Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Meal Vouchers

[mad4themouse]

Originally posted by Dopey Sharon
Seems as though Connections changed their membership trial period. This is the message I get when I click on "join now"...

Once you activate your 5-day trial membership - for just a $2.95 processing fee, charged to your credit card - you can start taking immediate advantage of all the great savings Simple Escapes offers!

After your 5-day RISK-FREE trial, it's just $159.95 a year, automatically charged to the credit card you use today. Remember, you can call us toll-free at 1-877-836-6903 within the first 5 days to cancel, and you will not be charged the annual fee. To ensure continuous service, your membership will be renewed and charged each year at our then-current renewal fee, unless you call us to cancel. If for any reason you are dissatisfied, call our toll-free number to cancel future renewal years and you'll no longer be charged.

I think it all depends on how you link to sign up. The link I followed thru one of my rewards programs (creationsrewards.net) still offers a 30-day free trial for the processing fee of $1 and a monthly membership fee of $14.95 for Connections plus you get a $25 Amazon.com GC. And you get 1,000 points at CR for doing the signup. (1,100 points at CR = $5 in Disney Dollars).

 

[Karalea]

What other deals are available for joing hotwire savings club besides the vouchers? I am especially interested in other restaurant gift cards that you can order. Someone mentioned that had gotten gift cards for Hard Rock Cafe. What sort of discount would I get on these?


I hate that there website doesn't give any specific examples of the savings before you join.

Thank you

Kara

 

[Castillo Mom]

Originally posted by Karalea
What other deals are available for joing hotwire savings club besides the vouchers? I am especially interested in other restaurant gift cards that you can order. Someone mentioned that had gotten gift cards for Hard Rock Cafe. What sort of discount would I get on these?


I hate that there website doesn't give any specific examples of the savings before you join.

Thank you

Kara

Gift cards/certificates are for $25 each and they give you a rebate of $5 each so basically you're saving 20% on a $25 purchase for the following stores:

Barnes & Noble, Babies R Us, Borders Books and Music, Blockbuster, Brookstone, Circuit City, Foot Locker, Hollywood Video, JC Penney, KB Toys, Kmart, Linens n Things, Lillian Vernon, Macy's, Orvis, Sam Goody, Suncoast, Media Play, Target, The Sports Authority, Toys R Us, Waldenbooks.

They have movie tickets for $4.50 at the following chains: AMC, Cinemark, Crown Theaters, Loews/Cineplex Odeon/Magic Johnson/Star Theaters, National Amusements/Multiplex, Regal Entertainment (Regal, Edwards and United Artists).

Savings online at the following merchants (I believe 10%): ebags.com, 1-800-Flowers.com, FTD.com, Samsonite, Spa Finder, The Sharper Image.

Save up to 30% on admission to the following theme parks:

Adventure Island, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and Williamsburg, Disneyland Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego, Sesame Place, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Resort Meals, Water Country USA.

Again, keep in mind that they currently do not charge for shipping and handling. Hope that helps you make a decision.

 

[mrsswiss]

Does anyone know if the casual meal vouchers are good at any of the restaurants at the new Saratoga Springs Resort?

 

[Julia M]

I noticed in a recent post about other Hotwire deals, that there are discounts to Sea World. We are planning to go there; does anyone know what the discount is? I might decide to join if the discount is good, and maybe I'll buy a few vouchers, too!

Julia

 

[sweet maxine]

I don't know if you're interested or not, but Southwest Rapid Rewards offers 20% off tickets at the gate with your RR card. I think the price is pretty much in line with the Hotwire price, if not a little better. Somebody may be able to tell you the direct address for this offer. I also know that Pepsi has a promo for lunch or dinner vouchers, a Pepsi drink for later in the day, all for the price of regular admission. You might be interested in reading on the Seaworld boards as those people have good ideas for ticket media.

 

[autumnblue]

I'm trying to figure out the best places to use my VKL vouchers. Has anyone ever used them at the All Star Cafe at the Wide WOrld of Sports and ordered a full slab of ribsI thinking this would definitely feed two people.

Also I know there is a question about frozen drinks with the Q and C but can you order non alcoholic frozen drinks with the VKLs.

Thanks

Autumnblue

 

[LIFERBABE]

Also I know there is a question about frozen drinks with the Q and C but can you order non alcoholic frozen drinks with the VKLs.

...................one (1) appetizer, one (1) entree, one (1) single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage, and one (1) dessert. Tax and gratuities are included. Alcoholic beverages, souvenir drink mugs and room service are not included...................................


So the language regarding "beverages" is pretty much the same as the QC. I know last September at RFC my Ds's did get the frozen slushee thing.

 

[cybrary]

OK....Last weekend I read all the posts about the Connections stuff....then I decided to go with the Hotwire offer. I too was not real thrilled with the fact that they weren't too clear on what you got and what was good where....however, the information that all of you supplied regarding the Food vouchers was enough for me! So on May 10, I joined and purchased the following: (4) VKL-$31. each, (10) Q&C - 11.50 each (10) movie theater passes- $4.50 each, (4) Target GC -$25. each, (2) Linen & Things GC-$25. each, (1) Outback Steakhouse -$25. , (1) Planet Hollywood - $25 each. Total $484. and I'll get the $10. rebate when I send in the receipt I printed. Today,(5/13), I came home from work, and all arrived. Although I have a Target and L&T around here in MA....I'll be sending them to my daughter in the Los Angeles area so she can buy things for her place. For those of you without access to a L&T or Target, they have great websites for purchases online where these cards are also valid. As for my Disney trips, as soon as I can scrape up more $$, I'll purchase more of those as well. Like someone else said, I enjoy the fact that I'm prepaying for some meals during my next two trips there. I won't feel the pinch as much when I get my bill at checkout. Thanks all for the great info! -Nancy

 

[MRS AR]

Just thought I'd let you know that if you call the number listed on the hotwire site to cancell your membership, you no longer have someone who tries to talk you out of it. You just follow the telephone prompts and after several menus the recorded voice says that your membership is now cancelled. No problems.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Originally posted by MRS AR
Just thought I'd let you know that if you call the number listed on the hotwire site to cancell your membership, you no longer have someone who tries to talk you out of it. You just follow the telephone prompts and after several menus the recorded voice says that your membership is now cancelled. No problems.

Wow, is that good news or what? I absolutely hate having those types of conversations. If I didn't want to cancel...I wouldn't have called!

 

[alisonbestford]

Can anyone tell me whether Connections or Hotwire etc will allow you to join from the UK?
I bought some Q&C vouchers off E Bay when we visited WDW last year and they were great. We're returning next year and I was wondering whether I could purchase them direct - without paying over the odds - and access any of the other savings available.
I've a strong suspicion this is a lost cause but I thought it worth asking
I know I can buy from one of the ticket companies at $17.50 and pick them up when we get there and that's probably what we'll end up doing I guess.
Alison

 

[mad4themouse]

I'm afraid that Connections and Hotwire Savings Club aren't open to non-US residents. They won't even ship over the border to Canada!

You could try purchasing from them from the DIS auctions or have a friend in the US buy them and ship them to the UK for you.

 

[alisonbestford]

Thanks.
We do have friends in Orlando who could potentially get them for us but they're not Disney orientated at all and I'm not certain they'd know where to start
I'll have to have a talk with them
As for DIS auctions, whenever I've looked I haven't seen any - best keep an eye out.
Alison

 

[MickeyMamma]

Thanks for all the GREAT information everybody!!

We signed up for Hotwire this week. Ordered my meal tickets last week and need to order some park passes for MIL.

Can't wait to get everything. It makes my trip feel closer!

 

[pamluvsdisney]

We got back from 4 days at WDW last Tuesday. I tried meal vouchers from HOtwire for the first time after reading all 25+ pages of this thread before going. I can't find my receipts but I will estimate conservatively.

We were 3 adults and 3 children ages 8, 5 and 2.

Bought character breakfast vouchers for all members except 2 yr old for our Cindy's breakfast. I realized that the childrens vouchers were a couple dollars overpriced but since tax and gratuity are included.....definitly the way to go. Saved at least tip on that meal.

Bought Vacation Kingdom Lunch vouchers for a lunch at Rainforest Cafe-AK. Bought 2 adult and 1 child vouchers.
Showed the waitress our vouchers when we sat down and she immediately said that for the child's voucher they could order anything on the adult menu including lobster, etc. and the drinks could be smoothies if we wanted them instead of soda.
Way too much food.
ordered:
2 chicken finger appetizers for the 3 kid's lunches
1 Chimi Cha Cha appetizer for the adults
1 Stuffed whole stuffed 1.5# lobster dinner substituted fries (for kids)for napa veggies
1 Surf and Turf (half stuff lobster and filet )
1 Maya mixed grill (6 grilled shrimp, about 7 ribs{so tender and good}, & tuscan chicken breast) dinner (sub mashed potatoes for veggies for 2 yr old)
1 volcano dessert (required 2 vouchers' dessert)
1choc diablo cake
3 sodas

Total voucher cost about $75 includes tax and tip.
Total meal cost over $150.00 plus tax and tip.
Savings of more than 50% FOR A wonderful mother's day lunch.

we just had to pay $4.24 for 2 extra kids drinks + tip on that.
We had too much food and would only buy one adult and one childs voucher if I did this again. The dinner entrees are big enoughfor 2 adult to share. We usually don't order appetizers and dessert either so kids using app. for their dinner was perfect.


Used 3 Q & C vouchers
Used 2 at Beaches and Cream takeout. The wait was over an hour and kids were hungary. They have a more limited takeout menu and they let me use vouchers for it. The total food bill was over $42, so we saved about 50% there. I bought one adult meal without a voucher to feed all 6 of us easily.

Used one voucher at Contemporary Food & Fun center. I ordered an adult meal, drink & dessert....but also had other food, 3 kids meals w/o drinks to pay for at the same time. (Kids couldn't agree so that I could use another voucher) At checkout before he started ringing up the food, I told him I had one voucher for the adult meal, dessert & lg drink so he could ring things separately....He rang everything up stapled my voucher to it and I didn't pay a thing else. It was a gift I guess. He said that it would be OK or he would get in trouble, oh well and smiled. Easily saved $15-20 there. Fed my family of 5 for one Q & C.

I would use these vouchers again, but came home with 3 left because in the parks they didn't seem worth it where we were because we didn't need or want dessert. Too me the Q & C's used in the park usually amount to an almost free dessert. IMO

Hope this helps someone plan.

 

[a-sloane]

I noticed the Gasparilla Grill at Grand Floridian is one of the restaurants listed on the Q&C Vouchers I just got. Looking at their menu, they have whole (16") Pepperoni or Sausage Pizzas for around $16. Has anyone had success scoring one of those pizzas as their entree with this voucher?

 

[clbkatz]

Does anyone know what the expiration date is on the Q & C Vouchers? My trip isn't until Novemeber 2004 but I would like to purchase now and get it over.

Thanks,

Christina

 

[MickeyMamma]

Sounds like everybody is getting 5/31/05 expirations

 

[MermaidsMom]

I called Hotwire to ask about expiration dates and was told that they are 1 year from the time you purchase them. So I guess the May date would make sense.