Tables in Wonderland Changes with Additional Block-out Dates

[RSoxNo1]

Just to be clear -- and fair to Disney -- they announced the changes to the TiW in August 2013. I cannot find the official press release but here is an article from Aug 3, 2013 referring to it. The changes do not go into effect until August 2014, so they gave 1 year's notice -- entirely appropriate for a card that is good for 1 year (yes, I know it's more like a year and a month, but officially it's for 1 year). I know the information has been on the actual TiW website since August 2013.

I'm not defending the changes, but I don't see anything unfair about how Disney rolled them out. Just because this thread was started a few days ago doesn't mean that was when the news became public.

Thanks for clarifying, I still wasn't notified but that's better than nothing.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

I know you like to troll here, but you're defending the ending of a discount at Victoria and Albert's and other places. The price of the TiW card went up $25 a couple of years ago and now they're cutting more from it. If guests continue to purchase this, they're just feeding the monster at this point. I hate that this news came out less than a week after I purchased mine and no one made mention of it to me at purchase. Thankfully with the large group I was traveling with, the card has paid for itself at this point.

But continuing to defend Disney as they charge more and offer less is the #1 reason why Epcot and Hollywood Studios are in the states that they're in right now.

Personally, I don't see why such a highly decorated restaurant even had a discount to begin with. Victoria and Albert's, if Michelin came to Florida, would get at least one star if not more. There are no Michelin starred restaurants offering a discount or coupon, or I have yet to see it personally. Correct me if Iam wrong. I would be so bold as to say V&A would be the only restaurant in the state of Florida to get starred. Why should Disney offer a discount for such an elite level of hospitality?

Yes, it sucks they took the discount away, if I had a TiW card, I would be upset, but I totally see where Disney is coming from, and I can't blame them one bit.

Jimmy Thick- Its not an Outback Steakhouse or Mythos.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Personally, I don't see why such a highly decorated restaurant even had a discount to begin with. Victoria and Albert's, if Michelin came to Florida, would get at least one star if not more. There are no Michelin starred restaurants offering a discount or coupon, or I have yet to see it personally. Correct me if Iam wrong. I would be so bold as to say V&A would be the only restaurant in the state of Florida to get starred. Why should Disney offer a discount for such an elite level of hospitality?

Yes, it sucks they took the discount away, if I had a TiW card, I would be upset, but I totally see where Disney is coming from, and I can't blame them one bit.

Jimmy Thick- Its not an Outback Steakhouse or Mythos.

Once again, you miss the point. No one in this thread has said, " I can't believe Victoria and Albert doesn't take the card!" It's all of the additional blackout dates that have upset people. Stop harping on V&A, which no one really cares about.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Personally, I don't see why such a highly decorated restaurant even had a discount to begin with. Victoria and Albert's, if Michelin came to Florida, would get at least one star if not more. There are no Michelin starred restaurants offering a discount or coupon, or I have yet to see it personally. Correct me if Iam wrong. I would be so bold as to say V&A would be the only restaurant in the state of Florida to get starred. Why should Disney offer a discount for such an elite level of hospitality?

Yes, it sucks they took the discount away, if I had a TiW card, I would be upset, but I totally see where Disney is coming from, and I can't blame them one bit.

Jimmy Thick- Its not an Outback Steakhouse or Mythos.

That's a different argument. Perhaps it shouldn't have had the discount to begin with. Having said that, the Tables in Wonderland card groups all Disney Restaurants together and the value is gained because it's acceptable throughout most restaurants on property. Do you have any defense for the additional black out dates at other locations?

 

[DougK]

All I know is that I had this program as well as the Disney dining experience, it's forerunner, over the past nine years.

Based on personal experience I've come to two conclusions. One, the amount of restrictions grow every year. I do not like that I have to pay $50 every time I lose my car… Because it's a little piece of paper. It's not the old plastic card that they used to send us. Since all the ticket cards are scannable, and that's how they process the discounts now, they should just cancel out the old card and reissue a new one. I understand it's because of abuse, but it's vastly unfair.

Seconds? Now that I need to use a credit card to secure my dining reservation? I don't make reservations.

And the third observation is something we all know and that is the food quality is going down while the prices going up.

Dave, it's time to do what I did and stop eating TS at WDW. Now we rarely do TS except maybe an occasional Victoria and Albert's meal for a major anniversary or something like that.

Let's face it you're right, the food quality has gone down and the prices continue to go up. We find renting a car and eating offsite works well for us. The money we save on meals MORE than pays for the rental car. Now I do understand if someone only visits WDW infrequently then they may not want to spend the extra time it takes to eat off of WDW property, but for those of us who go twice a year or more time is not a big factor, we have plenty of time to do everything we want to do.

So now that we eat way less often at WDW I have no need for TIW. I miss the days when I could get the Disney Dining Experience card for $60 and use it at now-gone restaurants like Alfredo's and the Concourse Steakhouse (replaced by Tutto Italia and The Wave---ouch! no comparison!) but time matches on. It seems like 20 years ago but really it was only about 5 years ago. Times have changed. It is sad.

 

[Brian Noble]

I confess that The Wave is one of the places I like at WDW. Most of the menu is surprisingly interesting, and the price isn't terrible for WDW.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Dave, it's time to do what I did and stop eating TS at WDW. Now we rarely do TS except maybe an occasional Victoria and Albert's meal for a major anniversary or something like that.

Let's face it you're right, the food quality has gone down and the prices continue to go up. We find renting a car and eating offsite works well for us. The money we save on meals MORE than pays for the rental car. Now I do understand if someone only visits WDW infrequently then they may not want to spend the extra time it takes to eat off of WDW property, but for those of us who go twice a year or more time is not a big factor, we have plenty of time to do everything we want to do.

So now that we eat way less often at WDW I have no need for TIW. I miss the days when I could get the Disney Dining Experience card for $60 and use it at now-gone restaurants like Alfredo's and the Concourse Steakhouse (replaced by Tutto Italia and The Wave---ouch! no comparison!) but time matches on. It seems like 20 years ago but really it was only about 5 years ago. Times have changed. It is sad.

I like the wave but Its not the Concourse Steakhouse.... I think the wave is a hidden gem.... but its not in the same league as the steakhouse was.

 

[DougK]

I like the wave but Its not the Concourse Steakhouse.... I think the wave is a hidden gem.... but its not in the same league as the steakhouse was.

I keep waiting for the monorail to go through while I am at The Wave, but it never does. I guess if it did we would be having a problem...

 

[71jason]

Personally, I don't see why such a highly decorated restaurant even had a discount to begin with. Victoria and Albert's, if Michelin came to Florida, would get at least one star if not more. There are no Michelin starred restaurants offering a discount or coupon, or I have yet to see it personally. Correct me if Iam wrong.

I actually agree with you, Jimmy. V&A has always been sort of its own thing, and I don't mind it being excluded from TiW.

I would be so bold as to say V&A would be the only restaurant in the state of Florida to get starred.

Well, that was quick. Did you forget Miami is part of Florida? (In fairness, an easy mistake.) But even in Orlando, there are restaurants at Rosen Shingle Creek and the Waldorf that can hold their own with V&A. When they opened, same was true of both of Emeril's places.

Its not an Outback Steakhouse or Mythos.

Wait, how did Le Cellier come up???

 

[lunchbox1175]

Lets not forget that we now have to PAY for our reservations... so if the person at the podium screws up and doesnt mark you as present, you get charged.

And I'm pretty sure that if that happened and you called and disputed it with a receipt or transaction showing that you did eat there, they would give you a refund.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Personally, I don't see why such a highly decorated restaurant even had a discount to begin with. Victoria and Albert's, if Michelin came to Florida, would get at least one star if not more. There are no Michelin starred restaurants offering a discount or coupon, or I have yet to see it personally. Correct me if Iam wrong. I would be so bold as to say V&A would be the only restaurant in the state of Florida to get starred. Why should Disney offer a discount for such an elite level of hospitality?

Yes, it sucks they took the discount away, if I had a TiW card, I would be upset, but I totally see where Disney is coming from, and I can't blame them one bit.

Jimmy Thick- Its not an Outback Steakhouse or Mythos.

Well... check Segars at the Hilton Sandestin Resort in Destin, Fla. Thats another AAA four diamond steakhouse in Florida. I've eaten there. Only thing at Disney to even come in the ballpark is Shula's.

 

[PhotoDave219]

And I'm pretty sure that if that happened and you called and disputed it with a receipt or transaction showing that you did eat there, they would give you a refund.

Thats a lot of hoops to jump through. I shouldn't have to if Disney does it right.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Once again, you miss the point. No one in this thread has said, " I can't believe Victoria and Albert doesn't take the card!" It's all of the additional blackout dates that have upset people. Stop harping on V&A, which no one really cares about.

That's a different argument. Perhaps it shouldn't have had the discount to begin with. Having said that, the Tables in Wonderland card groups all Disney Restaurants together and the value is gained because it's acceptable throughout most restaurants on property. Do you have any defense for the additional black out dates at other locations?

The additional black outdates is how Disney chooses to do business. I will assume the blackout dates are dates with higher than normal attendance or demand for the restaurants in question, Disney trying to maximize profit potential, or any company being a theme park or mom and pop hot dog cart, is the whole point in the whole equation.

People are upset, that's fine, but if its such a bad policy, maybe the best solution is to not get a TiW card or for that matter stop having meals at Disney World. If enough people gather together to stop the profit driven monster, then Disney might get the message. If you still patronize, you're really not helping matters now are you?

Jimmy Thick- Check your MM+, an ADR just opened up...

 

[Jimmy Thick]

I like the wave but Its not the Concourse Steakhouse.... I think the wave is a hidden gem.... but its not in the same league as the steakhouse was.

Concourse was pretty dam good, best eggs benedict around WDW. And it was never busy.


Yeah, I miss that place.

Jimmy Thick- Yeah, never busy...

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Well, that was quick. Did you forget Miami is part of Florida? (In fairness, an easy mistake.) But even in Orlando, there are restaurants at Rosen Shingle Creek and the Waldorf that can hold their own with V&A. When they opened, same was true of both of Emeril's places.

I have dined in Miami several times, most notably dining at Michy's which was more on the overrated side than exceptional. To say I have eaten everywhere is not true, but my initial sampling was extremely underwhelming.

But to honest, I compare most restaurants to those of Chicago, which has an absurd amount of wonderful places to dine. V&A could be in Chicago and stand with any of them with the small exception of the very very best Chicago has to offer.

I have dined at the Emeril's at Universal and it was borderline disgusting. I wouldn't give a dog I detest a plate of food from there.

Jimmy Thick- I love talking about food, I can talk all day...

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Well... check Segars at the Hilton Sandestin Resort in Destin, Fla. Thats another AAA four diamond steakhouse in Florida. I've eaten there. Only thing at Disney to even come in the ballpark is Shula's.

Ever try Michy's? Michelle Bernstein's place?

Jimmy Thick- ?

 

[Brian Noble]

And it was never busy.

The death knell for any Disney offering.

 

[JohnD]

Not a ban per se but extra record keeping if I recall-I'm too lazy to pull up the new law

Hmm. I was at a completely different restaurant in a different city in FL with a large group. No automatic gratuity added to the bill. Is this a state law effective January 1?

 

[JimboJones123]

A lot of cast members used to get TiW to cover their blackout days. There has also been a CM revolt where they are not renewing either.

 

[asianway]

Hmm. I was at a completely different restaurant in a different city in FL with a large group. No automatic gratuity added to the bill. Is this a state law effective January 1?

It's federal regarding the way mandatory tips are taxed on their payroll