Dining options for DVC members

[ILIKEWDW]

Hello all,

I am having some questions about the dining options (plans) we have as members.

I am a new DVC member, I will make my first ressie soon and I want to know about the dining plans we could take in order to save the most posible.

I also have read about DDE, TIW, DDP, and I know what they mean, but I don´t know how they work.

I will be happy if any of you helpful people could explain me the dining options to choose the best for us.

Thanks in advance

 

[vicki_c]

DDE = TiW (used to be called Disney Dining Experience, now called Tables in Wonderland) - for AP holders and FL residents

You buy a discount card which gives you 20% off at a lot of the table service restaurants, a few resort counter services. Also 20% off alcoholic beverages. An 18% gratuity is automatically included when you use the TiW card. The card costs $60 if you have an AP -- but you have to have an AP.

DDP= Disney Dining Plan

You pay in advance a set amount per day for all in your party (I think it's $40/adult now) and get credits for dining in exchange. Look in the DIS Dining forum for more info on the various dining package types available. Gratuity is not included. So, the DDP is prepaying for your meals.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

Thanks so much.

So I only have these two options TIW and DDP.

What could be the best deal, it appears that TIW is better because we don´t like CS, we like TS.

But what about the savings??? of course compared with a dining plan with table service.

Thanks again.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Thanks so much.

So I only have these two options TIW and DDP.

What could be the best deal, it appears that TIW is better because we don´t like CS, we like TS.

But what about the savings??? of course compared with a dining plan with table service.

Thanks again.

There are several DDP plans now: a QS plan which is 2 CS meals a nt, the regular DDP which is 1TS & 1CS per nt and the Deluxe (DxDDP) which is 3 meals per nt that can be all TS or CS or any combination. Prices are approx $20, $40 & $70 per nt per adult respectively.

TiW (formerly DDE) costs AP holders $60 and is good for 1 year. It is good at most TS restaurants, a few CS restaurants and as previously mentioned good on your alcholic beverages at dinner.

We found that our family of 4 does better the the TiW. We've run the numbers many many times and find that TiW costs us the same as the DDP for a trip. Since it's break even at worst, we prefer the flexibility of TiW. The 1st time we got the TiW card we "broke even" on the $60 on the 2nd-3rd day of our 10 day trip. The rest of that trip and another week trip that year were all gravy

for more info the the TiW Card click here

 

[DisFlan]

We prefer the TiW card for the same reasons ChelleinNC listed. We like being able to order and pay for exactly what we want instead of what's included in the dining plan. (I sometimes only want an appy or a salad and dessert for a table service meal. A big, gooey, wonderful dessert - and still have room for it.) Alcohol is also included in the TiW discount. Which means you can stop for a drink at most of the WDW bars or lounges - at a discount. And a discount on wine or a cocktail with meals is nice, too.

The TiW has saved us quite a bit of money. We don't mind paying out-of-pocket for the counter service meals we eat, which are usually only a handful per trip. The bigger bucks are spent at the sit down places - which is where the TiW comes into play.

We try to time our trips so we can use the TiW card (and our DVC-discounted APs) for two trips within 12 months. (The next year, plan the second trip a week or so earlier than the first one.) That way, for the second trip, park admission and the food discount are already covered. We just have to get there! Then we start over again the following year.

DisFlan

 

[Hopefully]

Has anyone chosen to use Both the DDP and the TIW card on the same trip.
We are 4 adults. We have done the DDP in the past and felt it saved us money. Now with the changes I am looking at all options. I was thinking the DDP to have CS meals included, as well as having it all paid for in advance DH likes that aspect. But I think some will want an appetizer at TS meals and we will have beer/wine with dinner. So I am think of TIW for those items.
Any thoughts?

 

[ChelleinNC]

Has anyone chosed to use Both the DDP and the TIW card on the same trip.
We are 4 adults. We have done the DDP in the past and felt it saved us money. Now with the changes I am looking at all options. I was thinking the DDP to have CS meals included, as well as having it all paid for in advance DH likes that aspect. But I think some will want an appetizer at TS meals and we will have beer/wine with dinner. So I am think of TIW for those items.
Any thoughts?

We did last year.

Because my dad & stepmom were joining us on the trip and I didn't want my dad to freak out over prices, we got the DDP. We already had our DDE/TiW card and used that at TS meals for any adult beverages but mostly used it for DS who was 10 at the time. He was a "Disney Adult" with a childs appetite & food preferences. Instead of using his TS credits on him, he ordered kids meals that we paid OOP using the DDE/TiW discount. It worked fine, a little complicated at times but not bad. Only had 1 time that we were told we couldn't use both at the same meal really odd since it was our last meal of the whole weeks trip

Since we already had the card, we didn't have any extra expense so it worked out really well for us.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Has anyone chosed to use Both the DDP and the TIW card on the same trip.
We are 4 adults. We have done the DDP in the past and felt it saved us money. Now with the changes I am looking at all options. I was thinking the DDP to have CS meals included, as well as having it all paid for in advance DH likes that aspect. But I think some will want an appetizer at TS meals and we will have beer/wine with dinner. So I am think of TIW for those items.
Any thoughts?

You will still have to pay for the gratuity since it is not inlcuded.

You can also purchase the TIW (DDE) card if you are a FL resident. It was orginally a FL perk and was added to AP/PAP perks in the past few years. It is not a DVC perk. But since lots of DVC members get the PAP/AP because of the discount, it works.

 

[DisneyKidds]

We use both the DDP and TIW. We always do well on the DDP, and typically save more than 20% given the way we use the plan. We do use the plan for nicer meals (dinners at places like Le Cellier), sometimes using 2 TS credits for a signature dining experience, so we do sometimes have character breakfasts or other meals that we don't have TS credits for. With just a couple of meals, as well as some items at meals on the DDP that aren't covered, and a few drinks here or there, it is very easy for us to recoup the $60 it costs us for the TIW card on one trip, and then save some money on the next trip.

 

[Jeremy&Susan]

We have found the best option to be having your own car or rental and going off site for any sit down meal.

Most special meals don't accept the TIW card with few exceptions liek hoop de do only takes the card on the latest seating and some character meals only take it based on tidal charts or phases of the moon or something.

Off site dining is generally as good and usually 50+% lower than WDW or DTD property restaurants.

We do usually do one or two meals on property each trip, so we are nto totally against Disney property restaurants.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'm sure you can find some nice meals off site. However, they don't do you much good when you are in Epcot for the evening and want to have a nice meal, or desire to eat on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon with a view of Cindarella Castle as you watch the MK fireworks. We actually think there are quite a few good WDW restaurants, and by the NY standards we are used to they aren't prohibitively expensive. The dining plan can make them a good deal.

We have the TIW card and have never had difficulty using it. Haven't been one place where they haven't accepted it, including numerous character meals at 1900 Park Fare, Cape May Cafe, Norway Storybook Princess.........

 

[Nparrotte]

Hello all,

I am having some questions about the dining options (plans) we have as members.

I am a new DVC member, I will make my first ressie soon and I want to know about the dining plans we could take in order to save the most posible.

I also have read about DDE, TIW, DDP, and I know what they mean, but I don´t know how they work.

I will be happy if any of you helpful people could explain me the dining options to choose the best for us.

Thanks in advance

Just some insight on the DDP.

DW and I have used both the $40 and $70 DDP. It is nice that you pay in advance for your meals and you don't really have to worry about the prices on the menu. It can be a double edged sword though. When we used the $70 per person per night plan we would pay OOP for breakfast, use a TS for lunch and use 2 TS so we could visit the Signature restaurants. Like it has been stated before tip is not included so you can have a pretty big bill to lay %18 gratuity on. I felt the $70 plan was to much food, the $40 plan is just about right but the trip this past Oct (F&WF) we went OOP. I will have to think about the TIW plan for the upcoming trip in Jan.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Only 2 places off the top of my head where you can't use the TiW card: Bistro de Paris & the Chefs table at V&A (but it's good at V&A for regular dining).
There are limited options with Hoop Dee Doo & the Luau (times/seating area) everywhere else it's good for dinner & lunch.

 

[nutty4wdw]

so if i have both the DDP and TiW i can use the 20% off any drinks and appetizers we order at a TS meal

 

[Nparrotte]

We prefer the TiW card for the same reasons ChelleinNC listed. We like being able to order and pay for exactly what we want instead of what's included in the dining plan. (I sometimes only want an appy or a salad and dessert for a table service meal. A big, gooey, wonderful dessert - and still have room for it.) Alcohol is also included in the TiW discount. Which means you can stop for a drink at most of the WDW bars or lounges - at a discount. And a discount on wine or a cocktail with meals is nice, too.

The TiW has saved us quite a bit of money. We don't mind paying out-of-pocket for the counter service meals we eat, which are usually only a handful per trip. The bigger bucks are spent at the sit down places - which is where the TiW comes into play.

We try to time our trips so we can use the TiW card (and our DVC-discounted APs) for two trips within 12 months. (The next year, plan the second trip a week or so earlier than the first one.) That way, for the second trip, park admission and the food discount are already covered. We just have to get there! Then we start over again the following year.

DisFlan

I read that %18 is tacked on when dining while using the TIW card. Does the same rule apply if you only get a couple of drinks at a bar?

 

[DisFlan]

I read that %18 is tacked on when dining while using the TIW card. Does the same rule apply if you only get a couple of drinks at a bar?

Yes. But we usually tip 20% anyway. We often order hot snacks (also discounted) with our drinks and we treat the service as we would a meal.


DisFlan

 

[bobbiwoz]

TIW card is also good at Flame Tree Barbecue and other CS restuarants at AK as well as at the food courts in the value hotels. I really like the food at Flame Tree, and I do stay at the values once or twice a year.

Bobbi

 

[Nparrotte]

Yes. But we usually tip 20% anyway. We often order hot snacks (also discounted) with our drinks and we treat the service as we would a meal.


DisFlan

Same here. I am sure that I would have noticed on the bill but I wanted to know going in. Not that I am cheap but I don't want to tip %20 on top of the %18.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Only 2 places off the top of my head where you can't use the TiW card: Bistro de Paris & the Chefs table at V&A (but it's good at V&A for regular dining).

When did they take the Bistro off the list of participating restaurants? I have my 2008 list and it's on there and we were planning on using it there in January.

 

[ChelleinNC]

When did they take the Bistro off the list of participating restaurants? I have my 2008 list and it's on there and we were planning on using it there in January.

Ya know what, I might have been thinking about the DDP on that one and carried it over to thinking that Bistro didn't do either Ooops, my bad