Universal Meal Plan?

[Supermom3]

Never been to Universal, but thinking about a combo WDW/UO trip. I've done the Disney Dining Plan and liked it a lot. I saw on the Universal website that they offer a meal plan, but I couldn't really figure out how it works. Can anyone give me some insight here, and let me know if it's worth getting? We are a family of 5 (2 adults 3 kids-11,7 & 4 at time of travel)

Thanks!

 

[ky07]

Never been to Universal, but thinking about a combo WDW/UO trip. I've done the Disney Dining Plan and liked it a lot. I saw on the Universal website that they offer a meal plan, but I couldn't really figure out how it works. Can anyone give me some insight here, and let me know if it's worth getting? We are a family of 5 (2 adults 3 kids-11,7 & 4 at time of travel)

Thanks!

Its basically a select few counter service restaurants that offer things on the meal deal such as burgers,pizza and fried chicken and unless no one is picky and you plan on eaing alot then it is worth it but I have always found it to be better just to pay for the meals we want cause then your not limited to what you can get .

 

[Supermom3]

Its basically a select few counter service restaurants that offer things on the meal deal such as burgers,pizza and fried chicken and unless no one is picky and you plan on eaing alot then it is worth it but I have always found it to be better just to pay for the meals we want cause then your not limited to what you can get .

Thanks for the info. Good advise. I think we'll just pay for our meals.

 

[ky07]

Thanks for the info. Good advise. I think we'll just pay for our meals.

Your welcome
Glad I could help

 

[cieslack]

My family of five did the meal plan last year and I would call it a wash as far as money and a bit of a disadvantage in convenience. I think the meal plan restaurants are more crowded because of all of the prepaid diners. I have never eaten at any of the table service restaurants as we have never toured beyond one day during each of our last two vacations. We are going to spend seven days at the Portofino Bay this spring so we are definitely kicking it up a notch.

 

[Metro West]

My family of five did the meal plan last year and I would call it a wash as far as money and a bit of a disadvantage in convenience. I think the meal plan restaurants are more crowded because of all of the prepaid diners. I have never eaten at any of the table service restaurants as we have never toured beyond one day during each of our last two vacations. We are going to spend seven days at the Portofino Bay this spring so we are definitely kicking it up a notch.

Make sure you try Mythos at IOA and Finnegan's at the Studios...those are excellent table service restaurants.

 

[cieslack]

I will certainly try both. Thank you very much.

 

[aubriee]

Make sure you try Mythos at IOA and Finnegan's at the Studios...those are excellent table service restaurants.

Are reservations required for either one of these? Thanks!

 

[Metro West]

Are reservations required for either one of these? Thanks!

Not usually but you can stop by when you arrive. Mythos usually opens around 11am for lunch so you might want to be there when they open. I think Finnegan's opens around the same time.

 

[Coach81]

Would not recommend it.. it forces you to eat to "get your money worth" IMHO.

 

[lachica]

I recommend the Meal Deal for teens with big appetites. I sure got my money’s worth getting it for my 16 year old brother. He would have a burger, then pizza each time. Not to mention he went through the line just for dessert several times.

 

[jenseib]

From what I read it doesn't include drinks or snacks with it either. I've done the Disney Dining Plan alot too, and it doesn't seem to be anything like it. I think I would be disappointed with it. Plus there is a time frame you have to use it in as well.

 

[Metro West]

From what I read it doesn't include drinks or snacks with it either. I've done the Disney Dining Plan alot too, and it doesn't seem to be anything like it. I think I would be disappointed with it. Plus there is a time frame you have to use it in as well.

It's completely different from the DDP so you will be wise to skip it.

 

[ARC]

What are the SELECT places you can eat at??

 

[sammielynn]

One question, do you get dessert with the meals? If so can you go through and just get dessert?

Below are the resturants:
Universal Studios Florida® Participating Restaurants


Mel’s Drive-In - Burgers, Chicken and Salads

Louie's Italian Restaurant - Pizza, Pasta, and Salads

International Food and Film Festival - Asian, Italian, and American Food



Universal's Islands of Adventure® Participating Restaurants

Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous™ - Fried Chicken, Spaghetti, Pizza, Chicken Caesar Salad, Burgers and Chicken Sandwiches

Comic Strip Cafe® - Chinese, Italian, New England and American Food

The Burger Digs® - Burgers, Chicken Sandwiches, and Chicken Fingers

 

[Metro West]

One question, do you get dessert with the meals? If so can you go through and just get dessert?

 

[sammielynn]

Good to know, thanks!

 

[txminotaur]

We did the Meal Plan when we went to Universal in December 2009. I actually thought it was a good deal personally. We were there for three days and did the meal plan for all three days. Pretty much we ate at two resturaunts each day and sometimes went through the line twice each time.

One of the things we did do that made the meal deal much more appealing was getting the souvenir cup. The nice thing about the cup was that when you bought it, you were able to get free refills for the entire day at the participating resturaunts. The best part about it was that we were told by an employee that we could take the cup with us the next day and as long as we had bought the meal deal, we could still get the free refills without having to buy another cup! (I think we got refills more than we had food.). We did confirm this when we went to buy the second day's meal deal just in case we were misinformed about this. The only problem with it though was that there were "refill stations" at a few of the participating resturaunts, but no employees there manning the station and I had to go through the line proper each time....I'm sort of kicking myself for not getting one of those wonderful chocolate cakes when I went back for just a refill! [I highly recommend them....don't know what they're called, but they were better than any other desert there!]

[I will recommend their chocolate desert thing....don't know what it was called, but I LOVED it!]

 

[RAPstar]

We did the Meal Plan when we went to Universal in December 2009. I actually thought it was a good deal personally. We were there for three days and did the meal plan for all three days. Pretty much we ate at two resturaunts each day and sometimes went through the line twice each time.

One of the things we did do that made the meal deal much more appealing was getting the souvenir cup. The nice thing about the cup was that when you bought it, you were able to get free refills for the entire day at the participating resturaunts. The best part about it was that we were told by an employee that we could take the cup with us the next day and as long as we had bought the meal deal, we could still get the free refills without having to buy another cup! (I think we got refills more than we had food.). We did confirm this when we went to buy the second day's meal deal just in case we were misinformed about this. The only problem with it though was that there were "refill stations" at a few of the participating resturaunts, but no employees there manning the station and I had to go through the line proper each time....I'm sort of kicking myself for not getting one of those wonderful chocolate cakes when I went back for just a refill! [I highly recommend them....don't know what they're called, but they were better than any other desert there!]

[I will recommend their chocolate desert thing....don't know what it was called, but I LOVED it!]

I agree! I had one when we ate at The Monster Cafe last year. I'm not a big chocolate cake fan (or chocolate ice cream either), but the cake Uni. has is delicious!!

 

[lisaanddenny]

now, it's fast food by all definitions...when we do disney, we do Deluxe Dining, HUGE DIFFFERENCE, huge price difference too! When we do Universal, it's only 3 nights, so we go for the fast food..............
we just went last June, 2 teenage boys LOVED the meal deal and I actually think Universal lost money on them..........

hubby and I LOVED louies pizza......................loved it! The bacon cheeseburgers are good too......................for us, it worked, we don't eat fast food much, so it's 3 days of treats!