U Free Dining Pkg

[keishashadow]

http://www.univacations.com/freedining/

not sure if it's been posted before or if it's cost effective or not

still an interesting promo, intent i assume to compete w/WDWs free dining

 

[Metro West]

It sounds like a good plan...plus Disney can't offer the FOTL access.

 

[keishashadow]

It sounds like a good plan...plus Disney can't offer the FOTL access.

good point (as usual)

although, i keep wondering if they ever may roll out that system they patented a few years ago as to extra FPs based on resort/level of spending?

 

[Foladar]

nudge-nudge for the people who might be interested.
seems like a good deal, esp. if you plan to go around this time anyway.

 

[bluejasmine]

Wish I could go at this time.. I dont know about comparing it to wdw plan tho with their plan you get a TS meal a day. Plus there are no restrictions on where you go on the CS..

 

[Tinker-tude]

Wish I could go at this time.. I dont know about comparing it to wdw plan tho with their plan you get a TS meal a day. Plus there are no restrictions on where you go on the CS..

But still - no FOTL at WDW.

 

[keishashadow]

But still - no FOTL at WDW.

U doesn't get nearly the same press/blog coverage @ WDW , where oh where is their PR dept

fyi, the dates run much longer that Disney's - Aug 17 - Oct 9, 2008

i priced out 3 nights, standard view:

* 2 Adults & 2 kids, total out the door: $1235 RP/$1336 HR/$1421 PB

* 2 Adults: $892 RP/$993 HR/$1078 PB



UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
3-DAY 2-PARK FOOD & DRINK MEAL DEAL TICKET

Your Food & Drink Meal Deal Ticket includes three (3) days of unlimited access through the food service lines for lunch, dinner and soft drink fountain beverages at participating Meal Deal locations.
Participating locations are Louie's Italian Restaurant, Mel's Drive-In, Monsters Café and the International Food & Film Festival in Universal Studios Florida and Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, Captain America's Diner, Burger Digs and Comic Strip Cafe in Universal's Islands of Adventure.
Islands of Adventure Meal Deal** menu items include:

• Adult (ages 10 & up) - Cheese Pizza, Fettuccine Alfredo, Fried Fish & Chips, Sweet & Sour Platter, Beef & Broccoli Platter, Dragon Combo Platter, Chicken Fingers and Chicken Sandwiches
• Child (ages 9 & under) - Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza, Macaroni & Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich, Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Spaghetti & Meatball, and a Mini Hot Dog or Mini Cheeseburger with Fries

Universal Studios Florida Meal Deal** menu items include:

• Adult (ages 10 & up) - Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza, Mediterranean Tuna Salad, Chicken Sandwiches, Chicken Fingers, Hamburger, Garden Burger, variety of Salads, Fresh Fruit Plate, Spaghetti & Meatball, Meatball Sub, Fettuccine Alfredo, Sweet & Sour Platter, Stir Fry Beef & Broccoli Platter, and Szechwan Orange Chicken
• Child (ages 9 & under) - Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza, Macaroni & Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich, Fried Chicken with Mashed Potatoes, Spaghetti & Meatball, and a Mini Hot Dog or Mini Cheeseburger with Fries

RESTRICTIONS:

• **Meal Deal and Souvenir Cup Ticket must be exchanged for a Meal Deal wristband at any participating restaurant and must be worn in order to take part in the Meal Deal program. Children ages 9 and under order from the exclusive Kid’s menu. Valid for one entrée platter, one dessert and unlimited soft drink fountain beverages per trip through the food service line. Sharing of food is NOT permitted. Dining available until 30 minutes prior to posted theme park closing time. CityWalk restaurants are not included.
• This offer is not available at the front gate
• Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable
• Parking not included
• Promotion does not apply to existing bookings and cannot be combined with another offer.
• Promotion is subject to availability and is limited to capacity.

 

[helencw]

We don't need admission tickets since we're passholders. If we have to purchase the admission tickets, could we use them in the future?

 

[macraven]

you can purchase the meal deal.


check the UO website for the details.





i think it is cheaper to break up the meal deal and package promo that is going on.

just my thoughts on it

 

[keishashadow]

i am an APH & agree unless you could save the tix/non-expiry 1st use date or transferrable -it wouldn't work for me either

all i am saying is that factoring in that you get accommodations @ a deluxe resort imo a far better value $-wise than the pkg Disney touts

fyi, the dates i priced out for my dates in Oct @ the Contemporary Resort "deluxe" are over $400 a night & the values were in the area of $120 @ rack rate; which is what you get dinged with when buying the free dining pkg

for those who typically only visit the mouse during "free" dining period; it'd be easy to pare down their Disney date and do a split stay between the 2 parks on the same sort of pre-paid deal that so many seem to like.

if i ran U's marketing dept...i'd throw in free transfer service either to/from WDW area too to compete with the ME program

 

[Ileana]

I'm sure someone is going to come and bash me, but my opinion is just that MY OPINION.

The Disney meal package thingy - honestly you have to get those reservations to the super fancy restaurants cause honestly every place we ate at the food was sub-par.

I did a lot of research on these boards and through TGM about restaurants to avoid, and which are the best. The food was not ONLY overly expensive (we opted to not do a food pacakge and just used our DDE for a discount instead) but it just wasn't living up to the hype people gave it.

I also wasn't ready to spend $35+ for EVERY single meal (per person mind you!!!) to eat at the places everyone ranted & raved about.

For the SAME money I can go to the HRH and eat at the Palm Restaurant, or at RPR for some yummy Tchoup Tchop - or how about eating at Emeril's at City Walk?!!

It's the SAME PRICE!! Seriously!!

Anyway that's my piece

 

[Tinker-tude]

I'm sure someone is going to come and bash me, but my opinion is just that MY OPINION.

The Disney meal package thingy - honestly you have to get those reservations to the super fancy restaurants cause honestly every place we ate at the food was sub-par.
I did a lot of research on these boards and through TGM about restaurants to avoid, and which are the best. The food was not overly expensive (we opted to not do a food pacakge and just used our DDE for a discount instead) but it just wasn't living up to the hype people gave it.
I also wasn't ready to spend $35+ for EVERY single meal (per person mind you!!!) to eat at the places everyone ranted & raved about.

For the SAME money I can go to the HRH and eat at the Palm Restaurant, or at RPR for some yummy Tchoup Tchop - or how about eating at Emeril's at City Walk?!!
It's the SAME PRICE!! Seriously!!

Anyway that's my piece

All I can say is, AMEN!!!!!!!!!! A dry waffle is still dry even if it has Mickey ears. A bad steak that makes you sick for two days isn't acceptable just because the restaurant has a nostalgic design. For us, eating at good restaurants is a BIG part of our enjoyment of the vacation. We really look forward to it and plan around it. We were SOOOOO happy with the Universal restaurants our last trip. I'll take the Palm over Narcoosee's any day! Can't wait to try some of the others we couldn't squeeze in the last trip. Now if they could just get a good Indian restaurant opened there, I'd be in heaven.

 

[Ileana]

All I can say is, AMEN!!!!!!!!!! A dry waffle is still dry even if it has Mickey ears. A bad steak that makes you sick for two days isn't acceptable just because the restaurant has a nostalgic design. For us, eating at good restaurants is a BIG part of our enjoyment of the vacation. We really look forward to it and plan around it. We were SOOOOO happy with the Universal restaurants our last trip. I'll take the Palm over Narcoosee's any day! Can't wait to try some of the others we couldn't squeeze in the last trip. Now if they could just get a good Indian restaurant opened there, I'd be in heaven.

Narcoosee's, the Canadian Steak House, Boma, blah blah blah - all these places were just too expensive. It would have cost us close to (or more than!!) $100 just to eat there.

Since I'm an AP holder for WDW - I got my room for a pretty discount. Back when I booked my hotel they did not allow AP discount and the food package so the difference in price was about $1500 for the 9 days we were there.

We ended up cutting our Disney stay short by 2 days and moved over to RPR

I love both places, but seriously the food prices are out of control over there.

 

[keishashadow]

the food is one of our fav parts @ WDW

There lots of top shelf offerings (CA Grill, YSH, LeCellier, Coral Reef, etc) that were a "bargin" on the OLD DP system...

the one wherein you received appetizer, entree & dessert for less than $40 per adult; now that they've eliminated both the tip & appetizer keeping the price the same ; i don't think we're even going to bother adding it on in October since we'll be spending 2 days as day guests @ U.

Sure was sweel (especially as DVC when i didn't have to buy park admission, etc to utilize) to be able to contain the costs of our meals and I didn't feel guilty about ordering whatever I wanted on the menu - nice to not have to look @ the prices and cringe KWIM?

IMO the DP also dumbed down alot of the offerings that i assume where too pricey with so many people using the plan