My experience from Oct 08 matches Canarsie's, although I didn't go to King's Canyon or climb the rock (it was closed).

With regards to the dinner, you do pay a fair chuck of change for it now, IMHO. Put it this way - you're paying for the experience, not the food.

As mentioned, the possibility to climb it may not be around much longer. Even now, it's often closed due to cultural reasons or simply the weather (apparently it can get pretty windy up top).