Connections? Convince me please

[Marcotta]

I'm not sure, I keep reading and reading posts about the meal vouchers (eBay scams, they are good at this restaurant but not this one, etc. etc.) so ... I'm just not convinced yet.

I just started doing my research this week for our trip in August so these voucher things are new to me. With last year's trip and all the great advice I got from this board I didn't have any doubts as to where we were going to eat or when.

Now, I'm just confused. Is it worth the $79.95/year? Am I going to benefit from it? Do they really expire 5/31/03

help......

 

[Connears]

We are connections members (yearly membership was $79.00)and have always had great service from them; although others have had issues. If you join for a trial $1/one month, make sure you cancel on time or they will charge you for the year. You can buy up to 40 of each kind of voucher per year. Others told me that they will be increasing the yearly fee significantly and if they do, I may not rejoin. They also have great discounts on park passes at IOA, US and WDW along with Blockbuster, TOYRUS and other restaurants (Outback, Olive Garden, Hard Rock)so we have gotten our $79! Hope this helps. We have seen people selling these meal vouchers for WAY over value at e-bay..I don't recommend that. IMHO

There are three types of vouchers:

Breakfast: good for any sitfown breakfast including the character meals(not Swan/Dolphin) and these are 17.50

quick&casual: these are good for almost all the counter service restaurants at the parks(except some carts) and many of the food courts in resorts. Good for one entree, side, drink, dessert for 11.25

Kingdom luncheon: good for sitdown restaurants in parks/resorts but only for lunch. They are 30.50 or so.

We have used the breakfast and q&c and love them. Nice to have some meals pre-paid. CM know about them and you don't have any problems using them. They also include tax and gratuity so they are good deal in that respect.

Connears

 

[patsal]

Backing up Connears on this one. The only thing I have to add is that I have used the feature lunch and found it to be a value at many of the places I enjoy eating. To be sure to get your money's worth do your research. As for e-bay, don't get them there, just join Connections for the trial membership. I kept my membership the first year--but they renewed me for a hugely inflated price so I dropped my membership. The entire time I had my Connections membership I totally got my 79.00 worth from them--meal vouchers, movie tickets, restaurant gift cards and TRU gift cards. I would sign up withthem again, and if they would have offered me a regular membership rather than the "double cost enhanced" membership I would have gladly stayed. In defense of E-bay--I have posted vouchers I could not use on there. I did not make a fortune--usually just cleared the price I was asking--what I paid for them. If people are paying double for them or whatever, that is usually thier own doing as most people post for the price they paid or under with no reserve. Sorry --off my soapbox now! The new vouchers expire on May 31, 2004. Be sure you are home when you expect them to arrive because you will have to sign for them.

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

I recently went to Mousesavers.com to get their detailed info on Connections, so I could post a link on another thread similar to this one. I was dismayed that Mousesavers can no longer recommend Connections due to the high level of complaints currently under investigation. Aside from the concern over the complaints, Mousesavers had the most detailed list of participating restaurants for all the voucher types, and even highlighted which places offered the very best values.

I personally had problems with my Connections experiences - uninformed reps gave me incorrect info, and I cancelled (successfully - phew!) before the month was over so I definitely got my $1-worth. The vouchers themselves were terrific - we used them for our trip last October, and saved a ton at B&C, also got great value for breakfast vouchers at RFC at AK.

Note - use them for sit-down places over counter service, because the voucher covers tax and tip. The servers are tipped based on a percentage of the total would-be value of the meal, so they have an incentive to help customers use the vouchers for the best possible value - a win/win situation for both server and customer!

Good luck, whatever you decide - Have a great trip!

 

[Ursula]

I used the breakfast, quick and casual, and lunch vouchers on our trip last week. I found the quick and casual to be the best value and the breakfast vouchers not much of a value at all. I joined connections with the one month trial for $1 and cancelled before the month was over because I didn't really see anything else I could use. If I were to do it again, I would order more quick and casual and not as many breakfast vouchers.

 

[Marcotta]

Thank you all for your information - I never expected such detail and REALLY appreciate it. Here is why I'm confused...

I already know where I am going to eat for 3 of our 5 meals (1 meal is included in our tour) so why wouldn't I just pay the price of the meal? Do you need 1 voucher per person? I'm not sure if I'm having a brain faze due to the fact that I can't wait to actually be there or am just having a hard time understanding how these vouchers are such good deals.

Can you shed some pixie dust on my brain maybe?

 

[Connears]

At some places they are a very good deal, at others not. There are times when two of us shared a meal voucher and had plenty of food! We also liked having meals pre-paid. When you have tax and gratuity included like at Beaches and Cream or with Breakfast voucher, it does pay off. I just got 14 Q&C vouchers and 6 breakfast ones to use for June and December trips as needed.
Connears