Poll: Tables in Wonderland or Dining Plan?

[christianweecare]

I am interested to see how many of my fellow DVCer"s prefer the Tables in Wonderland card or the Disney Dining Plan. We are both DVC and AP holders so we are eligible for the Tables in Wonderland either way. We have always used the dining plan for DH & myself so everything will be paid for before we arrive. I'm trying to decide if this the best option for the two of us or should we try the TIW. We make multiple trips each year and always have ADRs. Which do you prefer and why, if you will.

 

[a742246]

I picked Tables in Wonderland, we usually have wine and appetizers with our dinner.

 

[Tink10]

Every trip, I toy with the idea of getting the dining plan (for convenience), but we aren't dessert eaters, so it just doesn't make sense. We love TIW because it includes adult beverages.

 

[graychef]

Multiple trips? I'd vote TiW. One trip? DDP.

 

[Dis-n-Pix]

Hello,

We are also DVC and AP holders. We have being using Tables in Wonderland for a number of years (when it was called the Disney Dining Experience). We have also tried Disney's dining plan once for our family (3 adults and 1 child).

We determined that we liked the TiW card better for it provides us flexibility with where and when we eat. The TiW card provides a 20% discount at most sit down restaurants and alcohol drinks at Disney World. However, the cost for the TiW card has been increasing and now has extend blackout dates for holidays.

We did not like the dining plan. First, you are basically prepaying for all your meals. So, you need to use the allotments given in the package or you will lose your money. The dining plan forces you to eat x meals/snacks etc each day. We felt the dining plan forced us to eat more than we wanted, and caused us to spend too much time worrying about how to best use our food credits.

My recommendation is for you to look at your family's eating habits and where you like to eat. Then determine which plan will save you money. We usually visit Disney 2 or more times a year for a period of about 6 days each, and determined (based on our eating habits) that the TiW card typically pays for itself at the end of our first trip. Then all our other trips the card provides savings on meals for no extra cost.

 

[OKW Lover]

I voted for TiW. Just be aware that TiW is only good for table service restaurants (and a very few quick service locations) and does have some exclusions/black out dates.

 

[CarolynFH]

It's TIW for us - as long as we're pretty sure we'll be spending at least $500 on covered meals during the 13 months it's good for (that's not usually a problem for us ). We usually eat one TS meal a day, almost never eat dessert, but do order appetizers/salads which DDP doesn't cover. We don't always drink adult beverages, but we like knowing that when we do, they're discounted as well. Also, we like paying only for what we eat/drink and not having to think about whether we're picking the cheapest item on the menu and therefore losing money!

 

[Brian Noble]

Multiple trips? I'd vote TiW. One trip? DDP.

I would say: "One trip? Cash."

We eat what, where, and when we want. We aren't the types to worry about menu pricing. If I want the steak, I'll order steak. Every trip---every single time---we spend less than or about the same as the "appropriate" DDP would cost. Usually, that's because we don't eat exactly the "right" number of TS and CS meals. But, even when we hit the number on the nose, cash still works out better because we inevitably mix in different kinds of restaurants. Some of those would have been good deals on the DDP, others not so much.

So, when you average it all out, DDP wouldn't save me money. Perhaps even more importantly, I don't always eat the "right" way. For example, I will often have an appetizer and entree at a TS meal, waiting to have something sweet later that night from the confectionary, etc. Cash is more flexible than DDP credits, because you can buy anything with cash.

If you have more than one trip in your TIW window, the TIW probably saves you some money. But, less than you think. People think of it as 20%, but the card costs $100. So, if your non-discounted bill is $1500 over the lifetime of the TIW, you save $200, not $300, for a discount rate of 13%. As a DVC member, some of those meals would have been discounted 10% (or more) anyway, pushing the marginal savings even lower.

 

[Dis-n-Pix]

Also, when using the TiW card there is an automatic 18% gratuity placed on the bill. However, the 18% gratuity can be reduced or eliminated by asking for a manager.

 

[Hollymom1229]

We did the DDP back in the day when it included an appetizer and the tip, then it was more of a deal, but still way too much food for us and too regimented. Then they raised the price and took away the appetizer and tip, just not a good value any more.

We have been using TIW for years and it works great for us. We like our adult beverages with our meals, we tend to do 2 or more signature meals a trip, and we've been known to order two appetizers for a meal with no dessert. TIW offers us the flexibility to eat the way we are comfortable with while saving money. On a 10 day trip DH and I will easily spend the requisite $500 to recoup our costs. If we do more than one trip in a year the savings become quite significant.

 

[MsTessP]

The tip of 18% is really not a factor - unless you would not be tipping anyway.

There are only two of us - with some guests joining us for some of our sit-down meals. In a 13 month period, it is normal for us to have up to 4 4-day weekends. I know we would spend well over $500 in that timeframe.

Something else to consider: TIW is not offered to the general public, unlike DDP. Even with the $100 cost upfront, it appears that Disney does not make the same amount of money on TIW and, therefore, only offers it to "elite" groups such as AP holders and DVC members. I consider this program to be a real perk of membership.

 

[dsnydaddy]

DDP worked out to be a break even proposition for us. And then only when we eat desserts all the time which we don't. I actually saved money by not doing the DDP. I hadn't actually done the math so thanks to Brian Noble, I can see that it's really only a modest discount. And not even that if you don't really spend a lot on food (i.e. eat in room and do a lot of CS) Probably won't bother with either in the future.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My husband doesn't drink. And I might have a glass of wine. So the discount on adult beverages isn't a big deal.

We like dessert when we are on vacation.

But we end up looking at where we want to eat and what we might get, then decide on the dining plan at that time.

 

[NARM Forever]

I've only got one trip planned but will be there for two weeks and have three other guests beside my family of four. I'm trying to decide whether the TIW would be worth it for us. In terms of food it probably isn't because most of the restaurants we're going to have a 10% DVC discount. Its the drinks that might tip it over the edge Anyone have any advice.

NARM

 

[iamdaisyduck]

DDP has gotten incredibly expensive. When it first started years ago it was well worth it now, not so much, it is nice for convenience and to not have to walk around with cash. TIW isn't really worth it either unless you drink. Cash with DVC/AP/Disney Visa discounts is the best option of all.

 

[a742246]

If you don't drink, have a late lunch, the DVC and AP discounts may be all you need!

 

[NARM Forever]

Just worked out that I only have to drink 42 drinks to make it worth it

 

[OKW Lover]

I've only got one trip planned but will be there for two weeks and have three other guests beside my family of four. I'm trying to decide whether the TIW would be worth it for us. In terms of food it probably isn't because most of the restaurants we're going to have a 10% DVC discount. Its the drinks that might tip it over the edge Anyone have any advice.

NARM

If you are just going to restaurants that offer a DVC discount then its probably better for you to pass on the TiW.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Check the black out dates on the TIW card. That's why we aren't getting one this year. And we don't do the dining plan. You didn't have NEITHER on your poll.

 

[sweatandsteel]

I voted for TIW even though we have never used it but are looking at it for our trip in October. Because we eat at so many restaurants that require 2 table service credits with the dining plan, we have paid cash the last couple of years and come out better. With a lot of the better restaurants going to 2 table service credits, DDP doesn't pay off for us.