Another Great Stay/TIW - Best Kept Secret?

[butsy113]

We are planning on getting the TiW card for the first time. When we arrive to the resort from our cruise we are heading to DTD. We plan on going to Quest to activate our PAPs (can we activate our voucher here or does it have to be a main park?) then stoping at DTD guest services to get our TiW card before dinner.

Will this work OK? I don't want to be running around everywhere, wasting time just to activate our voucher and get our card. I can always make that a park day, but we really wanted to take it easy that day. TIA

 

[vicki_c]

We are planning on getting the TiW card for the first time. When we arrive to the resort from our cruise we are heading to DTD. We plan on going to Quest to activate our PAPs (can we activate our voucher here or does it have to be a main park?) then stoping at DTD guest services to get our TiW card before dinner.

Will this work OK? I don't want to be running around everywhere, wasting time just to activate our voucher and get our card. I can always make that a park day, but we really wanted to take it easy that day. TIA

You can do everything at DTD Guest Services in one transaction. I don't know about activating PAPs at DisneyQuest, but there is a guest services location at that end of DTD as well as the Marketplace end.

 

[mac_tlc]

We are also fans of TIW. Saved enough during our week in August ($86) to pay the annual fee of $75. Would have saved even more but its not accepted at Yak & Yeti -- was surprised at that, until I realized that Landy's restaurant group runs Yak & Yeti, along with Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex -- none of which accept TIW.

BTW, I'd love to get to the special dinner in the Great Movie Ride someday.

mac_tlc

 

[lilpooh108]

Not to knock the TIW for those who love it, but I don't understand where the "savings" comes from if you get 20% off, but they automatically add in 18% for gratuity.

Essentially you're paying $75 to save on tip + 2%...right?

Is there something I'm missing?

 

[bwang123]

Not to knock the TIW for those who love it, but I don't understand where the "savings" comes from if you get 20% off, but they automatically add in 18% for gratuity.

Essentially you're paying $75 to save on tip + 2%...right?

Is there something I'm missing?

Do you not tip? Assuming you do, you were going to add 18% anyway, its a free tip. If you normally do not tip waiters than it doesn't make sense.

its also for those that are going to spend at least the break even amount (around $325) during a full year of use. If you spend under, it doesn't make sense.

 

[ELMC]

Not to knock the TIW for those who love it, but I don't understand where the "savings" comes from if you get 20% off, but they automatically add in 18% for gratuity.

Essentially you're paying $75 to save on tip + 2%...right?

Is there something I'm missing?

This is a popular misconception about the TIW program and it is probably best cleared up with an example using real numbers. Keep in mind, though, that this assumes that you tip 18% when you eat at a Disney restaurant. If you don't, like previous posters have said, then the TIW plan is not for you. But seeing as how tipping 18% is "customary" I feel like it's safe to use that for this example.

Scenario #1 No TIW:

You and your lovely significant other go out to eat at Via Napoli. You have some pizza, some salad, some wine and a dessert. It really is a lovely time. The bill comes and it is $100 exactly (what are the odds, right?). You pay the bill and leave an 18% tip, so you pay $118. Then you go enjoy Illuminations and have a wonderful time.

Scenario #2 TIW:

Same people, same restaurant, same food and drink. And again, by sheer coincidence, the bill comes and it's $100 on the nose. You hand over your TIW card and you immediately get a 20% discount. So now the bill is $80. Add in the 18% tip and your total bill is $94.40. You just saved $23.60 by using the TIW card. You then go enjoy Illuminations and have a wonderful time.

So as you can see, it's not a 2% savings, it's a 20% savings, just like it says. Whether the tip is added in automatically or if you add it in is irrelevant. You are still saving 20%. (Again, this applies only if you actually plan on tipping your server which, in my opinion, is a good idea).

So that's the example, hope it helps. One side note. It doesn't matter if they add in the tip before or after discount, the math works out the same.

 

[fmer55]

Do this 75 times a trip and the card pays for itselfWhy am I the one who always brings up this long lost point?.......It also includes Booze

 

[DannysMom]

Wouldn't the 18% tip be figured on the full price, non-discounted $100 (in ELMC's example?). Otherwise it seems the server gets stiffed, at least a little. At any rate the cash OOP price of $98 is better than $118.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos.

 

[DizBub]

Wouldn't the 18% tip be figured on the full price, non-discounted $100 (in ELMC's example?). Otherwise it seems the server gets stiffed, at least a little. At any rate the cash OOP price of $98 is better than $118.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos.

TIW Card

18% tip is added before the 20% discount but the 6.5% tax is applied after the discount.

So you are taxed on the reduced price for even more savings.

TIW, love it!

 

[DizBub]

With the Via Napoli example (above) the actual costs for scenario #1 would have been $124.50 with 6.5% tax ($6.50).

Scenario #2 with TIW would be $103.20 with 6.5% tax ($5.20).

Total savings $21.30.

Do that 4 times and you've more than made your $75 back then it's all actual savings from then on. TIW is also good for 13 months usually. I bought mine in Feb 2012 and it expires March 31, 2013.

 

[DizBub]

You can do everything at DTD Guest Services in one transaction. I don't know about activating PAPs at DisneyQuest, but there is a guest services location at that end of DTD as well as the Marketplace end.

We bought our TIW card at DisneyQuest Guest Services. It's the 1st window on the left.

 

[granmanh603]

We are also fans of TIW. Saved enough during our week in August ($86) to pay the annual fee of $75. Would have saved even more but its not accepted at Yak & Yeti -- was surprised at that, until I realized that Landy's restaurant group runs Yak & Yeti, along with Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex -- none of which accept TIW.

BTW, I'd love to get to the special dinner in the Great Movie Ride someday.

mac_tlc

You can still get the DVC or AP 10% off there... we eat there every trip...love that place..

 

[DizBub]

You can still get the DVC or AP 10% off there... we eat there every trip...love that place..

We got the 10% DVC discount at Yak & Yeti last May. Also got the 10% off at Wolfgang Puck Express. Yum!

 

[k3chantal]

We've done both TiW and DDP...we're pretty much sworn off DDP by now...it's too restrictive for our tastes...TiW also has its restrictions--it's great if you're planning on a lot of table service meals--it's not good everywhere, but it is good almost everywhere (one major exception that matters to us is Wolfgang Puck's sit-down restaurant at DTD West Side--we love that place and go almost every trip--and they don't accept TiW)...it's also good to have if we're staying at SSR, as Artist's Palette takes it...but most counter service restaurants don't accept it--

We went to Wolfgang Puck's sit down restaurant and used the TiW card. It saved us $100.00 dollars! I remember thinking that thank goodness we had it since we had a five hundred dollar bill for four.

 

[dsneygirl]

We also are not DDP fans. We did TiW again this trip and for at least one other trip. Did the math and we would have spent $600 MORE on the DDP and that is before any alcohol as well (we enjoy a glass of wine with dinner). We also would have had a heck of a lot more food on DDP although we were stuffed every day without all the extras (desserts etc)

 

[mac_tlc]

You can still get the DVC or AP 10% off there... we eat there every trip...love that place..

True, we did get the 10%, but its only off of the entrees -- no drinks, appetizers, dessert, etc. Amounted to more like 6-7% on a TIW-equivalent basis.

mac_tlc

 

[Jousey]

We bought TiW on Friday and used it a few times this weekend including at our resort quick service, it works on some items depending on how they are coded. The real value for us will be in November when we have multi ADR and are in the world for a week. We did the math for November and we will more than pay for the card.

 

[mopee3]

I/we are a fan of DXDP and DDP, but I still use the TIW card. I love driving up to GF, WV, AK, Beach and Boardwalk, giving the Valet our auto and not paying for it except for tip. Now that's a great use for the TIW card, and it's amazing how fast the valet charges add up without the card.

Moe

 

[ELMC]

With the Via Napoli example (above) the actual costs for scenario #1 would have been $124.50 with 6.5% tax ($6.50).

Scenario #2 with TIW would be $103.20 with 6.5% tax ($5.20).

Total savings $21.30.

Do that 4 times and you've more than made your $75 back then it's all actual savings from then on. TIW is also good for 13 months usually. I bought mine in Feb 2012 and it expires March 31, 2013.

Thanks for cleaning up my math.

 

[BarrerasFamily]

We never go and eat at WDW without it! I was very happy to see that it has been extended to DVC owners. We've always had an AP but now if we don't want to get an AP we can still get our TIW.