Leaving on Sunday, dining plan, TIW or nothing?

[snoopy5386]

We are new DVC owners going on our 1st trip in a villa next week. We'll also get APs when we arrive next week since we plan to return to the world within the year. As of right now I have ADRs booked, but am now finally getting around to deciding if we should get the dining plan or the Tables in Wonderland card or just go and pay for dining as we go. We've been to WDW lots of times but never gotten the dining plan before.
Our cast of characters is myself, DH, DD4 and DD8 months. My SIL will be joining us as a day guest (she is a local) for 2-3 days of our trip. We'll be staying 5 nights and 6 days.

We've got ADR's at Yak and Yeti for dinner, Ohana for dinner, Akershus for lunch, Le Cellier for dinner, Chef Mickey's for dinner and the Plaza for dinner. We'll do breakfast in the villa and plan on doing counter service for our other meal of the day.

Crunched the numbers for the dining plan and it looks like we'll come out a bit ahead, but will get more food then we would normally eat. Wondering if TIW would be a better deal for us since we plan to return in December as well and we could also use it to help decrease the cost of SIL's meals. Is TIW a flat 20% off of ALL table service? And could I even get a card this late in the game?
Thanks!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Here's AllEars.net's page on TIW: http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

You can get a TIW card when you get there and get your APs.

 

[Sandisw]

The only problem with adding the DDP is that your sister would have to have it for the entire time, even if she is not going to be there.

If you have use for those credits, however, that would be okay, but if not, I would consider either the TIW card or nothing.

We were going to get one for next summer, but decided that we actually prefer our TS meal at lunch (not dinner) and given that there are restaurants we want to eat at that offer a 10% DVC discount at lunch, we are just going to do that.

Good luck!!!

 

[tracylmartins]

We are new DVC owners also and took our first trip this past Nov. We opted for TIW. After I got home, I did the calculations and found out we saved over $400 by doing TIW than the DDP. We even did several character meals and still saved that much. We have done the DDP in the past and it was too much food. By the end of our trip we had so many desserts in our fridge(because we would bring them home after every dinner) that we ended up throwing them out.
You can get the TIW card at Guest Services when you activate your AP.

 

[snoopy5386]

Thanks everyone, going to crunch the numbers again and then I've got to decide!! SIL will not be staying in the villa since she is a local, she'll just be coming over for the day and footing her own bill for meals.

 

[clanmcculloch]

If you're not buying the DDP then DEFINITELY get TiW. If you spend $350 on food then you'll break even. Anything more than that and you'll be saving money. With 2 trips and enough TS meals to be considering the DDP, you'll easily spend over $350 on eligible meals. Don't forget that your alcohol at the TS restaurants and the CS locations at AK are also eligible for the TiW discount.

When doing the math, IMO you should only bother comparing DDP vs TiW. Don't even waste your time figuring out full price costs. Definitely go with one of these options. If they're close for this first trip, go with TiW for the flexibility. You'll still have it for the second trip as well which is an added bonus.

 

[apulk]

Similar question.....but we don't have an AP so can't get the TIW. If we don't want (surely don't need) two desserts a day (counter and sit down)....for our party of 6 "adults" (all over 12)....really wondering if DDP works for us financially.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Similar question.....but we don't have an AP so can't get the TIW. If we don't want (surely don't need) two desserts a day (counter and sit down)....for our party of 6 "adults" (all over 12)....really wondering if DDP works for us financially.

You really have to sit down and do the math. The more fixed priced meals that you do, the more attractive the DDP becomes. The more menu based meals that you do and the more breakfasts and lunches you do, the less attractive the DDP becomes.

Something else to consider is the non-financial aspect and I'm not talking about the convenience of prepaying for your meals. I'm referring to intangibles like knowing that you can order the most expensive item on the menu without worrying about the cost. Are you somebody who will always order from only the cheapest few things on a menu or do you feel free to order as you'd please? If you normally limit yourself and your family to the least expensive items then there's a HUGE intangible benefit to the DDP in that you can let loose and order things you'd normally skip. If you'll order the same way regardless then this isn't a benefit for you.