Tables in Wonderland card - who can get one?

[Lincolnshire]

Can you only buy a TiW card if you have annual passes or are DVC members? It's hard for me to know if our next two trips will be within a year or not so I wasn't planning on APs. But I assume if you need an AP to get TiW, I could just get an AP for myself and regular tickets for the rest of our party, right?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I wouldn't be surprised if there were a Tables in Wonderland website with all that information.

 

[cluvsdisney]

Annual passholders, DVC members and Florida residents can purchase the TIW card. There is a website. Here is the link for you:

http://tablesinwonderland.com/

 

[Lincolnshire]

Very often there is a way to accomplish the same thing for less money that is not broadcast on the website - like renting DVC points to stay in deluxe hotels, for instance. If you want to rely exclusively on Disney's official info, I've found you spend much more than necessary. And, FWIW, it is not clear from the website whether there is any issue with having non-matching tickets for different members of the same family staying in the same room. You can't do that with dining plans - is there a similar issue (or another disadvantage) of doing this with tickets?

 

[cluvsdisney]

I"m sorry, I missed the part about non-matching tickets. Only one person has to have an AP. The TIW card has to be purchased by the annual passholder and must be the person who pays for the meal when the card was being used. I was trying to be helpful posting the link to the website but didn't realize it wouldn't answer all of your questions since I have found it useful for mine.

 

[Lincolnshire]

Thanks! I didn't mean to be snarky either - there's just a lot of conflicting info out there.

 

[Docmom]

Tables in Wonderland is a discount card, not a dining plan. As long as the cardholder is present it doesn't matter if your family's tickets are different or if you're even related for that matter. It discounts food and drinks (including alcoholic) 20% for your group (up to either 8 or 10). It does add an automatic 18% gratuity. As a PP stated, Florida residents, DVC members and AP holders are eligible to purchase it. Break even point is about $500. There are some black out dates on it now and the website will mention those. Benefit over the dining plan is flexibility. We're not big dessert eaters but will at times share an appetizer and we can do that at a discount with TIW. Also you can share a meal (other than buffets of course) which you can't do with the dining plan. You want to wait to activate it when you'll actually be using it and usually it's good for a year and a month (we got one December 2013 and it'll expire January 31, 2015). You don't have to pre-order as you can get it at guest relations and some ticket windows at the parks.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I think the OP is referring to the rules of booking a package (you must book a package reservation to get a dining plan). If you book a package reservation everyone listed must have identical package components - same tickets, same dining plan, so if one party member isn't staying as long as the others they are stuck with more tickets and dining plan than they need. Only DVC does not need to buy packages, so they can add a dining plan no matter what.

There is now the option to book a ticketless package with just the room and dining, but only by phone, not online. This will help with the ticket issue. AP holders could always book a ticketless package (and they can still book them online if they book via the WDW passholder site). This will not work on the free dining or Stay Play Dine promotions, as to qualify for those discounts you must book a package including a minimum ticket purchase (it's 2 day tickets right now for those).

Dining credits are pooled by room and not by guest - any guest registered in the room may use them (child's TS credits can be used only to purchase meals from a children's menu no matter who actually eats that meal).

As to who can buy a TIW membership, the above listing is correct and the cardholder must be at least 21 years old.

With a TIW it makes no difference who has what ticket. Once you are eligible to purchase the TIW you may apply that discount to anyone who dines with you (up to 9 additional guests). The two items to watch out for here is that according to TIW rules, all discounted meals must be on the same check, and the cardholder must pay that check.

 

[Cluelyss]

Can you only buy a TiW card if you have annual passes or are DVC members? It's hard for me to know if our next two trips will be within a year or not so I wasn't planning on APs. But I assume if you need an AP to get TiW, I could just get an AP for myself and regular tickets for the rest of our party, right?

That is exactly what I am planning to do, and yes, it can be done. The caveat here is that if you book through Disney direct, everyone on the ressie must have everything the same (tickets, dining, etc). So you would need to book a room-only reservation and would then just purchase the theme park tickets for the rest of your party separately. I'm assuming if you are using TIW you aren't getting a dining plan, but there is an option for room + DDP as another poster mentioned; you would just need to call for it.