Tables in Wonderland and Annual Passes

[amykissangel]

I'm clueless on both, having gone only once a year and being from Green Bay, WI. But if someone could fill me in:

How much is an Annual Pass? Would it pay if you're only going once a year?

And by pay, I mean that because you can get TiW, is it worth it? How much is TiW?

And lastly - how has your experience with it been? Thanks!!

 

[Monty]

You really have to do the math for your own situation. Last August, my son and I stayed at Beach Club for 8 nights with a 40% AP discount. The savings paid for my AP [as of tomorrow $499], his 7-day Hopper, the TiW card [$75] and all our meals while we were there [using the TiW as much as possible].

For a single trip, it depends on where you stay and what discounts are available whether it's worth it or not. Then factor in how many in your party and how much savings you'd approximate at 20% off food.

I will warn you though... Having an AP in your pocket/purse/wallet has dangerous side-effects. I'm doing 4 WDW trips this year! From CANADA!

 

[RSoxNo1]

Tables in Wonderland is a good deal, and is probably more realistic for most people then buying the dining plan.

We used Tables in Wonderland for one dinner for my family (7 adults, one child) and it paid for itself. It's $75 with an AP, $100 without. You also have to factor in that if you're going to eat at odd hours, you get an AP discount anyways, so the Tables in Wonderland card may not be worth it. However if you're planning on several dinners for your trip then I'd buy it.

 

[Victoria]

I just did some quick math and figured out that with the new prices you have to spend more than 8 days in the parks in one year for an AP to be worthwhile. I think the break even price used to be around 10 days. Haven't done the math in a few years.

2011 prices:

9 day base ticket: $257
+Park Hopper add on: $54
+No Expiration add on: $208
_________________________
$519

An AP is $499 and allows hopping and is good for a year from when you get it. The only benefit from getting a MYW ticket with no expiration is that it is good forever vs. 365 days.

I really like TiW too. A 20% discount adds up very quickly even if it is just two people eating at one TS a day. Plus, gratuity is automatically added so you don't have to worry about digging around for cash every time you eat.

 

[mousefan1972]

Tables in Wonderland is a good deal, and is probably more realistic for most people then buying the dining plan.

We used Tables in Wonderland for one dinner for my family (7 adults, one child) and it paid for itself. It's $75 with an AP, $100 without. You also have to factor in that if you're going to eat at odd hours, you get an AP discount anyways, so the Tables in Wonderland card may not be worth it. However if you're planning on several dinners for your trip then I'd buy it.

OP can only buy a TiW card if she buys an AP. The $100 price is for FL residents (who aren't also AP holders). I'm going to assume OP is not an FL resident. If wrong, please correct me.

 

[colliera]

The full 20% discount

The AP TiW 20% discount also extends to adult beverages and covers up to a party of ten.

 

[Victoria]

The AP TiW 20% discount also extends to adult beverages and covers up to a party of ten.

This is one of the best parts of the TiW card. I regularly eat with large groups who like to drink a lot. Sometimes we save $50+ when we use the card.

 

[disney4life2008]

I will warn you though... Having an AP in your pocket/purse/wallet has dangerous side-effects. I'm doing 4 WDW trips this year! From CANADA!

I agree!!! Prior to my AP, I was lucky to travel to WDW once a year (if that). Then I got an AP for a Christmas present in 2007 and I have been going to WDW no less than 3 times a year!! The discounts are amazing!!

 

[Rob562]

I can't speak for the TiW card, as I've never gotten one, but for many years I was an AP holder (living in New England) and would only go once a calendar year. The trick to make it work while still going once a year is to alternate the week that you go.

I would start by going to WDW the 2nd week of December the first year, and getting a new Annual Pass. Then the second year I would go a week earlier (1st week of December). The AP would still be valid through the end of the second trip (or occasionally be expiring on the last or next-to-last day depending on the exact circumstances of the trips). It's a little more money up-front, but then your park admission is fully paid for on the second trip. You'd also get the benefit of any AP discounts on rooms on both trips. Then in the 3rd year, you buy a brand new AP and repeat the cycle.

Although I will admit that the every-year cycle of trips ended in 2005. That was coincidentally also when the Magic Your Way tickets were introduced. The savings in buying an AP over two 7 or 8-day MYW tickets (one for each of the two trips) isn't as pronounced as it once was. It's still about $100, though. That's no small change. Add in any discounts, and it's definitely still a good deal.

But as another poster said, occasionally there would be the quiet call of the AP as it sat in my desk drawer, yearning to be set free and migrate back to WDW... Many times I would have a mid-year trip when I had the valid AP.

-Rob

 

[Monty]

I can't speak for the TiW card, as I've never gotten one, but for many years I was an AP holder (living in New England) and would only go once a calendar year. The trick to make it work while still going once a year is to alternate the week that you go.

I would start by going to WDW the 2nd week of December the first year, and getting a new Annual Pass. Then the second year I would go a week earlier (1st week of December). The AP would still be valid through the end of the second trip (or occasionally be expiring on the last or next-to-last day depending on the exact circumstances of the trips). It's a little more money up-front, but then your park admission is fully paid for on the second trip. You'd also get the benefit of any AP discounts on rooms on both trips. Then in the 3rd year, you buy a brand new AP and repeat the cycle.

Although I will admit that the every-year cycle of trips ended in 2005. That was coincidentally also when the Magic Your Way tickets were introduced. The savings in buying an AP over two 7 or 8-day MYW tickets (one for each of the two trips) isn't as pronounced as it once was. It's still about $100, though. That's no small change. Add in any discounts, and it's definitely still a good deal.

But as another poster said, occasionally there would be the quiet call of the AP as it sat in my desk drawer, yearning to be set free and migrate back to WDW... Many times I would have a mid-year trip when I had the valid AP.

-Rob

My first AP was planned as a late-February/earlier-February cost saving exercise.... Then I did a June trip.... Then I did an August trip and any thought of saving money went out the window! :lol: But it was a great year! :king:

 

[durangojim]

I think that if you like to stay primarily at Deluxes, then the AP with TiW is the way to go, as the discounts in the past have really been excellent, and we will often save $1000 or more in one trip on room rates.

 

[beanbunny]

My first AP was planned as a late-February/earlier-February cost saving exercise.... Then I did a June trip.... Then I did an August trip and any thought of saving money went out the window! :lol: But it was a great year! :king:

Sooooo true!!! Went this past April, now we're going for 3 weeks starting Monday :sohappy: Then we go again for a week in October and again next February. oh, the savings!!!! :ROFLOL:

 

[dizzney]

We stopped doing the DDP when it changed, and it was too much food anyway since basically we eat brakfast in (DVC members) have snacks and always have a great dinner, so its been better for us to buy the DVC discounted AP and the TIW card. Even if we only made one trip to the world in a year I would buy at least 1 AP at the DVC rate JUST to buy TIW at $75, we saved so many $$$ this past 12/31/2009-1/9/2010 since we ate at great restaurants - California Grill; Le Cellier etc and our party varied from 5-8, going againt he 19th of August just DH and I for our anniversary, all great resies inclduing Victoria and Alberts on our anniversary and that even will take 20% off its bill. Well worth it to us

 

[amykissangel]

You guys are great! Ok, so let me ask you math geniuses this:
If 2 of us went next August (say the 16th - 24th), when TRADITIONALLY (I know it's not set in stone) they ALREADY offer 40% off Deluxe Resorts, and we stay 3 nights at GF and 5 nights at BC, and plan on eating at:
Victoria and Alberts
California Grill
Tutto Italia
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Boma
Rose and Crown
GF Cafe
Sci Fi
The Plaza
Liberty Tree

I don't do the math very well - it looks like for guesstimating the costs of all the dinners, snacks, and alcoholic beverages, plus tickets, hotel and airfare for two, it's around $4700...do you think we'd save any money doing the AP and TiW? (From Wisconsin, not FL resident.)

Thanks!!!

 

[Phonedave]

I just did some quick math and figured out that with the new prices you have to spend more than 8 days in the parks in one year for an AP to be worthwhile. I think the break even price used to be around 10 days. Haven't done the math in a few years.

2011 prices:

9 day base ticket: $257
+Park Hopper add on: $54
+No Expiration add on: $208
_________________________
$519

An AP is $499 and allows hopping and is good for a year from when you get it. The only benefit from getting a MYW ticket with no expiration is that it is good forever vs. 365 days.

I really like TiW too. A 20% discount adds up very quickly even if it is just two people eating at one TS a day. Plus, gratuity is automatically added so you don't have to worry about digging around for cash every time you eat.

Well you have to re-revise your math, because that's 9 days over TWO trips. If you were going for a 9 day vacation, then you would not get the No Expiration option.

I am doing this right now in my head. I'll be there next week for 7 days. I am debating between getting my kids an AP (with DVC discount) a 7 day MYW hopper with expriation, or a 10 day with no expiration.

We will be cruising next year, so our park time may be limited, so that extra 3 days may be worth it on theirs (I have a 15 mo AP so no problems for me), but I am basicly paying $208 to hold the three days (or do they prorate that ?) They also like water parks, so I could kick in $54 and add that with no expiration.

-dave

 

[fosse76]

I will warn you though... Having an AP in your pocket/purse/wallet has dangerous side-effects. I'm doing 4 WDW trips this year! From CANADA!

WITHOUT QUESTION!!!! I look for reasons to go down. I did my own calculations when deciding to buy an AP. I wanted to try and save a little money, so I thought, if I go twice a year for five days each, buying a 10-day no exp. MYW with park hopper would be cheaper than buying two separate 5-day park hopper tickets. Then I saw an AP was cheaper than the 10-day non-exp. ticket. I'm going to Orlando for a short weekend trip next week and am looking for a way to fit in Disney.

 

[stillgoofy]

We have had AP's for several years and love them. I agree that once you have it, you will want to make extra trips down. We have never actually used it for room discounts, but have saved tons of money with the AP and the TIW. I love the extra benefits too. We always rent a car so I love free parking (AP), free valet parking at resorts for meals (TIW), discount on water sports (AP), discount on special events (AP), merchandise dicounts (AP), food discounts at most TS and some CS (TIW), etc, etc. We go twice a year but I also overlap dates to get the most out of it. Fall/winter for 2 weeks, then spring for 1 week, then fall/winter again (before AP runs out) for another 2 weeks. Love it and can't get enough of it.

 

[Phonedave]

An AP is nice too because you never feel like you are 'wasting' a day.

If I had park tickets, and we were getting in late on the first day, I might avoid the parks because we would be there only for 2 or 3 hours. With the AP, who cares? Want to go to the parks for just an hour one day and then do something else - no sweat. Want to do something non-Disney (shudder) and then have dinner in a park restaurant, not a problem.

Having an AP gets you thinking like that as well.


-dave

 

[Thrill]

It depends on the situation. If you can follow Rob562's strategy, you might be able to break even versus two MYW tickets. (Again, depends on your situation. If you go to Florida for a week and do a day at Universal or something, you might find that the AP isn't worth it.) Add in the AP discounts and TiW, and you save more money. Then again, you can get those same discounts by buying one annual pass for the family, and then using MYW tickets for everyone else.

 

[DisneyNut7578]

I think if you eat at a lot of sit down restaurants, the Tiw card is aboslutely worth it. You will pay for your card after 2 or 3 meals of 20% off. Now if you are more a quick service person, then Tiw may not be an option for you. We've had the Tiw card for about 5 or 6 years now, and we will always renew it from here on out.

As far as APs go, I can't really comment since I live in FL. But I've hard math that says if you stay ofr more than 11 days, then getting an AP would be worth it to you. But you will have to go do the math.