TIW or Dining Plan?

[sparkysfriends]

We will be arriving late afternoon on Sunday, 8/23 and staying until 8/29. We also have reservations for April 10-17, 2010. We are DVC members and with the DVC discount on Annual Passes it seems to make sense for us to get them for these two trips (too bad the extra 10% discount ends before our arrival!). Anyway, we are trying to decide which would be more economical, TIW or the Basic Dining Plan (not the Quick Service one). Also, how impossible do you think it will be to make our ADRs with the free dining taking place during our trip? Should we make them through DVC MS or Disney Dining?

Thanks.

 

[sparkysfriends]

bump

 

[TDC Nala]

Make them through Disney Dining as Member Services does not open until 9 AM and Disney Dining opens at 7.

If you want anything that's popular, call right at 7. Even then you might not get something in great demand like Le Cellier or a Fantasmic package.

 

[Golden Rose]

After several trips on the DDP, then (once it existed,) the DxDDP, we switched to using the TiW when we got APs in January. The TiW is definitely a good deal, particularly if you like to order alcohol with your meals. We're going to stick with the TiW as long as we stay eligible for it. It pays for itself in a single meal at V & A, which we particularly love.

 

[sparkysfriends]

Thanks for all the info. We do tend to like some of the "Signature" Restaurants, which is why I considered TIW in the first place. Does anyone know if any of the counter service restaurants are included on TIW?

 

[amandelba]

I've been running the numbers for what seems like years now. We already have the TiW card and used it for our last trip. After reviewing our proposed ADRs as well as our own eating habits - we enjoy 2 TS per day, plus I love appetizers and DW loves dessert - I concluded that the DxDP would save us a bunch of money, even before we factored in snacks (2 per person per night), over the TiW, so that's what we'll be doing this trip. Of course, we'll still use our TiW for any OOP expenses like drinks.

 

[TDC Nala]

Thanks for all the info. We do tend to like some of the "Signature" Restaurants, which is why I considered TIW in the first place. Does anyone know if any of the counter service restaurants are included on TIW?

Only nine CS accept TIW - the four value resort food courts, the POFQ food court, Artists Palette at SSR, and Flame Tree, Pizzafari and Restaurantosaurus at Animal Kingdom Park. That's it.