Anyone have experience with Y.E.S. group dining coupons?

[Terri]

Hi All,

I'm organizing a group trip with 14 high schoolers and 2 adults via the Youth Education Series (Y.E.S,). I need to decide whether or not to use Dining Coupons ($15 including tax for counter service entree,side, and drink lunch/dinner), Dining Credits (specific $$ amount in $5 increments), or just let the kids have their money (except for our one group ADR) I'm looking for both flexibility and bang for the buck.

The dining coupons were marketed to me as "special pricing" but looking at some of the CS menus, I'm not sure that $15 is such a deal. Additionally, I know that while most CS restaurants accept the coupons not all do and I haven't been able to find a current list. I'm especially interested in knowing which Disney Springs CS accept them as we will be staying off property in a Disney Springs hotel. The other option they give groups is purchasing dining credits, but again I can't find out information regarding which places accept them.

Finally, does anyone know if you can load" magic bands with dining credits or set amount of money? Is the only option to attach a magic band to credit card? I am assuming dining coupons cannot be attached to magic bands... I've let a message for a group CM but am getting impatient waiting for a call back. I'm hoping a few DIS members can share their expertise about Y.E.S dining coupons/credits and provide their recommendations.

Thanks!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

$15 is about an average QS meal. I think the coupons are really built for convenience, not savings.

Finally, does anyone know if you can load" magic bands with dining credits or set amount of money?

You cannot.

If you want to "load" something with a set value, you need gift cards, or attach a ore-paid Visa to the Magic Band. With a group, the pre-paid Visa option sounds like a pain in the tush.

 

[Terri]

Thanks, _auroraborealis! I hadn't thought about a pre-paid visa card. While I agree it would be a definite PITA for each person in the group, it might be a good option for my daughter. We're letting the teens have quite a bit of freedom on the trip so it is highly likely that I won't be with my daughters. When it's mom vs peer group usually mom loses, LOL! My older daughter has a job and a bank account, but my younger one doesn't yet. That might be an option to give her some snack/drink money and she won't need to worry about her wallet. ...Or then again we could just give her good, old-fashioned cash,

 

[6disneykids]

as a parent who has a high school student going on a trip with his band, I would feel much more comfotable with the coupons, not cash. Teenages may not spend cash on food but other things.

 

[CinderDuffy]

as a parent who has a high school student going on a trip with his band, I would feel much more comfotable with the coupons, not cash. Teenages may not spend cash on food but other things.

And they should be able to, if they so choose. They will learn quickly that if they spend the money on something else, they will go hungry. I believe in the freedom to make mistakes, so long as there isn't potential for lasting harm.

 

[Terri]

as a parent who has a high school student going on a trip with his band, I would feel much more comfotable with the coupons, not cash. Teenages may not spend cash on food but other things.

I hear you. However, this group consists of 12 exchange students plus my 2 daughters and the eldest spent last year as an exchange student in Italy. Basically, at this point, after being away from home and managing their own money since early August if they can't handle their money well enough not to go hungry during 3 days at WDW, then we have bigger problems. Besides, based on my experience most cultures expect their teenagers to be more responsible (about these types of things) than the US culture.

 

[Terri]

And they should be able to, if they so choose. They will learn quickly that if they spend the money on something else, they will go hungry. I believe in the freedom to make mistakes, so long as there isn't potential for lasting harm.

We're big fans of experiential learning!

 

[Lisa F]

if you want value and flexibility being able to choose what you want and pay for it will be the best thing. Honestly I found that using a gift card was no more difficult than a magic band - i was on the dining plan and used the gift card for anything not plan related (mostly bottled waters at food kiosks and then for the portion of my trip NOT on ddp).

Also as a teen going to disney, budgeting my own money was one of the fun things. A friend of mine and I decided to have a grownup lunch that consisted of an app each at the coral reef. it is one of my best memories. She had raw tuna (back before it was so commonly available in sushi, this was the early 90's and she had heard of sushi but wanted to try it) and I had the creamy lobster soup. It was a standout experience of the trip. If we had dining coupons it wouldn't have happened. Also I'm not sure what compelling merchandise there is at WDW that teens would prefer to food, lol. It's not like they can order booze without being carded or spend it on designer clothes or anything... how many parks tshirts or plushes could one teen want?

 

[sharonabe]

for counter service entree,side, and drink lunch/dinner

The wording of this concerns me. Most counter service entrees are sold as a combo that already includes the side. That's what the kids will see on any menu. Now you CAN get the entree without the side, but that is not on any Disney menu. So would they think they get the combo AND another side? What if they want a dessert? What if all they want is the entree and no side? I think letting them spend their own money will probably be cheaper and they get to eat what they want.

Suggestion: Send them the link to allears.net's menu page. This will give them an idea of what is available and how much money they will need. Make sure they know they can ask for ice water for free. They can even do that if they aren't eating and just need some water.

 

[Ava]

I would just let the teens have their money. With both the dining coupons and credits, it's pre-paid and therefore if they don't use all of the value it's just wasted money (unless you can trade in unused credits at the end for cash back, but I kind of doubt that). Make sure they know a minimum amount that they should bring to cover their meals during the time they'll be on their own, and stress that if they want souvenirs they should bring extra, but other than that they should be able to manage for 3 days. If you're concerned, you could hold say $20 per child until the last day, so if anyone screws up and spends all their money in the first 2 days they'll have a little for food the last day.

 

[dismagiclover]

My son used these on his band trip in December. Options in Disney Springs were very limited. I think it was only good at Earl of Sandwich. They were a bit limited in Epcot as well. Electric Umbrella, Norway bakery, and American counter service, maybe Sunshine Seasons. It worked out well for the band group though. All the kids were well fed.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Hi All,

I'm organizing a group trip with 14 high schoolers and 2 adults via the Youth Education Series (Y.E.S,). I need to decide whether or not to use Dining Coupons ($15 including tax for counter service entree,side, and drink lunch/dinner), Dining Credits (specific $$ amount in $5 increments), or just let the kids have their money (except for our one group ADR) I'm looking for both flexibility and bang for the buck.

The dining coupons were marketed to me as "special pricing" but looking at some of the CS menus, I'm not sure that $15 is such a deal. Additionally, I know that while most CS restaurants accept the coupons not all do and I haven't been able to find a current list. I'm especially interested in knowing which Disney Springs CS accept them as we will be staying off property in a Disney Springs hotel. The other option they give groups is purchasing dining credits, but again I can't find out information regarding which places accept them.

Finally, does anyone know if you can load" magic bands with dining credits or set amount of money? Is the only option to attach a magic band to credit card? I am assuming dining coupons cannot be attached to magic bands... I've let a message for a group CM but am getting impatient waiting for a call back. I'm hoping a few DIS members can share their expertise about Y.E.S dining coupons/credits and provide their recommendations.

Thanks!

Only 1 Disney Springs outlet accepted these (as of Dec 31 - the site has not updated to 2017 locations yet)...
https://www.disneynow.com/profile/web/index.cfm?PKWebId=0x906314e9e

 

[Terri]

Thanks, everyone!

You all pretty much confirmed what I'm leaning towards. I was especially worried about those coupons being accepted in Disney Springs and EPCOT. The price of the trip included 6 counter service meals and 1 table service meal. I think I'm going to give them that money back -- at least the counter service meals. I might hold back the table service money until they show up the ADR. I used my CC to make the ADRs (I needed 2 to accommodate the size of the group) and I don't want to get stuck with no show charges. Besides both my daughters and I think they will really like Fantasmic! dining even if they don't know it yet.

 

[6disneykids]

I was thinking of one of my kids would rather have the money and not eat, but save it for later because its money, and the other would eat off of his friend's plates and pocket the money. For my kids they would acutally eat if they had coupons and not money or gift cards. I asked both of my sons this question, they both said if they had gift cards or cash, they would spend next to nothing, because they'd keep the cash. I guess I have odd kids, but with the coupons they would at least eat.

They both have learned the value of a dollar which is why I am in favor of meal coupons.

 

[Terri]

I was thinking of one of my kids would rather have the money and not eat, but save it for later because its money, and the other would eat off of his friend's plates and pocket the money. For my kids they would acutally eat if they had coupons and not money or gift cards. I asked both of my sons this question, they both said if they had gift cards or cash, they would spend next to nothing, because they'd keep the cash. I guess I have odd kids, but with the coupons they would at least eat.

They both have learned the value of a dollar which is why I am in favor of meal coupons.

I think it is wonderful and that they understand the value of a dollar and are willing to forgo instant gratification for longer term savings. You should be very pleased as that is not a lesson all learn. Mine learned the value of a dollar pretty early on, but delayed gratification was a harder lesson for some of them. Just a thought, maybe if the opportunity presents itself you might consider letting them try it without coupons and see how it goes. They wouldn't starve even if they really did manage to forgo meals for money. Or they may binge on Dole whip and Mt Dew and wonder why they feel a bit off by the third day. Experiential learning is very valuable. Wouldn't it be great for them to have the opportunity to learn either what happens when you don't adequately fuel your body or that most friends' tolerance for mooching is limited - in a situation when the stakes are relatively low? After all, I assume you aren't planning on joining them at college to make sure they don't convert their dining plan into Bulldog Bucks, or maybe you do. Everyone has different parenting philosophies and that makes the world a more enriched place.

For this particular trip with this particular group of students, I absolutely do not care if they eat or eat well. They are all old enough to know if they are hungry and how to remedy it. I'll also provide the information about how much to budget for eating meals in WDW and that it will primarily be counter service since it's not realistic to expect to walk up to a WDW restaurant and be able to get a table. I do care about them having a good experience and value for their money. They need to show up for their YES class and the ADRs that I have made and secured on their behalf. Beyond that, they are also old enough to define good experience for themselves as long as that includes following the rules, being a good hotel/restaurant/park guest and not infringing on someone else enjoyment of these public establishments, and basically acting like decent human beings.

 

[scrapquitler]

My kids would pocket the cash and skip eating. If they had a meal voucher, they'd use it.

 

[ShellieMimi]

When we used to do programs/trips like this, even at parks outside Disney, I would have hated having the coupons. The biggest issue for me was that the meals were so much larger & so much greasier than what I was used to eating that I just didn't want that type of food at both lunch & dinner. I would eat lunch & save the rest of the "food money" I had for souvenirs or an ice cream later. Still alive.

 

[monique5]

We are going in March and will use Meal Vouchers, Dining Cards, and we booked 1 Group "TS" for everyday.

Here's the 2017 Meal Voucher Locations.

 

[Mommy a Deux]

We are going in March and will use Meal Vouchers, Dining Cards, and we booked 1 Group "TS" for everyday.

Here's the 2017 Meal Voucher Locations.

Thank you so much monique5, I am going with the chorus group from our middle school in May. I have already started stressing that I have so little control, no way to make FPs or even plan who is going to ride what. At least now I can start thinking about what/where we can eat.

 

[monique5]

Thank you so much monique5, I am going with the chorus group from our middle school in May. I have already started stressing that I have so little control, no way to make FPs or even plan who is going to ride what. At least now I can start thinking about what/where we can eat.

@Mommy a Deux - It's a lot, but we are sooo excited. We leave in 36D. You can make FP+ for the kids or they can. Reply back here or send a convo. We are doing 3 science workshops, booked some group dining events through YES, ordered tickets in advanced & booked our FP+ back in December during Christmas Break. I worked with Disney IT/Internet Help Desk to create MDE accounts. There are 3 FP+ options for YES groups. My Force Is STRONG! I have access to their accounts! Happy Planning!