Character meal voucher information.

[Vougar]

FYI

I've been doing a little research on buying the character meal vouchers in advance versus paying when we are there in early February. The character meals we are interested in are Ariel's Grotto (lunch) and Minnie's Breakfast for two adults and one child (our other child is free since she is two).

The meal vouchers from Getawaytoday and Ares travel are $40 per adult and $21 per child for premium meals (Ariel's Grotto) and $33 per adult and $17 per child for regular meals (Minnie's Breakfast). With the vouchers, the tax and gratuity are included. Therefore, for lunch at Ariel's Grotto we would be paying $101 and for Minnie's Breakfast we would pay $83.

I contacted Disney dining for their prices during this time and they charge $34 per adult and $20 per child at lunch for Ariel's Grotto and $24 per adult and $12 per child for Minnie's Breakfast. After the 7.75% sales tax and 15% gratuity is applied we would be paying $108.79 for lunch at Ariel's Grotto and $74.34 for Minnie's Breakfast.

As a result, it appears that it may be a little cheaper to purchase a voucher for lunch at Ariel's Grotto but to wait and pay for Minnie's breakfast. If anyone has any other suggestions on saving on character meals I would appreciate it.

Thank you.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Check last minute travel. They had the best prices the last time I got vouchers. The only other discounts are with APs, Disney Visa or possibly DVC.

 

[skiingfast]

If you would like to leave an extra tip that is fine. I call it extra because at the Character meals your tip is included in the price. So you prices could be (34x2+20)1.0775=$90.50 and (24x2+12)1.0775=$64.65


BTW, a proper tip calculation at 15% would be (32x2+20).15+(32x2+20)1.0775= $103.11. You tip based on service, not the tax going to the government.

 

[californiamomof4grls]

If you would like to leave an extra tip that is fine. I call it extra because at the Character meals your tip is included in the price. So you prices could be (34x2+20)1.0775=$90.50 and (24x2+12)1.0775=$64.65


BTW, a proper tip calculation at 15% would be (32x2+20).15+(32x2+20)1.0775= $103.11. You tip based on service, not the tax going to the government.


It's included when you prepay? Or just when you are in the park paying for them at the time of use. I called AAA about pricing for a friend and they told us that we could purchase the Character Dining through them but it didn't include tip and tax. Was she mistaken?

 

[larina]

The price per person does NOT include tip and tax, it is added to your bill automatically (this seems to be common in hotel restaurants in general, so be sure to check before paying your bill when traveling!!!). Many people miss it and add it again, especially if there are a lot of you and you order drinks (you can get cocktails at many/some of the character meals).

We got our vouchers from Last Minute Travel. It was just a better deal for us (we went at Christmas so prices were slightly higher than usual, I believe) at the time. Check for hidden fees. That made the difference for us. One place automatically added vacation insurance (it was adjusted depended on how much you were spending) that ended up being about $7 per certificate so there was real no savings at all.

 

[DizMe]

Also remember you can use them for face value at almost any restaurant in the parks. You can use them in any combination to get the amount you need/want to use. Instead of doing a character meal, we used ours at Cafe Orleans, Storyteller's (not the buffet) and had left over vouchers to use at a cafeteria place in DCA. Had BB been open, we would have gone there. You can also apply any leftover amount to the tip! This worked well for us because our kids are no longer that interested in character meals and we got a lot more mileage out of the vouchers using them for dollar value.

 

[Vougar]

Thanks for the information, especially on last minute travel.

Just to clarify, as Larina mentioned, the prices from Disney ($34 per Adult, $20 per child) for lunch at Ariel's Grotto and ($24 per Adult, $12 per child) at Breakfast at Minnie's are the prices before the gratuity and tax. The tip (15%) and tax (7.75%) are not included in these prices and will be added on to your bill.

Does anyone know if lastminutetravel randomly posts character meal vouchers on their website? Either I'm looking in the wrong place, or they currently don't have any available.

Thank you.

 

[DisneyDreamer2]

If I were you get the voucher for Ariels but not Minnie's. Minnie's is the only buffet that they will not automatically add gratuity because you don't have a server, you actually get your own drinks as well as everything else. You do not have a server to tip. This makes it the most economical character meal. Also if you have AAA you can show your card and save 10% off the price of minnie's when you pay before you go in.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

It's included when you prepay? Or just when you are in the park paying for them at the time of use. I called AAA about pricing for a friend and they told us that we could purchase the Character Dining through them but it didn't include tip and tax. Was she mistaken?

The vouchers include tax and tip.

If I were you get the voucher for Ariels but not Minnie's. Minnie's is the only buffet that they will not automatically add gratuity because you don't have a server, you actually get your own drinks as well as everything else. You do not have a server to tip. This makes it the most economical character meal. Also if you have AAA you can show your card and save 10% off the price of minnie's when you pay before you go in.

Have you done this recently? If so with the Diamond card for DL or regular AAA? The reason I ask is that last I heard AAA discounts on meals was discontinued in early 2010. But I have heard of people getting the Diamond card with their packages that include some meal discounts.

 

[awdsmama]

But I have heard of people getting the Diamond card with their packages that include some meal discounts.

I just bought the ticket/Passport Plus package through AAA and the packages do come with the Diamond Card again and here is what the brochure said it is for

20% off DL park tours
10% of photopass

10% off at Catal, Haagen Dazs, Jamba Juice, La Brea, Marceline’s Confectionery, Naples, Jazz Kitchen, Tortilla Jo’s
20% off at House of Blues
One free kids meal w/ adult entrée at ESPN Zone and Rainforest Café

10% off at Apricot Lane, Crystal Arts/Arribas Bros, Fossil, LittleMissMatched, RainbowFActory, Sunglass Icon, World of Disney (min 50 or 75 purchase)
20% off House of Blues
15% off ***********
$5 of $50 at Lego Imagination Center
Planet Popcorn buy 3 bags get one free
Pearl factoryne free pearl bearing oyster with any purchase of 14k gold setting starting at $19.99

 

[DisneyDreamer2]

Wow I hadnt realized that they discontinued it! I used it for years and years at the plaza inn breakfast. I know I did get the discount in 2010 but maybe they just let me. Checking online it no longer shows on the AAA site. Sorry about that! But Plaza is the only one that doesn't automatically add gratuity since there is no server, so the vouchers are still not a good deal on this meal unless you go during peak season where the meal costs more.

I am heading down in 40 days, and was planning on using my aaa crad, so I do appreciate the heads up on the updated policy. Thanks!