More connections ?s

[eeyorefanatic]

I have searched this site for info and now that mousesavers has taken down their info i am having trouble getting info:(

i am already geting the $10.50 vouchers for lunch/dinner, and saw $29.50 vouchers. Are these for sit down restaurants? If so can someone tell me which ones?

is there anything available for charachter meals?

[disney4us2002]

The connections site itself isn't very helpful. From what I recall most of the restaurants in the parks and hotels (don't hold to that) participate in the $29.50 tickets, BUT it is for LUNCH!! Not dinners. Mary had figured which restaurants it was a good bargain for, but I didn't pay much attention since I had no intentions of getting those anyway. Have you tried doing a search here by typing in 'Connections'? I remember some saying you can split the meals with the vouchers so it isn't sooo expensive. There are also char buffet tickets you can buy thru Connections, but they are only for breakfast buffets--$17.50 comes to mind (maybe??)

Good luck! We're going next June and I have every intention of joining Connections around Nov to pick up some of these deals.

Carla

[gadget-lady]

Just back from 7nts/8days: me (mom), adult dd, and 8yo dd ... wanted to give a quick observation on our experience using the Connections meal vouchers.

I purchased four Quick and Casual Lunch/Dinner vouchers @ 10.50 each and four sit-down lunch vouchers @ 29.50. I came home with one leftover $29.50 voucher.

Here's how we used them:

One $29.50 lunch voucher at Chefs de France. We got a 3:30 p.m. PS, so this was planned as an early dinner.

Food quality was very disappointing. (That's another post. Three years ago, my daughters and I had a great lunch here.) We didn't use two vouchers when presented with the bill because even ordering the most expensive items on the menu, we had difficulty making up the full value of the voucher. I think it was valued at $29.10 (plus 15% gratuity, which was essentially my savings).

We each ordered three-course meals (the appetizer and dessert would have been sufficient) and two glasses of wine. My 2.75 espresso coffee was not included as the non-alcoholic beverage because, as the waiter put it, "it is too expensive." Perhaps regular coffee would have been included. I think it was more than $2.

There was nothing on the menu that appealed to my 8yo. We asked for a plain grilled cheese sandwich, but it came with ham and tomato (the regular Croque Monsieur). Needless to say, she refused to eat more than a few bites.

Using just one voucher, the meal ended up costing an additional $71 (4 glasses of wine and the $10 child's meal, plus one lunch) to which I added a 15% tip.

Net result: major tummy aches from ingesting mass quantities on a hot day, not to mention the assault on our food budget.

The next day, we used two $29.50 lunch vouchers at Whispering Canyon Cafe.

My adult dd and I each ordered an appetizer, the $13.99 family style barbecue skillet, chocolate shakes with refills, and cherry cobbler with ice cream for dessert. The food was better IMO than at Chefs de France (and I've lived in France, so I know how good mediocre French restaurants can be). My 8yo did get her plain grilled cheese sandwich, but didn't eat it after sharing her sister's Buffalo Chicken Strips appetizer. The second appetizer went mostly uneaten.

This meal was enjoyable enough, and the additional out-of-pocket expense was only about $10 for the child's meal, smoothie, and tip.

Unfortunately, the tummy aches from overeating were even worse this time. How could we resist the unbidden refills on those chocolate shakes?

We did manage to use all four of the Quick and Casual Lunch and Dinner vouchers:
one at Tusker House, two at the The Land Sunshine Grill food court in Epcot, and the fourth on a Greek salad, dessert, and soft drink at Pizza Planet.

Of course, when I ordered the vouchers, I had studied all the menus I could find online and narrowed down the best places to use them. I kept thinking about our previous wonderful meal at Chefs de France and about the sundaes at Beaches 'n' Cream. This trip did not take us anywhere near the Boardwalk area, and I couldn't see making a special trip just to stuff our faces with ice cream. :D

There was no problem sharing meals, especially not at the counter service places, but even so, I think we would have done better ordering individual sandwiches and sharing an occasional dessert. If I hadn't invested in the $29.50 lunch vouchers, we would have done the less expensive character buffets.

Overall, we concluded that the vouchers limited our food choices, encouraged overeating, and caused us to spend way too much time calculating whether we were getting our money's worth. I haven't totalled all my receipts yet, but my overall impression is that we spent MORE money on food because we had the vouchers. I probably saved 10% to 15% on the regular prices of the food items purchased with the vouchers, but again, I don't think we would have ordered so much food.

I'll try to post a more positive trip report later. I hope this information helps!

Lanora
Just back from 3 nights at AS Music and 4 nights at WL... and glad we split the trip between two resorts!

[3boys]

Thanks for the insight, gadget lady ! After a few weeks of reading all the advice on these boards...my head is swimming. I was already really questioning whether the meal voucher concept was right for my family - I think you've helped me make a decision.:wave:

[hulabird]

i only ordered 6 of the 10.50 vouchers, and i went to wdwig.com to check menues
first. I was planning to eat at some of the places on the vouchers anyway, so i purchased
the 10.50's, the 29.50 & 17.50 ones did not look worth it to me

hulabird

2 days til WDW/CBR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.disneyclipart.com/images23/Parks/DisneyWorld/Resorts/carib01a.gif

[curlyjbs]

wow! My dh and I just had this conversation last night! I told him I joined connections and wanted his opinion on which vouchers/restaurants?

Well, he basically said: I don't think we should order ANY vouchers. We will NEVER eat all that food and we'll feel obligated to use the vouchers because we'll already have them. (We know they are returnable)

So glad I read gadget ladys post!! It validated everything dh said. :rolleyes: but dh is right. :rolleyes: (it's killing me to write that lol)

The vouchers may be a great deal for some but we are gonna pass on this one. I think I may get U/IOA tix thru them.


curly

36 more days

[Mickeyswife]

I do have a few questions. 1. How late can you make your "lunch" reservations to be able to use the vouchers. 2. If you only use one voucher at a time. How do they split up the costs. Example: If a steak for 15.95 was ordered and a sandwich for 9.95 was ordered would they use the steak as the voucher meal? Hope that makes sense. 3. Can you use a voucher for a late lunch at Brown Derby and have this count to be able to get into the Fantasmic show early. If nobody knows the answers now, maybe Hulabird will be nice enough to check them out. Thanks, Nancy

[chris1gill]

Hi Gadget-Lady,

Could you tell me how it was using the voucher at the Land Food Court... Because there are different vendors that offer the food & then offer the dessert... Did you have to skip dessert?

Thanks for any info... I tend to agree with you about the 29.50 vouchers.... We did get two, and we are planning to either eat at The Concourse SteakHouse, LeCelier or the Restaurant over in Italy... I'm not sure which will win out LOL....

Thanks for any info on the food court!!!

[hulabird]

Well, I am leaving for WDW this Sunday, and will be back by sept 5th, and I am
a reporter (my profession) so I will have a decent review of all places I used the food
vouchers, I will post it as soon as I get back. The 10.50 food coupons seem to be ok
depending on where they are used, for example, the cbr food court (Old port royale)
has a place where I can get ribs, they are like 10.00 alone, then I can pick a side and
a drink to go with it and also end the meal with a dessert, all for the cost of 10.50
which i paid for the voucher. I would be happy to answer any questions you have,
OR if u search under Hulabird, I would think you'd find my recent posts that list all
the resteraunts that u can use them at, the posts were just about 3 weeks ago...some
of the resteraunts are: Beaches and Cream, Pecos Bill Cafe, Sunshine Season Food Fair,
Liberty Inn, Electric Umbrella, Cosmic Rays, The Pepper Market, SandBar Grill, Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, Plaza Pavilion, El Pirata y el Perico, Yakitori House,
Tusker House & Sommerfest to name a few...Bottom line is that you are entitled to:
(1) combo meal (entree, side dish and non alcoholic beverage) and one dessert OR
one entree, one side dish (if NOT included in entree) one non alcoholic beverage, and one
dessert. Tax and gratuity are included in the food coupon. I am using mine at the following:
Beaches and Cream, Old Port Royal and the Pepper Market. This was decided according
to our meal preferences and checking prices on food menus found at http://www.wdwig.com
I would suggest checking all the menus (time consuming, but part of the fun of planning)
and see where u would be likely to eat, then u can see if it would be worth it for you and
how many u would need. I see no justification for the 29.50's unless u would split a meal...
My hubby and I would not spend 60.00 for lunch under any circumstances, not even if we won the power ball drawing (well maybe only that once :)

Hulabird

I PROMISE you guys will get all the details when I come back including pictures!



http://www.disneyclipart.com/images23/Parks/DisneyWorld/Resorts/carib01a.gif

[chris1gill]

Hi Hulabird,

We will be there during the same timeframe, going next Friday, coming back late the following Tuesday... We are staying at CSR, so the bulk of our 10.50 vouchers are going to the Pepper Market!! We aren't going into EPCOT this trip, since its a quick trip... but our long vacation is in December, and that's when I'd like to use the vouchers at the Land Food Court.... is this one of the food courts you'll be going to?

The 10.50 coupon is going to be a real bargain at the Pepper Market, they have sirloins that are greater than the cost of the coupons... One of the reasons I was leary about staying at CSR is their more expensive food court, then I found the 10.50 coupons... what a bargain!!!

Have a good time HulaBird!!!! I'll be reporting back on the fifth as well!!

[gadget-lady]

[B]Mickeyswife:[B]

1. I'm pretty sure the latest PS time for lunch is 3:30. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

At Les Chefs de France, we had PS ressies for 3:30. We were seated immediately, and I saw only two or three parties seated about the same time. The crowd began to clear out as we were eating dessert, and people started coming in again for dinner between 5 and 5:30.

2. When we used just one lunch voucher at Les Chefs de France, the waiter applied it to the more expensive meal.

I hope someone else can help you out with the Brown Derby/Fantasmic question.


[B]chris1gill:[B]

We didn't skip dessert at The Land, but we didn't try to order it separately at the station specializing in the ice cream sundaes and other goodies.

At the station where I chose a BBQ ribs and chicken combo, I got a warm apple cobbler, which was pretty tasty. My adult daughter ordered linguine from the Pasta and Potato stand; she got an iced brownie for dessert. They didn't technically offer any side dishes, but she talked them into giving her a side salad with her pasta.

This is just another example of how our food selections were influenced by the vouchers. We more or less chose the food stands according to which ones offered the best dessert values. I also got pretty tired of BBQ ribs and chicken, as those selections usually won out as the best values using the vouchers.

Wish we'd checked out the Pepper Market at CSR with our vouchers when we were staying nearby at All Star Music.

Can't wait to hear about your lunch; the three restaurants you named were on my short list as well.

Cheers,
Lanora
:jester:

[hulabird]

The Pepper Market will be one of our stops, as will Beaches and Cream, The Sunshine
Season Food Fair also looks to be a good choice in Epcot. The OPR food court looked
pretty good too, and I am sure we will eat there since thats where we are staying. (CBR)
Flame Tree BBQ and Tusker House in AK also looked like they could have menues that
would work with the voucher. I'll try and get menus wherever I go so I can post them for everyone. Have fun on your trip Chris1Gill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hulabird

http://www.disneyclipart.com/images23/Parks/DisneyWorld/Resorts/carib01a.gif

[chris1gill]

Thanks HulaBird! I would not use a voucher at Flame Tree or Tusker house though... The prices are so reasonable, it wouldn't really save you anything to use the voucher! Save the voucher for Beaches & Cream :D
Have a GREAT trip yourself, you leave tomorrow!!! :pinkbounc

[hulabird]

Thanks, I can't wait! My DH has been acting like its no big deal to go on this trip,
he hardly shows emotion, but the last two days he has been acting weird, he is
all packed, made a list of things he needs at the store to bring with and has been
watching our trip planning videos, i sense the excitement though he is really
trying not to show it. He has not been to WDW...ever...only i have...so i know inside
he can't wait.


hulabird

[chris1gill]

HulaBird, are you kidding??? Your DH doesn't know what he's been missing!! Wow!! My DH acts the same as your DH, trying to hide any & all excitement!! Yet I know he likes it as much as I do!! I don't know why he's like that!! Well, have fun on your trip!!!

[Daisimae]

We used two $29.50, last year, for our anniversary meal at Le Cellier. The total of the meal w/out the vouchers would have been about $110.00. All we paid was $4.00 for my Granny Smith Apple Cider, which was alcholoic.

We also brought 10 of the $10.50 coupons with us. They saved us a lot, because we were able to buy the largest size drink they had then save it in our cups for later. We also saved the dessert for a snack later. We also got to have more expensive counter service meals, instead of sticking to burgers all the time. And, we didn't have to bother with eating in many full-service restaurants, where you also have to tip.

Do the coupons that Connections is currently sending expire at the end of the year? I want to jion again and start getting the vouchers for our trip one year from now.

:bounce: :bounce:

[hulabird]

The ones i just got expire 5/31/2002

Hulabird

[Daisimae]

Thanks! I'll wait a little longer. :smooth:

[Daisimae]

Hulabird. my DH acted the same way your DH is acting, last year, before we went on our trip. He had a good time and sometime around last winter informed me that he needed a "Disney Fix". Now he is just as crazed about the place as I am and can't wait for our trip next year. He has been telling everyone at work to visit WDW and wears a Disney pin with his name on it to work, on this uniform every day! How's that for a convert?!?! I hope the same happens to your DH.

:smooth: :smooth: :smooth: :smooth:

[gadget-lady]

Originally posted by Daisimae
We also brought 10 of the $10.50 coupons with us. They saved us a lot, because we were able to buy the largest size drink they had then save it in our cups for later

All the counter service places we tried last week would only give us medium-size soft drinks on the vouchers.

How long ago did you use your vouchers?

Today is the last day of my 30-day trial....
gadget-lady

[Daisimae]

We used them Aug./Sept. of 2000, and got large drinks.



:p

[wdwobsessed]

I will be using my vouchers next week.

I ordered 2 of the 29.50 ones for our lunch at Marrakesh ... it will work out better for us here, and our 2 kids ages 2 and 5 will eat off of us.

I ordered 6 of the 10.50 ones to use at Beaches, Tusker and Cosmic Rays ... these will be good value here.

I ordered one breakfast for the CP for everyone ... this saves us a few bucks with tax and tip.

I did it more for the convienice of getting some meals paid for months ago ... if you are tying to save big bucks it will only happen at a few places like Marrakesh or Concouse Steak House.

I also have TONS of other meals where we will not use them ... so that way we do not worry the whole trip about getting our $$ worth.

I am DISMAYED though that I got a new membership kit from connections today ... same number .. but with the welcome letter stating how I have 30 days free trial ... I hope they don't try to charge me AGAIN for my membership.

I need to call them today and cancel like I tried to do before they talked me out of it offereng a $30 dining rebate I have yet to see.

Maybe I should call now.

wdwo

[hulabird]

Well, we are back and it was fantastic! I hated leaving, in fact I cried right in front of
2 ducks who were following me as we were heading to the parking lot to go to the airport.
(The ducks made me cry because they were one of the fun things about CBR and when they
followed me I felt like they were saying bye) Anyways all things I got from Connections
were great, they worked with no problems. I am glad that I am able to report that to you all
so u can be free of worries etc...and u can have a great trip.
The 10.50 vouchers worked great. Here is what we had:

Beaches n Cream (Beach Club) We each had a 10.95 steak sandwhich with french fries
plus a 4.00 orange ice cream drink (as a beverage choice) plus we could get any ice cream selection for desert, but were too full after the orange shake thing to get anything but a 4.00
Mickey Mouse Sundae. It was pretty big too, but not as big as the other things. So for 21.00
we got 38.00 + worth of food. Oh, while we were there someone ordered THE KITCHEN SINK
it was HUGE and so cool, it came in a stainless steel kitchen sink and three boys ate the entire thing which had a WHOLE CAN of whipped cream on it in addtion to all the ice cream and
other toppings, I got a picture of it, will post as soon as I can

Cantina de San Angel (Epcot) I got the Plato Combinacion (6.95) a churro (1.89) and a large drink (2.25) and hubby got the Wet Burrito which i think came to the same price as mine, and also a churro and large drink, we saved some money but only a few dollars, but it was good food.

Bridgetown Broiler (CBR) I got the rib/chicken combo that came with 2 sides (mashed potatoes/gravy and caribbean rice) that was 9.59, I also got a slice of chocolate cake (3.95)
and an orange juice (2.25) this place has really good food, good quality too.
I got this same thing 2 days later (I really liked it alot)

The coupons would not have been of value at other places we ate.

I will post trip report soon and all the pictures (even the ones of my duck friends!)
I am booking CBR for 2002 this week, i recommend it to anyone who likes tropical settings.

Hulabird
AUG/SEP 2001
http://www.disneyclipart.com/images23/Parks/DisneyWorld/Resorts/carib01a.gif

[chris1gill]

Hi HulaBird!! We just got back today as well!!! We also ate at Beaches & Cream one day after DH & DS played Mini-Golf across the street at Fantasia Gardens!

Anyways, we got Lime Rickey's as drinks (2.50) & the Double burger with bacon (8.95) & then I got a Sundae with 3 scoops (7.95) & DH got a Banana Split (7.95)... We sat at the table & the coupon also covered the gratuity... I shared my entire meal with DD since she doesn't actually eat anything but bread & ice cream LOL.... (she's 3)... with taxes & gratuity our Beaches & Cream dinner would have cost $47.00... By the way if you want to order dessert, be sure NOT to eat half your meal... otherwise you won't have room for dessert, which is what I was really interested in!!!

We stayed at Coronado Springs & we ate at the Pepper Market a couple of times... We made a KILLING by using the coupons!

One night we each had the following:
2 Prime Rib dinner with potato & vegetables 18.00 (36.00)
2 Soda 1.95 (3.90)
2 Dessert 4.00 (8.00)
Tip @ 10% & Tax (8.00)

For a Grand total of about FIFTY SIX DOLLARS!!!

We used two coupons & were set!! I did share my meal with DD (again since she just eats the bread & dessert LOL)....

We repeated the Prime Rib dinner again one night (they were very good) & on one occasion DH ordered the Sampler at 14.95 & I ordered the Ribeye at 17.95....

Since the Pepper Market charges the 10% tip, just about anything you order will get you up over the $10.00 cost of the coupon... since it covers gratuity & tax....

All in all, we were VERY pleased with the value at these two restaurants!

[wdwobsessed]

I just got back as well and I agree that you can save tons of $$ at Beaches and the Pepper Market.

We ate at Beaches twice and the Pepper Market once and each of these meals were almost $50 and we only paid $21 for the vouchers we used to cover the bill.

One thing though .. at Beaches they stuck a card in it saying how gratuity was not added to the bill ... blah ... blah ... so I tipped our server ... nicely I may add.

Are you telling me that gratuity was included at beaches? I wonder why they stuck that card in with my bill for the kids meal AFTER I presented the vouchers?

Oh well ... if gratuity was included on the voucher and we tipped him .... he had a good day just off our table.

wdwo

[NancyIL]

Since the $10.50 Quick and Casual vouchers are for counter-service eateries, the waitstaff at Beaches and Cream are probably NOT getting tips.

[chris1gill]

They are getting tipped using the vouchers!!! Just like at Pepper Market, they charge a 10% gratuity.....

If you read the fine print on the vouchers, it says that the voucher includes both tax AND gratuity... I do know that when you check out, they have to write the value of your meal in the space provided... that's how the gratuity is collected I would guess... but the 10% gratuity was definitely paid at Pepper Market....

The only thing you should have to tip on at Beaches & Cream is the kids meal... which of course we did tip for..... But, the voucher clearly states that it also covers gratuity & taxes....

[wdwobsessed]

But on the Pepper Market ticket the 10% fee is listed.

And on the other tickets for the sit downs ... Crystal Palace and Concourse .. the bottom of the ticket said "Gratuity Included"

The beaches ticket said nothing .... and they stuck a little card in the thing saying how "No gratuity has been added to your bill."

The voucher does day "All applicable taxes and gratuities are included" ...

I should have just come out and asked.

wdwo

[hulabird]

I DID ask, and the waiters at Beaches n Cream DO get a tip out
of the 10.50 coupons, I asked our waiter just to be sure and he said the
tips are given to them and I didn't have to leave one....its based NOT on
10.50, but on the total bill that u normally would have paid.


Hulabird

Aug/Sep 2001 CBR

[chris1gill]

Thanks for confirming this Hulabird!! In fact I think I'd read in one of the previous Connections threads that someone else had come out and asked about the tip & was told the same thing, that the voucher covered the gratuity, based on the total amount of the bill.... Glad to hear I wasn't remembering something I made up LOL.....

[NancyIL]

I stand corrected! ;)

[wdwobsessed]

Wow! Wish I had known that.

Maybe they stuck it in the bill to remind me to tip on the kids meal that was not covered by the vouchers.

Well - He got a hefty tip that day.

oh well

wdwo