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daycaremommy
07-09-2003, 06:04 PM
On the DL website you can cusomize vacation packages. One of the options are dining plans. A four day dining plan includes 10 meal and snack choices...Has anyone used this? How does it work? Are vouchers for a set dollar amount or what? Can you actually get a whole meal for one voucher or do you still end up paying out of pocket? Thanks so much! I e-mailed disney 2 days ago and haven't heard anything yet!

MammaSilva
07-09-2003, 08:48 PM
My experience is 3 years old so take that into account especially with the famous ... subject to change without notice claus.....

We did the meal vouchers, and they came with specific dollar values printed on the cards, the cards actually look like park hoppers on the front.. the back said Meal voucher.. and had a value. Like the snack vouchers were worth $5.00 at the time. The actual dinner/lunch/breakfast vouchers had different values. We learned fast (the first meal) that we could just combine the right value of vouchers to cover the meal rather than give up a voucher per person. Since you can't receive change if you pay with vouchers over the cost of the food, it is smarter to pay up to the point of that last couple bucks with the vouchers then pay the balance in cash.. why give Disney back the extra buck or two?

Hopefully someone has used the plan more recently than 3 years ago to let you know if those rules changed. For us, the ODV accepted only the snack vouchers, but the restraunts accepted all the vouchers....

Darkbeer
07-09-2003, 09:49 PM
The vouchers really don't save you money, and most folks think you get too much for a day, so folks who like the idea of a pre paid meal, look into getting a 3 day meal voucher package for a 5 day trip, this way you can spread out the use of the vouchers over 5 days, and won't get the extra dessert, etc. that you don't finish since you have so many vouchers.

But I recommend just paying for your meals as you go....

mandi2728
07-10-2003, 01:16 PM
We will be doing this when we go in January. We got a 3 day meal plan for a 6 day trip. Part of it for me, is that I like having most of my food paid for before I get there, so our spending budget doesnt have to account for food.

tjrj
07-10-2003, 02:16 PM
Well, my experience is about a year and a half old. Major downfall is that the vouchers can only be used at the hotels, and the Parks, so if you plan to eat at DD take note the the vouchers can't be used.

Like someone said above-no cash back. We found it easier to give vouchers for most of the cost of the meal and then pay the rest in cash. For example, if meal was $37.50 we'd give $35 in vouchers and the remaining $2.50 in cash.

And we found that the vouchers for the Tommorrowland Terrace breakfast could be used for up to their cash value at other character meals. At that time, think it took about $7 off the cost of the other character meal.

And, as I think someone said above, you can use your $5 snack voucher as $5 towards any meal-like-wise the $10 voucher could be used at any meal.

And, you're right-it doesn't really "save" you anything but it does have the advantage of knowing at least some of your food costs are already paid for.

Big question-would I do it again? Not for DL-but possibly for WDW.

julia
07-11-2003, 01:33 PM
Hi!

I think that Disney dining plans are primarily a question of convenience as well as savings. There is an myth out there that you can pay less for Disney trips by buying everything separately, but when you take the time to break down prices, it often is less expensive to buy things in packages. It is always worth the time to do a breakdown, but I often find that pre-purchasing is less expensive. With Disney, in a lot of cases, you also receive a discount when you buy things before you arrive.
One of the best things about the dining vouchers is that they are easier to carry, too. They slip, with a credit card, into a pin-trading lanyard or some other lightweight carrying space and eliminates the need to carry a wallet or otherwise.
The dining vouchers are for a set amount of money and you do not get a refund if you do not use the full amount. You just basically hand the voucher to your server when you pay for your meal, just as you would under regular circumstances.

Have a magical day!

sleepyjeff
07-11-2003, 08:02 PM
I just (late June) recently went on a Walt Disney Travel Club Vacation with meal vouchers. They are only good in one respect: You don't have to raid your souvenir money to pay for meals. I probably won't do it again becasue I got tired of explaining how vouchers work to cast members who acted like they'd never seen one before! Beleive me I encountered this at over half the places I used them at{felt sometimes like I was trying to get a 7-11 clerk to except food stamps for beer}. If they are going to sell these things they should at least tell there people about them:/