TiW question

[supersuperwendy]

Since we've been DVC we have always used DDP until earlier this year. For our next few trips we plan to use TiW. When does Disney apply surcharges to meal prices? It's never been a concern on DDP. We have a big family so the check totals are going to be high already...not sure I'd want to add another $4 per person.

 

[drusba]

Not sure what you mean by "surcharges." At table service and buffet restaurants, they automatically add an 18% gratuity, calculated based on the non-discounted total without tax, to the check. In other words, you are required to tip that amount even if you would rather not. Otherwise, they are no surcharges that I am aware of.

 

[supersuperwendy]

At certain times of year Disney adds a surcharge of a few bucks for several one price restaurants like the biergarten, Ohana etc. I was wondering if anyone knew when exactly and if they ever reconsidered tiw due to the surcharge.

 

[Chuck S]

I'm not sure when their "holiday" pricing starts. As far as I know it applies to buffet and character meals, not menu-order table service. I've really never been concerned, as very rarely eat at the buffets.

 

[hmillerbarilla]

I think all ears has the dates listed. if you look at a menu and it says that certain times a surcharge applies, it takes you to a page that you have to hunt around and find the actual dates.

I know it is pretty much all summer and Christmas/Spring Break times. I did all the figuring since we have TIW and usually do DDP as well. It all seems to break even for us. I like having TIW for alcohol and appetizers. The extra $4 didn't really make a big difference compared to paying for DDP. The nice thing about being DVC is you pay the lower DDP price when the DDP is higher during peak times. And I love having it prepaid (with DDP) and not "paying" a big dinner bill each night!!

Sounds like you've really done some research and are busy doing lots of disney math! so fun!

 

[supersuperwendy]

It looks like a lot of the places we are eating with the kids may be subject to the surcharge if our dates fall within the time frame. I think this trip we should be safe since it's early December. However, next summer we will most likely be affected and probably for Spring Break in 2013. I guess I need to think this over. The three older kids will all be over 10 years old starting with our next trip so "adults" on DDP. UGH....I hate the TiW vs. DDP debate going on in my head again.

 

[dmoore22]

It looks like a lot of the places we are eating with the kids may be subject to the surcharge if our dates fall within the time frame. I think this trip we should be safe since it's early December. However, next summer we will most likely be affected and probably for Spring Break in 2013. I guess I need to think this over. The three older kids will all be over 10 years old starting with our next trip so "adults" on DDP. UGH....I hate the TiW vs. DDP debate going on in my head again.

I feel your pain when it comes to this debate. In recent years TIW has won mainly because we started making multiple trips each year plus, often time my DW and I will split entrees. I don't have the hollow leg I had all those years ago. Plus we do enjoy our adult beverages.

 

[vicki_c]

I've seen posts on the dining board that in the last year or so, it's been almost impossible to really accurately figure out the peak dates, other than the DDP surcharge periods, and apparently they don't always align exactly with the cash surcharge dates. But using the peak DDP time frames is at least a good start.

You can guarantee summer, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving will be the higher prices.

 

[castleri]

We are doing a combination of Deluxe Dining Plan and TIW the next two trips. We have a couple of "must do meals" and it is going to work out better this way. They are not my "must do" choices but since the DGS want Chef Mickey and Coral Reef and DD wants Kona we have the DDP for one night which gives up dinner at Kona the first night breakfast at Chef Mickey's the next morning and then dinner at Coral Reef the second night. After that it is TIW or counter service places. In Dec it will be Princess lunch at Norway, dinner at Mexico and then the second night some will eat at Boma and some at Raglan Road. Since you can segment the DDP with DVC it gave us many more options. If you don't want to pay the surcharge and can work it out by segmenting your reservations you might try something similar.