Is Tables in Wonderland worth it for us?

[MrsB919]

Hi everyone. DH and I will be going down to WDW twice this year. We are DVC members and AP holders. I know you get discounts for some restaurants with either of them. So my question is would getting Tables in Wonderland be worth it for us or is the discounts from the other 2 substantial? TIA.

 

[Msmithmd]

The calculation is pretty straightforward. TIW gives you 20% and the others give you 10%. There is some variation in which cards cover which restaurants, so check the respective lists. And both programs have some block out dates so check those versus your anticipated travel dates.

For simplicity, assuming you would only eat at restaurants covered by both discount programs, you break even on buying the TIW at $1k total restaurant spending. Saving more with TIW after $1k and saving more with just the other discounts under that spending.

So the question you have to answer is whether you would spend over $1k at Disney restaurants (that take both programs) within 12 months time. Only you know the answer to that- this is just the framework from which I would suggest you approach your calculation.

 

[butsy113]

The calculation is pretty straightforward. TIW gives you 20% and the others give you 10%. There is some variation in which cards cover which restaurants, so check the respective lists. And both programs have some block out dates so check those versus your anticipated travel dates.

For simplicity, assuming you would only eat at restaurants covered by both discount programs, you break even on buying the TIW at $1k total restaurant spending. Saving more with TIW after $1k and saving more with just the other discounts under that spending.

So the question you have to answer is whether you would spend over $1k at Disney restaurants (that take both programs) within 12 months time. Only you know the answer to that- this is just the framework from which I would suggest you approach your calculation.

The break even is $500 not $1000. You might want to go to allears.net to compare which discounts are available at which restaurants to the restaurants you plan on going to.

 

[Nanajo1]

If you are going twice the break even number is $250 for each trip. It is very easy for two people to spend $250. TIW also gives 20% off alcohol as well.

 

[Suellen]

The break even is $500 not $1000. You might want to go to allears.net to compare which discounts are available at which restaurants to the restaurants you plan on going to.

I think they are saying if you get the 10% anyway then TIW only buys you another 10% doubling the break even to $1000.

 

[lions1995]

Some of it comes down to where you plan on eating. There is no place in Magic Kingdom that accepts the DVC discount. I am not sure what the AP discount locations are.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We are just two of us, and we always break even on the FIRST of two trips using the TIW card. It's a no-brainer for us to always get it. Basically, since we usually tip about 20%, it means we are tip free our whole trip.

 

[lucyem]

We found TIW used to work out for us (family of 4, two 5 day trips). But over time, as we stopped eating many TS meals on property, that it did not work out anymore. That being said we have three trips this time, including one in a studio, so we bought TIW again. Taking full advantage including V&A while they still accept it

The best thing to do is run the numbers based on how and where you eat.

 

[Msmithmd]

I think they are saying if you get the 10% anyway then TIW only buys you another 10% doubling the break even to $1000.

This. Suellen gets it.

If you have access to the 10% discount already, you can only consider the 10% more you get with TIW for your calculation. Of course it gets more complicated if you look at restaurants that accept one discount but not the other.

If you go that route, you can drive yourself crazy with spreadsheets of where you will be eating every meal on future trips, trying to calculate which would save more on the last dollar. Better to just look at the delta discount of "10% more" via TIW over the AP and DVC discounts, and consider it from that perspective of 10% of $1k equals the card purchase price of $100. Otherwise the math and micro-planning could take a lot of the fun and spontaneity out of vacation.

Kinda like how crazy you could go actually needing to set up appointments for individual rides you want to go on, every day of your trip, months before it occurs...oh wait...

 

[supersnoop]

I think they are saying if you get the 10% anyway then TIW only buys you another 10% doubling the break even to $1000.

Take a look at the list at allears.net (PDF file). The Annual Pass discount is pretty useless outside of Downtown Disney. Out of 14 ADR's for my upcoming trip, TIW applies to all of them, and the AP or DVC discount only applies to two. Of course, it will depend on your specific dining plans.

 

[Anna114]

The first thing I did was got to the menus of the restaurants we were eating at. Did a rough estimate of what my husband and I would eat and assumed 1 drink per meal. Took 20% off and yep it was way worth it to us. We took our adult sons last August, I think 2 meals in, it paid for itself.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We found TIW used to work out for us (family of 4, two 5 day trips). But over time, as we stopped eating many TS meals on property, that it did not work out anymore. That being said we have three trips this time, including one in a studio, so we bought TIW again. Taking full advantage including V&A while they still accept it

The best thing to do is run the numbers based on how and where you eat.

Didn't V&A quit accepting the TIW last year? We were unable to use it in Dec. at V&A. Sure wish we could have though! That was a $1200 bill!

 

[Anna114]

Didn't V&A quit accepting the TIW last year? We were unable to use it in Dec. at V&A. Sure wish we could have though! That was a $1200 bill!

Holy smoke please tell me that was for more then 2 people?

 

[bumbershoot]

Didn't V&A quit accepting the TIW last year? We were unable to use it in Dec. at V&A. Sure wish we could have though! That was a $1200 bill!

No not yet. But there are restrictions; it's listed in this way: "Victoria & Albert’s (excluding the Chef'ss Table & Queen Victoria's Room)".

Also:

"Block-out dates for Tables in Wonderland are Mothers Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day."

Either could be the reason for it not being accepted for your particular reservation.

According to allears: "Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will no longer offer the Tables in Wonderland discount as of August 1, 2014."


ETA: WOW do things look different on mobile TIW site and mobile Dis app when copy/pasting! Who knew that an apostrophe would come across as "’"?

 

[dianeschlicht]

No not yet. But there are restrictions; it's listed in this way: "Victoria & Albert’s (excluding the Chef’s Table & Queen Victoria’s Room)".

Also:

"Block-out dates for Tables in Wonderland are Mothers Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day."

Either could be the reason for it not being accepted for your particular reservation.

According to allears: "Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will no longer offer the Tables in Wonderland discount as of August 1, 2014."

Okay, so that's why we couldn't use it there. We did the Chef's table. WELL worth the cost though, and I will do that again if I get t he chance!

 

[bumbershoot]

Okay, so that's why we couldn't use it there. We did the Chef's table. WELL worth the cost though, and I will do that again if I get t he chance!

I've heard it's amazing.

It's too bad, however, that the server didn't explain to you fully why you couldn't use it.