Tables in Wonderland, worth it?

[JLoinDisney]

Hey everyone!
question for everyone who is AP and also has tables in wonderland. at the end of the summer ill be moving to florida and getting a platinum pass. is it worth it to also get a tables in wonderland card? the reason i ask is because you save the same discount and the only difference i see is that alcohol is included in TIW. and if it is worth it are there any other benefits that you get? thanks once again to the lovely people that are on the disboards!

 

[Barbydoll8]

I live here. DVC member, Disney visa holder and AP holder. I've done years with TIW and w/o. I've kept spread sheets to see if it's "worth" it. The break even point for TIW is about $750 so if you think you will spend more than that in a year on TS and alcohol, then yes, it's worth it. The past two years for us though, it wasn't. Just DH and myself with an occasional family member and I found myself purposely booking TS meals just to make sure I'd hit the break even point.
If you factor in the discounts you will get w/ AP, some people estimate the break even point is even higher. Closer to $1200.
The only "extra" benefit you get is free valet parking at any hotel you are eating at. You must show your dinner reservation to get it though. Other than that, nothing but the meal discount. You really need to crunch the numbers to see if it's worth it for you and your family.

 

[JLoinDisney]

I live here. DVC member, Disney visa holder and AP holder. I've done years with TIW and w/o. I've kept spread sheets to see if it's "worth" it. The break even point for TIW is about $750 so if you think you will spend more than that in a year on TS and alcohol, then yes, it's worth it. The past two years for us though, it wasn't. Just DH and myself with an occasional family member and I found myself purposely booking TS meals just to make sure I'd hit the break even point.
If you factor in the discounts you will get w/ AP, some people estimate the break even point is even higher. Closer to $1200.
The only "extra" benefit you get is free valet parking at any hotel you are eating at. You must show your dinner reservation to get it though. Other than that, nothing but the meal discount. You really need to crunch the numbers to see if it's worth it for you and your family.

This is good to know and hear that sometimes it’s not worth it. Maybe we will give it a go this first year and see. I’m not even sure if we would even use the free valet parking (I’m sure it’s fantastic to have) but this is all very good info thank you!!

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

I agree with PP - you have to crunch the numbers. We are a family of 6 and always travel to DW with friends or family so for us it is always worth it. You have to crunch the numbers and see. We don't drink much and it is still worth it for us. The free valet parking is nice. We love to eat at other resorts so we use that often.

I have to say though the break even point is $1,500. Since you get the 10% discount with the AP - the TIW adds another 10% on top of that and at a cost of $150 - you have to spend $1,500 to break even. We do with our large family but it will take longer for less people.

 

[JLoinDisney]

I agree with PP - you have to crunch the numbers. We are a family of 6 and always travel to DW with friends or family so for us it is always worth it. You have to crunch the numbers and see. We don't drink much and it is still worth it for us. The free valet parking is nice. We love to eat at other resorts so we use that often.

I have to say though the break even point is $1,500. Since you get the 10% discount with the AP - the TIW adds another 10% on top of that and at a cost of $150 - you have to spend $1,500 to break even. We do with our large family but it will take longer for less people.

Yes that’s another thing, it’s just my husband and myself. And sure we will have a few family members pop on down occasionally but not constantly. Is there a discount on quick service?

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

Yes that’s another thing, it’s just my husband and myself. And sure we will have a few family members pop on down occasionally but not constantly. Is there a discount on quick service?

There are some QS but mostly at the Value and moderate resorts. Here is the link that can help you decide. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/restaurants/tables-in-wonderland-restaurants/

Here is the link for the AP dining discounts.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/passholder-program/passholder-benefits-and-discounts/

Definitely do the math. Enjoy!

 

[loves to dive]

It depends on where you plan on eating, how much alcohol you drink and if you plan on spending the break even amount. We tend to eat at places that don't offer the AP discount and enjoy refreshing adult beverages. The TIW is also accepted at some QS where the AP isn't and at a few bars. I use the mouseperks app when I'm there to see the difference and what places offer TIW that don't offer AP. It usually works out for us. http://www.mouseperks.com/

 

[JLoinDisney]

It depends on where you plan on eating, how much alcohol you drink and if you plan on spending the break even amount. We tend to eat at places that don't offer the AP discount and enjoy refreshing adult beverages. The TIW is also accepted at some QS where the AP isn't and at a few bars. I use the mouseperks app when I'm there to see the difference and what places offer TIW that don't offer AP. It usually works out for us. http://www.mouseperks.com/

Awesome I’m looking into mouseperks!

 

[pattyw]

We think it's worth it! We, too tend to go to places that don't offer an AP discount and will have an alcoholic drink with dinner. Also, we stay at Universal hotels or off site so the free valet parking is a nice perk for us. We have used it quite a bit at the food courts that are included, too.

@loves to dive & @JLoinDisney I haven't heard of the mouseperks app! Thanks! will check it out!

 

[jsmla]

My TIW card expires in August. I'll be taking a break from WDW so won't be renewing but I feel like we did save. It was an unusual year, though, in that we took two trips that included a lot of the pricier restaurants with drinks and bottles of wine. I remember that we saved around $80 at Le Cellier alone.

I mostly make solo trips without the expensive meals so TIW doesn't usually work out for most trips,

 

[DisBuckMan]

Hey everyone!
question for everyone who is AP and also has tables in wonderland. at the end of the summer ill be moving to florida and getting a platinum pass. is it worth it to also get a tables in wonderland card? the reason i ask is because you save the same discount and the only difference i see is that alcohol is included in TIW. and if it is worth it are there any other benefits that you get? thanks once again to the lovely people that are on the disboards!

The discount for AP/DVC is not the same as TiW.

They did a promo last year for the 45th anniversary where AP holders got 20% at dining, but that was a temporary promotion that is long gone.

Normal AP/DVC dining discounts are 10%, with few exceptions.

 

[cluvsdisney]

If we plan to spend 10 days or more in Disney we get the TIW cars. Between the extra 10% discount on food, the 20% in restaurants that do not accept the AP discount and the discount on alcohol, we can easily more than break even.

 

[mamapajama]

Does anyone know if when adding a second TiW card for the extra $$, if that person has to have the same address, ie: spouse/partner? I was thinking of adding my sister to my card.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Does anyone know if when adding a second TiW card for the extra $$, if that person has to have the same address, ie: spouse/partner? I was thinking of adding my sister to my card.

Here is what it says at TIW site:

Plus, add a second membership for your spouse or partner for only $50 more! You must be 21 years of age or older to purchase.

I'd guess you'd need the same address.

 

[kniquy]

is it worth it to also get a tables in wonderland card?

the worth comes with how much you will use it and how much you will save. Kind of a numbers game - I did get it for a trip where there was 7 of us for a 7 night trip and TS meals daily and sometimes 2 TS meals a day. We also have a quick 4 day trip for just 3 of us in Nov -- So just with the first trip we surpassed what we paid in savings -- so for 7 of us we averaged saving $60-80 per meal. So well worth the $150 - and we are not drinkers. this next trip we have CRT and for just 3 of us will save almost $50.

If you will be living in FL and plan on dining at WDW often then I would get it. If you will possibly have larger parties dining at times then it would definitely make sense. If it is you and just one other then it will save you money but will just take much longer to meet that break even point. Keep your receipts so that you can keep track and see if it makes sense to continue it for future years.

 

[richmo]

As just about everyone else has stated, you have to figure out your eating habits, etc.

We've done TiW twice, several years ago. At the time, we were always traveling with 2 kids (but classified as adults in Disney's eyes), the cost of TiW at the time was I think $75 and the 10% AP discount that is a perk now was only at very few places (I think Rainforest was one of them). We found that the breakeven was about 4 full TS meals. But, with the cost doubled and the additional discount of 10% over an AP reducing the added value of TiW, that number would certainly rise much higher.

As others have mentioned, you have to do the math with the variables: number in your party is a big factor, how many meals during the year do you figure on at TS, do you have alcoholic beverages (we did not, so that wasn't a factor for us) and also look at the links @DisneyFansInNYC provided to see if there's some places you visit that take TiW, but not AP.

 

[tbssenterprises]

OK, so I"m a little confused. If I pay $150 for TIW, doesn't it pay for itself once I hit the $150 mark? In other words, I would get the AP anyway. I guess I"m not looking at this financially. We will be have a least two big ticket nights (Ohana and Boat House), six people plus alcohol. We'll have other lunches and dinners, but not as expensive. So Boat House and Ohana alone will save me $120 with TIW. I know I"ll far exceed the remaining $30 in savings. What am I missing??

 

[tbssenterprises]

OH, I think I was wrong about The Boat House. I don't think they take TIW. Ugh.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Alcohol is not the only difference, most of the AP discounts are currenly lower than 20%. They went up to 20% at many places last year but only for a limited time. The answer is that if you go enough and eat and/or drink at participating TS or lounges enough then yes, it's worth it. I don't even live in Florida and I have saved a LOT.

If you're living nearby and driving, the other thing to look at is the free valet parking at resorts that offer it, if you present a receipt for dining.

No, Boathouse doesn't accept TIW.

Maybe look at it as you're saving the tip, plus maybe a little more if you stick with the standard 18% tip.

In general, TIW doesn't allow a discount on quick service. Food courts at the values will take it plus a few quick services at Animal Kingdom.

 

[tvsdisney]

OK, so I"m a little confused. If I pay $150 for TIW, doesn't it pay for itself once I hit the $150 mark? In other words, I would get the AP anyway. I guess I"m not looking at this financially. We will be have a least two big ticket nights (Ohana and Boat House), six people plus alcohol. We'll have other lunches and dinners, but not as expensive. So Boat House and Ohana alone will save me $120 with TIW. I know I"ll far exceed the remaining $30 in savings. What am I missing??

So you have to spend $750 to earn the $150 value back. (20% of 750 is 150) after you’ve spent 750 you are actually saving after spending the initial 150.

Hope that makes sense