Tables in Wonderland. . . To buy or not to buy?

[nzdisneymom]

We got ours two weekends ago when I came with some girlfriends - we used it at every meal we had and saved the four of us the cost of the card in one weekend

So now we'll just keep using it with our family throughout the remaining year's time! I like that you can apply it to your whole party.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Have to ask but, can you get your DVC discount and your TIW discount?

As with every discount I've ever encountered anywhere....the policy is always "one at a time".

 

[Brandis]

And, the DVC discount usually is only for breakfast and/or lunch, TIW can be used for dinner as well.

 

[gchiker]

You've already paid for the annual pass. Now you have the flexibility to come and go through multiple parks. Why not enjoy the flexibility of not having to count your entres, etc. Order whatever you want and get the discount.

While at WDW, we don't visit parks every day of every trip. Sometimes we will shop in the malls in the am and spend the afternoon at the pool. We will walk to Epcot from Stormalong Bay and have lunch. Then it's back to the pool. It's wonderful not to have to count admissions. It makes the entire vacation more enjoyable. The cost of the TIW card is recouped rapidly, especially when you bring the family.s

 

[poohj80]

We tried the DDP once and went right back to TiW. TiW is SO much easier than counting credits and having to make sure everything is done right at every meal (we had SO many problems). We're TiW from now on!

 

[toocherie]

could someone explain the free valet you get with TiW?

I would have assumed that if you were having a meal at a resort you would have gotten that anyway (other than a tip of course)

 

[erionm]

could someone explain the free valet you get with TiW?

I would have assumed that if you were having a meal at a resort you would have gotten that anyway (other than a tip of course)

You have to dine at a restaurant and use the TiW card for the discount on that meal to get free valet parking.

Resort valet services are complimentary to members, for the sole purpose of dining. This privilege will only be extended to one vehicle per membership card. Present your membership card with a valid dining receipt at the Valet Stand upon retrieving your vehicle.

 

[krikiter]

... when I did a recent comparison between the delux DDP and whether I would've used my TiW, there was no savings buying the Delux DDP and I would have done better with the TiW discount...

Thanks for mentioning the DxDP specifically. I was going to ask if TiW still wins out. I've used DxDP in the past (and loved it). But now we're in the process of buying our first contract, which will likely lead to an AP and the TiW card. Nice to hear that the numbers work out in favor of TiW (not to mention the increased convenience; counting credits can be a hassle).

 

[papertraveller]

We have done the dining plan, the deluxe as well -- and now we're converts to TIW. Our DD is now considered an adult for the DDP purposes, but not for her appetite. So it's far better for us to be able to order what we want (and like many PPs we are appetizer people), and have the drinks included before that discount is applied.

We made back the cost of the card on our last trip. We have more planned, and will be ahead of the game on every count. It's definitely working for us.

 

[mybabesuz]

I LOVE that TIW card- and they have recently added some restaurants that don't accept DDP- like Blue Zoo, Shula's, Kimonas,Paradiso 37....plus they have always included Disney restaurants not on the DDP like Bistro de Paris and V&A's. As many others have said, we ADORE appetizers and rarely do dessert, plus we like cocktails and wine with dinner...and before and after dinner , so it really helps us save then, too.

Good luck with your decision!

Adding..."at the restaurants that participate".

Gotta check the list!

Where is the official list? I can't seem to find it...

I am still crunching numbers to see if it will work best for us.
Last year Teppan Edo and one other place was not on the list, forget which one, so we decided against it.
With 3 children still under 10, and doing many Character Meals, I think we come out slightly better with the DDP though.
I know once they reach adult meal age the TIW will definitely be a better deal.

 

[erionm]

Here's the most current list of restaurants participating in Tables in Wonderland.

Disney's All-Star Movies Resort – World Premiere Food Court
Disney's All-Star Music Resort – Intermission Food Court
Disney's All-Star Sports Resort – End Zone Food Court
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge – Boma - The Flavors of Africa, Jiko - The Cooking Place, Sanaa, Victoria Falls
Disney's Beach Club Resort – Beaches & Cream Soda Shop (excludes take-out shop), Cape May Cafe, Martha's Vineyard Lounge
Disney's BoardWalk – Belle Vue Lounge, Big River Grille & Brewing Works, ESPN® Club, Flying Fish Cafe, Kouzzina by Cat Cora
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort – Shutters at Old Port Royale
Disney's Contemporary Resort – California Grill, Chef Mickey's, Outer Rim, The Wave
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort – Maya Grill
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground – Crockett's Tavern, Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (9:30 p.m. show only), Trail's End Restaurant (Excludes take out shop)
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – 1900 Park Fare, Citricos, Garden View Tea Room, Grand Floridian Cafe, Mizner's Lounge, Narcoossee's, Victoria & Albert's (excludes Chef's Table and Queen Victoria Room)
Disney's Old Key West Resort – Olivia's Cafe
Disney's Osprey Ridge Golf Course – Sand Trap Bar & Grill
Disney's Polynesian Resort – 'Ohana, Kona Cafe, Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (Late show only), Tambu Lounge
Disney's Pop Century Resort – Everything Pop Shopping and Dining (excludes merchandise from shop)
Disney's Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter - Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory, Scat Cat's Club
Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside - Boatwright's Dining Hall, River Roost
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort – The Artist's Palette, The Turf Club Bar & Grill; Turf Club Lounge
Disney's Vero Beach Resort – The Green Cabin Room, Shutter's, Sonya's (Excludes Sunday Brunch)
Disney's Wilderness Lodge – Artist Point, Territory Lounge, Whispering Canyon Cafe
Disney's Yacht Club Resort – Ale and Compass Lounge, Captain's Grille, Crews Cup Lounge, Yachtsman Steakhouse
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort – Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Kimonos, Shula's Steak House, Todd English's bluezoo, Garden Grove

Magic Kingdom® Park – Cinderella's Royal Table, Liberty Tree Tavern, The Crystal Palace, The Plaza Restaurant, Tony's Town Square Restaurant
Epcot® – Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, Biergarten Restaurant, Bistro de Paris, Chefs de France, Coral Reef Restaurant, Le Cellier Steakhouse, Nine Dragons Restaurant, Restaurant Marrakesh, Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room, San Angel Inn Restaurante, The Garden Grill Restaurant, Tokyo Dining, Tutto Italia Ristorante, Via Napoli
Disney's Hollywood Studios™ – 50's Prime Time Cafe, Hollywood & Vine, Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Tune-In Lounge
Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park – Flame Tree Barbeque, Pizzafari, Restaurantosaurus, Tusker House Restaurant
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® – Marketplace - Cap'n Jack's Restaurant, Fulton's Crab House
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® – Pleasure Island – Paradiso 37, Portobello, Raglan Road" Irish Pub and Restaurant
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® – West side – Bongo's Cuban Café, House Of Blues® (Excludes Sunday Brunch), Planet Hollywood®, Wolfgang Puck Café
ESPN Wide World of Sports® Complex – ESPN Wide World of Sports® Grill

 

[babster462]

I bought the TIW card on our last visit in September and it paid for itself on that trip!! We had a dinner for the whole family at Whispering Canyons Cafe that cost over $300 so we saved over $60 on that meal alone! I also like that you can eat what you want when you want and get your discount. Also they honored it in the Artist's Palate at SSR. We used it not only for meals but to buy pop, chips, snacks etc and got the 20% discount there too. We were there for 5 days and have 3 more trips planned before it expires since it lasts 13 months from date of purchase. The dining plan is going up in price and when you factor in the tips it is just not the bargain it was in the past.

 

[MyK9Bites]

Mine just expired the few times we used it, it was great. We just didn't use it that much. Most likely will hold off on renewing or getting it again until the kids get older.

 

[dmoore22]

Ditto to all the pluses mentioned in the previous posts. We usually get three or more trips out of our card so it more than pays for itself. Last Christmas we ate at Tony's. After being given our menus the CM apologized and gave us a different one. He told us he gave us the DDP menu by mistake. Apparently the DDP menu, at least at Tony's, only lists those items allowed by DDP. TIW is unlimited.

 

[wcpamotm]

Here's another vote for TIW.
Even with just two adults, we saved enough for it to pay for itself on the first trip, and we had/have two more trips (plus a weekend in Vero Beach) to use it after that.

As for the DDP: on the one trip we had it, there was an incident (nobody's fault but my own) that left me in the wrong frame of mind for 50sPT later. I knew it, but no way could we cancel, because where else could we use a dining credit on such short notice?

 

[deedisneydream97]

We just returned from a 4 night stay at BLT, followed by a 2 night stay at BWV. Since our accomodations were not linked, we used TIW for our BLT stay, but decided to try the DxDP for the two night stay (it was only the two of us). We love to "snack around the world" during the food & wine festival. Even though we used a "2fer" for Yachtsman Steak House, I feel we spent too much time getting to different restaurants. And I REALLY didn't need dessert in addition to appetizer and entree. We ended up barely touching our last meal.....just too much eating.

Haven't really crunched the numbers yet....but my own preference is to use the TIW. We are doing another split reservation next fall, but the two day stay will be in the beginning. DH wants to do the DxDP again....but I see it's going up in price. We need to do our homework. I, too, really like the flexibility of the TIW card. And didn't know that about the free valet parking (which used to be a nice DVC perk).

 

[peabody58]

We got the TIW card in Sept along with our AP's. We have 4 trips (22 days) planned in a 1 year period, so we will make our money back. We eat in the villa's for breakfast and an occasional meal. It's nice to be able to go to a TS and get the 20% off everything - we do like a drink or too.

Now on a different take - after our APs expire in 9/11, we will convert to our once a year WDW trips, and we won't be getting APs and hence can't get a TIW. I really wish they would make TIW available to all DVC members regardless of AP purchase.

Maybe I'll need to better plan the once a year trip to both fall in a 1 year time from.

 

[DopeyDave]

To recoup the $75 cost of the TiW card, you would need to spend $375 pre-discount on food and beverages.

I just bought the TIW card on our trip 12 days ago, and we recouped the cost in about 3 meals!! There were five adults in our party. And we have two more trips to WDW planned in the next 12 months!!

Don't forget, the TIW card also works in lounges if you just stop in for drinks!! (Try that with your DDP!)

 

[Jerry@dvcstore]

I have the Tables in Wonderland and love it. It allows free Valet parking at the resorts and great discounts on food and drinks. I feel it's well worth it.

 

[Mom B]

TIW is good at Vero Beach restaurants...? Can I purchase it at the front desk there since we will be at Vero before our next WDW trip?

And it's good at V&A's too? I definitely have to reconsider the annual pass thing, wasn't sure it would be worth it, but sounds like a dynamite combination!