Are Connections Q & C Vouchers really a good deal??

[DMRick]

Since most of our dinners were buffets, this was plenty of food.

What dinner coupons did you use that were buffets..and where did they let you share buffets?

Remember that the vouchers pay the tip and tax, too for the places that have tipping, which usually is a savings. I don't go crazy finding the best deals..but as long as I save a few dollars, I"m happy.

Doris

 

[HM]

I think the above poster meant that they split lunches with one voucher so that they'd have room in their tummies for those buffet dinners later(not that they were using vouchers to get split buffet dinners.

-HM

 

[Muffy]

Just have to mention that Connections is coming out with a DINNER voucher in June. It will include Hoop de Doo and Calif grill. No word on price yet but I am keeping a close eye on this voucher!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I have a fax I got from Disney Group Sales a few months ago.
It has a list of the various meal certificates that groups can buy. I believe they are the same ones connections carry, they just cost a little more.

Breakfast Certificate
$20.75/$12.25
Valid at a variety of table service locations, including character breakfast.

Quick and Casual breakfast certificate
$10.75
Valid at a variety of resort food court locations

Quick and Casual Lunch or dinner certificate
$13.00
Valid at a variety of counter service locations

Vacation kingdom dinner certificate
$62.00/$30.00
Valid at a wide variety of table service locations including our premium restaurants.

 

[Muffy]

Wow, look at that price for the new dinner voucher (62.00) Since Hoop de Doo is around 45.00 per person and includes tax and gratuity I don't see any reason to buy the dinner voucher! Thanks Disneyjunkie, for the breakdown on prices!

 

[dcfromva]

myfairygodmother,
Since I think dessert is the best part of the meal and we always share, anyway, last year we decided to give the vouchers a try.
In terms of value, I don't think the Q& C save you very much money on the whole and I think in the future I will probably reserve those to use for the kids going out on their own. We like the ice cream at Beaches and Cream, but I don't care for the meals-- and even with sharing, there is just too much food. We decided we will just reserve B&C for a dessert after an Illuminations Cruise. B&C does offer a very good value for the vouchers and the staff there was very accomodating the two times we tried the Q&C's there
The VKL vouchers are really nice and can save a lot of money. Unless you have a DH that doesn't like to eat a big meal at Lunch --especially when it is hot outside . I believe we purchased 10 or 12 VKL vouchers last July---We visited WDW approx 23 days and we still have 3 VKL left over to use for our trip this weekend (they expire May 31!). The vouchers were really cool when we took our nephew to WDW and DS and DN could order anything off the menu they liked. (They are teenagers and they eat like crazy). We probably won't order anymore this coming year, though, unless we bring our nephew along again.
The breakfast vouchers are the ones which worked out best for my family. DH likes to order a big, hot breakfast while he is on vacation. I like toast and fruit. So using the vouchers, DH would share his toast with me and we would add on fruit on the side for myself (DS likes to eat Rice Crispy Treats or sometimes he would order a hot breakfast using a voucher) and it worked out very well. When we accompanied my sister and her family to the character meals, we used vouchers and when you add in tax and tip for the character meals, you do realize a savings. I look at our food bills for our recent visit to Disneyland (for 1 week)--we stayed at the Grand Californian and had breakfast at Storytellers each morning and our average breakfast bill was around $50.00 per day (for 3 of us-- and I ordered toast and fruit each day! ). So, in our family--even if both DS and DH used a breakfast voucher each day (and add in a side order of fruit for me), we would still realize a bit of a savings. I plan to order more breakfast vouchers for our trips to WDW this next year...

The only variable is Connections. I have heard that some folks have had complaints with them. I have also heard that they charge a huge renewal fee and my renewal is coming up soon. (I think I joined for $80.00 and I have heard some folks have been charged a $140.00 renewal fee. I won't renew if they charge more than $80.00/year renewal. ) When you factor in the the membership price, the vouchers probably would not be worth it, if that is all you all planning to purchase under this program. I also buy gift certificates at a 20% discount from Connections and they have made the Connections membership worthwhile to me this past year.

-DC

 

[LIFERBABE]

We have a large group going next week, and the one thing we will do as a group is go to Chef Mickeys Breakfast Buffet.

I ordered the Breakfast Vouchers for everyone in our party.

Because we are a large group (28), our tax and tip will be included in the bill. They faxed me the confirmation and the prices total $20.64 for Adults and $10.92 for children including tax and tip. The vouchers cost $17.75/$11.00 from Connections. So we save $2.89 for each adult and lose .08(less than $1) for each child by having the vouchers. This is great for us since the tip is 15% and as it is a buffett, I think that is fair and we can just hand over the vouchers and go. We also don't have to worry about splitting the bill.

We like to eat well/not alot but well. These vouchers allow you to do that at a savings if you share or are big eaters. For basic meals, they are not, but my DH likes nice cuts of steak and seafood and could eat it everyday. I rarely make it at home, so when we travel he gets what he likes. When we eat out at home we spend at least $30 with tax and tip and that's with $9.99 entrees and one drink (I drink water also because I cut out soda and caffeine)

We also buy the Q&C's and have always saved something and never lost money. There are plenty of choices in MK so that you don't have to go out of your way. We like B&C and would do that without the vouchers.

I would never buy off of EBAY with the inflated prices and despite Connections bad rep, I have had nothing but satisfactory service from them. My rebates come on time, my vouchers arrive express mail, and they even sent me a notice this year to tell me my renewal was near and if I didn't want to renew then to call and cancel in 30 days. I renewed and it cost $79.95 same as last year. I use them for the Chuck E. Cheese gift cards, the Blockbuster gift cards and the restaurant GC in addition to meal vouchers.

Hope this helps
Lifer
Hope this helps

 

[tebright]

I've been reading so much about these meal vouchers....can someone tell me where I can buy them?

I would like to have some of our meals prepaid for December. I know certain places that we will be eating at.

 

[Free4Life11]

I am split on the vouchers.

On one hand, it IS nice to have it prepaid. But on the other hand, do you REALLY need desert at every meal? The portions are large and after downing a hamburger, friends, and a coke, I could barely finish off the desert!

The one place that these WERE a great deal was Pecos Bills in Magic Kingdom. The chicken wraps were HUGE and 2 of us could have EASILY shared one voucher - this is coming from a teenager and a HUGE eater at that!

I was actually planning on using them at Beaches and Cream. My aunt and her boyfriend were driving up to meet us, but when I saw the place we all said no way! I was expecting something a little quieter. We ended up going to the seafood buffet. It was a lot of $$, but delicious and well worth it.

I would just suggest don't like get 2 of these per person per day because honeslty, unless you eat tons and tons and tons I doubt you would use them all.

I mean you'll probably be getting snacks and whatnot as the day goes on anyways.

 

[Free4Life11]

Originally posted by LIFERBABE
I would never buy off of EBAY with the inflated prices and despite Connections bad rep, I have had nothing but satisfactory service from them. My rebates come on time, my vouchers arrive express mail, and they even sent me a notice this year to tell me my renewal was near and if I didn't want to renew then to call and cancel in 30 days. I renewed and it cost $79.95 same as last year. I use them for the Chuck E. Cheese gift cards, the Blockbuster gift cards and the restaurant GC in addition to meal vouchers.

I have been very satisfired by COnnections at well. It was very easy and we did save some money.

These vouchers are a nice thing - they're kind of fun.

But we went for the first time and kind of wanted to just see what they are like. In the future we will probably get a few, but will probably just eat wherever our stomachs lead us!

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

how do you contact group sales to get the vouchers in stead of using connections. do you have an email address or phone number please

thank you very much

 

[SAWYERMAW1]

The Connections vouchers are not available thru Disney. The ones from group sales are much higher than the Connections vouchers.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by Kimberlyfamilyfv
how do you contact group sales to get the vouchers in stead of using connections. do you have an email address or phone number please

thank you very much

You have to book your trip as a group. Several parents from DS school are thinking of taking a trip together. I called group reservations to get info on booking rooms as a group. The CM I spoke with faxed the price list I posted. She also faxed over info about various dessert shows that can be booked for Illuminations and Fantasmic.

When I called CRO, they connected me to the group sales department.

Disney's prices are only a few dollars more than connections about $2-$3, and they include a quick and casual breakfast voucher.

 

[jdaa1]

Does anyone know if you can order "appetizers for two" "salads for two" or "dessert for two" with a single vacation kingdom lunch voucher?

Also, does anyone know if milkshakes, smoothies, or floats can be ordered for the drink with a quick and casual voucher?

 

[luckytso]

When we used the lunch voucher at RFC by AK and Le Chef De France at Epcot, we had to use 2 vouchers for those "for 2" items.

Also, I have never been able to get smoothies or any of that by using the Q&C vouchers, only regular drinks.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by luckytso

Also, I have never been able to get smoothies or any of that by using the Q&C vouchers, only regular drinks.

We went to B&C last August (2202), and we were able to use milkshakes as our drink.. plus water... and then we split two ribeye sandwiches (considered the fries the side), and we were still able to do the sundaes for desert...


I guess it just varies, we asked what we could get and this is what came up!

 

[luckytso]

Cindy, you were lucky or we were unlucky. We went in Feb and just came back last week. We got the same waitress at Beaches & Cream, and of course, the same answer, only fountain drinks.

 

[dcfromva]

Originally posted by luckytso
Cindy, you were lucky or we were unlucky. We went in Feb and just came back last week. We got the same waitress at Beaches & Cream, and of course, the same answer, only fountain drinks.

Luckytso--we were able to get milkshakes, too, but it's just like you say--it all depends on your server as to what will be permitted. That is what drove DH crazy: the variance in the process. In some places, we were told we couldn't order bottled water (we had this happen on about 4 occasions last summer on both the Q& C, and the expensive VKL vouchers) and no where did it exclude bottled water. (On our most recent visit, we had no problem getting bottled water, though.)
On the hand, the vouchers do say no milkshakes or frozen drinks--if DS wanted to have one, we would order it off the voucher, but then the server permitted them on the voucher...

-DC

 

[jbthi]

We have gotten milk shakes as our drink at B & C until this March. Same waitress we almost always have and she is the one that originally suggested milk shakes for our drink. She remembered this and told us that they had changed policy and no longer did this.

June

 

[Muffy]

Not sure if this has been posted here yet but the price for the new DINNER voucher is 62.50. Ouch! That is the price from Disney so connections may be 2-3 dollars cheaper.