Annual Pass and TIW worth it?

[downontheBW]

We're going to WDW in April for a week and I'm trying to decide whether or not I should get an annual pass. Either we'll use up the 5 days left on an old park hopper ticket or buy an AP. The main reason I'm looking at AP is because it would allow us to purchase a TIW card for $75 and that may offer the most savings.

We'll be at WDW for 7 days (5 days in parks but 7 days of dining) then Vero in the fall for a week. I'm thinking that the 20% discount for food and drinks may make the AP + TIW worth it. I have ressies or plans for Artist Point, Chefs de France, Citricos, Bongos, Wolfgang Puck, and many more.

How does AP work? We can buy it through DVC with a discount and get a voucher to activate when we first use it? Would we be able to use TIW card before the AP is activated? We'll be dining at resort and DD for 2 days before our first park visit.

Thanks!

 

[vicki_c]

You can only buy TiW with an activated AP. You can buy the AP & TiW card at the same time at Guest Relations at any park or DTD.

If you spend $375 in food that is TiW eligible, you will break even on the price of the card @ $75.

So I would figure out what your additional costs are for the AP over using your tickets you have, and whether you will spend $375 in dining to break even, etc.

Of course there are other discounts from an AP - some dining, some merchandise, etc. Free valet parking with the TiW card and a dining receipt too.

 

[pditullio]

If you spend $375 in food that is TiW eligible, you will break even on the price of the card @ $75.

Don't forget to exclude any restaurants where you'd already get a discount with DVC perks when looking at this.

 

[RobDoc]

I'd also look at how many other trips you will be able to make within 12 months since the value for the AP is best when used more than 10 days. You should also add in the extra cost of the AP (since you already have Hopper passes for the number of days of your trip).

The cost of a new AP (with DVC discount) is about $430. Only one in your party would need to purchase the AP to get the TIW so the Hopper pass for that person could still be used at another time. I also believe you can use the TIW card at VB, so it may save you a little more there. The TIW card will be valid for about 13 months from purchase date even if the AP has already expired.

As already noted, also be sure to include dining discounts already available thru DVC or other options into your calculations.

We have used the TIW (and it's predecessor, the Disney Dining Experience) for a number of years now and it certainly has been a great program for us. Just be sure to figure in all of the actual costs to make sure it will actually be a savings. In our case, we always get well over 10 days of Theme Park use for the AP so the cost of the TIW with the 20% discount is pretty easy to amortize into a good savings.

Enjoy!

 

[cseca]

As everyone already mentioned your breakeven point is $375 with TiW (and that includes alcohol). And if your trip to WDW is for a family reunion as your ticker indicated then that amount might be reached in no time

We've had AP and TiW for many years now and even when it's only just for the 2 of us it works well. Although in the future we might reduce our eating out and learn to eat in more often.

Anyways Doc already mentioned that if you have a thought about coming back again within 12 mo for a total of 10days or more than AP is really a great option.

 

[mamian16]

We always go with the annual pass because we come back within 12 months. If you can try to do that.

 

[Sunshine22]

You mentioned old park hopper tickets. I hope these were no expiration. If not, they will not be valid since they need to be used within 14 days of first use.

If they are no expiration, and if they were purchased fairly recently, you might consider upgrading them to APs.

You would only have to pay the difference of the price of the AP less your DVC discount less the price of your park hopper ticket. One potential issue is that the APs would be back dated to the first date of use of the park hoppers. If you originally used them a year ago or more, this won't work. Additionally, if you are hoping to use the APs for another trip, be sure they wouldn't expire before you would plan to use them.

 

[downontheBW]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Yes, Doc, seeing that 3 restaurants at Vero Beach take TiW is what made me begin to look into it. I hadn't thought of purchasing AP for just one of us - that's a great idea. I'll do the math on that one.

Correct, cseca, the alcohol is what probably clinches the deal - its a small family reunion. Just DH and me for the week and our 2 grown sons will join us for 4 days but we expect to eat out a lot and usually have 1-2 drinks with a dinner. DDP wouldn't work well for us as we're more appetizer people than dessert people and many of our favorite restaurants are either signature or don't take DDP.

DH and I have a bunch of days left on park hoppers so we could switch off AP/ParkHopper then ParkHopper/AP for next time. It will probably be more than 13 months between WDW visits so we wouldn't take advantage of the renew option, but you never know

I have some very old (pre-thumbscan) passes for our sons that they last used during our WDW when they were in jr. high. Yeah, it's been a while for them.

Thanks Sunshine22, our park hoppers are all more than a year old but they are non-expiring. Plus, they are the "and More" variety with the water park tickets as well. At one water park per visit, that part of them will last us a long time.

We'll all be arriving on a Saturday around dinner time and heading to DD for dinner so it looks like the best option is to visit guest relations there and purchase 1 AP and TiW. Cool!!

 

[clc053103]

We bought TIW for our 8 day sept trip- we added up our totals of TIW receipts (including alcohol) and compared it to our DxDP daily rate, and we came out way ahead. We weren't ordering all the food we would have ordered on DxDP (we don't normally order 1 app and 1 dessert each! that's too much food!), but we ordered plenty and weren't stuffed! And that didn't even include the wine we would pay oop om the DxDP. It really works for the way we dine.

 

[Kymm1111]

I've heard the tiw is a great savings so I'm going to try it this trip too. Anyone combine it with the ddp?

 

[DisneyHotDog]

the annual pass is a great idea expecially if you plan to go back 11 months from now. this way you can use it the first month and the last month.

 

[Sandisw]

I've heard the tiw is a great savings so I'm going to try it this trip too. Anyone combine it with the ddp?

I have not done it yet, but I am considering segmenting off the first night of my summer trip and doing one night of the DxDDP and then using the TIW for the remainder of the days.

This way, we get our mugs for the entire stay and can take advantage of eating the way we want for the rest of the trip.

Plus given the value of the mug being $14, we are basically getting 3 meals and 2 snacks for $65, which we can use over two days--not bad!

 

[RobDoc]

I've heard the tiw is a great savings so I'm going to try it this trip too. Anyone combine it with the ddp?

If you will enjoy an "adult" beverage with a DDP meal, the TIW will give you 20% off that portion of the charge and if there are meals at WDW outside the DDP during your trip the TIW would apply, but personally we've found the TIW to be the better bargain for the way we prefer to dine.

Enjoy!

 

[RobPickles]

We ended up using our TiW for just appetizers and drinks over the course of our 23 day vacation last year ON TOP of having the regular Dining Plan and we were in our glory.

Was totally worth it.

 

[downontheBW]

Wow, 23 days! Lucky you!

I'm really glad to have a week at OKW and a week at Vero both planned for this year.

Looking forward to using the TiW! Hmmm, maybe we could squeeze in a dinner at Jiko - my new favorite!

 

[ToddyLu]

We eat many TS meals and Signature meals when we dine at WDW. This year was our first with the TIW card. We have used the DDP on other trips.
We did 2 Cali Grill meals, Brown Derby, Chefs, Plaza Rest, WCC, Biergarten, etc. We had probably 6 glasses of wine total all week for 3 adults. We got to eat what we wanted including desserts. We spent $1400, then split it three ways. 3 adults, 9 nights with the TIW. And I loved not have to figure up a tip---so basically our tips(18%) were free since the card gets you a 20%discount. We had really good service.

 

[Sandisw]

That is good to here. I think we are going to get that this summer. I think (but will probably change my mind many times) that I may try to do the DxDDP for one night to start our trip and then use the TIW for the remainder of the stay.

We are taking my DD's friend who has only been to WDW once. We don't normally do that many TS meals, but I thought, in the heat of the summer, it might not be a bad idea to sit down each day for lunch (much prefer eating my big meal mid day).

I am excited to try it! And, we are hoping to go, just DH and I for a long weekend next January and then will be back for our summer trip in August 2012.

 

[vinmar4]

After reading these messages, I was thinking how can somebody only get the DDP one day since they ask you to get them for the entire time you are staying in the resort

 

[eyenjeff]

After reading these messages, I was thinking how can somebody only get the DDP one day since they ask you to get them for the entire time you are staying in the resort

bump any answers?

 

[Kathymford]

I know on the DVC reservations people talk about splitting a reservation to break up the DDP. That's all I know about that.

Tell me if this makes any sense. I was considering doing the QS DDP and the TiW. When I was making our dining reservations I noticed that I booked mostly the 2TS locations, so if I got the basic DDP, we wouldn't have TS every day. So I was thinking about saving money with just the lower QS DDP and just paying cash for the signature restaurants (thus the thought of the TiW). Anyone have any thoughts on this plan?