Disney Dining Experience

[Sherry76]

Does anyone know what the Disney Dining Experience is? I have seen several of the restaurants offer a 20% discount for "Disney Dining Experince".

 

[Bob P]

Hi,

Here you go:

http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

The DDE, now called Tables in Wonderland (TIW) is discount card available for purchase by AP holders and FL residents. I can't remember the exact cost, but it's around $65 and I know that the price just recently went up.

This discount card gives you a 20% discount on all food and beverages and participating TS restaurants, alcohol included. There are a few CS restaurants where the card is accepted like: All-Star food court and Flame Tree BBQ. Once you purchase the card you can get a list of participating restaurants; the DIS should have a list as well.

One thing to keep in mind is that a gratuity of 18% is automatically added to any TS restaurants and you cannot use the card on holidays or toward any dinner packages.

Only one person is able to use the card though. For example, our card is in my husbands name and he is the one who pays the bills. If we wanted another card in my name it would cost extra, around $25 I think.

 

[Sherry76]

Hi,

Here you go:

http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

Thank you so much!

 

[Sherry76]

The DDE, now called Tables in Wonderland (TIW) is discount card available for purchase by AP holders and FL residents. I can't remember the exact cost, but it's around $65 and I know that the price just recently went up.

This discount card gives you a 20% discount on all food and beverages and participating TS restaurants, alcohol included. There are a few CS restaurants where the card is accepted like: All-Star food court and Flame Tree BBQ. Once you purchase the card you can get a list of participating restaurants; the DIS should have a list as well.

One thing to keep in mind is that a gratuity of 18% is automatically added to any TS restaurants and you cannot use the card on holidays or toward any dinner packages.

Only one person is able to use the card though. For example, our card is in my husbands name and he is the one who pays the bills. If we wanted another card in my name it would cost extra, around $25 I think.

This was so helpful, thank you very much. I just love this forum, I think I'll be a pro by they time we go in September for our first Grand Gathering with all our children and grandchildren.

 

[JACKie SPARROW]

Sherry 76,

A Grand Gathering trip with everyone sounds like a lot of fun; I am sure you and your family will have a wonderful time.

Are you sick of the WI winter? I am so done with it; I live in SE Wisconsin and can't wait for summer .

 

[CharmedLife]

Another Badger waiting for summer!

A question about the second card. Does the person who's name is on it ALSO have to have an annual pass? We are going in October with 8 people to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. Not sure all 8 of us will be eating together all the time. If I get an annual pass and then order the card (which is now $75, by the way), can I also get a second card (additional $50) in my husband's name, even if he doesn't have an annual pass?

Trying to determine which direction to go, TIW or DDP. I thought the TIW worked almost everywhere (counter service included), but if it's just at the sit-down restaurants I might rethink it.

Any info is appreciated, planning for our Disney trip (even when it's 6 months away!) gets my mind off of the crazy spring weather! Although today might be one of those good days!

 

[Hopefully]

CharmedLife, I can't answer your question about whether or not your husband needs an AP as well. I don't think so, but I am not sure. I am getting my first TIW card this trip and we are in a similar situation. Only I am getting the AP
As far as your second comment, very few CS restaurants are included in the participating list. It is mainly at the Value resorts where there is no sit down option.
Allearsnet.com has a list of participating restaurants that was current as of November.
HTH

 

[crisi]

Another Badger waiting for summer!

A question about the second card. Does the person who's name is on it ALSO have to have an annual pass? We are going in October with 8 people to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. Not sure all 8 of us will be eating together all the time. If I get an annual pass and then order the card (which is now $75, by the way), can I also get a second card (additional $50) in my husband's name, even if he doesn't have an annual pass?

Trying to determine which direction to go, TIW or DDP. I thought the TIW worked almost everywhere (counter service included), but if it's just at the sit-down restaurants I might rethink it.

Any info is appreciated, planning for our Disney trip (even when it's 6 months away!) gets my mind off of the crazy spring weather! Although today might be one of those good days!

No, the second cardholder doesn't need the AP.

We go for shorter trips - not AP worthy - of about seven days. But when we have a big party (Grand Gathering size) we get an AP just to have the TiW card. For us this works a lot better the the DDP. The TiW card is limited to something like ten guests though.

TiW works well if you do some signature dining. You want more control over your options (maybe have three appitizers and split one dessert!). You drink (big for us!). You don't eat a lot of table service (it works at only a few TS places). You have a big party.

DDP works well if you want controlled cost - its as close to buying an all inclusive package as you can get. If you don't mind the restrictions. If your days are divided into a counter service and a table service meal. And if your alcohol consumption isn't going to add a lot to your bill.

Some people find that having BOTH works for them.

 

[TDC Nala]

Don't put a second person on the membership if you can help it - it's an extra $50 to get a card for a spouse. One membership card can cover up to 10 people. If you do want to spend the money, the spouse does not have to have an AP.

 

[CharmedLife]

TiW works well if you do some signature dining. You want more control over your options (maybe have three appitizers and split one dessert!). You drink (big for us!). You don't eat a lot of table service (it works at only a few TS places). You have a big party.

I think our biggest complaint about the DDP (have done it the last 2 trips) is that we are restricted in what we can order. We'd rather share appetizers than get desserts, would split some meals, etc. We also ended up eating at more sit-down restaurants than we normally would, spending a lot more time eating in restaurants than we used to.

We are going to be a group of 8, so we will have large dining bills when we do eat out. The 20% discount would be great.

I had been totally sold on getting the TiW card because we could actually go back to just picking a few restaurants that we actually WANTED to eat at (instead of feeling like I'm filling out a dance card in trying to line up a restaurant for every night), ordering what we want and covering the alcohol. This was until I read that very few counter service locations are included. I had assumed that we could use it there, and quite honestly if not for the dining plan then we would eat at more counter service places instead of TS places.

Has anyone done a cost-comparison between the two for a typical family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids)? I know the big savings on the dining plan for us has come from having our 2 children. DD will be 9 on this next trip, so her last time as a "child" and we were planning all along on using the DDP until I started reading about TiW.

Now I'm just so confused! What to do, what to do...

 

[TDC Nala]

Only eight counter service locations accept TIW. Three of those are inside a theme park (all at Animal Kingdom). If your plan is to eat a lot of counter service, TIW may not be for you.

 

[crisi]

I think our biggest complaint about the DDP (have done it the last 2 trips) is that we are restricted in what we can order. We'd rather share appetizers than get desserts, would split some meals, etc. We also ended up eating at more sit-down restaurants than we normally would, spending a lot more time eating in restaurants than we used to.

We are going to be a group of 8, so we will have large dining bills when we do eat out. The 20% discount would be great.

I had been totally sold on getting the TiW card because we could actually go back to just picking a few restaurants that we actually WANTED to eat at (instead of feeling like I'm filling out a dance card in trying to line up a restaurant for every night), ordering what we want and covering the alcohol. This was until I read that very few counter service locations are included. I had assumed that we could use it there, and quite honestly if not for the dining plan then we would eat at more counter service places instead of TS places.

Has anyone done a cost-comparison between the two for a typical family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids)? I know the big savings on the dining plan for us has come from having our 2 children. DD will be 9 on this next trip, so her last time as a "child" and we were planning all along on using the DDP until I started reading about TiW.

Now I'm just so confused! What to do, what to do...

It doesn't make a lot of sense for us to do it for two adults and two kids - even with our habits. Paying out of pocket works better. For us, its the difference between a seven day hopper and an annual pass plus the TiW card fee - that's a lot of cash out of pocket.

But we don't do the DDP with four people either. I really don't like the DDP.

 

[CharmedLife]

For us, its the difference between a seven day hopper and an annual pass plus the TiW card fee - that's a lot of cash out of pocket.

We are in DVC and could get the annual pass for $100 less... if not for that I don't think I'd even be considering it. But we would use the pass for 2 trips, so I think maybe the cost balances out.

I also need to figure out the balance between our family (2 adults, 2 kids) and the extended group on this trip (there will be 8 of us, 6 adults and 2 kids) - if it were us and the 2 kids alone I don't think we'd consider it (you know, that big savings on the alcohol doesn't really work with the kiddos!!!). But our next trip will just be the 4 of us. And without many (any?) CS places included, it puts a major damper on my plans.

Maybe I should just go REALLY old school and skip both the DDP and TiW? What a concept...

 

[CharmedLife]

Only eight counter service locations accept TIW. Three of those are inside a theme park (all at Animal Kingdom). If your plan is to eat a lot of counter service, TIW may not be for you.

Thanks so much - you're right, we wouldn't get much savings from counter service places apparently. So it's down to evaluating what we would save on table service alone. I guess I'll have to look at the list again and see how many of the restaurants we want to go to are actually included.

Thanks again for the advice! I know everyone's situation is different, and at the end of the day maybe it won't actually make a huge difference dollar-wise for us, but I want to over-analyze it to death so I at least feel good about whatever decision I make (and it gives me something Disney-related to think about until we can actually go on the trip!).

 

[TDC Nala]

If you are staying at a value resort, Port Orleans French Quarter, or Saratoga Springs, keep in mind that TIW is accepted at the counter service in those locations.

It's actually nine CS locations: the four value resorts, the three at AK, POFQ and SSR.

Also...TIW has blackout dates on major holidays if you're traveling on one. No blackout dates in October though.

 

[CharmedLife]

Thanks Nala! We are staying at Bay Lake Towers, so no luck on the counter service, but it would help us out at Animal Kingdom for sure. Lots of options to process, looks like I'll have ample opportunities to use Excel in the next few months!

Thank you again for your help, I really appreciate it!

 

[dzneelvr]

A huge thumbs up for the DDE/TIW planfrom this family of 4! we love the ease, the savings, and the reaction from servers and wait staff is phenomenal. The TIW allows us to eat what we want, where we want, when we want and not use any brain power while on vacation to figure out the complicated credit formulaI've seen many meltdowns over the DDP rules, but nary a one with a TIW. June 19th here we come for another great vacation with the TIW

 

[DznyDreamz]

Depending on whether you plan to return to WDW within the next year, it could also be worth looking at both the QS DDP and the TiW. I had considered that, but ultimately, my 8 year old doesn't want chicken nuggets for meals, she wants steak and "real" food. So the kid's restrictions and/or lack of options on the kids menu is what keeps us from doing just that.

We are DVC owners and getting 4 trips out of our AP & TiW so its a good value for us, everyone is different though.

We have done the regular DDP, the DxDDP and no dining plan. While it was much nice having the meals pre-paid for, I enjoyed more the flexibility. Like others have said, I prefer to split an appetizer or two and share dessert. And I don't feel like I have to make a certain quota of meals. We eat what we want, when we want it.

 

[CharmedLife]

The TIW allows us to eat what we want, where we want, when we want and not use any brain power while on vacation to figure out the complicated credit formula

This is what appeals to me over the DDP. We've used it twice but feel that we're spending a lot of time figuring out where to go and what to eat, when maybe without the DDP we would be doing something totally different (like taking advantage of the kitchen in our villa!).

ultimately, my 8 year old doesn't want chicken nuggets for meals, she wants steak and "real" food. So the kid's restrictions and/or lack of options on the kids menu is what keeps us from doing just that.

My 8-year-old is the same way. She likes to be a bit adventurous and I like to encourage that (now DS5 on the other hand is just the opposite - what happened?). I would rather let her choose from the whole menu and maybe share a "grown-up" dinner with me depending on the portion size. I think we have ruled out the DDP for sure because of all of the rules. And I think we've determined that if we eat at at least 3 sit-down restaurants (there will be 8 of us for the trip in October, then 4 for the trip the following September) we will come out ahead with the TiW card since we can get the discounted AP.

I think I've decided to give it a try. Thank you all for your input!