Hi, do you know what the price is on the AP ? and is it a better deal than the offers of 14 days unlimited for the price of 7 ? and sorry to be dim but what is the tables in wonderland card?? Thanks for your help
Looking back at your first post and the fact that you plan to visit every other year, the numbers won't be as convincing for the annual pass as they are for someone who visits annually.
We're able to get at least two trips out of each annual pass, which usually translates to a good 4 weeks of ticket use. We definitely get our money's worth from an annual pass. We get multiple trips out of the pass by alternating the months we travel each summer. We'll go later in the summer the year we buy the pass, and then earlier in the summer the following year. That gives us the second year without having to buy another ticket.
If you're only going to get two weeks out of the pass, the saving will be harder to achieve. (That 14-day UK MYW pass is a really good deal.)
Tables in Wonderland is a dining discount card that Florida residents and annual passholders can purchase. For annual passholders, the price is $75. It then gives you 20% off the entire check (including bar tab) at most Disney sit-down locations for the next 18 months. An 18% tip is automatically added to checks when you use the TIW, but since this is close to the amount most people leave anyway, it turns out to be a really good deal.
Annual passholders also get a discount on purchases of most items at Disney shops by showing their pass. (The discount doesn't apply to food. So shops like the Marketplace at the Beach Club would give you a discount if you bought a postcard or T-Shirt, but not if you bought a salad or sandwich.) The discount is 10% for annual passes, and 20% for premium annual passes. These discounts can really add up. I won't tell you what 20% of just the pins we purchased this summer turned out to be!
One other option to price out is for just one person in your party to get an annual pass, with the others getting the 14-day UK MYW ticket. That way you can get the discounts and TIW, but also take advantage of the 14-day tickets that are a better match to your travel habits. I'll share from personal experience that it becomes tiring to be the person who always has to do the check-out at the shops and pay the check at restaurants. There were a few times when I didn't particularly feel like making the trip to Downtown Disney in the evening after a long day in the park, but because I was the discount man, I had to go along.
One other note on an already long reply, we've stayed as long as three weeks in a studio without any issues. However, that was with just the two of us. I'd never think of doing it with kids, and certainly not with other adults.
If you plan to do that consistently, though, you may want to compare DVC studios to WDW hotel rooms. You're right that there are discounts available for the latter. (Another benefit if you purchase an annual pass is on room discounts.) You're in the grey zone as to whether you're a good fit for DVC or not. It would behoove you to create a spreadsheet and run some price comparisons. Keep reading these DIS DVC boards, too. There's a wonderful amount of good advice on here.
Good luck!
Bill
