Tables in Wonderland worth it?

[Kendallkat2]

I always purchased the Annual Pass Holder dining card. It used to be called the Dining Experience now it's call Tables in Wonderland. It now cost $75 for the year. Is all the discounts that are given to members listed on the DVC member website? Is Cape May Cafe (our favorite) one of the restaurants given a member discount? We also love Boma's.

We go to Disney World about 3-4 times a year and maybe eat at Disney World 3 times so I'm thinking is it really worth the $75 for just the 2 of us if we use member discounts?

Thanks, Beth

 

[hakepb]

Last month I got the discount with my DDE card (although the discount reads TIW. I bought my card a few months before the name change, same program, though) at Cape May. And last fall, Boma was included (and I beliieve it was listed on the print out I asked Guest Relations to print for me)
I think the "worth it" formula is generally stated to be: Will you use the card for at least $375 worth of dining?

That "break even" number may be higher, though, if you figure that you could take advantage of normal DVC and AP discounts..

FYI, TIW/DDE includes adding a mandatory 18% gratuity at Table Service locations (not added at the few counter service like SSR AP)

TIW also has the same holiday blackouts as DDE so you need to figure that into your calculations.

TIW is a just a discount card, just look at it from the math perspective.

 

[Tara]

I always purchased the Annual Pass Holder dining card. It used to be called the Dining Experience now it's call Tables in Wonderland. It now cost $75 for the year. Is all the discounts that are given to members listed on the DVC member website? Is Cape May Cafe (our favorite) one of the restaurants given a member discount? We also love Boma's.

We go to Disney World about 3-4 times a year and maybe eat at Disney World 3 times so I'm thinking is it really worth the $75 for just the 2 of us if we use member discounts?

Thanks, Beth

You eat at 3 restaurants per trip or per year? If it's 3 per trip, then probably. Assuming you ate dinner at Boma, Cape May and one other similar buffet, you'd save about $35 per trip using the card, which is good for 13 months. If you are eating at restaurants that also offer a DVC discount, you *might* do better with DVC on the ones that offer 20%, but even then TIW might work better if your order includes alcohol.

This lists all the discounts: http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

Right now the member site lists DVC discounts of:

RESORTS
10% Captain's Grille, Trail's End (breakfast & lunch only), ESPN Club (lunch only), Whispering Canyon Cafe (breakfast & lunch only), Spoodles (breakfast only), Olivia's

PARKS
Rainforest Cafe 10%
Yak & Yeti 10%
Tutto Italia 10%
Chefs de France 20% (lunch)
Coral Reef 10% (lunch)
Nine Dragons 20% (lunch)
Restaurant Marrakesh 20% (specials excluded)
San Angel Inn 10% (lunch)
Tomorrowland Noodle Station 10% (lunch)

DTD
Fulton's 20% (lunch) 10% (dinner) - alcohol excluded
Ghirardelli's 10%
McDonald's 20% off extra value meals
Portobello Yacht Club 20% (lunch), 10% (dinner) - alcohol excluded
Raglan Road 10% - alcohol excluded
House of Blues 20% (includes gospel brunch)
Planet Hollywood 10% - alcohol excluded

 

[Kendallkat2]

Thanks, we eat ~ 3 times per trip. so..........

3x3=9x an average of $10 per meal = $90 so save ~ $15. Worth it? I have to think about it. We do get discounts with DVC and annual pass. Right now I'm thinking not.

Beth

 

[Simba's Mom]

I posted a similar question-is it worth it?-recently, and the overwhelming responses I got told me to get the TIW card as soon as I can when I get to WDW in October. Since I want to use it at the resort resturant right away, can I buy it at the resort or do I have to make a special trip to one of the parks first? And if I have to go to the parks, can I buy it outside at the ticket window or do I have to go into the park? Sorry if I hijacked this thread for my question, but as you can see, from what I've been told YES, YES it's worth it!

 

[Simba's Mom]

You eat at 3 restaurants per trip or per year? If it's 3 per trip, then probably. Assuming you ate dinner at Boma, Cape May and one other similar buffet, you'd save about $35 per trip using the card, which is good for 13 months. If you are eating at restaurants that also offer a DVC discount, you *might* do better with DVC on the ones that offer 20%, but even then TIW might work better if your order includes alcohol.

This lists all the discounts: http://allears.net/din/dde.htm

Right now the member site lists DVC discounts of:

RESORTS
10% Captain's Grille, Trail's End (breakfast & lunch only), ESPN Club (lunch only), Whispering Canyon Cafe (breakfast & lunch only), Spoodles (breakfast only), Olivia's

PARKS
Rainforest Cafe 10%
Yak & Yeti 10%
Tutto Italia 10%
Chefs de France 20% (lunch)
Coral Reef 20% (lunch)
Nine Dragons 20% (lunch)
Restaurant Marrakesh 20% (specials excluded)
San Angel Inn 10% (lunch)
Tomorrowland Noodle Station 10% (lunch)

DTD
Fulton's 20% (lunch) 10% (dinner) - alcohol excluded
Ghirardelli's 10%
McDonald's 20% off extra value meals
Portobello Yacht Club 20% (lunch), 10% (dinner) - alcohol excluded
Raglan Road 10% - alcohol excluded
House of Blues 20% (includes gospel brunch)
Planet Hollywood 10% - alcohol excluded

Coral Reef must be a new one. I don't remember any DVC discount there before. However, I just checked the member's website and it's 10% for lunch. But at least it's a discount! Allears doesn't have it listed yet.

 

[mjf2wdw]

I bought my TIW at the MK outside the entrance on the right side of the park. I dont think you can get on at the resorts but Im not sure

 

[katmittens]

We bought ours at the Studios once inside the park. We bought it on Jan 2 and he put the expiration date of Feb 1, 2010 on it. It works out great for use this year on our Jan trip so I am getting two trips out of it. Usually if you buy it in the middle of the month they put the expiration at the end of the month of the following year. I heard if you buy it in the early part of the month you get an expiration in the middle of the month. This was a big help for us for our upcoming trip. We have bought it many times and feel it is worth it. Have a great trip.

 

[Tara]

Coral Reef must be a new one. I don't remember any DVC discount there before. However, I just checked the member's website and it's 10% for lunch. But at least it's a discount! Allears doesn't have it listed yet.

Corrected!

 

[Tara]

I posted a similar question-is it worth it?-recently, and the overwhelming responses I got told me to get the TIW card as soon as I can when I get to WDW in October. Since I want to use it at the resort resturant right away, can I buy it at the resort or do I have to make a special trip to one of the parks first? And if I have to go to the parks, can I buy it outside at the ticket window or do I have to go into the park? Sorry if I hijacked this thread for my question, but as you can see, from what I've been told YES, YES it's worth it!

It isn't sold at resorts, but you can order it ahead of time:

"Call the office at (407) 566-5858, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern, or email wdw.disney.dining.experience@disney.com"

 

[mom3sonstt]

We bought ours Downtown. We had to take our son over to activate is Annual Pass and got it there. We more than made our money back on it - I think we save and additional $60 - 70 on that trip alone. Everything we save this trip is above and beyond. I didn't go back and check how much we would have save with just our AP and DVC - but since DDE/TIW is 20% and is available at more meals and more restaurants I am sure we still came out ahead. There were 6 in our group - plus we had friends who came down during our trip, so each meal was at least 4 adults, sometimes 6 - we never had the friends and kids together at a place that would accept it - plus once our friends came down, the boys were off on their own.

 

[Marshay]

Thanks, we eat ~ 3 times per trip. so..........

3x3=9x an average of $10 per meal = $90 so save ~ $15. Worth it? I have to think about it. We do get discounts with DVC and annual pass. Right now I'm thinking not.

Beth

I'm very curious how you are only spending $10 for a table-service meal?? Some appetizers aren't even $10.

Are you by chance confusing a counter-service meal? The TIW card does not work at CS ... only for TS meals.

Sorry, if I'm the one confused by your math...just wanted to make sure what you meant by "$10 per meal".

 

[Marshay]

It isn't sold at resorts, but you can order it ahead of time:

"Call the office at (407) 566-5858, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern, or email wdw.disney.dining.experience@disney.com"

If you order this ahead of time, is it then mailed to you or do you pick up at Guest Services? Is the start date the date you pick it up or purchase date?

Thx!

 

[hakepb]

I'm very curious how you are only spending $10 for a table-service meal?? Some appetizers aren't even $10.

Are you by chance confusing a counter-service meal? The TIW card does not work at CS ... only for TS meals.

Sorry, if I'm the one confused by your math...just wanted to make sure what you meant by "$10 per meal".

There's a select few CS locations that accept TIW, but it is mostly resorts that do not have a TS (like Values) and AP at SSR is a holdover from the pre Turf Club days (when SSR did not have a TS). I cannot remember if any at DAK did or still do take the TIW. (DAK has so few TS locations..) But yes, buying TiW for CS is usually a losing proposition.

 

[Marshay]

There's a select few CS locations that accept TIW, but it is mostly resorts that do not have a TS (like Values) and AP at SSR is a holdover from the pre Turf Club days (when SSR did not have a TS). I cannot remember if any at DAK did or still do take the TIW. (DAK has so few TS locations..) But yes, buying TiW for CS is usually a losing proposition.

Ah, right! I forgot about those places w/o a TS since we don't even go there (except AK).

 

[kt-scarlett]

If you order this ahead of time, is it then mailed to you or do you pick up at Guest Services? Is the start date the date you pick it up or purchase date?

Thx!

I'm interested in this information too. We are not going until January and I would like to buy TiW while I have the cash. (aka pre-Christmas)

 

[GBBTomorrow]

You can have it mailed to your house if you do it ahead of time, but we picked ours up at Guest Services at DTD. Be sure to bring the confirmation number they give you. We picked up June 15th, and it expires 8/31/2010.

 

[Pardo714]

We paid $60 for ours in Feburary. We used it on our 10 day trip and already paid for it with the savings. We will use it again in Dec for added savings. For us it was worth it.

 

[vicki_c]

I'm very curious how you are only spending $10 for a table-service meal?? Some appetizers aren't even $10.

Are you by chance confusing a counter-service meal? The TIW card does not work at CS ... only for TS meals.

Sorry, if I'm the one confused by your math...just wanted to make sure what you meant by "$10 per meal".

I believe the OP was calculating her savings per meal at $10 in her calculations, that's how she got that she would be $15 ahead ($90 savings - $75 to buy the card), NOT the price of meals.

And TiW does work at a few CS places, but not many.

 

[CharmedLife]

Do you need to pre-order it and then pick it up when come down there, or can I just walk up to the booth outside MK when I get there and purchase it with my annual pass (which I also need to get at some point!).

Forgive me for also hijacking this thread, but it seems there are people "in the know" here who can help me out! This will be my first time with an AP and first time with TIW, and I'm trying to figure out how to go about getting both of them, I want to maximize how long they're valid for.

We are arriving for our visit to Bay Lake Tower on October 29. If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it!