Tables in Wonderland Rant- Should I have this buyer's regret?

[sissy_ib]

We normally tip 15-20% anyhow. An average of 18%. If you don't tip then normally then no it is not a good deal, but why don't you tip??? I didn't keep all the numbers but we paid $100 for the TIW (Florida resident non-pass holder) and saved over $200. Making my true savings about $100. This was two adults in the course of 6 nights. Yes, we did MANY TS meals including V&A.

 

[vicki_c]

Just to recap:

The break-even point for an AP holder's TiW card = $375 (not $3750!!!).

The break-even point for a FL resident or DVC TiW card = $500.

There is no gratuity added at CS locations.

The card is good for over a year. It's not hard to hit the break-even point on even one trip, but if you can use it for 2 or more trips, for most families it's a great deal.

For my family of 4, a sit down dinner always runs us over $100 at Disney - often pushing $120-150 or so, depending on where. So 3-4 sit down dinners and we have broken even and everything after that is savings. We're doing CRT breakfast this trip and it costs $227 (!!!) for my family of 4. That alone is 60% of the break-even cost. And we've had our card since last April and this will be our 3rd trip using it.

As other said, not only is the OP's math hugely flawed, assuming only a 2% savings is true only if you don't tip at all.

But if you're not a family that uses TS locations very much, then no, it probably doesn't make any sense.

But not really a reason to vent if you didn't entirely understand what you were purchasing.

(PS - I might be wrong, but I don't think you can save any money on any of the member events - I don't think you get a discount off the published price of those events. That wouldn't make sense, since only TiW card holders can attend them.)

 

[eliza61]

I guess the problem for us is we won't do enough table service to recoup the $75.00. We absolutely tip at least 18% - maybe not at a bar but generally yes we'll tip between 15 - 20% at restaurants.

By the way, my claim was you have to spend $3750.00 not $375.00 on table service meals to recoup the $75.00.

Here's how I calculated it:

$3750.00 Food X 20% discount = $750.00, total discount which is a huge savings if you would spend the original $3750.00.

Spend $3750.00 Food X 18% on tips (which we would spend)= $675.00

so...

750.00 discount
-675.00 tips
__________

$75.00 cost of the pass for a Florida resident annual passholder

Is my math flawed?

Sorry Becky, yes you're math is flawed.

You've over calculated by approx. 10X.

 

[jcemom]

I do not understand why you're subtracting the added 18% tip and only coming up with a 2% savings?! If you would tip 18% anyway, that should not in any way figure in to your calculations.

 

[Allison]

Just to recap:

The break-even point for an AP holder's TiW card = $375 (not $3750!!!).

The break-even point for a FL resident or DVC TiW card = $500.

There is no gratuity added at CS locations.

The card is good for over a year. It's not hard to hit the break-even point on even one trip, but if you can use it for 2 or more trips, for most families it's a great deal.

For my family of 4, a sit down dinner always runs us over $100 at Disney - often pushing $120-150 or so, depending on where. So 3-4 sit down dinners and we have broken even and everything after that is savings. We're doing CRT breakfast this trip and it costs $227 (!!!) for my family of 4. That alone is 60% of the break-even cost. And we've had our card since last April and this will be our 3rd trip using it.

As other said, not only is the OP's math hugely flawed, assuming only a 2% savings is true only if you don't tip at all.

But if you're not a family that uses TS locations very much, then no, it probably doesn't make any sense.

But not really a reason to vent if you didn't entirely understand what you were purchasing.

(PS - I might be wrong, but I don't think you can save any money on any of the member events - I don't think you get a discount off the published price of those events. That wouldn't make sense, since only TiW card holders can attend them.)

Vicki summed it up very well.

 

[js]

You never tip when you have a meal?

Typically we tip 20-25%. If my tip was 20% and I used my TIW card at a sit down restaurant, I leave paying 2% less than if I DID NOT TIP. Since I would tip then I got 20% off my meal. I paid for my card after purchases of $375 in food and beverages. I can certainly do that in a year.

The card is worth it. With small kids do you not do character breakfasts?

Ditto. We tip 20% so 18% will be a savings to us too. My family of 4 and also my mother comes with us. We always eat at TS restaurants and usually a Signature or two so for 7-8 nights, we have drinks so most certainly spend $500 for the week, probably double. We can get the DVC discount.

 

[POOHsie]

I hope that you don't work in a hospital pharmacy! You're math is off by a power of 10!

Let's go with your dollar amount to begin with, and then compare the two.

Without the TiW card, you spend $3750 and save nothing. You also pay a 6.5% sales tax on the food ($243.75) and then, to keep things consistent, you also pay an 18% tip ($675). Total OOP = $4668.75

Now change that up and purchase a TiW card ($75-$100, depending on whether or not you have an AP). Then you purchase $3750 worth of food. With the 20% discount, you save $750 and your actual bill becomes $3000. You pay tax on that $3000, so your sales tax will be $195. And your tip will be calculated on the discounted amount ($540). Total OOP = $3810-$3835. That's a savings of $833.75-$858.75, after including the cost of the TiW card.

Clearly $3750 is not the break-even point.

The TIW 18% automatic tip is calculated on the full amount, not the discounted amount. Sales tax is calculated on the discounted amount. See Cheshire Figment's example above.

 

[dzneelvr]

We've been on the TiW card for many years and it is the perfect fit for our family: #1 we are not huge eaters, so the other "free" dining plans simply have too much food for us #2 there are no restrictions on what we can order #3 its ease of use and CMs seem to breathe a sigh of relief when we say our dining plan. Our family of 4 does only TS and resort, very few CS and an average trip we save hundreds of dollars because we time it to be effective over 2 trips per 12 months. If we could do more in those 12 months it would be even greater. I do the math each trip, as well, and it sure saves us a ton.

 

[bumbershoot]

They do not add the gratuity to counter service. I have used my TIW card many times at CS and never paid gratuity.

That's my experience as well.

 

[Couchy]

It is no secret that TIW adds an automatic gratuity

Even with it though there is still savings as soon as you spend $375...
DH and I bought the card when we went over Christmas. We already have saved $$ with that one trip. When we go in 10 days we will be saving at every meal

 

[jiminy14]

Don't forget that you also save the valet parking charge if you drive to the hotel to dine and park. On our last visit valet was $12, so if you use valet 6 times you will recoup your cost of the TIW.

 

[mmwalker]

If you eat at quick service - the entire 20% if off the check (no tip) so that is a savings that seems more straight forward and is not marred by the tip question. Although there are fewer choices for QS (mostly value resorts and AK), you will get a savings and depending on the length of our trip and the size of your party you can really save some money even without eating at many TS.

 

[Dacky619]

If you eat at quick service - the entire 20% if off the check (no tip) so that is a savings that seems more straight forward and is not marred by the tip question. Although there are fewer choices for QS (mostly value resorts and AK), you will get a savings and depending on the length of our trip and the size of your party you can really save some money even without eating at many TS.

This can be very true. We used our TIW on 4 trips, 2 summer vacations (DVC) and 2 loooong weekend trips we stayed at Pop/ASMusic. Just eating breakfast almost everyday and the occasional dinner at the resort added up to a big savings on our card.

 

[PatsMom]

We love our TIW card. We go to Disney 3 times a year. Sometimes just me and my husband, sometimes our grown daughter goes with us. We save way more than the card costs. Espcially because we like to have a drink or two with our meals! My husband likes a beer and I have tried the margaritas at most restaurants!

We normally tip 20% on the after tax total so tipping 18% is a real break for us. We don't really keep track of how much we save but we do agree on the $375 breakpoint - and that would be only a few meals. We do table service almost every day. And at least one signature dining experience each trip.

If you are going to do counter service, probably not worth it.

 

[taaren]

If you eat at quick service - the entire 20% if off the check (no tip) so that is a savings that seems more straight forward and is not marred by the tip question. Although there are fewer choices for QS (mostly value resorts and AK), you will get a savings and depending on the length of our trip and the size of your party you can really save some money even without eating at many TS.

Which QS is TIW good at? I'm contemplating TIW for our Dec trip, but it looks like with the 4-5 TS we have planned we would only break even on the DVC TIW for 3 people (though our friends will be eating with us most of the time I'm not sure it would be worth the extra trouble to have us pay, then figure out the cost for them to reimburse us for their savings).

If there were some QS we could use it at it might be worth it for us but I thought TIW was TS only?

 

[bumbershoot]

Which QS is TIW good at? I'm contemplating TIW for our Dec trip, but it looks like with the 4-5 TS we have planned we would only break even on the DVC TIW for 3 people (though our friends will be eating with us most of the time I'm not sure it would be worth the extra trouble to have us pay, then figure out the cost for them to reimburse us for their savings).

If there were some QS we could use it at it might be worth it for us but I thought TIW was TS only?

Value food courts, Sassagoula, Artist's Palette (something like that?), and the QS in Animal Kingdom. I think that's all. But there's now an official site, tablesinwonderland.com so you can check out what I missed there.

 

[Disneychix]

Value food courts, Sassagoula, Artist's Palette (something like that?), and the QS in Animal Kingdom. I think that's all. But there's now an official site, tablesinwonderland.com so you can check out what I missed there.

It's also good at the new QS at SSR-by the new pool -and at The Mara at AKL.

 

[SamSam]

Which QS is TIW good at? I'm contemplating TIW for our Dec trip, but it looks like with the 4-5 TS we have planned we would only break even on the DVC TIW for 3 people (though our friends will be eating with us most of the time I'm not sure it would be worth the extra trouble to have us pay, then figure out the cost for them to reimburse us for their savings).

If there were some QS we could use it at it might be worth it for us but I thought TIW was TS only?

When we traveled with another couple we still used our TIW card, although the staff cannot write up your order on 2 tickets, they can split the final bill between 2 credit cards.
For instance, say our bill was $160 for the 4 of us, we could put $80 on our credit card and $80 on our friends cc...or any split you want.

 

[dzorn]

It's also good at the new QS at SSR-by the new pool -and at The Mara at AKL.

Mara is not included on the list.

Denise in MI

 

[mountdew1]

OP, your math only works if you never tip. As pointed out already, the breakeven is at around $375, not $3750. Our last trip, a dinner at V&A paid for 2/3 of the card alone. Saving 20% on a $250 tab, is $50 savings.

It is NOT a good deal if you don't do table service. Very few counter service places are covered and they add the gratuity there anyway.

There is no gratuity added onto CS locations, just TS.

Which QS is TIW good at? I'm contemplating TIW for our Dec trip, but it looks like with the 4-5 TS we have planned we would only break even on the DVC TIW for 3 people (though our friends will be eating with us most of the time I'm not sure it would be worth the extra trouble to have us pay, then figure out the cost for them to reimburse us for their savings).

If there were some QS we could use it at it might be worth it for us but I thought TIW was TS only?

A good rule of thumb, if there is a TS location, they won't offer any discounts at the CS locations. The Values, POFQ, Artists Palette (the odd man out here) and the AK locations.

The card holder doesn't need to pay, they just need to be at the meal. So you could possibly trade off meals? You pay for one, they pay for the second. Or they just toss some cash on the table to cover their portion. That works as well.

Edit: The official rules do say that the card holder needs to pay. However, I haven't had that problem personally.