Treating our TIW as an attraction

[peabody58]

So a few weeks ago we started our AP Year which includes 24 possible park days and ends with a family GTG. We picked up the TIW (our 3rd since joining DVC) but only had 2 TS pre-booked. By the end of our 5 night stay we had used the TIW 6 times including Flame-Tree-BBQ and TOTWL. The 'savings' were a modest $58 for the week, but we're off to a good start. Looking for TS possibilities the night before was an enjoyable awakening to the endless possibilities at WDW.

With our pre-planning for our Dec, Jan and May trips, we have decided to book at least a TS experience every day, do TOTWL again, and treat the different TS's as an attraction unto themselves. DW is working very hard to lose weight (65 lbs so far), and frankly both of us are not really big foodies or into exotic spices. So the selection process has been a combination of menu study, logistics. TS ambiance and culinary diversities. We do enjoy our libations and the TIW is certainly helping on that front. I'm looking forward to trying some dining venues we have never eaten at, such as Flying Fish & Nine Dragons as well as our favorites - The Plaza, San Angle Inn and The Wave (IMO, best breakfast buffett on site).

Our check-in day used to include a 2-3 hr grocery run (we drive to WDW) at tourist trap expensive Publix where we always over bought. This last trip I shopped at home, brought a small cooler and only needed to get a 1/2 gal of milk at the Contemporary Market. We used that saved time instead for a park visit. By the end of the AP Year, I am confident that we will come out ahead of doing OOP w/DVC/AP discounts (which are pretty nice also).

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[DGsAtBLT]

So it’s our first time having AP and TIW, and I swear I didn’t believe people who said those two would be burning a whole in our pocket in no time. We’re going down with solid meal plans already, I said. We live in Canada, it’s too costly to pop in for spontaneous trips, I said.

On our first visit down we ended up adding a whole spontaneous signature dinner in addition to the one we already had (because we could, lol), ordering way more apps, desserts, and drinks than we thought we would, and I’m already trying to figure out how to sneak a third trip in. Oops. Totally get what you’re talking about though