TIW card , is it worth it?

[MomtoBJSF]

We leave next Friday for WDW, we still cannot decide if we should do the DDP or pay out of pocket. We are leaning toward not doing the DDP and going with the TIW instead , but not really sure.

So far here's our ADR

Ohana on the 23rd, for dinner
Crystal palace 24th for Breakfast
H&V for Breakfast 25th
CTR Breakfast 26th ( we've already paid OOP for this)
T-REX on the 26th for dinner
Les Chefs the France 27th for lunch

we will probably add one more restaurant for dinner the last night, hoping for Be our Guest as a walk in, we'll see.

 

[TDC Nala]

A TIW membership costs $75 if you are an annual passholder, so once you spend $350 on eligible food and beverages you are going to be realizing a discount. (It's $500 if you're not a passholder and are using some other method of qualifying, because then the membership costs $100)

You can get a refund on the food portion of CRT with a TIW. There's no discount on the part you are paying for the picture package.

T-Rex does not accept TIW.

With five persons eating at these restaurants you will probably start realizing a discount after the first two. If you're planning on another trip within the 13 months your TIW membership will be active, the savings are higher. There's also 10 counter service restaurants that accept it - if you're staying at a value resort, POFQ or SSR that would include your resort counter service.

 

[MomtoBJSF]

A TIW membership costs $75 if you are an annual passholder, so once you spend $350 on eligible food and beverages you are going to be realizing a discount. (It's $500 if you're not a passholder and are using some other method of qualifying, because then the membership costs $100)

You can get a refund on the food portion of CRT with a TIW. There's no discount on the party you are paying for the picture package.

T-Rex does not accept TIW.

With five persons eating at these restaurants you will probably start realizing a discount after the first two. If you're planning on another trip within the 13 months your TIW membership will be active, the savings are higher. There's also 10 counter service restaurants that accept it - if you're staying at a value resort, POFQ or SSR that would include your resort counter service.

Thank you so much for the info. We are not annual pass members, but I'm thinking we should look into the annual pass, since this is our 2nd trip this year, and we plan on going back next year ( we are DVC members).

 

[BEASLYBOO]

It's worth it for me, the savings pay for the cost of the card and then some!

We travel in parties of 6-8, we all order from the adult menus and we like a few cocktails and glasses of wine here and there. We travel to Disney 3 to 4 times a year and do a few TS restaurants each time! Our average dinner bill is easily $250-300. People seem put off by the automatic 18% gratuity, but if I have good service I tip 20% anyway, so it saves me money right there.

The card has saved us quite a few bucks over the years!

 

[pigletto]

I can't see how it won't be a savings for us. I plan to get it on this trip, and use it for one more trip before it expires. There's 4 of us, and I am sick to death of the DDP and getting desserts I don't want and not getting the apps that I do want. My ds (8) is transitioning between kid and adult meals too, so it affords him more choice. I can forgo free dining (I have a pin code) and book with 35% off my room instead. My dd can make a meal of appetizers if she feels like it (and she often does) and my husband can have beer or wine with dinner and it still qualifies for the discount.
We'll hit the 350 mark (we're AP holders) by our third dinner most likely. There will be 5 dinners after that to save money.
I'm excited for this. I am over the DDP and I want to try it this way. Even if I break even, I will have eaten how and what I wanted and saved myself the tip basically. It's win/win for us!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thank you so much for the info. We are not annual pass members, but I'm thinking we should look into the annual pass, since this is our 2nd trip this year, and we plan on going back next year ( we are DVC members).

As a DVC member you can purchase the TIW card for $100. If you have an AP, you pay $75. We got the DVC discounted PAP in October and bought our TIW at the same time.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

We are going to try it out during our next trip. We feel compared to the dining plan it will give us more freedom at TS restaurants, no dessert and trying an appetizer.

Also compared to DDP and dinning at CS we will not get the dessert we do not eat & we will not feel obligated to eat an entire CS meal. Instead we can get just a sandwich or just a side and maybe snack differently as a lunch and eat at a TS.

We feel we will be eating more to our liking & we will be more satisfied instead of so stuffed or throwing away dessert after dessert. Also, we have avoiding trying some foods because it is not on the DDP or it is not a good value on DDP. With TIW I feel we will have more of a choice.

 

[*Flower*]

We leave next Friday for WDW, we still cannot decide if we should do the DDP or pay out of pocket. We are leaning toward not doing the DDP and going with the TIW instead , but not really sure.

So far here's our ADR

Ohana on the 23rd, for dinner
Crystal palace 24th for Breakfast
H&V for Breakfast 25th
CTR Breakfast 26th ( we've already paid OOP for this)
T-REX on the 26th for dinner
Les Chefs the France 27th for lunch

we will probably add one more restaurant for dinner the last night, hoping for Be our Guest as a walk in, we'll see.

Keep in mind that your TS meals on the 24th and 25th of December won't be TIW discountable because both days are considered to be holidays at WDW. However, you still shouldn't do badly at all with the discount- especially if you plan on returning within the year.

We have the TIW card also (formerly referred to as the Disney Dining Experience card- I like that name SO MUCH better) and we'll be using it on our trip for meals at:

Flying Fish
Le Cellier
Liberty Tree
Chefs de France
Raglan Road
Narcoossee's
Artist Point

We'll also be doing Yak & Yeti (not TIW members)
Olivia's (on the 25th so doesn't qualify)
Hollywood Brown Derby (New Year's Day- doesn't qualify)

If you decide to go for it- enjoy!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Thank you so much for the info. We are not annual pass members, but I'm thinking we should look into the annual pass, since this is our 2nd trip this year, and we plan on going back next year ( we are DVC members).

Note there is a promo for DVC Members that ends December 31 to get Premium Annual Passes for $399 (plus tax). There is a thread about this in the Member Services Forum, as well as information in Post 19-B of the Everything About WDW Tickets sticky in the TPA&S Forum. You can click on the link in my signature to get directly to the sticky.

 

[vdub322]

Keep in mind that your TS meals on the 24th and 25th of December won't be TIW discountable because both days are considered to be holidays at WDW. However, you still shouldn't do badly at all with the discount- especially if you plan on returning within the year.

I think the OP is dining on November 24th and 25th so the TiW would apply.

We are going through this same debate for our January trip. We worked really hard to make the dining plan "worth it" last Spring and ended up with a lot of unwanted desserts. I only wish that we had skipped the dining plan last time and bought the TiW card sooner so we could eat how we wanted on that trip. I just think that the freedom to have a drink and an appetizer will help me enjoy the trip so much more!

 

[davinakb]

IME if you're dining at least 4-5 times, party of 4+ then the savings will add up. I know one time we had a nice dinner w/ drinks and wine at a signature for 8, think we saved the cost of the card right there. And we enjoy the TiW parking . FWIW.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Four people going to V&A and even without either any wine or upgrades and it has paid for itself.

 

[MomtoBJSF]

Thanks everyone,DH and I agreed the TIW card is the way to go, we were so sick of the DDP when we went last March, so it makes sense to get the TIW card. Now we are still trying to decide on the Annual Pass, DH doesn't think so, because this time around were are not going to add the Park hopper, we strictly doing Magic kingdom, and one at Hollywood Studio, that being said I feel like it's a shamed to let the offer for DVC members go.

Four people going to V&A and even without either any wine or upgrades and it has paid for itself.

Lots of great info in that thread, thanks!.

 

[vdub322]

Thanks everyone,DH and I agreed the TIW card is the way to go, we were so sick of the DDP when we went last March, so it makes sense to get the TIW card. Now we are still trying to decide on the Annual Pass, DH doesn't think so, because this time around were are not going to add the Park hopper, we strictly doing Magic kingdom, and one at Hollywood Studio, that being said I feel like it's a shamed to let the offer for DVC members go.



Lots of great info in that thread, thanks!.

We ended up getting the Annual Pass last year because we had two trips scheduled in one year (April/May 2012 and January 2013) and we are so glad we did. And that was before the PAP deal came out. It saved us so much money on our second trip, and we have had a lot of fun using the merchandise discount too!

Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip!

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

Ahhhh ... I didn't realize DVC Members could purchase a TiW card (for $100, is that right?)

Is that somewhat new? I think in the past, we've had to have APs in order to purchase TiW.

Yay!! Now we won't need to purchase an AP. Or should that be Boooo? ;-)

 

[Deb & Bill]

Ahhhh ... I didn't realize DVC Members could purchase a TiW card (for $100, is that right?)

Is that somewhat new? I think in the past, we've had to have APs in order to purchase TiW.

Yay!! Now we won't need to purchase an AP. Or should that be Boooo? ;-)

Yep, new this year. $100 for DVC members.

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

Yep, new this year. $100 for DVC members.

Awesome! Thanks so much! I'm glad I stumbled in here today.

 

[bumbershoot]

I can't see how it won't be a savings for us. I plan to get it on this trip, and use it for one more trip before it expires. There's 4 of us, and I am sick to death of the DDP and getting desserts I don't want and not getting the apps that I do want. My ds (8) is transitioning between kid and adult meals too, so it affords him more choice. I can forgo free dining (I have a pin code) and book with 35% off my room instead. My dd can make a meal of appetizers if she feels like it (and she often does) and my husband can have beer or wine with dinner and it still qualifies for the discount.
We'll hit the 350 mark (we're AP holders) by our third dinner most likely. There will be 5 dinners after that to save money.
I'm excited for this. I am over the DDP and I want to try it this way. Even if I break even, I will have eaten how and what I wanted and saved myself the tip basically. It's win/win for us!

Sounds perfect for you!

Thank you so much for the info. We are not annual pass members, but I'm thinking we should look into the annual pass, since this is our 2nd trip this year, and we plan on going back next year ( we are DVC members).

If your trip next year is inside 365 days from the start of your upcoming trip, definitely look at the total you would spend on tickets vs the DVC AP.

Thanks everyone,DH and I agreed the TIW card is the way to go, we were so sick of the DDP when we went last March, so it makes sense to get the TIW card. Now we are still trying to decide on the Annual Pass, DH doesn't think so, because this time around were are not going to add the Park hopper, we strictly doing Magic kingdom, and one at Hollywood Studio, that being said I feel like it's a shamed to let the offer for DVC members go.

I agree it would be a shame.

Ahhhh ... I didn't realize DVC Members could purchase a TiW card (for $100, is that right?)

Is that somewhat new? I think in the past, we've had to have APs in order to purchase TiW.

Yay!! Now we won't need to purchase an AP. Or should that be Boooo? ;-)

I *think* it started in March?