Tables In Wonderland question

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I'm not sure if this is the right board for this question. If it isn't, please feel free to move it to the proper board.

My husband and I are currently looking at visiting WDW twice within a year. One trip will be this June and the other will be at the end of January 2014. After doing the math, it is clear that an Annual Pass makes the most sense for us, provided that it is good for a year from the date purchased and not good from January 1, 2013 until December 31, 2013. It is my understanding that an AP is good for one year from the date purchased though, correct?

Now, planning on APs, we decided to check out whether or not TIW is the best deal for us. Provided that we would get a $25 discount on TIW as AP holders, it would only cost us $75. Knowing this, and knowing how often we eat at table service restaurants, what we typically eat, and our drinking habits, TIW looks to be the best deal for us. However, I have a question. On the Disney site, it has all of the benefits of TIW listed as being valid until December 31, 2013. Does that mean that our TIW card would expire on that day and we would have to purchase new ones for our January 2014 trip (meaning another $75 and no longer being worth it), or just that the benefits might change (restaurants offered, etc.)? IS TIW valid for a year from the date purchased or does it expire at the end of the calendar year?

[jimmytammy]

The AP would be good one year from your purchase date, so you are correction that. And doing 2 trips in one year merits an AP purchase.

TIW has gone up to $100. But it still is a good deal if you like to eat at WDW, as we do. And it is just like the AP, it is good 1 year from purchase date, though sometimes, it will be good for a few months after. Seems like we have had it good for up to 3 mos. after 1 year purchase date.

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Originally Posted by jimmytammy

The AP would be good one year from your purchase date, so you are correction that. And doing 2 trips in one year merits an AP purchase.

TIW has gone up to $100. But it still is a good deal if you like to eat at WDW, as we do. And it is just like the AP, it is good 1 year from purchase date, though sometimes, it will be good for a few months after. Seems like we have had it good for up to 3 mos. after 1 year purchase date.

Fantastic news. On the Disney site, under the Annual Pass Holder page where it talks about dining discounts and Tables in Wonderland, it says this:

Tables in Wonderland Membership

Save $25 on the regular price of the Tables in Wonderland Membership. Benefits include a 20% discount (excludes applicable tax and gratuity) on all food and beverages at participating Resort hotel and Theme park restaurants and member-only invitations to special Food and Wine events, winemaker dinners and celebrity chef dinners, plus much more.

For more information or to purchase the membership call (407) 566-5858†. Membership benefits are valid for the Passholder and up to 9 Guests. Offer is valid for Passholder only. Certain restrictions may apply.

So, when you say that it is $100, do you mean that it is originally $125, but with the AP discount it is down to $100, or that it is originally $100, but with the $25 discount for being AP holders, it would only cost us $75?

[Eighty8Keys]

Your AP will actually expire one year from when its activated rather than one year from purchase. We bought ours online months before our trip. We exchanged our vouchers for the actual passes on January 13 and they expire on January 13 of 2014. We also purchased our Tables in Wonderland on January 13 and it expires on February 28, 2014.

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Originally Posted by Eighty8Keys

Your AP will actually expire one year from when its activated rather than one year from purchase. We bought ours online months before our trip. We exchanged our vouchers for the actual passes on January 13 and they expire on January 13 of 2014. We also purchased our Tables in Wonderland on January 13 and it expires on February 28, 2014.

Fantastic. Thanks for the reply.

One more question. It seems like it is obvious to me, but I wanted to check. Would both my husband and I need to purchase a TIW card, or are we allowed to only have him purchase it and we both get the discount on our meals if he presents his card?

[sissy1]

Originally Posted by JennaDeeDooDah

Fantastic news. On the Disney site, under the Annual Pass Holder page where it talks about dining discounts and Tables in Wonderland, it says this:

So, when you say that it is $100, do you mean that it is originally $125, but with the AP discount it is down to $100, or that it is originally $100, but with the $25 discount for being AP holders, it would only cost us $75?

We puchased our AP's & TIW card last year. AP's are good for one year from purchase date. Our TIW card is valid for 13 months. I believe they are now $100.00 instead of the $75.00 that we paid last year. One thing to keep in mind is that the TIW card is not accepted everywhere, we think its well worth the price!

[mom2of2]

Originally Posted by JennaDeeDooDah

Fantastic. Thanks for the reply.

One more question. It seems like it is obvious to me, but I wanted to check. Would both my husband and I need to purchase a TIW card, or are we allowed to only have him purchase it and we both get the discount on our meals if he presents his card?

You only need 1 card

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Originally Posted by sissy1

We puchased our AP's & TIW card last year. AP's are good for one year from purchase date. Our TIW card is valid for 13 months. I believe they are now $100.00 instead of the $75.00 that we paid last year. One thing to keep in mind is that the TIW card is not accepted everywhere, we think its well worth the price!

Great news about it being good for 13 months! We looked up the restaurants where it is accepted and saw that only one restaurant we are planning on (Teppan Edo) does not accept Tables In Wonderland. Luckily, they offer a 10% discount to AP holders, so we will use that. We loved seeing that the food court at the two hotels were are planning on accept TIW, too. I thought it was only table service restaurants. Will my husband and I each have to purchase a card or will it be okay to only have one card for the two of us?

[purple figment]

Originally Posted by JennaDeeDooDah

Fantastic. Thanks for the reply.

One more question. It seems like it is obvious to me, but I wanted to check. Would both my husband and I need to purchase a TIW card, or are we allowed to only have him purchase it and we both get the discount on our meals if he presents his card?

The TIW card is good for 10 people so you would only need one card. If you're planning to split up and eat separately or with more than 10 people, then you could purchase an additional card for $50.

Originally Posted by JennaDeeDooDah

Fantastic news. On the Disney site, under the Annual Pass Holder page where it talks about dining discounts and Tables in Wonderland, it says this:

So, when you say that it is $100, do you mean that it is originally $125, but with the AP discount it is down to $100, or that it is originally $100, but with the $25 discount for being AP holders, it would only cost us $75?

The TIW is currently $100 for AP holders. It is $125 for FL residents so $25 less for AP holders. It used to be $75AP/$100FL res, but the prices went up a month or two ago.

[jwfla422]

Originally Posted by JennaDeeDooDah

Fantastic. Thanks for the reply.

One more question. It seems like it is obvious to me, but I wanted to check. Would both my husband and I need to purchase a TIW card, or are we allowed to only have him purchase it and we both get the discount on our meals if he presents his card?

You can use the same card and both get the discount (I believe its up to 6 people at a sitting that can qualify for one card's 20% off benefit), it is an additional cost for a 2nd card.

Also don't forget free valet parking with the card (a nice perk especially when you're running late for an ADR at a resort LOL).

And, to confirm, it is NOW $100 for AP holders and $125 for FL residents. (I can't believe it went up a "whole" $25). I was sad to see this as I need to purchase one next visit and I don't have an AP although a FL resident, but that means $625 in food purchases before the break even point... (we were original DDE card holders back in the day when it cost $25 for a year!!...those were the days LOL!)

But if you go to WDW a few times a year or for several days at a time or have a large family/party and don't want to do the DDP it is a good value.

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Originally Posted by mom2of2

You only need 1 card

Well this is awesome news!

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Originally Posted by jwfla422

You can use the same card and both get the discount (I believe its up to 6 people at a sitting that can qualify for one card's 20% off benefit), it is an additional cost for a 2nd card.

Also don't forget free valet parking with the card (a nice perk especially when you're running late for an ADR at a resort LOL).

And, to confirm, it is NOW $100 for AP holders and $125 for FL residents. (I can't believe it went up a "whole" $25). I was sad to see this as I need to purchase one next visit and I don't have an AP although a FL resident, but that means $625 in food purchases before the break even point... (we were original DDE card holders back in the day when it cost $25 for a year!!...those were the days LOL!)

But if you go to WDW a few times a year or for several days at a time or have a large family/party and don't want to do the DDP it is a good value.

Thank you for this valuable information. I hadn't thought about the valet parking!




Thank you all for your responses! This is a great day, indeed, as we discovered that the 20% discount will save us a minimum (as in, if we order only an entree at each restaurant and make sure it is the cheapest entree) of $155.70. Seems to me that a $100 card is a no-brainer. I am now doing my happy dance. Well, mentally doing my happy dance as my highly coordinated and graceful self fell down the stairs yesterday and broke my tailbone.

[bumbershoot]

Originally Posted by jwfla422

Also don't forget free valet parking with the card (a nice perk especially when you're running late for an ADR at a resort LOL).

Just to clarify, you can use valet parking (assuming you have a car) with no fee at a resort when you are dining at that resort. You will have to show your receipt, showing the TIW discount on it, at the valet desk when you pick up your car. Of course, valet parking is usually something that also involves a tip, so don't forget about that.



We just get the one card. We don't really split up during our Disney vacations, though if we did we would just try to have the other person eat somewhere where it's not accepted, LOL. My cousins, aunt, and I had tea at the Gardenview last trip, and the guys in our group opted to go to the Lego store instead; they didn't eat at all. So we just buy the one TIW card.

tablesinwonderland.com is a great, official, website for the card. Gives you a nice list of restaurants. You'll see that the food courts at all the values are included, as you noticed, as well as Sassagoula float works at POFQ, Artist's Palette at Saratoga Springs Resort, and even the counter service at AK, like Pizzafari! Pretty cool, huh?


The 13 month thing is not totally accurate, in my opinion. They usually make the expiration date something like the end of the month a year from when you purchased it; some people get it through the next month. But on another thread just from yesterday, someone got a card that expires exactly a year from their purchase date. So it's a bit more amorphous than absolute, when it comes to expiration dates.


If you would like to do due diligence, make sure you have looked at the list of restaurants that take the AP discount, and when they take it (for what meals). It's always possible that you are dining at times and locations where the AP discount will give you just as much off of your meals, total, when you include the initial outlay of the card, as you would get buying the card.

That math doesn't work for me, not at all (because we don't dine at those restaurants and/or at those times), but at least I've done the math and *know*. I also like the discount on booze, and the AP does not give you that.

[bumbershoot]

Originally Posted by JennaDeeDooDah

Well, mentally doing my happy dance as my highly coordinated and graceful self fell down the stairs yesterday and broke my tailbone.

Oh OUCH! Just a tailbone bruise is painful enough, let alone a break. Ow ow ow. Hope you heal as quickly as is healthily possible.

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Originally Posted by bumbershoot

Just to clarify, you can use valet parking (assuming you have a car) with no fee at a resort when you are dining at that resort. You will have to show your receipt, showing the TIW discount on it, at the valet desk when you pick up your car. Of course, valet parking is usually something that also involves a tip, so don't forget about that.



We just get the one card. We don't really split up during our Disney vacations, though if we did we would just try to have the other person eat somewhere where it's not accepted, LOL. My cousins, aunt, and I had tea at the Gardenview last trip, and the guys in our group opted to go to the Lego store instead; they didn't eat at all. So we just buy the one TIW card.

tablesinwonderland.com is a great, official, website for the card. Gives you a nice list of restaurants. You'll see that the food courts at all the values are included, as you noticed, as well as Sassagoula float works at POFQ, Artist's Palette at Saratoga Springs Resort, and even the counter service at AK, like Pizzafari! Pretty cool, huh?


The 13 month thing is not totally accurate, in my opinion. They usually make the expiration date something like the end of the month a year from when you purchased it; some people get it through the next month. But on another thread just from yesterday, someone got a card that expires exactly a year from their purchase date. So it's a bit more amorphous than absolute, when it comes to expiration dates.


If you would like to do due diligence, make sure you have looked at the list of restaurants that take the AP discount, and when they take it (for what meals). It's always possible that you are dining at times and locations where the AP discount will give you just as much off of your meals, total, when you include the initial outlay of the card, as you would get buying the card.

That math doesn't work for me, not at all (because we don't dine at those restaurants and/or at those times), but at least I've done the math and *know*. I also like the discount on booze, and the AP does not give you that.

Originally Posted by bumbershoot

Oh OUCH! Just a tailbone bruise is painful enough, let alone a break. Ow ow ow. Hope you heal as quickly as is healthily possible.

My husband and I have been doing math all day and looking at restaurants where we are planning on dining. I'm such a dork. I made a spreadsheet with each of our restaurants listed, the maximum price at that restaurant, the minimum price, the median, the mode, and what the price is of each entree my husband and I are most likely to order. Then, I calculated in the price of alcohol if it is a restaurant where we are most likely to order alcohol (hello, Biergarten!). From there, I calculated what kind of discount TIW would likely give us, as well as what kind of discount we would get if we ordered only the minimum or only the maximum. It is clearly the better deal for us. The AP discount doesn't work as well for us as it is only available for lunch on M-F at Epcot and that is where we eat the majority of our meals, but not always for lunch and not always on weekdays. It also has no discounts at Magic Kingdom. Not a good deal for us. TiW, though, is a great deal for us. My husband loves his beer and I am quite the fan of wine around the world


And thanks for the well wishes. Nothing like a broken tailbone from falling down the stairs to remind you that you are about as graceful as a hippo on roller skates.