TIW or DxDP... waivering

[mbforbes]

I thought I had made my mind up to buy a TIW card and not do DxDP, but now I am not sure... again... We are traveling with my mom and stepfather and they are on the deluxe plan. We originally planned to do it as well (separate ressies) but then decided on the upgrading to AP and TIW. Our party is myself and DH, DS13, DS9, DD4, and DD2. I already have all restraunts planned as though we were doing DxDP so that they will be able to use all of their credits. Quite a few character buffets are included. So what are your thoughts on what would be the most cost effective thing for us. We rarely eat CS meals, so that is not an issue. Help please!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

TiW!! If, for whatever reason, you miss one of your meals, your don't need to think about "spending" the missed credit later in the trip. Don't feel like eating an appy at lunch, "because it is included"? Then you don't eat one. We tend to come out slightly ahead on TiW vs DxDDP anyway. HTH!

 

[sharonabe]

The DxDDP is going to cost you $281 per day. Go back to your ADRs and see if you're going to spend more than that on what you WANT to eat...not what the plan allows, but what you WANT to eat. If you'll spend more even with the TiW, then get the plan and forego the TiW card.

 

[mbforbes]

The DxDDP is going to cost you $281 per day. Go back to your ADRs and see if you're going to spend more than that on what you WANT to eat...not what the plan allows, but what you WANT to eat. If you'll spend more even with the TiW, then get the plan and forego the TiW card.

I just don't know... I don't think we would..lol

 

[Colleen27]

For us the math works out to be pretty much even. What pushes us towards the DxDDP is the intangibles - not having to think about prices and knowing the food budget is all included up front.

You already have your ADRs so the best way to decide is to sit down and do the math based on what you'd likely order. And don't include extras just because the DxDDP covers them - if you'd normally share a dessert only add in the value of one, etc. Also, don't forget to figure in snacks. Our trips when our youngest was <3 were the only times we used up every single snack credit without the slightest effort because she needed a lot more stops for fruit, muffins, and drinks than the rest of us.

 

[CAJUNWDWFAN]

I assume you are an Annual passholder for florida resident. that is the only way to get the TIW card. That aside, it's probably better for the TIW card. Since most of your kids are young they don't normally eat as much as a teenager or adult. If you got the deluxe dining plan, to justify the cost of the plan, you would want or expect them to eat all of their food. Sometime kids don't finish all their food. YOu might want to share meals between family memebers. In this instance the TIW card might be better.

 

[333disneymom]

Since you have 2 children under 9, you might make out better with the DxDP. For a child on the plan, I think it costs $21.99 for the day. If you do two character meals or buffets, you are already ahead of your daily cost. Plus on the DxDP, you get an additional meal, which would wind up being "free" (in this scenario) for the little ones. That's if you do a lot of character meals and buffets. Figuring out what adults will cost is definitely trickier. But, if you are eating 3 TS meals a day, DxDP is hard to beat, cost-wise. The way I figured it out was... it cost $78.99 pp (I think). With that you get 2 snacks (about $3 each). Once you subtract the snacks, you are getting 3 sit down meals for $72.99. Divide that by 3 meals and each meal is costing you $24.33. With a soda, many meals easily surpass that. Not to mention the cost of a buffet with can go for as much as $34.07 (or more during busier seasons) at Chef Mickey's. Again, you have to look at your family and what you would normally buy to see if it works for you.

 

[diskids2]

I know it seems like a tedious exercise but I would also recommend looking at the menu's of the ADR's you have already done. List what you would probably order for each person. Add it all up and then you'll have your answer.

 

[mbforbes]

Since you have 2 children under 9, you might make out better with the DxDP. For a child on the plan, I think it costs $21.99 for the day. If you do two character meals or buffets, you are already ahead of your daily cost. Plus on the DxDP, you get an additional meal, which would wind up being "free" (in this scenario) for the little ones. That's if you do a lot of character meals and buffets. Figuring out what adults will cost is definitely trickier. But, if you are eating 3 TS meals a day, DxDP is hard to beat, cost-wise. The way I figured it out was... it cost $78.99 pp (I think). With that you get 2 snacks (about $3 each). Once you subtract the snacks, you are getting 3 sit down meals for $72.99. Divide that by 3 meals and each meal is costing you $24.33. With a soda, many meals easily surpass that. Not to mention the cost of a buffet with can go for as much as $34.07 (or more during busier seasons) at Chef Mickey's. Again, you have to look at your family and what you would normally buy to see if it works for you.

I think you might be right... if I didn't have so many children TIW would definitely be the way to go, but this might give the DxDP the edge... figured out for where we are eating, kids meals would cost about 80.00 more using TIW, but we would probably save on the adults.... might be easier to do DxDP this trip and buy TIW for the next.

Thanks for all of the responses, you guys are great!

 

[mbforbes]

I know it seems like a tedious exercise but I would also recommend looking at the menu's of the ADR's you have already done. List what you would probably order for each person. Add it all up and then you'll have your answer.

I know this would be best... problem is that my family is not very predictable, I know what I would get, but dh is extreme... he might want a steak or he might want a salad, so hard to estimate. I guess that is why this is so frustrating and I am hoping to learn from others experiences to sway me in a direction... I hate focusing so much on this, but it is a lot of money! I really appreciate all of the help though!

 

[nickymaria]

Don't forget that TIW also includes all your booze (if you drink!) - that's the deal breaker for dh and I - we often enjoy a few cocktails or a bottle of wine and getting 20% off is awesome. We have also done the dining plan and I prefer TIW. We come out a little better and we don't feel compelled to order things that we normally wouldn't. If you charge back all of your meals on your KTTW, it's kind of like using DDP anyhow, you don't really have to keep track of anything.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

On the DxDDP I ate more to get my money's worth. Half the time if I would've ordered what I normally would order (appetizer, soup and or salad) I spent LESS paying cash with no TIW than I did per day with DxDDP. We are going with the TIW this time and see how that goes.

 

[seven dwarfs]

We just got back from disney and we used the TIW card. We have used the plan before as well. My kids do not care for the kids meals at all. It is very hard for my husband and I to eat nice meals and my kids meals to be so bad. The quanity is also not good with the kids meals. To be fair my kids do not want to eat mac and cheese or nuggets everyday. All of the fish and chicken meals were over done and so dry. We also limit processed food at home so the mac and cheese tasted funny to them.

My kids love to get an adult meal and split it. We have found the desserts are not as good as they used to be at the cs and ts places. We loved being able to leave without being so stuffed and enjoy another snack later. For example a mickey bar or school bread. We also rather have water to drink besides soda. This really cut down on our tips. When on the dinning plan these items really inflate the cost of the meal and therefore the tip.

We also loved not having to spend all the credits. In the past I felt like our trip was all about dinning, where we had to be and what time. Just wanted to give you another perspective. I do realize what works for my family may not be best for others. I know the dinning plans work for others. Thats what makes the world go round!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

(by the way we spent less each day then the cost of the dp including our tips)

 

[Mikey'swife]

Could you do both? I have found that dxdp has some real perks it is just not something you need for the whole stay. So as an AP holder could you book 2 reservations and do dxdp for half your trip and then no ddp and use TIW for the rest. Put the most expensive meals or preset price meals during the dxdp portion and TIW for meals that you are more likely to skip dessert or eat light. Your credits would carry through on the last day of your first stay so you could strech them further.

It would require 2 ressies, and and 2 separtate kttw with the possibility of moving rooms ( think they try to avoid this if you remind them at check in) but could save a ton if well planned.

 

[cbg1027]

I know it seems like a tedious exercise but I would also recommend looking at the menu's of the ADR's you have already done. List what you would probably order for each person. Add it all up and then you'll have your answer.

I know this would be best... problem is that my family is not very predictable, I know what I would get, but dh is extreme... he might want a steak or he might want a salad, so hard to estimate. I guess that is why this is so frustrating and I am hoping to learn from others experiences to sway me in a direction... I hate focusing so much on this, but it is a lot of money! I really appreciate all of the help though!

You may not order the exact same thing when you get there as you did for the pricing exercise, but it gives you a pretty good idea of which thing will have better savings for you.

Personally, I like TIW much better. I like having the flexibility that the DDP doesn't allow. I can order what I want in any combo. I don't 'have' to order something just because 'I already paid for it'.

 

[KathyK]

For last year's trip, I did an extensive spreadsheet for our family (2 adults and 2 kids under 10) where I calculated what we would likely eat for each meal and then applied TiW. Them I priced out DXDDP. the dining plan came out well ahead. When we were there, we did not order appetizers or dessert it we did not want them. In the end, when I compared what we spent on the dining plan to what it would have cost oop (full price, not TiW price), we saved 43%.

This year, I didn't even bother doing the calculations. We went with Dxddp. The trip starts tomorrow, so we'll see how we make out. Next year, my older daughter will be 10, so we will be skipping the dining plan and getting a TiW card.

 

[disadventurer]

TIW for our family!! Flexibility, no feeling of having to get our money's worth, eat less, snack or desserts if you want to, sharing meals, trying out one or more appetizers instead of an entree. Buffets are just a turn-off for us, and not be able to share a meal is just ridiculous.

Personally, with the money saved (albeit not much), I would rather try something new (rent a golf cart, a water mouse, play minigolf) than get stuck overeating. Save up for another Disney vacation--well that's a stretch!!

Had fun whatever you decide.

 

[goofy4tink]

I run the figures each and every time I go to WDW. We are traveling with another couple in Oct..no kids involved. So, I pretty much knew where we would be eating. I was able to figure out the cost per meal. I then compared what meals we wanted to eat using both TiW and the DxDDP. Be sure to add in tips when figuring on the ddp of any kind.
Since our dh's are all about the eating, not attractions, we are planning a lot of meals..mostly late breakfast ADRs (so no lunch needed) and dinners around 7:30ish.
Our cost for DxDDP for each couple comes to about $780, plus $156 in tips. Total of $936.
Using the TiW card the cost would be $852 (just for table service meals), and adding in $20 per day for snacks comes to $952.
It's almost a wash. I figure that since we're going during Food and Wine, we can use one of those two snack credits each day in WS...yum.
But it's almost a wash for us. Yes, a lot of eating, but we know that going in. Anything to keep the dh's happy and content at WDW!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're planning to go back within a year...TIW for sure.

I love my TIW card and would always pick it over any dining plan...but I don't have any kids and don't do character meals.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you're planning to go back within a year...TIW for sure.

I love my TIW card and would always pick it over any dining plan...but I don't have any kids and don't do character meals.

That's normally my thought as well. But this Oct trip is unique. We're staying at BWV/Kidani. The other couple insists on paying for their share of our points usage. So, that came to about $760. The other couple also really likes to have everything paid for before they go...they don't use cc's, and hate bringing a ton of cash...so they offered to just pay for our food costs...they'll give me a check for the dining, I'll call MS and have the dining plan added, out of my checking acct. I guess we could have done the same thing and I could just have paid using that debit card and the TiW card. But, the other couple seems to like this way better. And...we get those 'free' refillable mugs!!! Yeah, that sure does make it all seem ever so much better, doesn't it?????