Help with Tables in Wonderland!

[vdub322]

We are here now. Bought our first TiW card on Thursday night and used it last night at Be Our Guest with no problems. The discounts on our food and beer and wine looked correct.

Today at Tusker House, she took my card at the beginning of the meal and kept it. (I think I'm not even going to tell them ahead of time from now on...) When she brought the check, our margaritas weren't even on it, but I gave my room key anyway. When she came back, our food was discounted, but then the margaritas had appeared and the beverage discount still said $0.00. I know that there should have been a $3.90 discount for the two margaritas, but we didn't have the best experience and we just really wanted to get out of there.

Has anyone else had this happen? It appears to me that the tip was calculated on the food only, so by doing this she shorted herself out of the auto gratuity on the $19.50 in drinks. I thought I had read here on the DIS before about some people having problems with drink discounts...

The receipt says:

3 Buffet 83.97
1 Kid Buffet 15.99
2 Marg Habenero 19.50
20% Wonderland (19.99)
20% Bev 0.00

Subtotal 99.47
18% Gratuity17.99
TAX 6.47
Amount Due 123.93

Any advice on how to avoid this in the future is helpful!

[hoosll]

You should have had a discount on your alcohol. I would talk to guest services at your resort and see if you can get it credited back to you since you have the receipt.

Otherwise, chalk it up as a learning experience to be prepared to dispute the check in future. We used AP discount and TIW for the first time last trip and I had a hard time remembering to ask for discounts and because my annual pass doesn't have an actual name on it (whole other story), I would sometimes have to wait for the cashier to call someone for permission to give the discount.

I'm still trying to figure out how things like this will work with the new magi-bands ....

[MINNEMUMMUM]

I am so glad that this came up for discussion as DH and I are going in March and want to use TIW this time. We are also AP holders as well. How did you or did you use 2 discounts at the same time? Is TIW worth it? We have use all kinds of DDP in the past. I think that when the waiter asks if we are on a dining plan, and we say TIW, that I would also kindly remind them about the drinks being discounted.

[TheRustyScupper]

Originally Posted by MINNEMUMMUM

. . . I would also kindly remind them about the drinks being discounted.

1) Not necessarily a good move.
2) To many waiters, this would be an insult.
3) ONE DOES NOT ANGER ONE'S WAITER (ahead of time).
4) Better to just verify the check.

[MINNEMUMMUM]

Oh my gosh! I would Never ever be rude to a waiter! I guess I should rephrase my comment as it did not come across the way I wanted it.
I would simply and kindly ask the waiter"are we correct that drinks are also discounted on this plan"

[Dizzytime]

Sorry it happened. We don't give the TIW card until the bill comes. Then we review the bill, give the TIW card with our credit card or KTTW card, and then review the bill again before we sign and leave.
Mistakes happen, and again, sorry it happend to you.

[Dizzytime]

Originally Posted by MINNEMUMMUM

Oh my gosh! I would Never ever be rude to a waiter! I guess I should rephrase my comment as it did not come across the way I wanted it.
I would simply and kindly ask the waiter"are we correct that drinks are also discounted on this plan"

It's okay, that's a fair question. The WHOLE bill is discounted, including alcohol drinks. If you have the TIW card, when the server asks if you are on the dining plan simply say no. When the bill comes just hand the TIW card over and the discount will (should) be applied. Just make sure to review it before you pay and leave.



edit to add: Goes without saying that you are at a restaurant that accepts TWI. If not sure then ask before you arrive or before you are seated.

[purple figment]

Yes, the server messed up, but in the end she shorted herself in tips and you ended up paying 65¢ more than you should have.

How to calculate your bill with TiW. Thanks, Cheshire Figment:
$83.97 (3 adult buffets at $27.99 each)
$15.99 (child's buffet)
$19.50 (alc beverages)
--------
$119.46 total

$ 23.89 TiW discount on $119.46
$ 21.50 auto gratuity on $119.46

$119.46
- 23.89 TiW discount
-------
$95.57 (subtotal)
+ 6.21 (tax on $95.56)
+21.50 (auto gratuity)
-------
$123.28


This is what the server did:
$83.97 (3 adult buffets)
$15.99 (child's buffet)
-------
$99.96(food total)

$19.99 (TiW discount on $99.96)
$17.99 (auto gratuity on same)

$99.96
-19.99 (TiW discount)
-------
$79.97
+19.50 (alc bevs)
-------
$99.47 (subtotal)
+ 6.47 (tax on subtotal)
+17.99 (auto gratuity)
-------
$123.93

The server could have calculated the drinks separately and then add the food and drinks bills together, in which case it would also come to $123.28, but didn't do this.

This bill looked wrong to begin with so it's best to caculate it yourself and figure out the total you expect to pay. I'm sorry this happened to you.

[mggeary]

We currently have APs that will expire in April 2013. I have a TiW card, which expires same time. We are not going to renew our APs but we were hoping to buy another TiW under my wife's name in late march to use for our fall 2013 trip. Will this work? Will the TiW stay valid even though our APs have expired?

[davedmaine]

Yes, it's frustrating. One of the problems we always run into is that sometimes it's confusing to see if you did get the correct discount on meals/drinks (by the time gratuity and tax are listed). My inlaws joined us on or last trip. We used our TiW card for all of us and the intent was for them to reimburse us for their meals. Turns out I could have launched the space shuttle more easily than figuring out how to split the bill. I ended up telling them not to worry about it.

[bumbershoot]

I'm big on people having proper training, so I would probably stop by if I were in AK again and chat with a manager.

Speaking of managers, people have said that the TIW card is easier to use (or at least faster) because the servers can do it without a manager now, but maybe this (servers getting confused about the rules) is a side effect of that.

[vdub322]

OP here

Thanks to everyone for the helpful comments! I am feeling a little more comfortable now about what to look for on my bill when I give the card. We just used it at Beaches and Cream tonight! It has been a great deal for us and we are enjoying ordering what we want, when we want. We did the DDP for our 2012 trip and this has been so much better for us! I just wish we had used it on our last trip along with this one, but we have already accumulated $50 in savings between Be Our Guest, Tusker House and Beaches and Cream. And we are here for another six nights! I love it!

[Cheshire Figment]

1. I will never give the server the TiW card until after the bill is presented. And unless part of the group I am with is on the DDP I will not even mention having the TiW Card at the start of the meal.

2. As long as a person has a currently valid AP (even if it the last day of validity) the Passholder may purchase a TiW card. Normally you will get the remainder of the current month plus 13 full months.

[Ro Z]

[QUOTE=mggeary;47317350]We currently have APs that will expire in April 2013. I have a TiW card, which expires same time. We are not going to renew our APs but we were hoping to buy another TiW under my wife's name in late march to use for our fall 2013 trip. Will this work? Will the TiW stay valid even though our APs have expired?[/QQUOTE

Your tables card will be valid for 13 months after you purchase it. Regardless if you have an AP or not.

[BriarRosie]

Originally Posted by mggeary

We currently have APs that will expire in April 2013. I have a TiW card, which expires same time. We are not going to renew our APs but we were hoping to buy another TiW under my wife's name in late march to use for our fall 2013 trip. Will this work? Will the TiW stay valid even though our APs have expired?

Yes, but only if she purchases a full membership and not a spouse membership card. The rates have increased.

Annual Passholders now pay $100 (used to be $75)
DVC Members and Florida Residents (non-passholders) now pay $125 (used to be $100)

So if your wife buys the new membership for herself in March, you should be covered until April 30, 2014 (if the 13th month perk still exists this year.) Be sure to check the back of the card to make sure the expiration date looks logical before walking away from the Guest Relations window.