Our Own Dining Plan

[DisneyMomma81]

FYI ~ you can add $$ to an exsisting GC by calling ~DelivEARS 800-362-4533 *you give the CM your credit/debit card info and they mail you the receipt. Last time I did this *last month* the $$ was on the GC the next day.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

but, what is a TIW card? I know everyone is talking about GC's, and I know that abbreviation, but can't figure out TIW.

The Tables in Wonderland card, formerly known as DDE (Disney Dining Experience). We are Passholders so we can buy the card for around $70 and we save 20% on all of our TS meals, including alcohol. We saved just under $300 with the card on our recent trip, but we bought the card on our trip last December and used it enough on that trip that it had already paid for itself.

We knew we wouldn't save ANY money with the regular or Deluxe DDP because our DS14 still orders from the kid's menu. He just can't finish adult portions at TS places. But I hemmed and hawed about whether or not the QS DDP would be good for us. After our gift card experiment is was obvious that NONE of the dining plans work well for the way we eat at WDW. We come out WAAAAY ahead paying cash for all of our food and using the TiW card for TS meals.

I listed all of our food costs in my trip report. I think our CS was $625 and our TS was around $1500? We had dinner at Flying Fish twice, Citrico's, The Wave, Jiko, Sanaa, Tokyo Dining, Yak & Yeti, Wolfgang Puck's Cafe. Lunches at Sci Fi & The Plaza. Breakfast at Crystal Palace and Boma. (We were in Orlando for 15 nights - 14 nights at WDW and one at Universal.)

 

[disneymom3]

FYI ~ you can add $$ to an exsisting GC by calling ~DelivEARS 800-362-4533 *you give the CM your credit/debit card info and they mail you the receipt. Last time I did this *last month* the $$ was on the GC the next day.

I have to say I read that first as DEVIL-ears and I was rather worried.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I don't get it either.

DH and I set aside $400 cash JUST for food. We plan what/when/where (abouts) we will eat, and we do that. (Breakfast in the room, $10 lunch a person, $20 dinner a person, $10 snacks, etc.) and we stick with it. Some days we don't spend $10 on lunch, some days we only spend $10 on dinner... which means, towards the end of our trip, we get to spoil ourselves!

It's about setting limits and not diverting. You don't need a gift card to do that.

For me, it is about the change. I hate carrying change. It seems silly, but I swear it gets heavier the hotter it is outside.

We have gift cards. When those get used up, we will use our KTTK.

We used the KTTK last time with just a little bit of cash here and there.

I think it is pretty interesting to read about how everyone does this differently. I like learning new things. Thank you everyone.

 

[edk35]

It would be an interesting experiment to put the amount of money on a gift card that you would be paying for the dining plan and then eat the way you want to (i.e. appetizer and no dessert) and see if you have any money left over at the end of the trip.

Great idea......