Dining discounts and plans for DVC Members

[BLTtinkerbell]

When our children were little, we liked the DDP. It was a good price, especially for children. We used to go to character meals, so it was worth it. It used to include appetizer and tip. Once our children were considered "adults" even though they were only 10 years old, the DDP lost its value, in our opinion.

After losing interest in DDP, we have been using TiW and that has been working well for us. We like to eat at a table service restaurant for dinner every night. I hope the rumor about TiW ending, isn't true.

 

[DizDaD7]

We love to dine mostly at TS restaurants when on vacation.....We used to go with FD at POP, & then the mods, but now w/DVC it's TiW. The first year we bought in 2011, it was only $75, so the break even point was evn lower, but even at $100 we blow through that $500 number w/ 2 visits in no time... Huge perk IMHO.... But that's just me.

 

[rfc0001]

DDP is better if you use every entitlement to the maximum value -- nothing more, nothing less. So, if you only do QS, QS DDP saves more money (10% max) than TIW (0% since it doesn't cover most QS). If you only do 1 QS/1 TS/2 snacks per day then Std. DDP saves about the same (15%) as TIW (20% of your sit down which is probably about 15% overall since sit downs cost more than QS). And if you normally would do 3 TS/2 snacks a day, Deluxe DDP is better (25% max) than TIW (20%) -- however if you don't use some of your sit down entitlements or use them as QS/snacks, then you save much, much less. If you are in between one of these (e.g. 2 sit downs / day), then TIW saves you much more (20%) -- and you can still get 10% DVC/AP discounts on snacks/drinks at any merchandise location (kiosk or store). As far as the mandatory tip (18% pre-tax), most people tip 15% post-tax anyways which is 16% pre-tax, so only a 2% difference. The additional discount on alcohol can be an additional savings as well. Finally, while TIW has an overhead of $99/year, it's good for 13 months, so can cover two trips even if you only visit once/year (the same time of year), making it's cost only $50/trip. If you do multiple trips/year, it really starts to pay off.

 

[Skip3key]

Absolutely use TIW... there are just 2 of us, and we really try to schedule our trip 11 months apart to get 2 trips to use the card. We love the higher end restaurants like Cali grill, but only eat 1 meal a day- but if that meal with drinks is like $150... it adds up (that's $30 off for 1 meal!) ! Best use we ever did was taking my family... a table of 12 of us, to the Hoop Dee Doo review... That was $67 each .. we saved $160 on that meal alone ! And they let us use it for the first show (even though the card says only good for late show)...

 

[RipperSB]

We have used DP and OOP with the DVC discount, where available. Haven't TIW as the places we have chosen in the past weren't part of the program and we don't (usually) drink.

 

[kristenrice]

I try to plan at least one TS meal per trip at a location that we have never tried. We usually have the TiW card, but when we don't, I stick to the restaurants that offer the DVC discount. As much as I love the "pre-paid" convenience of the DDP, it just doesn't save us money. We don't like to stuff ourselves at each meal, but we do like to try a variety of foods. We tend to order 1-2 appetizers, 2-3 entrees and one dessert to split between the 4 of us (me, DH, DD12 and DD10). We typically plan one TS meal per day and it is either dinner or a late lunch. I can still "pre-pay" for our own "dining plan" by purchasing gift cards ahead of time. I estimate the high-end cost of our planned TS meals and then add another $50/day for CS and $20/day for snacks. Since we typically stay 5 nights, my food budget is around $1200. That allows us to still order what we want to eat without worrying about the price or getting a value out of a credit. At the end of the trip, we typically have money left over.

 

[disBOBney]

Between using my dvc or disney visa card or AP discounts I tend to receive 10-20% discounts, and since I never travel with more than 3 or 4 in my party TIW Doesn't pay off for me. Likewise, the difference in what DDP cost and what I am already able to receive through DVC and DVisa, DDP doesn't pay off either.

 

[SouthJersey]

We enjoy the Deluxe Dining Plan, but it's very specific to how we'd dine to get value out of it. If you're throwing points away on CS meals and breakfast-lunch-dinner all short hours apart, then it'd be a nightmare with time commitment and being stuffed.
If you utilize the 3 TS points by including a signature each day and a 1TS sit down each day, the plan simply DOES save money, a NICE chunk of money if during free dining. One last key part to that is, if you're going to dine as you would without the plan.

For two adults dining at a 1TS and 2TS each day, we came out to a $277/couple average not including tax from:
12:00pm App-Entree-Dessert + non-alcoholic drink @ Lunch Via Napoli (Arancini + Calamari, Two individual pizzas, Sorbet + Tiramisu = $91)
7:45pm App-Entree-Dessert + non-alcoholic drink @ Dinner Yachtsman (Charcuterie + Tuna Tartare, NY Strip + Filet, Two Creme Brulee = $160)
Two Snacks (Starbucks + food item each) = $20
Resort Mug = $6 instead of buying a drink each time at the resort.

That's two sit-down meals with over 7 hour spacing, so there's no gorged/stuffed too soon feeling at all, especially during a highly active trip. With about 10+ hours park time, we're not 'rushed' through parks because of 2 ADR's.
$275/couple/day average
$219.06/couple full rate DxDP
$97.78/couple DxDP during free dining w/moderate resort

Without free dining, we save $55 per day.
With free dining, we save $177 per day.

Let's say off the plan we'd split a dessert and still got our own app:

Without free dining, we save $36 per day.
With free dining, we save $158 per day.

Or if we'd split an app and dessert instead of each getting one:

Without free dining, we save $11 per day.
With free dining, we save $133 per day.

During free dining, we're still saving $133/night than if we didn't do the dining plan and still did a lunch and signature and split one app/dessert at each instead of having to get our own like the plan. At full rate, we'd still save $11/day, which is nothing crazy, but still the benefit of not carrying cash for meals and worrying about costs, while saving an extra $66 on a six night trip.

 

[michelleiada]

We started using the dining plan many years ago when it was much less expensive and we have continued to use it. In the early years of the plan it was a good value. Now not so much as the price continues to climb yearly. We have not tried TIW.

 

[dayvewc]

I have done TiW during my "Year of Disney" (4 trips in less than 12 months, got an AP and TiW). It definitely was a cost saver during that time, but I also intentionally ate more table service meals than normal. Other times, I've just done the DVC discount. It all depends on the circumstances surrounding the trip, and the trip purpose. When I know I'll be making multiple visits during a year, TiW is generally better. If I'm only going to be able to do an annual trip, or *gasp* have to skip a year, then the DVC is the better deal.

 

[DVC Mike]

Has anyone's opinion changed due to the Oct 4, 2015 price hike from $100 to $150?

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[kristenrice]

Has anyone's opinion changed due to the Oct 4, 2015 price hike from $100 to $150?

Yup...we won't be getting the TIW card anymore. We won't spend the $750 needed to break even so we will simply stick to the restaurants that accept the DVC discount, or we will simply eat more meals in our room.

 

[rfc0001]

Has anyone's opinion changed due to the Oct 4, 2015 price hike from $100 to $150?

It's a pretty straightforward decision...how much you'll save with TIW simply depends how much you spend on TS/year, e.g.:

Spend    Savings Cost    Total   Total %
$1,000   $200    $(150)  $50     5%
$2,000   $400    $(150)  $250    13%
$3,000   $600    $(150)  $450    15%
$4,000   $800    $(150)  $650    16%
$5,000   $1,000  $(150)  $850    17%
$6,000   $1,200  $(150)  $1,050  18%
$7,000   $1,400  $(150)  $1,250  18%
$8,000   $1,600  $(150)  $1,450  18%
$9,000   $1,800  $(150)  $1,650  18%
$10,000  $2,000  $(150)  $1,850  19%

For comparison, Standard DDP is advertised as saving 15%, but if you pay for it with a Disney Vacation Account, you can easily save an additional 7% by funding your DVA with Disney Gift Cards bought at Target for 5% off (with Red Card) and getting an additional 2% redemption bonus, bringing your total savings on a Standard DDP to 23%.

That said, the decision between the two really comes down to which one fits your needs -- if you eat all TS, the TIW will save your more than DDP. If you eat 1 QS/1 TS + 2 snacks/day then Standard DDP will save you more

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

I mean to use DVC discount, but forget to ask for it. I even printed off a small table showing AP and DVC discount at which restaurants and carried it with me, but still forgot!

 

[Minniesgal]

We were going to buy TIW and would have saved a little not a fortune which was ok. Then the price increased, I noticed i had a black out day and I took DVC discounts into consideration and my savings disappeared.

Dining at Disney is no longer essential to us. We will do breakfast in the room with groceries and often our smaller meal. We still have a few TS that we really like we will do those and fill in the gaps with offsite dining.

 

[Minniesgal]

It's a pretty straightforward decision...how much you'll save with TIW simply depends how much you spend on TS/year, e.g.:

Spend    Savings Cost    Total   Total %
$1,000   $200    $(150)  $50     5%
$2,000   $400    $(150)  $250    13%
$3,000   $600    $(150)  $450    15%
$4,000   $800    $(150)  $650    16%
$5,000   $1,000  $(150)  $850    17%
$6,000   $1,200  $(150)  $1,050  18%
$7,000   $1,400  $(150)  $1,250  18%
$8,000   $1,600  $(150)  $1,450  18%
$9,000   $1,800  $(150)  $1,650  18%
$10,000  $2,000  $(150)  $1,850  19%

For comparison, Standard DDP is advertised as saving 15%, but if you pay for it with a Disney Vacation Account, you can easily save an additional 7% by funding your DVA with Disney Gift Cards bought at Target for 5% off (with Red Card) and getting an additional 2% redemption bonus, bringing your total savings on a Standard DDP to 23%.

That said, the decision between the two really comes down to which one fits your needs -- if you eat all TS, the TIW will save your more than DDP. If you eat 1 QS/1 TS + 2 snacks/day then Standard DDP will save you more

It is no longer that simple with TIW. Build in black out days, DVC discounts etc and you can find you need to spend a lot more than $750 to break even. We spend over $1200 our next trip before we break even due to blackouts and Dvc discounts.

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

We used to get the dining plan. But it is too much food. So now we use TIW and Disney gift cards that we get at a discount from BJ's.

 

[rfc0001]

It is no longer that simple with TIW. Build in black out days, DVC discounts etc and you can find you need to spend a lot more than $750 to break even. We spend over $1200 our next trip before we break even due to blackouts and Dvc discounts.

Not really -- the fact 43% (44 of 102) of TS restaurants offer DVC/AP discount (10%) doesn't reduce your break even. If you spend $1200 on eligible TS restaurants, you'll save 7.5%, compared to an average discount with DVC/AP (without TIW) of 4% (.43 x.1). I agree the blackouts reduce the savings of TIW compared to DDP, however since TIW is only available to DVC and AP holders, the average TIW users visits Disney more than once/year so can simply avoid blocked out restaurants on trips during peak seasons. These blackouts aren't new, so this is exactly what we have done the past year -- in spring break we avoided 1900, Chef Mickey, CRT and did those this summer instead. As a result, we still got a TIW discount on all our meals. As stated, TIW only saves you money when you eat all TS meals and visit more than once per year. If either of these things aren't true, DDP is your friend -- which can save you 23% if you eat 1QS/1TS per day and fund the purchased with DVA using discounted gift cards.

 

[granmanh603]

After increase in cost no more TIW If and I say if I eat at Disney will use DVC discount but going to eat off property or in room alot more or and just not going as much.

 

[Geomom]

After that increase in cost, our first instinct is NOT to get TIW after this one expires...but I think it really depends on what types of trips we might be doing within that year. With our current TIW, we're using it for 3 trips and we passed break even after trip 1. Trip 1 (8 meals with a party of 4), Trip 2 (2 meals with a party of 5), Trip 3 (6 meals with a party of 8 AND 1 with a party of 9).