables anyway. Many people hold a table 3 hours, if they luck into a great fireworks view. I don't know what the answer is, but they need to do something to put a stop to it.

 

[Colleen27]

I think the logistics could be managed, but it would take some serious maneuvering and a pretty high price point to make it work. And I'm just not sure the demand would be there at the price Disney would have to set to make up for those tables being out of inventory for a big block of the dinner period. It is one thing to wait a little longer in hopes of a good table, to book a restaurant that might not otherwise be a top choice for a chance at a view (and the opportunity to go out to a viewing area if you don't get one of those perfect tables), but quite another to pay hundreds of dollars per person for the views those restaurants offer. We've had fireworks view tables at California Grill and Narcoosees, and I wouldn't consider the view from either one to be worth any significant sum of money. The angle isn't "right", it is hit or miss whether you can hear the music, and at Narcoosees, there will probably be people watching from outside on the deck who partially block the view from the "perfect" tables (which would create an ongoing point of contention for Disney - they'd have to take the outdoor viewing option away from non-package diners, which is bound to upset guests).

I could *maybe* see them testing something like this at the handful of World Showcase restaurants that have tables with a view, because those do have a pretty nice vantage for Illuminations, but for Wishes I don't think there's any restaurant that has a view worth paying extra for.

 

[mom2rtk]

They're losing that on most tables anyway. Many people hold a table 3 hours, if they luck into a great fireworks view. I don't know what the answer is, but they need to do something to put a stop to it.

Maybe they could block the view with a big screen and only remove it after you pay the ransom......... I mean upcharge.

 

[Cinderella94]

Absolutely not. In our experience, kids run up and crowd the 'good-for-viewing' tables anyway during the fireworks. Paying more money to sit at a table where I have kids and people's butts next to my food anyway? No thanks.

 

[KimBean]

In the few restaurants that have views of fireworks there are always a couple coveted seats that have great views. People try to wait a long time to get these tables or stick around way longer than normal to keep them for the firework show. Do you think Disney should make these tables a separate booking for a specific time so you are guaranteed a table for the fireworks and don't have to stress about the view?

The way it used to be back a long time ago is the earlier you booked the better seat you got. That is how my dad got front row seats at HDDR and SOA. I liked those days. Lol.

 

[SL6827]

I think it is an awful idea, but it is also something that I would not put past them to at least try.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

the restaurants could take the firework view sections out of rotation about two hours

1) OK, let's leave Fantasyland and get back to reality.
2) So, a table or tables, are out of rotation for 2-hrs in several rsstaurants.
. . . what do you tell the SERVERS who depend upon tips during the time the table is unoccupied?
. . . how do you deal with the union representing the SERVERs, when their members' income is reduced?
. . . would guests pay the eatery enough (up to $200-$300 per table) to compensate for the lost revenue of 2-hrs of food orders?
. . . if you were a Disney stockholder, would you allow the stock price to be reduced due to lost income?
. . . if you were a Disney manager, would you want your bonus reduced for the comnvenience of a few people?