Thread for People staying off site

[theyoungs07]

The break even point for the TIW card is $500. 20% of $500 is $100. We are a party of 3 and will usually break even on our first trip and then save on our subsequent trips. The TIW card is usually good for 13 months so we bought ours in December and we'll use it again this December.

Yes but I was accounting for buying an AP solely for the purpose of TIW and free parking for an offsite trip. This upgrade costs around $350 For 10 days I get $170 in free parking as well as 20% off of meals, which would take around $1000 in meals to break even on the $100 TIW charge as well as the $80 left of the AP upcharge. In all instances but this year, I have bought an AP just for this purpose with no other trips planned during the AP year.

 

[Happiest mommy]

Yes but I was accounting for buying an AP solely for the purpose of TIW and free parking for an offsite trip. This upgrade costs around $350 For 10 days I get $170 in free parking as well as 20% off of meals, which would take around $1000 in meals to break even on the $100 TIW charge as well as the $80 left of the AP upcharge. In all instances but this year, I have bought an AP just for this purpose with no other trips planned during the AP year.

maybe this might work for our family of four can you please tell me what is TIW? I was planning on buying AP for all of us but the cost is very high for a 10 day trip any suggestions appreciated loving the free parking

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

We are AP. Does that help us with what I assume is Tables in Wonderland?

 

[Planogirl]

When we stay in the Disney area and go to Universal we get on I-4 and exit at SeaWorld. We get on International Drive but take the Universal Blvd split and take it into Universal. Usually International Drive gets the most backed up beyond Universal Blvd and I've never seen a traffic on Universal.

 

[Mrs. Max Goof]

Just booked our FPs for our trip... I was so concerned we weren't going to get what we wanted, but we got everything, including Toy Story Mania and SD Mine Train! Both earlier in the day too, so we will have a shot at getting more FPs throughout the remainder of the day.

 

[theyoungs07]

TIW is the Tables in Wonderland card. It costs $100 and is only available to AP holders and DVC owners...maybe FL residents too? You show it at a table service restaurant (most of them) and a select few quick service restaurant and it gets you 20% off of your entire bill...including alcohol. All the info is at http://tablesinwonderland.com

I always buy ONE AP for myself when we are staying for a long trip. For an activated 10 day hopper, it cost around $250 to upgrade to an AP...this past April. Then I buy the TIW card to save on dining. It is worth it to us because we are a large family and we normally eat 7+ TS meals plus QS at AK

 

[theyoungs07]

We are AP. Does that help us with what I assume is Tables in Wonderland?

If you already have an AP and will spend $500 on TS in a year, it will pay for itself.

 

[SandiKB]

For anyone interested in YES tickets, here is the thread with a ton of information

http://www.disboards.com/threads/disney-y-e-s-program.2861293/

 

[gatormom2tots]

Hmmm...like the idea of upgrading one to AP for TIW card. We are a family of 6 - we have a 4 bdrm WH rented for our next trip of 2 weeks but also reserved CBR as a "central location" for 10 days for us to hang during the day, let the little ones nap, and split the family up in the afternoons with no issues with transportation (crazy I know but its STILL way cheaper than a 2 bdrm BLT for 14 nights for a family of 6 on rented points, plus the grandparents get to join us as well).

We have 5 tickets of 10 day hoppers with WPs (one kid will still be under 3) and with the numbers quoted (250 upgrade for AP plus 100 for TIW card) we would break even at $1750 mark for food. We have budgeted 2775 with 7 ADRs, 14 snacks, and 21 CS meals.

Off to research more about the TIW possibilities!

TIW is the Tables in Wonderland card. It costs $100 and is only available to AP holders and DVC owners...maybe FL residents too? You show it at a table service restaurant (most of them) and a select few quick service restaurant and it gets you 20% off of your entire bill...including alcohol. All the info is at http://tablesinwonderland.com

I always buy ONE AP for myself when we are staying for a long trip. For an activated 10 day hopper, it cost around $250 to upgrade to an AP...this past April. Then I buy the TIW card to save on dining. It is worth it to us because we are a large family and we normally eat 7+ TS meals plus QS at AK

 

[theyoungs07]

If you

Hmmm...like the idea of upgrading one to AP for TIW card. We are a family of 6 - we have a 4 bdrm WH rented for our next trip of 2 weeks but also reserved CBR as a "central location" for 10 days for us to hang during the day, let the little ones nap, and split the family up in the afternoons with no issues with transportation (crazy I know but its STILL way cheaper than a 2 bdrm BLT for 14 nights for a family of 6 on rented points, plus the grandparents get to join us as well).

We have 5 tickets of 10 day hoppers with WPs (one kid will still be under 3) and with the numbers quoted (250 upgrade for AP plus 100 for TIW card) we would break even at $1750 mark for food. We have budgeted 2775 with 7 ADRs, 14 snacks, and 21 CS meals.

Off to research more about the TIW possibilities!

If you have Water Parks and more...you may need to upgrade to a Premium Annual Pass...be sure to look into that as the price is different. Also remember that you only need one AP and one TIW card for your whole family (up to 9 on the TIW card) to get the discounts.

 

[CookieGVB]

I'm looking forward to my first stay in a vacation home this fall. We're going to do an Illuminations cruise one night and I don't want to have to go all the way through Epcot to get back to the car. I wonder if we'd be able to park at yacht/beach club if we say we are doing the cruise...?

 

[robinb]

I'm looking forward to my first stay in a vacation home this fall. We're going to do an Illuminations cruise one night and I don't want to have to go all the way through Epcot to get back to the car. I wonder if we'd be able to park at yacht/beach club if we say we are doing the cruise...?

You should be able to do that. Have your reservation handy for the guard.

 

[wdwpracticalprincess]

Hi Everyone! Sorry if this question has been answered already, but paranoid about making it to RD at MK in October.

Staying at Summer Bay resort in Clermont, FL. If we leave at 7:15am, park at TTC, and ferry to MK, will we make it to the front of RD by 8:20am? Also, on our 2nd MK day, we will be traveling with Grandparents, one of whom has handicap placard. I read somewhere we could valet park at Contemporary for free with the placard. Is this true?

Thanks so much for your help!!!

 

[escapeartist]

How to "Work" EMH when staying offsite? We all know off siter guests cant enter the park in the morning of EMH, but what of evening extra hours? Example, if HS closes at 9pm, but has extended hours for Resort guests from 9pm to 11pm, as long as we off site people are ALREADY in the park before 9pm, we can stay til 11pm! I know we cant do rides, cuz they check for that. But wouldn't that be a great opportunity to see a show like Fantasmic, wander around, snap pics, eat snacks and basically slow down and enjoy the park instead of rushing from ride to ride, as some of us do? Would the MM photogs still snap pics for us? What other things can we get away with doing during extra nightime hours if we stay off site. I am very intrigued with this idea. Imagine doing it at Epcot? You can see illuminations, wander around and catch your breath...
Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[itchin2go]

Hi Everyone! Sorry if this question has been answered already, but paranoid about making it to RD at MK in October.

Staying at Summer Bay resort in Clermont, FL. If we leave at 7:15am, park at TTC, and ferry to MK, will we make it to the front of RD by 8:20am? Also, on our 2nd MK day, we will be traveling with Grandparents, one of whom has handicap placard. I read somewhere we could valet park at Contemporary for free with the placard. Is this true?

Thanks so much for your help!!!

Regarding valet parking, this link is consistent with what you read:

http://www.allears.net/acc/valet.htm

However, I've read conflicting reports. I think the issue may be *why* you're parking at the resort. Note that the above link doesn't say anything about parking to access the MK. You're not supposed to park at the resorts just to go to the parks. We have had no trouble valet parking at the Contemporary, but we've always been dining there.

 

[itchin2go]

How to "Work" EMH when staying offsite? We all know off siter guests cant enter the park in the morning of EMH, but what of evening extra hours? Example, if HS closes at 9pm, but has extended hours for Resort guests from 9pm to 11pm, as long as we off site people are ALREADY in the park before 9pm, we can stay til 11pm! I know we cant do rides, cuz they check for that. But wouldn't that be a great opportunity to see a show like Fantasmic, wander around, snap pics, eat snacks and basically slow down and enjoy the park instead of rushing from ride to ride, as some of us do? Would the MM photogs still snap pics for us? What other things can we get away with doing during extra nightime hours if we stay off site. I am very intrigued with this idea. Imagine doing it at Epcot? You can see illuminations, wander around and catch your breath...
Thoughts? Ideas?

Can't help you there. We avoid the EMH parks. Even when we stayed onsite, we didn't consider it much of a perk.

 

[wdwpracticalprincess]

However, I've read conflicting reports. I think the issue may be *why* you're parking at the resort. Note that the above link doesn't say anything about parking to access the MK.

You are right, we won't have a ressie at the Contemporary, but thought maybe this is how handicap parking works? I assumed there'd be handicap spaces available at TTC, but then confused myself after reading about handicap valet parking at the resort (being so close and all).

Any thoughts about getting to RD at 8:20am based on our departure time from Clermont resort? Thanks for your help as always!!!

 

[wdwpracticalprincess]

You are right, we won't have a ressie at the Contemporary, but thought maybe this is how handicap parking works? I assumed there'd be handicap spaces available at TTC, but then confused myself after reading about handicap valet parking at the resort (being so close and all).

Actually, we DO have a ressie at GFC, so we could take advantage of free handicap valet at GF, take monorail over to MK, then take boat back at end of day for dinner? Does that seem right?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Just thought I would post this info here because some offsiters aren't aware:
If you are traveling with others who are staying onsite, when your MDEs are linked, offsiters share the 60-day booking window.

The onsite people can book FPs at 60 days out for everyone linked in their MDE whether they are offsite or onsite.

 

[escapeartist]

That is awesome! Does it work if your MDX person is only staying onsite for one night, that night being the 1st night of trip?