Connections/vouchers question?

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Hi! To all those that have used vouchers for meals through connections- could you please let me know how long it would take to get the vouchers? Can I have it where I just pick them up at the hotel or something?

I'm curious because I was putting off joining connections because it didn't seem like the cost of joining would be worth it for the vouchers for me. Especially considering I would only buy a few vouchers since it's a solo trip and not sure we will be going again in a year.

However, now I'm thinking maybe it would be worth it since to join is only $1 for the first month and then I could cancel my membership if I felt I wouldn't use them again in the future.

So if I join right now- and figure out HOW to buy the vouchers (LOL) - how long would it take to get the vouchers to me if they HAVE to be mailed to me? Or can I have them sent to the resort? The reason I ask that is because I'm leaving next Sunday- in a week... but it would be okay if they didn't arrive at my resort exactly when I got there. I would just use the vouchers for the remaining time of my trip after they got there! (I will be there till the 28th)

Does anyone know? Thanks in advance if you can help!

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Okay I joined.. and the vouchers I would want (added to my cart) is over $50. The most I can find out about shipping is that if it's over $50 they will ship priority and should arrive within 2-5 business days. Well, 5 business days is all I have! So if I ordered them right now would they ship them out Monday pronto? Or is there a chance they might arrive on Monday after I've already left for my trip on Sunday night?

That would totally be a bummer.

Anyone have any experience with how fast they got them so I know if I should chance it or not? Or anyone know if I can call them Monday and ask for them to be shipped to me at the resort instead of at my home address? It doesn't give me a chance to change where I want them shipped- just ships to the address (my home address) that I signed up with.

Also, is there any shipping cost? It doesn't show it on the page that I need to enter my credit card and I'm afraid to enter it and find out -because that would be actually ordering them already. LOL

Thanks if anyone can help with these questions!

 

[TreeOfLife]

With Connections' reported unpredictability and problems, I would not bet anything on it.

 

[DMRick]

I find I get them faster when I order on line. I ordered last Sunday night (the same time I joined again) and got them Wednesday morning. I have no idea where they are located (tossed the envy's), but I'm in NY. I have found them to be easy to join, easy to quit. I've enjoyed my vouchers each time. They did just go up in price, so I ordered some more (they'll be more of us than I thought) on the phone last night...which had the old prices.
If you belong to MYpoints, you can get points, a cheaper price ($69 instead of $79, I think), and besides free movie tix for joining, you get a gas or walmart or some sort of card.
I also bought 10 Olive Garden cards, and 10 Red Lobster cards (since they are actually the same, but you can only get 10 of each), and I'll get 20% back on my credit card. I've also not had a problem with that during my one month membership. I think I"ll be calling to say I'm cancelling, but see what they offer me this time..I"ll prob stay in the program...we've used it so much.

 

[DolphinBoy]

Is there a voucher that you can buy via connections that covers a Character meal? If so how much for an Adult and how much for a child?

Thanks in advance...

 

[slimplaw]

DMRick
What is the expiration date on your vouchers? Someone was speculating that since they just went up they may have a later expiration date than May 2003.

 

[DMRick]

That was actually me that wondered if the new ones have a better date..but I just ordered the new ones last night (I ordred the others last Sunday). So they haven't come yet. I'll post as soon as they do, if it's a new date.

Yes, Dolphin, there are char breakfast ones. I don't buy those, but Mary has the new prices up on her site mousesavers.com..go to wdw, then meals, then conncetions. They weren't a great savings usually when we have gotten them, but it does include tax and tip. We used it on a Holiday, which made it a better deal, since the meals are usually more then.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Okay now I'm confused. When did the prices go up? Are the prices on the connections website accurate at this point and already went up? Or will they go up soon and I need to hurry up and buy them or WHAT? help..


I joined through mousesavers.com (someone through mousesavers.com even sent me the link since I emailed them tha the link on their website wasn't working for me- THANKS to whomever that was!) and got the deal with 4 free movie tickets. I do not plan on continuing the membership because I looked around and don't see anything else I can use to save money with them. I don't know when my next trip to WDW will be either- and the movie tickets are cheap- but you can't use them for 10 days when a new movie comes out. Well, that won't work where I live because movies don't even stay on the docket for 10 days every single time! They kinda move in and out of our movie theatres around here because they aren't HUGE movie theatres with 12+ shows at all times- yanno? 4 or 6.

Anywho... I'm just so worried I would buy them and they wouldn't get here in time. I'm going to call them tomorrow and see if I can get them sent to the resort address instead or SOMETHING. I guess if worse came to worse I would just have to return them for refund after I got back home if they came here while I was gone. But I'd have to pay for returning them and my husband would then know I paid for vouchers I couldn't even use because they were HERE instead of with me... so then he'd know I was spending even more by paying for food while there. I'd have to do all this explaining that I'll get refunded. Just would be a big pain.

All I want is one breakfast, one lunch/dinner and 5 Q&C. *sigh*

 

[4greatboys]

I dont belong to Connections but to Simple Escapes--same thing.
I always recd my vouchers 2 day air UPS. Never had to pay any shipping. The will send you vouchers to get money back on utilities, groceries or stuff like that. With Connections they usually will remimburse you up to $60. We use the restaurant cards for Red Lobster, Planet Hollywood etc. I think its a good deal. When we went to Planet Hollywood. I had ordered $60 worth of vouchers (got reimbursed $12) so that was $48 I actaully paid for the cards plus I used my dc card to get 10% our meal there, so we ended up saving 30% on our meal.
I also like their retail cards, you buy for $25 they reimburse you $5. I did good at Christmas using these cards especially combined with a sale.

 

[Lucky4me]

The movie tickets are not delivered until the 30 day trial membership is over. So if you cancel, you don't get them anyway.

I found that just for myself, the Q&C and breakfast/lunch vouchers are not a savings. I only spend about $10 per counter service meal and that's only if I get a drink. I usually carry water and skip the soda, so the cost is usually around $7. And I can't picture going into Beaches and Cream alone and ordering $30-$40 worth of food including an 8 scoop sundae. If I was with my family then I could see it.

 

[DMRick]

I have gotten the specials from connections, even if I cancelled. You do need to hold onto your membership number, however, becasue the special comes in your kit..you need to send something in, then they send you a form to fill out..you do need to have the membership number, since this takes place after you have cancelled. They don't make it ultra easy, but it's worth it

I also buy the gift certs for Olive Garden,a nd the $2 discount for each shows up on my cc after I have cancelled.

Vouchers are not for everyone. You should look at the menu's in advance and the decide how much food you would eat. We do a lot of sharing.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

I have looked and there are only a few places where it would actually save me a little. And by little- I mean $2-5 tops.
however..

And I can't picture going into Beaches and Cream alone and ordering $30-$40 worth of food including an 8 scoop sundae. If I was with my family then I could see it.

That statement confuses me. Why would you need to spend $30-40 of food for it to be worthwhile? Beaches and Cream is listed on the Q&C vouchers- not the lunch ones that are more expensive. So you would only need to spend at or over $11 for it to be worth your while to save SOMETHING (because of the tax/tip that would need to be added). I looked at the menu and figuring what I would like to eat, if I wasn't worrying about the cost, it would be around $17 for me... plus tax/tip. To me that would be worth purchasing a voucher for $11. Maybe I'm just cheaper than others and think it's worth it to save $6+tip/tax and to others that is not worth the trouble? I don't have to save a LOT for it to be worth it to me... every $2-6+ here and there adds up in the long run!

But with that said... considering I have only found a few places, [buying the most expensive items on the menu that I would actually like (there are some more expensive items that I wouldn't particularly care for in most cases) plus dessert which I probably couldn't fit in my stomach after the entree and side dish- plus drink (and I would also do a lot of waterbottle drinking while there and not just sodas at every meal)] that I could actually save a few dollars- plus ofcourse saving a bit more at Beaches & Cream.. it's not worth it to me to worry about whether the vouchers would get here in time for me to get them before my upcoming trip. If I had more notice- I sure would do it because I would like saving even a few dollars on every meal PLUS then I wouldn't feel like I was trying to watch my money and not spend a fortune on food. Even when I try not to do that- it's ingrained in me to be frugal and I would. It would be nice to not have to worry- everything was paid for for that meal already. But since I do not have much time for them to arrive- and don't want the hassles of returning them if they arrive here at home while I'm gone- I won't mess with it.

I did call- there is no other way to get them -you can only get them mailed to your home address. They did say we could return them for refund- sending them by certified mail (so that loses a little of the money spent on them to pay for that) and I'm afraid since others have had problems with them that we might too. So I won't risk it on the offchance they might get here in time. I think. LOL I'm still having a hard time making up my mind!

Here's where my problem is- I have read here that they expire in May. Some people have said that here. Well, if they came while I was gone- it wouldn't be a big deal if I could save them for our next trip! But I don't know when our next trip will be and it would definitely be after May! However, I asked on the phone when I called today if they have an expiration date and she said absolutely not. I confirmed that again with her and she said there was not an expiration date on their vouchers- whether bought over the phone or online.

So... does anyone know for SURE if they do or don't expire? And if so, when?

 

[Shelby5514]

I joined and ordered 6 Q&C vouchers on 1/6. They came via UPS 2nd day air on Thurs. 1/9. Be aware UPS will NOT leave them, someone has to sign for them. I ended up picking them up at UPS myself because I was working the next day also. Mine were $11.00 each and expire in May. Not a problem for us as we going next week.

Also, as of today Connections has still not charged our credit card for the vouchers or the $1.00 sign up fee. Do you think maybe they'll forget???? I wish!!!

Shelby5514

 

[Cookie55]

I'm sure that I have seen this question before but I can't remember the answer. I am going in Feb for a couple of days and then back in August for a longer stay. I would like to join Connections now and get some vouchers for my Feb trip but since the present ones expire in May I would have to join again to get vouchers for Aug. Is there a limit on how many "trial memberships" you can have? Could I join under my name and then have my DH join for our August trip?

Thanks for your help......

 

[DMRick]

I joined Feb 5th, and went on line to my charge card, and there is a $1 charge. Once in awhile they do forget you joined..or at least I have read it on this board.

Yes, the vouchers have an expiration date. I haven't tried using one past it's date, so I don't know if they would be accepted.

Yes, you can rejoin, but not under the same phone number, first name or credit card (although I tried it all different ways..I had to change those things before it would accept me). The address can be the same.

My UPS guy left the vouchers, but I have a a mail slot into my house.

There are a few people selling vouchers on this board..so if someone just needs one or two, that may be the way. We have always gotten them on the third day (order on Sunday..they are here on Wednesday). I will prob call and tell them I am cancelling, just to get my free offers (grocery discounts, etc), but this time, I think I am saving enough to keep the membership for a year. We usually have people going with us, and I get vouchers for all of us.

 

[4greatboys]

The Sybah Shelstah--the is a voucher sold at AK that can only be used at AK that is a pretty good deal. They were $11+ with tax on my Sept visit and now I think it is $12+ (with tax). With this coupon you get one entree and a drink (at Flame tree I ordered ribs w/2 sides and a coke and at Tusker house I got the rotisseree(sp?) chicken w/2 sides and a drink). You also get a another coupon for ice cream or popcorn and another drink coupon.