Tables in Wonderland Questions

[malcontent]

I am considering purchasing the AP for myself and then going with TIW for our 11 day stay in August at the Swan. (DW and DD10 would just be getting the 10 day park hopper w/ water park option) The additional cost for me over the ticket would be 350.00, which means that in order to recoup that cost through the 20% discount, we would need to spend $1750.00 on dining. Based upon where we went and what we "spent" last year on the DlxDP, I think we would reach that.

My questions for TIW are as follows:

1. I realize that a 18% gratuity is automatically applied. Is it applied to the original amount on the check, or the discounted amount?

2. Is the tax applied to the 18% gratuity, or to the amount of the check before the gratuity is applied.

3. In the few quick serve places that accept TIW, do they automatically assess the 18% gratuity?

4. "Tables in Wonderland" is probably about the dumbest names they could have come up with. I realize this is not a question, but I just had to say it.

Thanks, and have a happy new year!

 

[plutolovr]

1. I realize that a 18% gratuity is automatically applied. Is it applied to the original amount on the check, or the discounted amount?

Gratuity is based on the non-discounted amount (as it should be).

2. Is the tax applied to the 18% gratuity, or to the amount of the check before the gratuity is applied.

Gratuity is not taxed.

3. In the few quick serve places that accept TIW, do they automatically assess the 18% gratuity?

No gratuity on Quick Serve.

4. "Tables in Wonderland" is probably about the dumbest names they could have come up with. I realize this is not a question, but I just had to say it.

Agree! I still call it Disney Dining Experience.

 

[ga9497]

I am considering purchasing the AP for myself and then going with TIW for our 11 day stay in August at the Swan. (DW and DD10 would just be getting the 10 day park hopper w/ water park option) The additional cost for me over the ticket would be 350.00, which means that in order to recoup that cost through the 20% discount, we would need to spend $1750.00 on dining. Based upon where we went and what we "spent" last year on the DlxDP, I think we would reach that.

My questions for TIW are as follows:

1. I realize that a 18% gratuity is automatically applied. Is it applied to the original amount on the check, or the discounted amount?

2. Is the tax applied to the 18% gratuity, or to the amount of the check before the gratuity is applied.

3. In the few quick serve places that accept TIW, do they automatically assess the 18% gratuity?

4. "Tables in Wonderland" is probably about the dumbest names they could have come up with. I realize this is not a question, but I just had to say it.

Thanks, and have a happy new year!

Just one quick note beside what the PP listed. The card isn't accepted at the restaurants in the Swan / Dolphin resorts and the only quick service places that accept them are the resorts that do not have a sit down restaurant option like the values and Port Orleans French Quarter. The only quick service location in a theme park that accepts the card is Flame Tree and Pizzafari at Animal Kingdom park. The lounge / bar areas of the resorts also take the card.

 

[doconeill]

Just one quick note beside what the PP listed. The card isn't accepted at the restaurants in the Swan / Dolphin resorts and the only quick service places that accept them are the resorts that do not have a sit down restaurant option like the values and Port Orleans French Quarter. The only quick service location in a theme park that accepts the card is Flame Tree and Pizzafari at Animal Kingdom park. The lounge / bar areas of the resorts also take the card.

There are only a handful of non-Disney O&O places that take it, if that many. All Ears has a great PDF file that lists discounts available for DVC, AP, and DDE/TIW holders. Note that the AP gets you some (but fewere, and usually lower) discounts, so your break-even calculations may need to factor that in.

Interestingly, DVC members get discounts at some of the S&D places, but not the big ones (I think we used to though).

Upgrading to an AP just to get a TIW card sure makes break-even tougher for three people - you must eat a lot of signature meals

 

[TDC Nala]

the only quick service places that accept them are the resorts that do not have a sit down restaurant option like the values and Port Orleans French Quarter.

The only quick service location in a theme park that accepts the card is Flame Tree and Pizzafari at Animal Kingdom park.

TIW is also accepted at Artist Palette at Saratoga Springs Resort, and at Restaurantosaurus at Animal Kingdom park.

Upgrading to an AP just to get a TIW card sure makes break-even tougher for three people - you must eat a lot of signature meals

This will depend on how often you travel and how much you eat at TS restaurants (or the participating CS) and whether or not you purchase alcoholic beverages. While I did not buy an AP just to get a TIW card (I have been an AP holder since September 2000), I am single and I buy a TIW (hate the name, too) card every year since they allowed AP holders to buy them - because I am there often enough for it to work. A once-a-year traveler who doesn't eat TS much won't do too well with it.

If your only reason to get the AP and TIW is for this one ten-day trip, and you want to recoup both the cost of the TIW membership and the extra cost for the AP in this one trip, then you are going to have trouble getting that cost back, especially if you are staying at the Swolphin and plan to eat there a lot. If you have any intention of making another trip during the year your AP will be good, it will make your odds better.

You can also use TIW for a discount at Victoria & Albert's if you eat in the main dining room - that discount alone could break even on a TIW membership.

If you want to use the TIW in a resort lounge, you can't at the Swolphin. But the Swan is a short hop from the Boardwalk, where it's good at the Bellevue Lounge, or the Yacht/Beach Clubs.

 

[doconeill]

TIW is also accepted at Artist Palette at Saratoga Springs Resort, and at Restaurantosaurus at Animal Kingdom park.

Artist's Palette is relatively new on the list I believe, breaking the "CS only at resorts without TS" rule.

This will depend on how often you travel and how much you eat at TS restaurants (or the participating CS) and whether or not you purchase alcoholic beverages. While I did not buy an AP just to get a TIW card (I have been an AP holder since September 2000), I am single and I buy a TIW (hate the name, too) card every year since they allowed AP holders to buy them - because I am there often enough for it to work. A once-a-year traveler who doesn't eat TS much won't do too well with it.

If your only reason to get the AP and TIW is for this one ten-day trip, and you want to recoup both the cost of the TIW membership and the extra cost for the AP in this one trip, then you are going to have trouble getting that cost back, especially if you are staying at the Swolphin and plan to eat there a lot. If you have any intention of making another trip during the year your AP will be good, it will make your odds better.

You can also use TIW for a discount at Victoria & Albert's if you eat in the main dining room - that discount alone could break even on a TIW membership.

I agree...I was referring to the OP getting an AP for this particular trip in order to get TIW. I get an AP if it makes sense for my travel pattern for the year, and get the TIW card on top of that. Since I would have the AP anyways, I only have to recoup the $60.

 

[ga9497]

TIW is also accepted at Artist Palette at Saratoga Springs Resort, and at Restaurantosaurus at Animal Kingdom park.

Thanks for pointing those out. I was going by memory and totally forgot those

 

[TDC Nala]

Artist's Palette is relatively new on the list I believe, breaking the "CS only at resorts without TS" rule.

When SSR opened, they did not have a TS restaurant. They added one recently. Artist Palette was not removed from the TIW list when Turf Club opened. Same happened with the AK counter services when Tusker House was remodeled to a TS - TIW is still good at the CS at AK, which were on the list in the first place because there was no TS restaurant at AK.

 

[doconeill]

When SSR opened, they did not have a TS restaurant. They added one recently. Artist Palette was not removed from the TIW list when Turf Club opened. Same happened with the AK counter services when Tusker House was remodeled to a TS - TIW is still good at the CS at AK, which were on the list in the first place because there was no TS restaurant at AK.

Hmm...I had a list without AP on it, but that could have been an error. I guess I could have saved a few bucks last year then...

AK now has both Tusker House and Y&Y as table service, but Y&Y does not take TIW (it is run by Landry's, which also does Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex, and they don't take it either). I'm guessing with only one TS choice they kept the CS options in place.

 

[TDC Nala]

I had an extremely long stay (for me) at SSR in September 2008 and used the TIW at Artist Palette often.

It's true that Y&Y doesn't take TIW but it still doesn't explain why they didn't remove Artist Palette because resorts with one TS don't include their CS.

 

[malcontent]

Gratuity is based on the non-discounted amount (as it should be).

Based upon this, I revised my "break even" point to dining expenditures of $2,065.00.

I still believe that the 3 of us could log this amount as a food expense over 11 days . . . maybe. However, based upon the replies I've received here, I also think it would be too much like work, especially since it would require us to spend over $2500.00 to see a savings of $100.00!!!

It's just that we are really going to miss DDP this year, since we will be staying at the Swan (which is "free" via SPG Rewards). I'd like to think there would be some way we could save on food as well . . . maybe I'm getting too greedy!