How does WDW budget for Limited Food Offerings so often? Is this not cutting into their $ significantly?

[hauntology]

Looking at all the food they released with Arrendelle Aqua because of Frozen 2, along with the weekly NEW FOOD AT DISNEY: MICKEY'S____ CUPCAKE articles published across multiple sites pretty much every single day had me thinking about Disney investing in food.

I don't even remember when the food trends at Disney began; growing up of course there was the whole fascination with Dole Whips, Mickey ice cream bars, turkey legs, etc; but nothing like what we have now where a new flavor is introduced every week.

My question might be kind of negative...but is this not cutting significantly into their budget for other things? The constant changes of food require paying for new ingredients, paying someone to make a rough idea of making the food resemble whatever IP they're pushing food-wise, etc. Maybe this is cheaper than I think and is a win-win for WDW because it means they get coveted positive publicity that encourages people to want to be AP's because the food looks cute (and usually tastes bland, haha) and it makes them look like they're constantly changing?

 

[Joshua Hall]

They are making money on it, the cost of making a cupcake is around .20 cents ea, then Disney sells is for 6 to 10 dollars.

 

[Jon81uk]

Its the Instagram thing. Limited offerings that people want to photograph. Its particularly a big draw at Disneyland California.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

I imagine it draws regulars who otherwise would just eat what they brought/be tempted to try dessert for once.

 

[freshmanjs]

Looking at all the food they released with Arrendelle Aqua because of Frozen 2, along with the weekly NEW FOOD AT DISNEY: MICKEY'S____ CUPCAKE articles published across multiple sites pretty much every single day had me thinking about Disney investing in food.

I don't even remember when the food trends at Disney began; growing up of course there was the whole fascination with Dole Whips, Mickey ice cream bars, turkey legs, etc; but nothing like what we have now where a new flavor is introduced every week.

My question might be kind of negative...but is this not cutting significantly into their budget for other things? The constant changes of food require paying for new ingredients, paying someone to make a rough idea of making the food resemble whatever IP they're pushing food-wise, etc. Maybe this is cheaper than I think and is a win-win for WDW because it means they get coveted positive publicity that encourages people to want to be AP's because the food looks cute (and usually tastes bland, haha) and it makes them look like they're constantly changing?

You seem to be ignoring the revenue associated with these costs.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Other than food coloring, the basic ingredients are pretty interchangeable. And it's not like they're practicing molecular gastromony, making souflee or baking artisinal bread. Disney style deserts don't require a particularly high level of baking skill to mass-produce.

 

[thomas998]

While the number of man hours that are required to design and develop a new ride is going to be in the 10's if not 100's of thousands of hours... how many hours does it really take someone to develop even the most intricate cupcake design? Give the significant price they sell these things for gives them upwards of 5 dollars profit per cupcake... and assuming they only sell 10 an hour... they would still be easily making 500 a day off a cupcake... Assume it is limited and only stays in the park for a 4 weeks.. That's now 2,000 easy for a cupcake that took their chef maybe a day to come up with at most. Now realize that that chef is already working for Disney and he probably enjoys making new design much more than simply watching over a kitchen... I don't see any downside to what they are doing. I only wish their cupcakes tasted even half as good as they looked because whenever we've gotten one they were pretty bad and most of the cupcake ended up in the trash.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Ohhh, these are a great money makers for Disney. The cost is relatively cheap to do and they sell massive amounts. Especially with all the bloggers and food sites now that photo and review them as soon as they are introduced. Bringing out new options keep the interest up because we all know we just have to try the newest tasty looking snack. Disney knows the guests are going off their diets when they visit and no one just tries one thing. Snack food is a huge draw thats hard to resist. Part of my trip panning now includes finding and trying out the different snacks I am seeing online. I have a list already that I'm going to be adding on as I get closer to my arrival day.

 

[Phonedave]

As others have said, they are not really developing new food per se, they are developing new food stylings.

They are buying buttercream frosting in 5 gallon tubs and pre-mixed cupcake batter by the sack. There is no chef laboring in a hot kitchen trying to enhance the sweetness of the chocolate with a pinch of cayenne. There is just somebody adding 5 gallons of water to a 50lb sack of mix in an industrial Hobart mixer and pushing the button.

The somebody gets with a CX person or a graphic designer and they come up with blue frosting, silver sprinkles, and sugar crystal "ice blast" and you have a Frozen cupcake.

In addition to the generous margins on these things, there is also the added pull through advertising of everybody and their mother putting them on Insta.

 

[Vacationeer]

WDW is just following the trend in food by creating photogenic, seasonal, unique or otherwise interesting items to maximize sales and profits. People don't only want taste, they want experience. Plenty $12 cake slices are being bought in DL to cover paying the brainstorming of bakers. Look at F&W, $5-$8 buys a few bites of something "special" glopped on paperboard and the lines stay cuckoo over the weekends.