Maybe is just my own desire for TIW to return driving my opinion. But given that for many months there has been much greater availability at all the signature restaurants I think it's very possible Disney brings this program back.
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Likelihood of Tables in Wonderland returning.
- Thread starter Naplesgolfer
- Start date
christine7257
Well-Known Member
I loved Tables in Wonderland!! Someone on DVC Fan made the point and I agree... if something like the Tables in Wonderland program was included in what they're marketing as magical extras for $100 per year for DVC members that would definitely entice me a lot more than the character meets they're offering now. I'd also get my money's worth... which is perhaps the point of their not offering it.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
TIW died a slow painful death. They slowly began nerfing it a long time ago.
Years ago, when it was DDE, it was such a great value. Then they the changed the name (which I understand, it was too close to DDP and confused the heck out of the servers at times). Then slowly the price for TIW began to creep up, while at the same time WDWs choices began to push me out of the desire for Table Service (insane pricing, combined with lower food quality, and the need for planning reservations months out). I had a DDE/TIW card for about a decade (or more) and then I gave it up and never looked back. I think WDW is glad to have finally killed it.
However, if they brought it back, and brought it back to the point were it was a value to me, I would consider buying it again.
Years ago, when it was DDE, it was such a great value. Then they the changed the name (which I understand, it was too close to DDP and confused the heck out of the servers at times). Then slowly the price for TIW began to creep up, while at the same time WDWs choices began to push me out of the desire for Table Service (insane pricing, combined with lower food quality, and the need for planning reservations months out). I had a DDE/TIW card for about a decade (or more) and then I gave it up and never looked back. I think WDW is glad to have finally killed it.
However, if they brought it back, and brought it back to the point were it was a value to me, I would consider buying it again.
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
We used this for several years in our latter trips and it worked very well. Not sure if it was still around/we used in 2017, but definitely up to 2013. I'd like to see it return.
Eric Graham
Well-Known Member
Sorry, could someone please bring me up to speed about tables in wonderland is? I'm not familiar with it.
christine7257
Well-Known Member
It was a card/membership you could purchase for ~$150 annually as an AP or DVC member and $175 annually as a FL resident and it offered 20% off dining, including alcohol.
Eric Graham
Well-Known Member
Sounds like a pretty good deal...too bad they did away with it...maybe they'll bring something similar back for AP or DVC members (Florida residents, etc)...I'm sure that such members generate a lot more income than we do in the parks, but we do really like the parks
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Phonedave
Well-Known Member
The thing about he TIW program was it was very simple to see if it was worth it or not. Unlike the DDP where they hide the actual cost of the plan by lumping together snacks, QS, and TS meals, along with artificially inflated menu prices, "free" offers, and other such shenanigans, the TIW was exceedingly simple. How much did you spend at qualifying restaurants in a year. If 20% of that amount is more than the cost of the card, then you come out ahead.
They slowly raised the price of the card (I want to say, way back when it was the "Disney Dining Experience" it was $95 a year). They also made (at least to me) the TS restaurants less attractive. At some point we began eating less TS meals, and it got to a point where the 20% discount was not saving me money, so we stopped getting it.
Eric Graham
Well-Known Member
i can totally agree...some years we've had the dining plan, and at times having so much food at once after walking 10-12 miles in the parks was rather scrumptious, but often too much! i hope you are. having a most wonderful day!
Ahh...the good old days. DDE in the early days made it to where we did not hesitate to eat at TS restaurants 2-3 times per day. But that was before the dark times...before the empire.
Some of the other benefits...
- It was good for up to a party of 10 for a single card and 20 if you and your spouse both had a card. One meal at the right restaurant often paid for the card.
- It was good at the quick service locations at the resorts that lacked a table service restaurant. This included all of the Value resorts and occasionally the moderates (PORS and POFQ were often on that list). This even included the QS locations in AK as all of the TS restaurants in the park were not owned by Disney.
- Free Valet parking when dining.
- Free Park parking when dining.
- Member-only events.
IMHO it is yet another WDW thing ruined by popularity. It was largely unknown and from what I remember it was never really promoted. Up until the time it exploded in popularity thanks to the internet the entire DDE staff consisted of 2 people working in a small office in Epcot if the information I was given is correct. Once word got out people went nuts for the thing and this tiny operation got so completely overwhelmed that they extended the length of the card to 18 months due to the processing delay.
It was also full of loopholes that were often exploited. A "spouse" could be added to a car for around $50. Disney never did any kind of verification as to the spouse which led to a less than zero number of people splitting a single card between 2 people or families for an extra $50.
As to the OP's question; It is never coming back unless attendance falls off a cliff taller than the one it fell off of after 9/11 and Disney is forced to actually court Florida residents once again.
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aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
The biggest downside of TIW in its final years and days was the tip was automatically added, this killed service. The servers didn't care anymore they knew they were getting the tip one way or the other and it really a saw a decline in very poor service. Other than that we did enjoy it and used it often, and had it since the 90s. I was a kid then but I remember we always had it, the cost was under $50 back then, unbelievable I know, compared to its final year of operation lol. I still have the old plastic cards somewhere.
I did not care for the automatic gratuity either, but I understood why it was implemented. A fairly large chunk of TiWL members were tipping based on the discounted total and that cut into the server's tips by roughly 20%. I never noticed a drop in service quality after auto gratuity was added, but we were there so frequently that we knew most of our servers at our regular haunts.
JIMMYEDDIE
Active Member
TIW was the single best perk that we ever used......we would go as a party of 10 and to get 20% off on all meals including alcohol we would recoup our cost in less than one day of a week+ stay........
It was the one thing I was looking for on the new paid perks that DVC just offered and I will not be purchasing that since its not included
It was the one thing I was looking for on the new paid perks that DVC just offered and I will not be purchasing that since its not included
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Ahh...the good old days. DDE in the early days made it to where we did not hesitate to eat at TS restaurants 2-3 times per day. But that was before the dark times...before the empire.
Some of the other benefits...
- It was good for up to a party of 10 for a single card and 20 if you and your spouse both had a card. One meal at the right restaurant often paid for the card.
- It was good at the quick service locations at the resorts that lacked a table service restaurant. This included all of the Value resorts and occasionally the moderates (PORS and POFQ were often on that list). This even included the QS locations in AK as all of the TS restaurants in the park were not owned by Disney.
- Free Valet parking when dining.
- Free Park parking when dining.
- Member-only events.
IMHO it is yet another WDW thing ruined by popularity. It was largely unknown and from what I remember it was never really promoted. Up until the time it exploded in popularity thanks to the internet the entire DDE staff consisted of 2 people working in a small office in Epcot if the information I was given is correct. Once word got out people went nuts for the thing and this tiny operation got so completely overwhelmed that they extended the length of the card to 18 months due to the processing delay.
It was also full of loopholes that were often exploited. A "spouse" could be added to a car for around $50. Disney never did any kind of verification as to the spouse which led to a less than zero number of people splitting a single card between 2 people or families for an extra $50.
As to the OP's question; It is never coming back unless attendance falls off a cliff taller than the one it fell off of after 9/11 and Disney is forced to actually court Florida residents once again.
I remember having to go to EPCOT. I believe the external guest relations booth, but maybe it was the internal one, to get my card. It was only available in person. I want to say at some point it was available for all, and then it became Florida residents and DVC only? In my mind I remember using it when I went to WDW with my ex-in-laws. I remember this because there were 6 of us total and I recall my in-laws wanting to eat somewhere without me, but I was the card holder, so there would be no discount. At that time I was not DVC and did not have an AP (that I remember).
But you are correct in that it was not well known. I remember going to TS restaurants and being asked if I had the Disney Dining Plan, and when I said "No, the Disney Dining Experience" the server saying "What's that?"
It used to be for me, that when we went on vacation to WDW we booked a TS every single night. Some were "signature" as well. We would also throw in a breakfast here and there. Food was good, prices were reasonable, and the DDE made it all worthwhile.
Lets not forget the greatest bonus of all - for a glorious few years, it was also accepted at Victoria & Alberts.