DL Character dining voucher - prepaying worth it?

[mrsdsj2007]

Is it really worth to prepay those vouchers --- it was $96 for breakfast with minnie & friends - and the entry price seems cheaper

 

[Girimama33]

If you include tax and tip, the price for M&F adult meal is $37.79 and the child is $17.64. Some people do not tip at Minnie's, so it may be a little bit of a loss if you go that route.
The vouchers are not necessarily a deal for the character meals. You have to do the math to see if it is worth purchasing it. I usually go to Surf's Up, and it always saves me & to go the voucher route vs. my AP discount.

 

[amyg1975]

Yes, with Surf's Up it is a better deal to go with a voucher than an AP discount. (We were just there on Monday and I wanted to see the difference, and I ended up paying $7 more with my AP instead of buying the voucher.)

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I found it worth it - I paid the same as I would have at the desk, but my voucher price included tip and tax so I saved 23% right there! And it's convenient too - just hand the vouchers over and you're done.

 

[mich311e]

Where do you buy vouchers?

 

[707MickeyGirl]

I'm curious about the vouchers as well. I saw them on aRes travel but I have a premium AP so the numbers don't seem to support the voucher as a better deal. aRes travel adds a $2 per voucher "convenience fee". Are there vouchers from other sites?

 

[lvdis]

I got mine from getawaytoday

 

[millie0312]

I got mine from orbitz with cash back from ebates as well. Not sure if it's a deal or break even but it's nice to pre-pay and know it's all done including tax and tip! We go during the holidays so I wouldn't put it past Disney to jack up the price then too lol eta: there were no fees on orbitz

 

[Girimama33]

Getawaytoday.com is the only place that I know that sells them where they disclose the tax and tip is included. On other sites, it may not include the tip. Just read the fine print.

 

[aussiegirls]

Yes, with Surf's Up it is a better deal to go with a voucher than an AP discount. (We were just there on Monday and I wanted to see the difference, and I ended up paying $7 more with my AP instead of buying the voucher.)

Where are you buying your vouchers from? I have looked at getaway today and seems more expensive, and that's not taking AP discount into account. I looked at the magic guide app, that had all the park prices and it seems to be much less on that than the "park" prices that getaway today etc quote.

 

[Girimama33]

Where are you buying your vouchers from? I have looked at getaway today and seems more expensive, and that's not taking AP discount into account. I looked at the magic guide app, that had all the park prices and it seems to be much less on that than the "park" prices that getaway today etc quote.

The vouchers include tax and tip. Surf's up costs $30.99 - add tax and tip and the total is $39.05. The voucher is $33, so you save almost $6 per adult meal.
Again...do the math, but do not forget to add tax and tip to your figure.

 

[amyg1975]

I believe the voucher total for 2 adults and one toddler with Getaway was going to be $83, yet we paid $90 for breakfast with our AP.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I got mine from orbitz with cash back from ebates as well. Not sure if it's a deal or break even but it's nice to pre-pay and know it's all done including tax and tip! eta: there were no fees on orbitz

Me too and it does say it includes tax and tip on the webpage. No fees either and I got money back from ebates. The fine print says you must take the electronic copy (paper copy) to the guest services kiosk prior to the meal, so remember that. It caught me flat-footed when I didn't know that for Minnie's. Before you get in line for the gates, there's a kiosk to the left "Guest Services". Go there and hand in all your meal vouchers. The CM there will exchange for your meal tickets to hand in at the restaurant.

 

[luulu1999]

We use getawaytoday also I like using them because I like having as much paid for ahead of time as possible, all though I am not sure if we are even going to do any our next trip since we aren't really breakfast people and they have changed the people at Goofy's to the same ones all the time.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

I used getawaytoday and ran some numbers, after verifying the current prices for Minnie & Friends ($30.99 adult, $17.99 child), Ariel's Grotto lunch ($39.99 adult, $23.99 child) and Surf's Up breakfast ($32.99 adult, $18.99 child). BTW, the CM said these prices just went up, and that she has no knowledge of any seasonal increases that might take place in December.

I have a premium AP and generally tip 20% (and per etiquette, I tip on the subtotal BEFORE the AP discount has been subtracted), so for one adult and one child my savings for Minnie & Friends would be $4.76; Surf's Up savings would be $7.38; and Ariel's Grotto princess lunch savings would be $5.53.

If you don't have an AP, the savings are huge - Minnie & Friends savings would be $12.69; Surf's Up savings would be $15.69; and Ariel's Grotto princess lunch savings would be $15.89. If you generally tip less than 20%, your savings would be more.

For myself, I think I'll use my AP. That way if I have to cancel any of my ADRs, I won't be stuck holding a pre-paid voucher.

 

[aussiegirls]

I used getawaytoday and ran some numbers, after verifying the current prices for Minnie & Friends ($30.99 adult, $17.99 child), Ariel's Grotto lunch ($39.99 adult, $23.99 child) and Surf's Up breakfast ($32.99 adult, $18.99 child). BTW, the CM said these prices just went up, and that she has no knowledge of any seasonal increases that might take place in December.

I have a premium AP and generally tip 20% (and per etiquette, I tip on the subtotal BEFORE the AP discount has been subtracted), so for one adult and one child my savings for Minnie & Friends would be $4.76; Surf's Up savings would be $7.38; and Ariel's Grotto princess lunch savings would be $5.53.

If you don't have an AP, the savings are huge - Minnie & Friends savings would be $12.69; Surf's Up savings would be $15.69; and Ariel's Grotto princess lunch savings would be $15.89. If you generally tip less than 20%, your savings would be more.

For myself, I think I'll use my AP. That way if I have to cancel any of my ADRs, I won't be stuck holding a pre-paid voucher.

The prices you have given here, does that include tax? If not how do I figure out the price with tax?

Do you mind if I ask a tipping question then? We are from Australia, and we don't tip here at all, so I really just try and muddle my way through when we are in the US and there are so many unwritten rules about it that I don't know.

So for a buffet style meal, such as Minnies, would I still tip? If so, who would I tip and what would the tip be for? At Surfs Up buffet I know that there are servers that get you coffee but aside from that it's fend for yourself. Would I tip someone that just gets me coffee (or maybe doesn't get me anything, if i don't feel like a coffee) 20% of the total bill?

So if I get the prepaid vouchers that include tip, the tip included will be the same if I go to a full service restaurant such as Ariels, or if I go to a self serve buffet such as Minnies?

Is that how it works?

Sorry guys, just trying to understand how it works and then figure out what is going to be, not only the most cost effective for us, but also the most polite as well.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

The prices I quoted after speaking to a CM this morning do not include tax, nor gratuity. The tax in Anaheim is 8%.

Let me think about how I tip at Disneyland. At Surf's Up, the server brings your beverages and also busses your plates. You pay at the end of the meal, and I'm sure I tip at least 15% there. I've only eaten dinner at Ariel's so I don't know what the server does for lunch - I'll have to see when we go. For Minnie & Friends, you pay before you're even seated, and they show you to a table but there aren't servers who bring you beverages. I honestly don't remember if/how much I tip there... since you pay up front. Hmm.

I don't know how getawaytoday.com decides on the prices for their vouchers, but they do include tax and gratuity, so my assumption would be that the 8% tax is built in and they have worked out some sort of deal with Disney for the gratuity.

I'll be following along to see what everyone else says because I'm curious how people handle Minnie & Friends.

 

[aussiegirls]

The prices I quoted after speaking to a CM this morning do not include tax, nor gratuity. The tax in Anaheim is 8%.

Let me think about how I tip at Disneyland. At Surf's Up, the server brings your beverages and also busses your plates. You pay at the end of the meal, and I'm sure I tip at least 15% there. I've only eaten dinner at Ariel's so I don't know what the server does for lunch - I'll have to see when we go. For Minnie & Friends, you pay before you're even seated, and they show you to a table but there aren't servers who bring you beverages. I honestly don't remember if/how much I tip there... since you pay up front. Hmm.

I don't know how getawaytoday.com decides on the prices for their vouchers, but they do include tax and gratuity, so my assumption would be that the 8% tax is built in and they have worked out some sort of deal with Disney for the gratuity.

I'll be following along to see what everyone else says because I'm curious how people handle Minnie & Friends.

Thanks so much 707Mickeygirl. One more question, if you know the answer.

If I buy prepaid vouchers from getaway today, do they have dates or anything on them, or can I use them whenever I want?

 

[Girimama33]

Thanks so much 707Mickeygirl. One more question, if you know the answer.

If I buy prepaid vouchers from getaway today, do they have dates or anything on them, or can I use them whenever I want?

They ask for your travel dates at GAT when you purchase them. If the vouchers are mailed to you, there will be no specific date on there that I can recall. They look like park tickets, but they say voucher on the back and the amount.
If you have to pick the voucher up at the ticket booth, it would have to be picked up during the time frame you indicate.
We usually tip more on the generous side (18-20%). 15% is typically customary. At Minnie's, they clear plates only and I still tip 10%. Everywhere else we do 18-20% including Surf's Up.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

At Minnie's, they clear plates only and I still tip 10%.

Am I remembering wrong? You pay before you're even seated at Minnie's correct? Do you add the tip before you're seated? We've done Minnie & Friends a few times over the past few years but I just can't remember if/how I tipped.