Multiple family dining parties w/ TiW

[PirateFrank]

So next week, we arrive in WDW with two other close families for a three-family vacation. We've planned all of the ADRs and fastpass+'s together...This trip will either be the best ever or I might not make it back alive. The jury's out on that...

Anyway, I've started thinking about the logistical issues with dining with 11 people from 3 different families. At home, if we go out to dinner together, we generally ask the waiter/waitress to maintain 3 separate checks -- as the families aren't equally numbered (and we eat/drink disproportionately anyway) and it wouldn't be fair to any of the three families to split the check evenly 3 ways. Moreover, it prevents a massive reconciliation at the end of the trip, where everyone's looking over the checks going "you owe us X and we owe you Y". Generally, most restaurants in NY are fine with this. They may require us to do the whole 'party of 8 or over must agree to 18% gratuity' thing despite 3 separate bills -- we're always fine with this.

So my first question is -- does anyone know whether this will be a problem in WDW? Have you eaten in WDW where the CM was OK with maintaining multiple checks?

Second question. Whenever we go down, we almost always use the TiW card. How does the card impact things for us if we're splitting up the checks? I'm OK with buying a second card so we can cover 11 people. However, if we're splitting the checks -- is that going to be a problem? Would each check have to be paid by me, given the fact that my (or my wife's) name will be on the card?

Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

[Disvillain63]

We have been able to run 3 separate checks at WDW table services.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

I have always had to pay the check for everyone in our party if my name was on our TIW card.

 

[andy773]

This is from the Tables in Wonderland web site:

• The Tables in Wonderland discount is good for up to 10 people including the member, as long as everyone is on the same check, and the Tables in Wonderland member is paying the bill. If you have the Tables in Wonderland card, and your spouse or partner has the Tables in Wonderland secondary card, together you may cover up to 20 people (including the member and his/her spouse/partner). Both members must live at the same address and be 21 years of age or older.

 

[PirateFrank]

Thanks everyone! Looks like I've got my answer(s)!

 

[dreamfinder]

As pointed out, technically the person whose name is on TiW needs to be the one paying. Whether or not this is actively enforced is another story. But if you run multiple tabs then would once again technically need multiple TiW cards. You get the 18% using TiW regardless of party size, so that's not an issue.

 

[zurgandfriend]

Good luck, we did a family grand gathering a few years ago, worst trip ever I hope you are all in the same resort for ours everyone stayed in a different resort it too half a day just meeting up.

 

[PirateFrank]

Good luck, we did a family grand gathering a few years ago, worst trip ever I hope you are all in the same resort for ours everyone stayed in a different resort it too half a day just meeting up.

LOL. I am remaining cautiously optimistic. When we first planned it out last summer, we were all in different resorts -- but we were able to rejigger our plans to all be in the same resort. However, I have no illusions, at all, about the logistical nightmare this might very well become. I shall report when I get back!

 

[Phonedave]

The nice thing is, even when they don't allow you to have separate checks, the format of the checks make it easy enough to figure out who owes what. The fact that the 20% discount is also applied to everything make it easy to apply as well.

-dave

 

[Minthorne]

The nice thing is, even when they don't allow you to have separate checks, the format of the checks make it easy enough to figure out who owes what. The fact that the 20% discount is also applied to everything make it easy to apply as well.

-dave

We kept track each evening of each parties total and added it to a running total. The TiW holder paid the bill each time as a room charge and then every day or two each party would stop at the front desk and pay toward the TiW holder's room with their own credit card. We just made sure the room balance didn't reach the point where it would auto charge to CC on file. Some folks just prepaid a certain amount to the room with their card and then worked the difference at the end. It helped we were all staying in a Grand VIlla - but if you are all at the same resort this works out petty painless.