sell me on tables in woderland

[BuckeyeBama]

between four trips, equaling 24 days, I think we can spend $750 that's on $32ish per day...even if we are using the dining we absolutely spend that in adult beverages each day...try not to judge us, my job is awful so I vacation hard!

We drive, so less drinking for us at WDW. But our bar bill on a cruise is over $1k just for my wife and I, so I get it.

Sounds like it will be worth it for you. Enjoy!

 

[mousegear]

Just like many stated that for the first time in many years, I won't be purchasing TIW this year due to great AP discounts on many restaurants. With AP's we usually go for 3~4 weeks out of the year and TIW is great savings even though I don't usually have alcoholic beverages. We tend to dine two TS places/day so it was no brainer to get TIW. I could usually get the value out after one trip but this year, with AP discounts, I kinds of see it as it doesn't save as much and we are spending $150 extra. I know that some of the places, it's only 10% discount to 20% with TIW but it's only extra 10% with TIW. Once the AP discounts are done, I might consider getting TIW.

 

[kboo]

The AP discount is 10% for both those restaurants so your "profit" is only 10%. Plus you gamed the system by paying for your friends.

How is this gaming the system? TiW covers up to 10 people in the dining party and doesn't allow you to split the bill. By your logic any time we ate with friends we *shouldn't* be allowed to use the TiW?

 

[robinb]

How is this gaming the system? TiW covers up to 10 people in the dining party and doesn't allow you to split the bill. By your logic any time we ate with friends we *shouldn't* be allowed to use the TiW?

You used a loophole. Hey, that's OK with me. I'm not the TIW police but bragging that you broke even on your friend's part of the bill is disingenuous.

 

[AngiTN]

You used a loophole. Hey, that's OK with me. I'm not the TIW police but bragging that you broke even on your friend's part of the bill is disingenuous.

It's not a loophole or even skirting the rules. There is no requirement that a TiW is only to be used on a bill that is paid out of the pocket of the TiW card holder. The TiW holder has to pay the bill at the restaurant. What that person does to recoup the money spent is not controlled by TiW folks or Disney.

 

[robinb]

It's not a loophole or even skirting the rules. There is no requirement that a TiW is only to be used on a bill that is paid out of the pocket of the TiW card holder. The TiW holder has to pay the bill at the restaurant. What that person does to recoup the money spent is not controlled by TiW folks or Disney.

No, Disney cannot control what she does after she pays the bill. The loophole is that she is obeying the "letter of the law" and not the "spirit of the law" by paying for the meal and having her friends pay her back. Disney put the TIW payment rules in for a reason and she is circumventing them. Which again, is totally just fine with me. I am no rule stickler. I'm just pointing out that she broke even on a loophole that most of us can't or won't be able to duplicate.

 

[bumbershoot]

The only issues we've found were having to have one person (the card owner) pay the check, however, with the advent of online banking apps and the ease of transferring money these days it wasn't that big of a hoop to jump through for us.

People can also buy giftcards to pay if they aren't the ones on the card but want to help with the bill.

You used a loophole. Hey, that's OK with me. I'm not the TIW police but bragging that you broke even on your friend's part of the bill is disingenuous.

Loophole? It's good for 10 people. It's part of the purpose of the card, not a loophole.

Not sure how she was bragging, nor how the word disingenuos applies to what she said.

I'm just pointing out that she broke even on a loophole that most of us can't or won't be able to duplicate.

Many people go to Disney with friends and extended family and have those people pay them back. Many people can and will duplicate it.

 

[wrlippert]

We had back to back trips where we had dinner with another family at Akershus (total of 5 adults and 3 kids), and another time where we had 6 adults for a grownup dinner at California Grille. We used our TiW card and had our friends just pay us back. It was totally worth it for those two dinners alone.

It has been a while, but I have dinned with others with my TIW card and we paid the bill using two credit cards asking for $x.xx to be put on one card and the balance on the other. That way, no one had to pay the other party back.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We were just in DW in march and bought another TIW card, our third, as DVC members. We will go back one or two more times before it expires and we eat dinner only at signature restaurants and usually get a bottle of wine with dinner. Also we go to a few lounges and get a discount on our drinks there too. For us it definitely pays off. However, if it goes up in price again, we probably wouldn't buy it. The BOATHOUSE AT DISNEY springs does not take TIW but they do discount with the DVC card. Also, we were st artist point a few weeks ago with another couple, used our TIW card on the total dinner and then split the bill with their credit card and ours. It wasn't a problem at all.

 

[marikujawa]

People can also buy giftcards to pay if they aren't the ones on the card but want to help with the bill.



Loophole? It's good for 10 people. It's part of the purpose of the card, not a loophole.

Not sure how she was bragging, nor how the word disingenuos applies to what she said.



Many people go to Disney with friends and extended family and have those people pay them back. Many people can and will duplicate it.

It's not exploiting a loophole, gaming the system or violating a made up spirit of the law.

 

[smcabee]

We've had TIW cards for a few years > but I noticed that after TIW changed to include tip and not leave that option up to you
that I was less than thrilled with our service. To the point a few times I did not use the card. Service always ask about discounts, and meal plans at start of meal. Seemed when then knew we where locked in > we barely saw a few of the waiters etc.. . Of course not all > but enough to not get the card since last year and no plan to do it in the future.

Dont tell them you have it until you pay. Also, if the service was bad enough that would warrant a decrease in tip, if you discuss with the manager of the restaurant at the time of service they will adjust your tip.

 

[marikujawa]

We've had TIW cards for a few years > but I noticed that after TIW changed to include tip and not leave that option up to you
that I was less than thrilled with our service. To the point a few times I did not use the card. Service always ask about discounts, and meal plans at start of meal. Seemed when then knew we where locked in > we barely saw a few of the waiters etc.. . Of course not all > but enough to not get the card since last year and no plan to do it in the future.

That's interesting. We've had the card for several years and have never had a server ask about discounts prior to the meal. They do always ask if we are on any type of meal plan. I'm not doubting that you were in fact asked about discounts - it might make sense just to avoid the situation where the diner is mistaken about whether a discount applies. It's just never happened to us, and we're pretty frequent visitors.

 

[GoofysNCCrew]

WE have four trips planned for this year. A couple we have the dining plan for and a couple we don't. Is tables in wonderland worth it. We do have cocktails at every meal. If we are using dining credits, may I still use my tables in wonderland card for the drinks we get?

I have TIW as well as every other card I know of that carries a discount. Whether TIW works for you is based on how many days you're there, how much alcohol you might buy, what restaurants etc. Being DVC purchasing TIW makes $750 our break even point which isn't hard to reach with over 30 days of visits within a year. Since I get discounts with AP, DVC, Disney Visa as well as TIW I like to use the app Mouse Perks. It lets me know which card gives me which discount where for dining or shopping. I just check it so I'll know which card to play. Just remember AP 20% isn't a given beyond Fall.

 

[DoubleDown7]

Ok...quick question. My family and I are AP holders and we are traveling with another family in three weeks that aren't. With the new AP discounts I cannot get the math to work in our favor for TiW. If I use it with the other family though (and we do normally have a drink or two per person with our meal) TiW will pay for itself.

Will the restaurant provide us two checks and then allow me to pay both bills? We just thought that'll be easier bookkeeping. Nightly the family will Venmo money to me and it would be super easy to use their check as our guide rather then breaking out a calculator and figuring it out that way.

 

[Ceryssa]

This year the AP discounts are significant enough that TiW is not worth it for us. Generally it is a great value if you are taking multiple trips and not using the DDP.

Those additional discounts are only through September though right? I was all excited until I saw that...our trip isn't til October :/

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Those additional discounts are only through September though right? I was all excited until I saw that...our trip isn't til October :/

You are correct - the benefits lasted for one year, and the last date is 9/30/17.

 

[wrlippert]

Ok...quick question. My family and I are AP holders and we are traveling with another family in three weeks that aren't. With the new AP discounts I cannot get the math to work in our favor for TiW. If I use it with the other family though (and we do normally have a drink or two per person with our meal) TiW will pay for itself.

Will the restaurant provide us two checks and then allow me to pay both bills? We just thought that'll be easier bookkeeping. Nightly the family will Venmo money to me and it would be super easy to use their check as our guide rather then breaking out a calculator and figuring it out that way.

I believe that you can only get a single bill. They will allow split payments with two cards or card and cash.

 

[barbliny]

Ok...quick question. My family and I are AP holders and we are traveling with another family in three weeks that aren't. With the new AP discounts I cannot get the math to work in our favor for TiW. If I use it with the other family though (and we do normally have a drink or two per person with our meal) TiW will pay for itself.

Will the restaurant provide us two checks and then allow me to pay both bills? We just thought that'll be easier bookkeeping. Nightly the family will Venmo money to me and it would be super easy to use their check as our guide rather then breaking out a calculator and figuring it out that way.

If relying on the AP discount ...

AP dining discounts are good for the passholder and up to 3 guests. I do not know if it is like TiW, where if there are 2 TiW holders at the table the allowable discounted guests doubles. Maybe one bill for passholder 1 and passholder 2? But, that still requires some sorting things out since the passholders are all in your family.

This is our first year with an AP, and we are only traveling with 4 - maybe someone with more AP dining experience can give more info on the AP discount and large dining groups.

 

[TheRealDrDisney]

Sounds like we might be different than most of you, but we like the TiW because we love to valet park at Disney Springs or the hotels when we visit for dinner/shopping/whatever.

Even if we're just out shopping or looking at Christmas decorations or whatever, as long as you have a single TiW purchase on a receipt the valet service is complimentary.

At 20-25 bucks a pop, it works out for us in no time. Plus we get to stop for a cold one and enjoy that as well at a discount.

Yes, you do tip the valet of course, but even with that, the savings pile up quickly!

We do occasionally bring friends with us though, now I'm concerned I'm gaming the system by allowing them to exit the car with us at the valet stand... ;-)

 

[Dean Marino]

We love our TIW..... We've had one for the last 10 years running.

But I'm not going to "sell" anyone. TIW value depends on personal choices of Restaurants, number of guests, and (forbidden subject) - whether or not you tip.

TIW has a great website at...

http://tablesinwonderland.com/

Here, they list benefits, participating restaurants, and rules of use. The card MAY or MAY NOT fit your personal choices.