TIW Question

[Chellymouse]

DH and I are breaking free from the DDP and are looking at the TIW card. I know it's $75 but how long is the card useful? Does it have to be renewed annually or once you have it, you have it. The vast majority of restaurants that we will be visiting are on the card so it's worth it to have it. Also, is the gratuity automatically added or is that just for large parties?
TIA!!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The TIW card is issued for approx a 13 months period. ie, our card we bought in Dec. 08 has an expiration in Jan 2010.

The gratuity is automatic no matter the size of the group.

 

[erionm]

There is no price break for renewals on the TiW card.

 

[Chellymouse]

Thank you! We were wondering if it's really worth it or not. We will get 2 trips out of it though if we do purchase it in Oct. Has anyone purchased it and not found it to be worth it?

 

[disneynutz]

We don't really like the idea of a forced tip. Tipping 18% for mediocre or bad service and tipping 18% at buffets are not our norm. You can get a manager to override the amount of the tip, but it is awkward and time consuming.

We also don't appreciate the way that the dining receipts are printed. Even though the tip is included in your total, the receipts are still printed as if you need to add the tip. A Server told us that getting double tipped is not uncommon.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We don't really like the idea of a forced tip. Tipping 18% for mediocre or bad service and tipping 18% at buffets are not our norm. You can get a manager to override the amount of the tip, but it is awkward and time consuming.

We also don't appreciate the way that the dining receipts are printed. Even though the tip is included in your total, the receipts are still printed as if you need to add the tip. A Server told us that getting double tipped is not uncommon.

Bill

Unless service is very poor we always tip in the 20% range but I would agree about the buffets. We also don't, and probably wouldn't eat at them with the TIW card but I also wouldn't stress over it if we did.

And as far as the receipt - that's very common where the tip is already included. Very few if any systems produce a different receipt and some people like to up the tip to a full 20% (see above). To not have a space for an additional tip would be very unfair to the servers. If people actually reviewed their receipts they would see the tip even if they weren't already aware of it. I'm always amazed at how many people just hand over a card without seeing if it's even their bill!

All in all we find the TIW card a better fit for us than the dining plan and we save money with it.

 

[RobDoc]

Thank you! We were wondering if it's really worth it or not. We will get 2 trips out of it though if we do purchase it in Oct. Has anyone purchased it and not found it to be worth it?

You are "ahead" with the TiW card after $375 in meals. We have had it for a number of years now (going back to when it was the Disney Dining Experience) and have really found it beneficial. Since it includes alcoholic beverages, it's pretty easy to get to the $375 level, even if there are only two on the check.

If you will be going for two trips over the 13 month duration of the card, be sure to estimate the cost of your dining and compare that against the DVC discounts already in place to see if the card will truly benefit your family. For us (DW and myself), it has certainly been worthwhile.

As noted, the 18% gratuity is added regardless of the size of the group, but it is a very easy way to save a few $$$.

Enjoy!

 

[dmoore22]

Thank you! We were wondering if it's really worth it or not. We will get 2 trips out of it though if we do purchase it in Oct. Has anyone purchased it and not found it to be worth it?

We've been using TIW going back to when it was originally the Disney Dining Experience. Each year we've considered the DDP but, so far, have found TIW to be a better deal for us. After each trip we add our dining costs and compare it to what it would have cost for the DDP. If you exclude tips and alcohol our costs using TIW have been significantly cheaper than it would have been with DDP. Including tips and alcohol TIW was about $50 cheaper than DDP. That's without factoring in the tips and alcohol expense in addition to the cost for DDP. We manage to get at least two trips out of each card.

 

[RobPickles]

My DW and I are going down with our new addition (will be 8 months when we go) this July/August.

We have done the DDP and OOP and were considering doing the TiW this time around. Last trip the OOP expense was more than the DDP, even with trying to be good and with buying groceries for the room.

Can you use the TiW inconjunction with the DDP? For example, if you buy additional appetizers or drinks can you use the TiW for that and still use the DDP for your meals?

 

[Disneypubgal]

My DW and I are going down with our new addition (will be 8 months when we go) this July/August.

We have done the DDP and OOP and were considering doing the TiW this time around. Last trip the OOP expense was more than the DDP, even with trying to be good and with buying groceries for the room.

Can you use the TiW inconjunction with the DDP? For example, if you buy additional appetizers or drinks can you use the TiW for that and still use the DDP for your meals?

We just did this!

 

[dizfan]

We really like TIW. Gives us more flexibility than DDP.

Now that we're DVC members, we plan 2 trips within 12 months. This lets us buy an AP and get the TIW. We spend the price for the first trip, the second we don't have to pay for tickets and save on food.

We made sure to show DVC support for Top of the World Lounge at BLT and the 20% savings was very nice.

DVCNews is reporting more restaurants were just added for the 2010 TIW discount.

Epcot®: Tokyo Dining Location Only (Not Teppan Edo)
Disney’s BoardWalk Resort: Kouzzina by Cat Cora (formerly Spoodles)
Disney’s Wide World of Sports: ESPN® Sports Cafe
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® Marketplace: Fulton’s Crab House
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® Pleasure Island: Portobello
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® West Side: House of Blues®, Wolfgang Puck® Cafe
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort: Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Kimonos, Shula’s Steak House, Todd English’s bluezoo

DW informed me last night that we'll be going to at least two and possibly more of these restaurants in October.

 

[clc053103]

We really like TIW. Gives us more flexibility than DDP.

Now that we're DVC members, we plan 2 trips within 12 months. This lets us buy an AP and get the TIW. We spend the price for the first trip, the second we don't have to pay for tickets and save on food.

We made sure to show DVC support for Top of the World Lounge at BLT and the 20% savings was very nice.

DVCNews is reporting more restaurants were just added for the 2010 TIW discount.

Epcot®: Tokyo Dining Location Only (Not Teppan Edo)
Disney’s BoardWalk Resort: Kouzzina by Cat Cora (formerly Spoodles)
Disney’s Wide World of Sports: ESPN® Sports Cafe
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® Marketplace: Fulton’s Crab House
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® Pleasure Island: Portobello
DOWNTOWN DISNEY® West Side: House of Blues®, Wolfgang Puck® Cafe
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort: Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Kimonos, Shula’s Steak House, Todd English’s bluezoo

DW informed me last night that we'll be going to at least two and possibly more of these restaurants in October.

TIW works at Top of the World Lounge?? Wow, the card will pay itself in our evening drinks alone!

 

[Anal Annie]

Thank you! We were wondering if it's really worth it or not. We will get 2 trips out of it though if we do purchase it in Oct. Has anyone purchased it and not found it to be worth it?

I have mixed feelings on it. We had it a couple of years ago when it was still the DDE card. I found for a family of only 3 who doesn't ALWAYS eat TS meals every day & for a DS who still prefers Mac & Cheese to steak it was a push to break even. And that was back when it was only $65 to buy it.

YES, it was nice that all those Cosmos at Boma were included...BUT that was $20 or so that I probably wouldn't have spent otherwise! I think being that it is a discount percentage it is more beneficial for larger families / groups. I also found it a chore to plan to only dine at places that took it. It also is not accepted for the Fantasmic package and that is often one of our 3 or 4 TS meals that we do over a weeks time. It took us one 7 n trip and one 4 n trip to finally "make" our $65 spent. We finally got ahead on it on a 3 n trip but only used it twice so it ended up only really saving us probably $75 - so just $10 over what we paid for it.

This year, the price went up and we did not get it because for our first trip this year we had ADR's at T-Rex and Wolfgang Puck's - neither of which take it but both offer a 10% discount on entrees for AP's & DVC. On our next trip we had ADR's at Tusker House, Tony's and San Angel Inn. We decided that for FREE we would again just take the DVC or AP 10% discount where we could at these places. We would just never spend $375 at these 3 restaurants for the the 3 of us. And it wasn't like we couldn't the the 10% I already mentioned. On our next trip we are going to Mama's for the Fantasmic Pkg (so it wouldn't be accepted) as well as Restaurant Marrakesh, Sanaa & Rainforest Cafe. Of those remaining 3 it would only be accepted at 2. I still think even if we DID have it from the start of our first trip we'd have had a stretch to break even since we couldn't use it at all of our restaurants. Neither of us typically order the most expensive things on the menus nor do we order appetizers & desserts...and I don't NORMALLY order drinks out (they're just too weak).

I think you really have to study the list of participating restaurants and consider your families own eating habits. If you eat outside of the list very much or if don't ALWAYS dine at TS restaurants & don't NORMALLY run up a high bar tab at dinner and if you're a smaller family it may or may not be a good deal for you.

 

[dmoore22]

I think you really have to study the list of participating restaurants and consider your families own eating habits. If you eat outside of the list very much or if don't ALWAYS dine at TS restaurants & don't NORMALLY run up a high bar tab at dinner and if you're a smaller family it may or may not be a good deal for you.

Excellent point. I don't know if we would participate in TIW if we only made one trip to WDW within a year. We have be fortunate that most of the TS restaurants we enjoy do participate in TIW, plus those added for 2010 have enhanced its value for us. On the flip side we have noticed that when we have our kids with us (older teens and young adults) the card has paid for itself by the end of the second day.

 

[franandaj]

For us, two adults no kids, the TIW worked out great for us this year. We had two trips planned within a four month period (1st Sept for F&W, 2nd in 4 DAYS!!!!!!). We bought annual passes and the TIW card. The DDP would never work for us because we like to order one 3-4 course dinner with wine pairings and split everything. Within 4 meals the card was paid for. On our upcoming trip, we have some expensive meals coming (offset by cooking in the room other nights) like Fulton's (which I was pleased to hear joined TIW in 2010, V&A's and CA Grill.

It all depends of how often you visit, how much you dine out, and probably if you order adult beverages at all as to whether or not the card works for you.

 

[lapeter]

Point on the "18%" tip. Last time I did the math, the 18% tip was based on the discounted (20%) bill. That tip is actually 15% of the full bill, before the discount. That seems fare to me.

 

[DenLo]

I'm a little confused as what I read elsewhere (Allears? or somewhere else?), it appeared that the TIW card has a calendar year live span. E.g. 2009 (January through December) or 2010 - January through December. Is it really just 13 months from when you buy it? I have searched the WDW website over and over again and can't find details regarding the TIW card (using the Dining Experience doesn't work either). Does any one know the website for TIW?

 

[BCV23]

I'm a little confused as what I read elsewhere (Allears? or somewhere else?), it appeared that the TIW card has a calendar year live span. E.g. 2009 (January through December) or 2010 - January through December. Is it really just 13 months from when you buy it? I have searched the WDW website over and over again and can't find details regarding the TIW card (using the Dining Experience doesn't work either). Does any one know the website for TIW?

Yes, it's really 13 month (plus) when you buy it. If you bought it today, it would expire Feb 28, 2011. At least that is how it has been working since buying it at the parks became possible.

Here's some DIS info on it although I didn't see expiration info:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm

I don't think there is a TiW website. If you already have an AP you can access some info about it on the Passholders site but the DIS or mousesavers are easier for me to use.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I'm a little confused as what I read elsewhere (Allears? or somewhere else?), it appeared that the TIW card has a calendar year live span. E.g. 2009 (January through December) or 2010 - January through December. Is it really just 13 months from when you buy it? I have searched the WDW website over and over again and can't find details regarding the TIW card (using the Dining Experience doesn't work either). Does any one know the website for TIW?

I got incorrect information in November when I tried to renew the TIW on the phone. I was told that since TIW was now for a calendar year, I would be better off waiting until I was at WDW to renew it. I did, and found that when I renewed it in December it was valid until the end of January, 2011, so not just for 12 months.

Bobbi

 

[Chellymouse]

Thanks for the replies everyone! DH and I have been doing the DDP, however, we are not pleased with the changes (no gratuity added, loss of appetizer or at least a choice between app and dessert). Our other beef is that alcohol isn't included and we do like to have a drink or two at certain meals. The other issue we have with DDP is that we generally order the most expensive things on the menu to make the plan worth it. While we aren't thrilled with the added gratuity (we generally tip better for better service and don't tip 18% at buffets either) but it seems like we will get more for our money with TIW.