Tables in wonderland

[ghester]

Dear campers this is what I posted on the dining board:


Hi all,I am over from the camping board. I wasnt sure where to post the question, but maybe this is the right place. We are going to purchase AP I am thinking of getting th TIW card. I saw that they charge 18% grat. Would this also apply at Cinderella's castle and the hoop de doo? Grat is already included in the price to dine at these two places. Just wondering because if grat is charged then we would not be getting a discount at these two places. Any info you have will be great. Y'all have a good day. Thanks Gina
__________________

I received one reply and then my thread was locked because using the word tipping is a no no Idid check the sticky thread that has pretty strict rules about what can and can not be asked I was hoping someone could confirm the reply that I did receive. That poster said I would not be charged another 18%grat if it is a restaurant that includes tip in meal price. Is that correct? Also if I make an ADR that requires a cc will our discount be applied at our meal. I will not actually have the TIW card until we get there. Long winded I know but any information will be great. Thanks have a good day, gina

 

[LarryJ]

Dear campers this is what I posted on the dining board:


Hi all,I am over from the camping board. I wasnt sure where to post the question, but maybe this is the right place. We are going to purchase AP I am thinking of getting th TIW card. I saw that they charge 18% grat. Would this also apply at Cinderella's castle and the hoop de doo? Grat is already included in the price to dine at these two places. Just wondering because if grat is charged then we would not be getting a discount at these two places. Any info you have will be great. Y'all have a good day. Thanks Gina
__________________

I received one reply and then my thread was locked because using the word tipping is a no no Idid check the sticky thread that has pretty strict rules about what can and can not be asked I was hoping someone could confirm the reply that I did receive. That poster said I would not be charged another 18%grat if it is a restaurant that includes tip in meal price. Is that correct? Also if I make an ADR that requires a cc will our discount be applied at our meal. I will not actually have the TIW card until we get there. Long winded I know but any information will be great. Thanks have a good day, gina

Ah yes I have info since we've been using the TIW and the predecessor for like 6 years and have used it twice at both the HDDR and CRT along with the Spirit of Aloha thing at the Poly. The TIW discount is good on all of thoses ( at least as of last year when we did HDDR and CRT), but get screwy for like CRT since you are paying for a picture in the price and the TIW discount doesn't apply to that so the credit won't make sense. Where gratuity is included the savings are significant since for 5 Adults last year the TIW saved us like $38 for the HDDR and just over $44 at CRT and I track this type of stuff just for my own information. Also the first time we got the TIW discount at CRT the waiter gave up a silly discount/gift type card instead of changing the prepaid credit card amount and we had to go to guest relations to turn in that card and get real money. Both the Spirit and HDDR were adjusted when we got either the tickets or checked in at the restaurant. This also appears to happen when using an AP discount on something like the Yuletide thing at EPCOT since you get some cheapo gift where the 15% AP discount only covers the tour.

OOPs I just checked and I'm now not sure if the TIW discount applies to the HDDR, but my records might be wrong but it is definitely good at CRT. However you can check either on line or calling and for the $75 or so and spending close to $1000 each time for two trips we have actually after tip costs that are included of around $50 per trip so the TIW for us is golden and saves up up to $200 per trip in tips alone.

It's also good for the TE take out and saves us like $4 on the gitty up and go chicken meal. Also always ask about AP discounts like at Fulton's, Yak and Yeti and RainForest cafe since they don't take TIW, but do take the AP.

Larry

 

[AuburnJen92]

You should have just stayed here and posted it....

When you use the card, they put the discount on AND the tip. So, you end up netting 2% in the end. Most of us normal people will add the extra 2% to make the tip 20% based on the service. However, I have ended my subscription to the card based on the lack of availability of table service on a moment's notice for this non-planner of dinner reservations. I am not one to be tied to a reservation for breakfast, lunch and dinner on my vacation. So, if the seat is not available in a modest amount of time while I am there, they get the big raspberry from me. I also have a problem with them tacking on that 18% when it is a buffet because the server really does not earn their keep in my opinion. However, that is only IMHO.

 

[ob1quixote]

Wish I could answer your question!

Wish I knew why you cant ask about tipping, or why your post was locked since you never used the word "tipping" in what I read above.

As much money as is spent at WDW, you'd think they could pay the help a good wage and still turn a tidy profit, and forget about the mandatory gratuities.

 

[kent285]

And, I believe I read somewhere that the TIW card can only be used during the last seating of HDD.

 

[LarryJ]

You should have just stayed here and posted it....

When you use the card, they put the discount on AND the tip. So, you end up netting 2% in the end. Most of us normal people will add the extra 2% to make the tip 20% based on the service. However, I have ended my subscription to the card based on the lack of availability of table service on a moment's notice for this non-planner of dinner reservations. I am not one to be tied to a reservation for breakfast, lunch and dinner on my vacation. So, if the seat is not available in a modest amount of time while I am there, they get the big raspberry from me. I also have a problem with them tacking on that 18% when it is a buffet because the server really does not earn their keep in my opinion. However, that is only IMHO.

That is just not true where the gratuity is included in the price of the ticket for at least the Spirit and CRT you get significant savings as I posted in my last post and the Spirit is even more since the gratuity is less than 18% in the actual cost for some reason. There are several CS that take the TIW like TE, Flame Tree in AK, Beaches and Cream and House of Blues in DTD, and I think a lot more of the CS places except the value food courts. The ones I have mentioned are the only ones I can confirm and have real data on.

If you spend more than about $500 a trip on sit down meals that 18% TIP adds up to over $90 and pays for itself just there and you don't have to mess with money or figuring out anything, just pay the 18% receipt and DONE.

Larry

 

[LarryJ]

And, I believe I read somewhere that the TIW card can only be used during the last seating of HDD.

AHHH I think that is correct since we always do the first seating since I'm usually asleep for the second sitting. Us old and ugly people need all the beauty sleep we can muster Very good observation and I'm about 99.99% sure the TIW is only good for the second seating and that's why I don't show it on my data sheet that I keep but thought it was covered somewhere.

Larry

 

[ghester]

You should have just stayed here and posted it....

Jen, That is exactly what I was thinking. Campers know everything anyway! That will likely be my last post to any other forum. Thanks for all the info guys. we are just trying to figure out how to save the most money.

 

[AuburnJen92]

You should have just stayed here and posted it....

Jen, That is exactly what I was thinking. Campers know everything anyway! That will likely be my last post to any other forum. Thanks for all the info guys. we are just trying to figure out how to save the most money.

Yes, and to thwart Larry, I gave a normal accounting of what normal people do during a table service meal. SO, I posted what normal people do during a normal situation. Now, we are all cognizant now of WWLD with the discounts using the card at each location with the current pricing schedule. I am sure he could forward you an excel file and such. I also happened to type this former post during the same time as said WWLD. So, Larry didn't read my post and I didn't read the OP, ok sue me. I do hope I helped ghester in the normal operations of the card, as Larry did with his wonderful renditions of the discount variations of Cinderella's castle and Hoop De Do, late version only.

 

[DaveInTN]

I think Jen has it right. At CRT, you get the discount off the cost of the meal, and they add in the gratuity, so the net is pretty close to the advertised cost of the meal.

Of course, I was too busy ogling Jasmine, so to be honest I'm not sure what they charged me.

 

[ghester]

Well I was just on the community camping board and go ahead CONVINCE ME to buy a TIW card Man I love the camping forum. It's good for helpful information and laughing my tail off. Seriously thanks for the info. I say campers are far more helpful then the other guys.

 

[BRDof3]

Well I was just on the community camping board and go ahead CONVINCE ME to buy a TIW card Man I love the camping forum. It's good for helpful information and laughing my tail off. Seriously thanks for the info. I say campers are far more helpful then the other guys.

And we're much better looking.

 

[AuburnJen92]

If the only thing you are going to use it for is just what you mentioned, I would skip it. JMHO

I stopped getting it after 10 years because we just don't use it anymore after the dining plan kicked in. I just don't see the need to plan my vacation around eating.

 

[AuburnJen92]

And we're much better looking.

well, most of us are...

(and by the way, my ears have stopped ringing now from our sons' conversation on skype!)

 

[clkelley]

Just an FYI - When we used TiW for CRT, it ended up being FREE!!

We booked the meal, paid full price for it on our credit card. When we departed from our meal, we presented our TiW card and our server gave us the receipt for the amount that would be credited back to our card.

That amount was credited to our card AND the next day, the remaining amount of the meal was credited to our card.

I have seen a couple of other people report this also.

Yep, and to the original poster, all tipping questions on the dining board are routed into one huge thread where you can't find ANY answers!!

But, to answer your original question, if the tip is already included in the price, then you are NOT charged a 2nd time for the tip when using TiW.

 

[LarryJ]

Just an FYI - When we used TiW for CRT, it ended up being FREE!!

We booked the meal, paid full price for it on our credit card. When we departed from our meal, we presented our TiW card and our server gave us the receipt for the amount that would be credited back to our card.

That amount was credited to our card AND the next day, the remaining amount of the meal was credited to our card.

I have seen a couple of other people report this also.

Yep, and to the original poster, all tipping questions on the dining board are routed into one huge thread where you can't find ANY answers!!

But, to answer your original question, if the tip is already included in the price, then you are NOT charged a 2nd time for the tip when using TiW.

Correct! In Dec 2007 two tickets for the Spirit of ALOHA was 119.98 undiscounted price and that included the tip. When we checked in they refunded that and then recharged us 98.87 and that included the tip so ignoring the tax since the cost was not broken out for the actual price of the meal, then the gratuity and finally the tax a real savings of 21.11 (which by my accounting is not a wash by any means, but a real in the pocket savings) would imply that the actual meal cost was around 105.55 with the other 14.43 being for gratuity and tax making the gratuity they think you should pay being way below the 20% that folks think they should leave or even the 18% that TIW is using. Last time I looked at this I figured that WDW was charging like 10 to 12% gratuity for these meals where the gratuity was automatically added to the cost of the meal. I find this telling when I see threads where what you should leave as a gratuity when Disney uses a percent way below what is often thrown out as what folks should leave.

Larry

 

[beccaewert]

Question: this is our first time being an ap holder, and was thinking about getting the TIW card...do you get both discounts at restaurants?

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Question: this is our first time being an ap holder, and was thinking about getting the TIW card...do you get both discounts at restaurants?

No. You cannot combine the discounts.

But the price of the TIW card itself is discounted for passholders.

TCD

 

[DaveInTN]

Just an FYI - When we used TiW for CRT, it ended up being FREE!!

We booked the meal, paid full price for it on our credit card. When we departed from our meal, we presented our TiW card and our server gave us the receipt for the amount that would be credited back to our card.

That amount was credited to our card AND the next day, the remaining amount of the meal was credited to our card.

I have seen a couple of other people report this also.

This happened to us once too!

 

[North7]

Just an FYI - When we used TiW for CRT, it ended up being FREE!!

We booked the meal, paid full price for it on our credit card. When we departed from our meal, we presented our TiW card and our server gave us the receipt for the amount that would be credited back to our card.

That amount was credited to our card AND the next day, the remaining amount of the meal was credited to our card.

The same thing happened when my wife and daughter went to CRT in August. My wife booked the reservation the first week in August and when she finished with the call, she realized she forgot to mention that she had the TIW card. She called back and they adjusted the price from $106.76 to $92.98 (about a 13% discount).

On the day they attended CRT, two credits were applied to the credit card... one for $3.25 and another for $89.73... these two amounts equal the $92.98 that was originally charged to the credit card. I have no idea what these two amounts represent, but the end result was a bonus