Combining DDP and TIW?

[DisMomme]

My DH & I are going to WDW to celebrate our anniversary this year sans kids . We will get annual passes because we will be going back next summer with the kids. We are wondering, can we get DDP and TIW and use TIW for our drinks when using DDP credits? Has anyone done the math and figured out which is more cost effective?

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're going to get DDP anyway, unless you are planning to spend more than $375 on just off plan items like drinks and appetizers in the year you have the membership, don't bother with the TIW.

 

[DisMomme]

We are only getting the DDP for 2 nights of our Adult trip and not at all for our trip next summer. We will be there for 8-10 days next summer. We also think , if the weather permits, we can use the TIW for our drinks by the pool? With 2 teenage boys we will be ordering off the adult menu next summer. I think (?) we will exceed the $375 break even point. We keep going round and round on this and I think that the deciding factor will be...can I use DDP credit for my meal this trip and also use TIW for the appetisers and drinks at the same meal?

 

[TDC Nala]

We also think , if the weather permits, we can use the TIW for our drinks by the pool?

No...it's not accepted at most of the pool bars. I think it might be accepted at some of them, but I know it is not accepted at the pool bars at BC/YC, AKL or the Polynesian. They used to accept it at the Pop Century pool bar - but at value resorts, the pool bars are the only bars at the resort.

I think that the deciding factor will be...can I use DDP credit for my meal this trip and also use TIW for the appetisers and drinks at the same meal?

Yes.

 

[Skylarr29]

We are only getting the DDP for 2 nights of our Adult trip and not at all for our trip next summer. We will be there for 8-10 days next summer. We also think , if the weather permits, we can use the TIW for our drinks by the pool? With 2 teenage boys we will be ordering off the adult menu next summer. I think (?) we will exceed the $375 break even point. We keep going round and round on this and I think that the deciding factor will be...can I use DDP credit for my meal this trip and also use TIW for the appetisers and drinks at the same meal?

We have DxDDP this upcoming trip and are going to get a TIW card for drinks and a few OOP meals (Garden View Lounge, etc.) and then next year we will go back a week earlier and use our AP's and TIW before they expire. I think it's a good idea. Yes, you can use it for apps/drinks/any extras that are not included in your DDP.

 

[DisMomme]

Thanks for all the quick answers!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Just to give you an example of using a TiW card on a longer trip...last summer we went to WDW for 10 nights...me, DH and our 2 sons (they were 3 and 5 at the time). I upgraded to the AP and got the TiW card, since our ADRs didn't match with any of the dining plans. This saved us a ton of money, and it was an added bonus that the discount also applied to alcoholic beverages, since we frequently like a drink with dinner when we are on vacation. Also I ordered an app as my entree on occasion, and no worries as to whether it would be covered by a dining plan credit. We just ordered what we wanted, got 20% off of everything, and saved a good amount of money.

When I added up all the food we bought (meals plus snacks...but not with alcohol included), plus the price of the upgrade to the AP (DVC member price) plus the cost of the TiW card, we spent around $1650 total. If we had the deluxe dining plan, it would have cost us $1860 altogether, and we would have had tons of unused snack credits, and some unused meal credits. So we saved around $200 doing it this way, plus the added bonus of 20% off of alcohol and 10% off of purchases when we went shopping (AP holder discount).

I did the math again with the 2012 dining plan prices, and it looks like the AP and TiW card will cost much less, once again...even though I expect the prices in restaurants to go up before next summer, I still think the TiW card is a great way to do a longer trip. And with your kids being older than mine, you will be ordering adult menu items, like you said, and you will save even more money!

 

[neodymm]

I have been crunching numbers and debating this very thing...TiW vs. DDP. We have always had the DxDP, but it looks like we will have more flexibility and will save money if we go with TiW instead, love the discount on alcoholic drinks! Now, I was debating whether we should add the QSDP instead. We do have a few times that I think we will end up getting QS and it would give us snack credits to use at the Food & Wine Festival kiosks. So, I need to look at that in more detail. Has anyone else done this?

One more question...does anyone know if TiW is accepted at the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party?

 

[TDC Nala]

does anyone know if TiW is accepted at the Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party?

No, it's not.

 

[ccgirl]

My DH & I are going to WDW to celebrate our anniversary this year sans kids . We will get annual passes because we will be going back next summer with the kids. We are wondering, can we get DDP and TIW and use TIW for our drinks when using DDP credits? Has anyone done the math and figured out which is more cost effective?

Yes. I have done this. Just keep in mind that the gratuity (I believe it is 18%) is automatically added to the alcohol total if you use the TiW.