Poll: Tables in Wonderland or Dining Plan?

[luckyman_apd]

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

This is an excellent point. I HATE when people point out the automatic 18% gratuity. Unless you are a cheap person, everyone tips the server....don't get me started on the buffet vs table (we worked our buffet server pretty good at Cape May Cafe...more so than any other sit down we had that trip). If anything....the TiW saves me 2% on the tip, as we are 20% tippers usually.

Sure TiW cost $100, but we made that up in a 3 day weekend. Cape May Cafe....Spirit of Aloha Luau, A TOWL visit after the Luau, Breakfast on the Boardwalk at Trattorias, and lunch at Big River Grill. The savings on those meals was more than the $100 purchase. So now our trip in June will be all savings on the TiW card. The first time we purchased TiW, I was able to use it at Victoria & Alberts for our 10 year anniversary....That meal alone paid for the card. That was a one time deal unless I win the lottery

I never realized how many of the Epcot World Showcase restaurants gave DVC discounts....But even then, you are still getting an extra 10% over the DVC discount.

 

[JasonLaura]

Why is there no dvc discount for the dining plan

 

[OKW Lover]

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.

For anybody considering purchasing TiW, here are the current blackout dates directly from the TiW website, which also has a list of all the places TiW is valid.

Validity Dates:

**Victoria& Albert’s will honor Tables in Wonderland discount through July 31st, 2014. As of August 1st, 2014 the restaurant will no longer participate in Tables in Wonderland.

*Beginning August 1st 2014, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey’s, ‘Ohana (Dinner Only), Cinderella’s Royal Table, LeChefs de France, Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, and Le Cellier Steakhouse will be subject to the additional blockout weeks of: November 23-29, 2014; December 21-27, 2014; March 8-April 4, 2015; May 31-June 20, 2015.

Blockout dates for Tables in Wonderland are Mother’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Tables in Wonderland is valid for one year from date of purchase.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

We have done an analysis for the last 4 years comparing the dining plan, out of pocket and Tables in Wonderland and the dining plan is consistently the most expensive option.

It is best to look at the menus and do a comparison showing what you would most likely choose (realistically) without taking an included dessert (that you are still paying for) if you really do not want it. Also, to make the dining plan worth the cost and savings Disney promises, you have to eat the most expensive thing on every menu and finish your dessert, too. Many people do not eat like that when they are making food choices; they eat what they like, not what costs the most.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

Why is there no dvc discount for the dining plan

I have wondered that, too. Truly, the dining plan is not a real savings. I guess Disney feels that offering DVC members the TiW card is good enough.

 

[murphyjh]

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!

In figuring the spending required to justify a TIW card, you shouldn't count the discount as a full 20% since 5%,10%, or 15% discounts are available at many places. The value of the TIW is reduced by this amunt if you qualify for a different discount. Allears http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf , has a good list of discounts for AP, DVC, Visa, and TIW. An advantage for the AP discount is that it is recorded on your MB account so, if you charge to your room, you don't have to fish for a different card (The CMs should check for this automatically, but may not.).

 

[DenLo]

We do TIW, so far the increased blackout (as they call it) dates do not affect our travel dates. We sometimes can get three trips on the same card. We just do not eat the amount of food in the DDP. We often will get wine with dinner at a TS dinner so the TIW helps to offset the ridiculous prices that Disney charges for wine.

I have to admit that I was surprised that certain restaurants are blacked out during the end of May through the third week of June. So much for families traveling during a cheaper season.

 

[DenLo]

Why is there no dvc discount for the dining plan

Guests at Disney resorts that want the DDP have to buy park tickets, DVC members do not. That is the perk for DVC members.

 

[daisyx3]

We have done the dining plan in the past, most recently 2010. With four of us in 2012 we did not use anything. Last June with three of us we used TIW, used it again on our weekend in October, and will use it again (just DH and I) in April.
DH drove our daughter down for CP and the night before she could move in they stayed at All Stars. He took her to Kona and they also got free valet parking with TIW. That was $20 right there. Our June trip got us past $500 pretty quickly, esp. our anniversary dinner at California Grill.
We like appetizers and DH is NOT a dessert guy. Let's be honest, the lunch desserts are uniformly blah--chocolate cake, carrot cake, etc.
If nothiing else it's like not tipping plus saving another 2%. I pay our bills with Disney gift cards bought for 5% off at Target so I'm saving a little more. Would I do it if we only did one trip in a year (this year was an anomaly)? Maybe not. But I wouldn't go back to DDP.
The downside is blackouts--we are going to Shulas on Easter but everything is blacked out on Easter.
Daisyx3

 

[Dis-n-Pix]

This is an excellent point. I HATE when people point out the automatic 18% gratuity. Unless you are a cheap person, everyone tips the server....don't get me started on the buffet vs table (we worked our buffet server pretty good at Cape May Cafe...more so than any other sit down we had that trip). If anything....the TiW saves me 2% on the tip, as we are 20% tippers usually.

Since I was the one that brought up the 18% gratuity for TiW card, it was not to say that that one should not tip. I actually have at times add to the 18% TiW gratuity, instead it was to point out that TiW adds this to the bill automatically (which I feel is a another benefit or factor of having the TiW). However, if you feel the service was not deserving you can reduce it, which I have done once. Table servers at Disney World have told me they get less tips (percent and number wise) from those using the Dining Plan. Since these individuals seem to believe either the meal is free, so there is no basis to tip, or the Disney is providing the tip for the server.

 

[Geomom]

At this point, I feel that DDP is only worth it moneywise if you have 2 kids under age 10 and will be doing character meals with them. We last did the DDP when traveling with friends who wanted the 'prepay' option. Personally, we find it too much food--we don't need dessert at both lunch and dinner...certainly not 4 desserts! And we don't usually need to each get a snack every day. If we really wanted dessert at lunch, we'd probably get 1 or 2 and split them. Plus, you're still paying for any appetizers or alcoholic drinks you ordered--and you still have to tip as well.

We love TIW. We buy it every other year (just like our AP's). We usually get 2-3 trips out of it. We'll have a couple days around Thanksgiving we can't use it (on T-day and for the Candlelight Processional), but that's it for our blocked out days. We love that it takes 20% off alcohol as well!

Someone was asking about a DVC DDP discount--the only real discount I remember is that DVC DDP was the same price year round, while everyone else had to pay more at certain times of year.

 

[disneynutz]

Each vacation is different so a set answer won't work for us. Depending on what we feel like determines if we use either Disney add on, pay oop, and/or eat in the villa.

Bill

 

[nalajms]

If anything....the TiW saves me 2% on the tip, as we are 20% tippers usually.

It's more than that isn't it? I looked on our last bill. The tip was applied to the discounted bill, not the pre-TIW bill. So the 18% tip is closer to a 15% tip on the original. We feel bad that we tend to add a few more dollars, but because it's TiW, the extra tip is not always added in when you write it on the final check.

 

[supersnoop]

It's more than that isn't it? I looked on our last bill. The tip was applied to the discounted bill, not the pre-TIW bill. So the 18% tip is closer to a 15% tip on the original. We feel bad that we tend to add a few more dollars, but because it's TiW, the extra tip is not always added in when you write it on the final check.

The 18% should be calculated on the pre-discount total. I've confirmed that on my receipts in the past, since I thought I had heard the same thing you describe.

 

[Minniesgal]

The 18% should be calculated on the pre-discount total. I've confirmed that on my receipts in the past, since I thought I had heard the same thing you describe.

Yes you see correct however the tax is on the discounted amount.

 

[jillmc40]

I'm a tiw gal! Sometimes I only want salad and app. Sometimes we want a bunch of apps. Lots of times I stay off property. I have never done the ddp but once I thought about it and I was so stressed out I knew it wasn't for me! Plus we usually go 2-3 times in a year with the ap and tiw, and like others have said. We usually tip 20 so I like that it is included. Pardon my typos. I'm on the phone and my fingers are so cold I'm having a hard time

 

[VrBchJ]

I've had the TIW card for many years since it was called DDE. I tried the dining plan when it included appetizer and tip but it's gotten so expensive and it doesn't suit the way we like to eat. TIW is a better fit since we do lots of table service and almost always have a bottle of wine with dinner. I'd like to enjoy one of the TIW special events at some point but they don't announce them with enough time to arrange a trip that will coincide.

 

[MrsDuck]

We prefer TIW. DDP was just too much food.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We do not often drink wine with meals, but I prefer an appetizer to a dessert. Once you could not get an appetizer on the dining plan included, it stopped being good for us.

We do have a TIW card.

 

[WDWfeelslikehome]

We have been going with TIW(formerly DDE) for over five years now. We had done DDP in the past, but then as the price continued to increase and we found we weren't able to eat all of the food anyway, it was just not as good a deal for us.