Please help me understand Tables in Wonderland - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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If I have the dining plan and still want to use the TIW card for a few extra restaurants and for alcohol, how does that work? Will I be charged 18% gratuity on both the check for alcohol and for our dining plan meal? I've never purchased the TIW and need as much info as possible. It's either that or the Deluxe Dining Plan, but I think that will just be too much food. I have another question also. Can I use the TIW for any snacks or drinks at lounges?
If you think the DDP is too much food, then I would use the TIW discount.
IMHO, the only way I would use DDP is if it was a free offering during stay and then buy the TW. I wouldn't buy both.
I'm interested in seeing other replies.
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Karyn K.A.
Last edited by acidreignn; 02-18-2014 at 12:01 PM..
Reason: corrections
You can use the TiW card for the discount on items not covered by a dining plan. I believe that only the amount discounted by the TiW will have the automatic gratuity added. If the lounge is participating in the TiW program (and some are), you can use the discount. Here's a link to info about the card, including participating restaurants and lounges. Tables In Wonderland
I am curious as to why you will do both a dining plan and TiW. Have you priced it out? As long as you plan to buy the card anyways, I'll bet that you will save more money just using TiW (not to mention having a lot more flexibility with your dining choices).
The Tables in Wonderland card costs $100, but it gets you 20% off in Table Service Restaurants (and some food courts if the resort doesn't have a table service restaurant). You are then charged 18% gratuity. The good part about that is that you don't have to do math on vacation.
I don't know if it would be worth purchasing the card if you have the dining plan. I have found that I do better with the TIW card because I'm not locked into a full meal with dessert. Sometimes I get just an appetizer and do without dessert and if I have my DH with me, it gets us a discount on his beer.
I had never seen this particular article so I followed the link. I would be cautious about using this link for comparison as it is out of date (from November of 2008). There have been many changes to the Disney Dining Plan in that time and the cost of the TiW card has increased. The info was probably pretty accurate then but I don't think you can use it to make an informed decision for 2014.
You would get two separate bills at the restaurants - one for items covered by your dining plan and a separate one for the out of pocket items with the TIW discount and corresponding gratuity applied. There are quite a few lounges included on the TIW list. The discount is applied to alcoholic beverages at the lounges as well as any food they offer - we have left the kids in the room with my in-laws on occasion and enjoyed a cheese plate or dessert at Victoria Falls at AK or Territory Lounge at WL and some lovely beverages!
You can use the TiW card for the discount on items not covered by a dining plan. I believe that only the amount discounted by the TiW will have the automatic gratuity added. If the lounge is participating in the TiW program (and some are), you can use the discount. Here's a link to info about the card, including participating restaurants and lounges. Tables In Wonderland
I am curious as to why you will do both a dining plan and TiW. Have you priced it out? As long as you plan to buy the card anyways, I'll bet that you will save more money just using TiW (not to mention having a lot more flexibility with your dining choices).
I know it probably doesn't make sense to get both, but I just can't bring myself not to get the dining plan. I love not having to worry about paying the bill when I'm on vacation and having everything taken care of. I know if I only got the TIW, I would probably be looking at prices when looking at the menu and would cheat myself. I thought of getting both since there are a few restaurants I will be paying for OOP. Probably doesn't make sense, but that's why I have all of you to talk some sense into me
I know it probably doesn't make sense to get both, but I just can't bring myself not to get the dining plan. I love not having to worry about paying the bill when I'm on vacation and having everything taken care of. I know if I only got the TIW, I would probably be looking at prices when looking at the menu and would cheat myself. I thought of getting both since there are a few restaurants I will be paying for OOP. Probably doesn't make sense, but that's why I have all of you to talk some sense into me
Have you thought of putting the amount you would pay for a dining plan on a gift card?
Because of the $100 cost of the TIW, you would need to spend around $500 out of pocket before the card would have given you enough discount to be paid for. Anything above the $500 mark would be the savings you would see with the card. Since we take multiple trips each year and do not do dinning plan, this is a great deal for us. However with the dining plan, you would have to pay for 4-5 out of pocket meals before you would even see the savings. If you are set on the dinning plan, I would pass on the TIW because it would be hard to see a discount with the associated price.
I like HollyH's idea of figuring out how much you would pay for the dining plan and putting that on a gift card, which you can use along with a Tables in Wonderland card. That would allow you to get an appetizer instead of dessert, or in place of an entree, without feeling you weren't "getting your money's worth" out of the dining plan.
Unless you are sure you will average exactly one table-service and one counter-service entree, nonalcoholic drink, and dessert for each day of your stay, you are probably better off with Tables in Wonderland. Even if you do intend to order what the dining plan covers, you may save money with TIW versus the DDP.
I too would suggest putting the $ amount you would pay for the dining plan on a gift card and using that to pay for your meals using the TIW discount. We use TIW every trip and not only will it save you money, but there are no restrictions to what you order. When dh and I dine out we often share an appetizer and or a dessert at dinner, but never eat dessert at lunch. We have much more freedom than with the dining plan to eat as we please.
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