TIW vs dining plan for a large group??? HELP

[PEANUT1]

HI all...we are travelling in January with 5 adults and 3 kids (2 under 3 years old) We are all staying at the treehouses. Would you do TIW or dining plan. My conern with the dining plan is that with all of those people..it can get a little confusing. My husband and I are well versed in the dining plan but my in laws haven't ever used it.

I did a cost comparison for where we will be eating...and it seems that the cost will be about the same whether we use the dining plan or TIW..TIW is about 80$ more..but that is because of the cost of the card which we can use another time.

My other issue is that we don't plan to eat EVERY meal with the family...so is it wrong that we will get the discount and they will not while we are separated. We will be buying the card on our own. Getting 2 cards is not an option for us as it does not seem to be a good deal for us.

We will be eating at
Crystal Palace
Tusker House
Le Cellier
Coral Reef
Marakesh
Cat Cora (sp?)
Mama Melrose.


What would you do???

 

[wdwnut]

Hi: We've never used the dining plan, but do make use of our TIW card. It has always paid for itself by the end of one trip with a larger group. We had a group of 19 there last October, and it was almost paid for by the end of one meal together.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Just know that everyone will have the same dining plan on their card if you are all staying in the same treehouse. So, unless they are educated on the plan, they could use up all the snack credits or counter service credits and not realize that they used up the group's credits.

Now if you have separate tree houses, then only the people in your treehouse will have their credits pooled on your KTTW.

 

[DenLo]

I really prefer the DP, however, when a group is all on the same reservation that would be difficult to keep track of all the CS and TS meals and snacks. I think to make it simple I'd suggest the TIW but explain to the adults the option of the DP and how you all would have to work together. The real problem with DP for a group is when some would have 2 TS meals and others would not. Also if a second TIW card is needed someone else in the group could buy it for their own use.

Good luck!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I really prefer the DP, however, when a group is all on the same reservation that would be difficult to keep track of all the CS and TS meals and snacks. I think to make it simple I'd suggest the TIW but explain to the adults the option of the DP and how you all would have to work together. The real problem with DP for a group is when some would have 2 TS meals and others would not. Also if a second TIW card is needed someone else in the group could buy it for their own use.

Good luck!

To purchase the TIW card, one of the other guests would either have to have an annual pass or be a FL resident.

 

[anonymousegirl]

While I am not "anti-DP" per se, it has never worked out for me financially. I have the TiW card and it pays for itself without one visit, and I go three-four times a year.

The DP always seems to me to be very confusing and has the potential for lots of problems/hassles, such as if you are doing a split stay, or having ppl coming in for half the time...

Plus, unless your kids eat like trunk drivers, it is hard, I feel, to get good value from their meal plans. My neice eats like a bird, and even my two nephews who are more robust eaters tend to leave food on their plates, thanks to the overly large portion sizes prevalent in America today. With the TiW card, they can split a child's portion and still have room for a split dessert.

The DP seems to work for some, just never has for me.

 

[disneynutz]

January is under the 2010 plan. Did you factor in the season and the price increase?

If you did, then I say use the DDP. Show the In-laws how the plan works with your first couple of meals and provide them with the DDP brochure. Get a print out of your credit usage every couple of days just to double check on their usage.

 

[ACDSNY]

I've used the DDP for our groups of 6-9 and it worked out great, but that was when the plan covered everything including tip. This will be our first year under the reduced plan. If we were AP holders I'd probably go with the TIW card.

 

[ToddyLu]

We did the DDP last Dec with my parents. My Dad is a penny pincher (aka 72 yr.old depression era). We got the plan at 40% off which to us and the way DH and I eat was a no brainer. They loved it...we stayed at Pop and for breakfast they would get the breakfast platter, juice or milk, cinnimon bun or danish and they coffee in the refillable mug. I only planned out the TS meals and Mama didn't have to worry about my Dad gripping about the cost of food. Best compliment in my adult life.....my Dad said "now this is the only way to 'do' Disney". Loved it.

This Oct we are going for our first DVC trip us in a studio and MIL and BIL in a studio. Both with DDP. My DH and his brother really know how to enjoy a meal (as do I). We are planning on Ca Grill, Brown Derby, etc. so the DDP will work for us. It was only $720 for 2 people in each studio. We have spent upwards of $1000, just DH and me, eating at Disney on our yearly trips. I think even at the new price it is a good deal for us in 2010. I explained to my MIL how much food there was and she agreed that BIL would like it, too. It is their first time on the plan. Have a great trip.

 

[PEANUT1]

January is under the 2010 plan. Did you factor in the season and the price increase?

If you did, then I say use the DDP. Show the In-laws how the plan works with your first couple of meals and provide them with the DDP brochure. Get a print out of your credit usage every couple of days just to double check on their usage.

what do you mean?? yes the new price of 41.99 per adult is what i used.

We have an annual pass so we can get the card just fine.
I am thinking now that I really want to use the TIW but hubby is insistant on dining plan because he thinks it will give us more "freedom"...ie not being tied to the rest of the family for every meal. If we get the card, then we have to eat all of our meals together so that they can get the discount too...I say let them pay full price for a couple of meals honestly, I think the inlaws are a little clueless soemtimes about things and they will not "get" the dining plan...my friend who used it last time used a counter service for a yogurt parfait...I was like WHAT????

 

[rentayenta]

I am unsure what the TIW card is but we did the DDP with another family (party of 10) total and it did get a little confusing because we didn't have every meal together or eat the same amount of snacks at the same time. After about 3 days, we threw caution to the wind and pooled our credits. Nobody got or felt ripped off.

 

[Deb & Bill]

what do you mean?? yes the new price of 41.99 per adult is what i used.

We have an annual pass so we can get the card just fine.
I am thinking now that I really want to use the TIW but hubby is insistant on dining plan because he thinks it will give us more "freedom"...ie not being tied to the rest of the family for every meal. If we get the card, then we have to eat all of our meals together so that they can get the discount too...I say let them pay full price for a couple of meals honestly, I think the inlaws are a little clueless soemtimes about things and they will not "get" the dining plan...my friend who used it last time used a counter service for a yogurt parfait...I was like WHAT????

Is everyone staying with you in the THV? Or do they have their own lodging?

 

[DebbieB]

what do you mean?? yes the new price of 41.99 per adult is what i used.

During peak periods, it is $46.99 for CRO packages. It has not been established if DVC members will be charged the peak rate.

 

[PEANUT1]

Deb and Bill...we are in one treehouse.

Debbie...I was confused because I didn't think January would be peak.

 

[castleri]

Other than price are there any other changes to the 2010 DDP?

 

[PEANUT1]

no, I don't believe so...the basic plan is the same.