Disney Dining Experience About This Page:

[tdandboys]

We will be new Annual Pass Holders. Is the Disney Dining Experience card Beneficial? It says we will get 20% off our dining purchases, but 18% is added to your bill automacilly if you use Table service. We are staying off-site for the next two years, so we will not be able to use Disney Dining.

[Caldercup]

The Disney Dining Experience (now referred to by Disney as the "Tables in Wonderland") is generally a good deal, especially if you tend to enjoy table service meals and spend any time in the lounges on property. Also, I believe they can be used in the food courts at resorts that DO NOT have a table service restaurant. I know I was able to use mine at POFQ and at POP over the years.

In terms of the gratuity, just keep in mind that you are probably going to be tipping anyway (right...!) so the 20% is still a 20% savings regardless. The difference might be if you are consistently a 15% tipper, then you'd be tipping more than you used to.

For me, I'm generally a 20% tipper, so the automatic 18% is actually less than what I'd normally tip and is an "additional" savings.
Eileen

PS - just to clarify, the TIW card only gives you the 20% off at Table Service meals (not any counter service) and is not accepted at some of the restaurants not owned by Disney -- Yak & Yeti table service is one of them, but they do give a 10% (I think) discount for AP holders off the entrees.

[tdandboys]

Correct we always tip. But I thought this included the counter Service meals as well. Does it not?

[WDWfan]

It does NOT include most CS meals. As Eileen mentioned the food courts at Pop, the All Star resorts, and POFQ do honor it since there aren't any TS restaurants at those resorts. It can also be used at Pizzafari, Flame Tree BBQ, and Restaurantosaurus in AK. The cost is $60 for AP holders so if you plan to spend more than $300 on discounted meals over the lifetime of the membership you come out ahead. It also includes free valet parking at a resort while you dine.

[Caldercup]

And... you obviously don't have to tip at those counter service restaurants that accept the Tables in Wonderland/DDE card. Those are a total bonus!!
Eileen

[Sandra Bostwick]

Originally Posted by tdandboys

We will be new Annual Pass Holders. Is the Disney Dining Experience card Beneficial? It says we will get 20% off our dining purchases, but 18% is added to your bill automacilly if you use Table service. We are staying off-site for the next two years, so we will not be able to use Disney Dining.

I wish I were close enough to take advantage of that! I've heard great things about that program! Enjoy!

[tdandboys]

I was a waitress all through College, so I DO understand how important tipping is. But I am an Accountant, and spending $60 dollars to save money, I was trying to justify the expense. We will probably do a lot more Counter service this time around. I guess I should of said that in my first post.

[tdandboys]

Originally Posted by Sandra Bostwick

I wish I were close enough to take advantage of that! I've heard great things about that program! Enjoy!

I'm from Oklahoma. We are buying AP's and going twice with in the year to save a ton of money. The Tables in Wonderland card will save us even more. I do think we will spend over $300 in food within "2" years.

[claytrgtshooter]

It depends a lot on how many TS you are planning. The more you spend the more you save. You may want to look at menus to see where you want to eat, and then decide. On a side note we made reservations for Portabello Yacht Club one trip base on their internet menu. We went thru DTD a couple of days before, looked at their menu for the week, saw nothing that interested us and ended up going to Mangino's instead.

[EeyoreNeedsLoveToo]

we added up our projected savings -- and since we generally eat one TS meal a day for our family of 3 -- over two trips we figured we broke about even on our first 5 night stay and then zoomed ahead on our recent 8 night stay. If you are considering and signature meals it's a great savings there.

[Caldercup]

Originally Posted by tdandboys

spending $60 dollars to save money, I was trying to justify the expense.

It's actually a simple calculation to know whether you'll save any money with the membership. As Lesley said, to recoup the original $60 membership fee, you'd have to purchase $300 in table service meals (pretip) to "save" the $60 back. After that point, it's all pure savings.

What I do is look at the menus on AllEars and determine what I think we'd likely spend on our table service meals, lounge purchases, special cake purchases, and any counter service meals that are included in the membership. If I know that we'll spend that initial $300, then I know that it'll at least be a wash, investment wise. If I'm going to spend $600 that trip, then it's a $60 savings after I recoup my membership. If I'm going to take multiple trips on that year of Annual Passes, then I'm likely to save much, much more.

One year I spent more than 22 days in the parks and the membership was a HUGE savings.
Eileen

[Aminspired]

Also, I enjoy the adult beverage every now and again....you can use the DDE at the lounges/restaurant bars and the discount includes these beverages at your table service dinner, as well.

Many discounts do not include drinks so it is an added bonus for me.

[Colexis Mom]

We loved having the DDE card, and greatly missed it on our last trip!!

[tdandboys]

Thank you, this is advice I really needed. It is a catch 22. I'm sure we will not be doing any signature meals. Not to say I don't want to, but two trips to Disney in 2 years will be enough. I'll do the math. We are traveling with friends in 2010, and we can help them save.

[WDWJAMBA]

We loved having the DDE card. We spent 21 days at WDW last year and it really added up. The card paid for itself the first trip.