Tables in Wonderland Changes with Additional Block-out Dates

[luv]

For the first time in many, many years, I let the TiW expire without renewing in 2013.

Everyone has their breaking point.

Avoiding meals at Disney is what I do. I still had a few, but not many! Just today, I was telling a friend how expensive the food is and how, IMO, it isn't worth it. Another $600 lost for Disney.

I don't know if there are enough people who will say, "The hell with it, I will eat somewhere else" to make any difference to Disney. They may even be attempting to stop people from eating there. I don't know.

Wonder when I'll hit the "nope, not renewing" on the AP. Could be this year. Still debating that.

 

[WDWDad13]

After these changes I'm not getting TIW next year either. we usually go to 3 of those restaurants during those time periods (early June) so forget it now.

It's like waving a piece of meat in front of a lion and then just as it wants it pulling it away ....lol ok maybe not that bad but still

Maybe if they actually gave AP or DVC members decent discounts at places that would make up for it

 

[coachwnh]

For the first time in many, many years, I let the TiW expire without renewing in 2013.

Everyone has their breaking point.

Avoiding meals at Disney is what I do. I still had a few, but not many! Just today, I was telling a friend how expensive the food is and how, IMO, it isn't worth it. Another $600 lost for Disney.

I don't know if there are enough people who will say, "The hell with it, I will eat somewhere else" to make any difference to Disney. They may even be attempting to stop people from eating there. I don't know.

Wonder when I'll hit the "nope, not renewing" on the AP. Could be this year. Still debating that.

We've decided our "no longer renewing our AP" is this time. We have one more trip to DL this June and planning a trip to WDW in July-Aug. After that, I think we are going to seek out other adventures. Over the past five years, we have enjoyed our trips to WDW, but too much has happened to make it a must buy for us this year. With so much uncertainty with the FP+ system, and now these blackouts for a week around the times we visit, it just doesn't seem worth it any more. What is so sad is how much better APs are treated in DL. No need to purchase a TIW card. Your AP gets you 20%, QS included. Plus the special events just for APs! Nothing like this in WDW. Oh well. It was a great five years and I wouldn't change it, but there has to be more of a carrot dangled for us to continue to travel 4-5 times from PA to WDW annually.

 

[Scuttle]

We've decided our "no longer renewing our AP" is this time. We have one more trip to DL this June and planning a trip to WDW in July-Aug. After that, I think we are going to seek out other adventures. Over the past five years, we have enjoyed our trips to WDW, but too much has happened to make it a must buy for us this year. With so much uncertainty with the FP+ system, and now these blackouts for a week around the times we visit, it just doesn't seem worth it any more. What is so sad is how much better APs are treated in DL. No need to purchase a TIW card. Your AP gets you 20%, QS included. Plus the special events just for APs! Nothing like this in WDW. Oh well. It was a great five years and I wouldn't change it, but there has to be more of a carrot dangled for us to continue to travel 4-5 times from PA to WDW annually.

Right there with you! Time to focus on seeing the real world. I love WDW as we all do but I'm at the breaking point. It's not worth it anymore. My pass is good until June but then that's all she wrote I think.

 

[surfsupdon]

Yep, agreed.

When I renewed my AP and TiW in November, I unfortunately decided that I will be letting both expire at the end of this year.

Not happy with MM+, and not happy with the additional blackout dates, especially considering I take a nice size trip during one of the blackout months.

Bummer for me.

 

[asianway]

They haven't really been pushing the envelope on those "special events" either have they? Last I checked they were pushing the Wave hard

 

[fbb]

What, pray tell, has been enhanced?

It was a joke

 

[Zummi Gummi]

It was a joke

Sorry! Sometimes sarcasm doesn't read well on the internet. I apologize.

 

[Brian Noble]

This isnt like a DVC/AP discount, you are paying for the discount card, presumably to drive business across the year....

Yes, I understand that. And, apparently, they don't feel the need to drive business to those six restaurants during those dates of the year. If enough people find that a deal-breaker, they won't renew. If they don't, they will. Pretty simple.

These situations are necessarily adversarial. Disney's job is to get as much money out of us as it possibly can. Our job is to get the best value for our vacation dollars. Would I rather have more things covered under the TIW card? You bet. But, they aren't.

 

[mgpan]

I'd read about V&A dropping the plan, it was mentioned in a thread here sometime last year. So I made sure to book a trip for this spring and I'll have my first (and probably only) meal there, while I can still get the discount.

It sure does seem like they're trying to see how far they can push their regular customers.

That's the main focus of Blue Ocean right, squeeze the turnip till the blood runs dry.

 

[Scuttle]

Just spoke to someone from the TIW department and she let me know my email was forwarded to upper management. What was interesting is that when I brought up DL passholders compared to WDW passholders treatment she actually agreed and said she use to work in Cali and she knows exactly how it works lol. Anyway she said that the 50 dollar charge for lost passes is due to software issues and to prevent people from scamming the system which I didn't quite get.

Anyway I just found it funny that she agreed with me that Disneyland treats passholders better than WDWs.

 

[coachwnh]

Just spoke to someone from the TIW department and she let me know my email was forwarded to upper management. What was interesting is that when I brought up DL passholders compared to WDW passholders treatment she actually agreed and said she use to work in Cali and she knows exactly how it works lol. Anyway she said that the 50 dollar charge for lost passes is due to software issues and to prevent people from scamming the system which I didn't quite get.

Anyway I just found it funny that she agreed with me that Disneyland treats passholders better than WDWs.

Little info for you about those lost TIW cards. When we renewed ours in October, the CM in Epcot told us the usual deal about losing them and having to pay. Then he said, but if your really nice when you come in to replace the lost card, they are replaced for free! All he said was, "just ask." Thankfully, we never lost ours, but my brother did. Wish I knew this before he spent the extra $50. Anyway, keep that in mind should anyone lose the card in the future.

 

[Scuttle]

Little info for you about those lost TIW cards. When we renewed ours in October, the CM in Epcot told us the usual deal about losing them and having to pay. Then he said, but if your really nice when you come in to replace the lost card, they are replaced for free! All he said was, "just ask." Thankfully, we never lost ours, but my brother did. Wish I knew this before he spent the extra $50. Anyway, keep that in mind should anyone lose the card in the future.

Ya she used an analogy that if someone steals your wallet or breaks into your house/car etc. and steals you
card that they would ''work with you''.

 

[GoofGoof]

Well there is a completely hassle full and annoying way around Disney's new name must match policy.

A - First have GUEST WHO IS PAYING buy a Disney gift card for more than your meal...
B - Pay meal with gift card and tables of wonderland card
C - go to nearest store and buy an item for more than the left over balance of gift card
D - immediately return the said item and get left over gift card money + little extra you paid out of pocket for item returned to you in cash.

Tada.....eh?

Couldn't you just pay with cash?

 

[Skyway]

Wonder when I'll hit the "nope, not renewing" on the AP. Could be this year. Still debating that.

After being loyal customers for 14 years, we pulled the plug on ours a year ago. Surprisingly, we have not missed it ONE BIT. In fact, once we saw firsthand how much better food and entertainment we are getting elsewhere with the money we would have spent on AP's, our opinion of WDW is even lower. Their desire to keep pushing the limit of guest spending just feels dirty. We feel so much better not giving them our money. Being a lifelong Disney fan, I was surprised at just how good it makes me feel to no longer give them my business

 

[RSoxNo1]

Because Victoria and Albert's is the most highly decorated and awarded restaurant in Florida, I think cutting any kind of discount is completely fair. You wouldn't go to Alinea and whip out a coupon would you?


Jimmy Thick- If you have to ask how much, chances are you can't afford it.

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.

 

[RSoxNo1]

if not happy with changes send comments and emails directly to tables in wonderland:
WDW.Tables.In.Wonderland@disney.com

Done and done.

 

[doctornick]

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.

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.

 

[Scuttle]

Done and done.

Let us know what the response is. I wonder if they'll call you personally like they did with me.

 

[Scuttle]

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.

At the very least they could have sent all us pass holders/TIW participants an email. I guess with current TDO management that's asking too much?