Discounts on dining?

[Cinderelley]

With my huge group going, it would be nice to save some money on food. Do they still have the Tables in Wonderland thing? I am planning on converting my park tickets to an annual pass when I get there, since I will be staying for two weeks. The discount was good for up to 10 people, right?

Does the annual pass give you dining discounts? What about the Chase Disney card? Anything else I might be missing?

[Fangorn]

Tables in Wonderland still exists. The purchase price for AP holders and DVC members is $150. You get a 20% discount at participating restaurants, including alcohol. It is good for up to 10 guests. Caveat though is everything must be on one bill and the TIW cardowner must pay the bill. Name on the credit card must match the name on the TIW card. Break even is $750 spent on food and drinks - easy enough with a large group, if you can work out the payment arrangements.

The AP itself currently gives a 20% discount at most dining establishments. But that promotion is scheduled to end in September and may not be extended. If it isn't, then the AP discount will revert to the standard 10%. AP also has a similar discount on merchandise and on some special events.

One other perk with TIW. You get free valet parking (one vehicle up to 3 hours) when dining at a participating resort restaurant. Just show your receipt after the meal.

Steve

[VWL Mom]

Tables in Wonderland still exists. The purchase price for AP holders and DVC members is $150. You get a 20% discount at participating restaurants, including alcohol. It is good for up to 10 guests. Caveat though is everything must be on one bill and the TIW cardowner must pay the bill. Name on the credit card must match the name on the TIW card. Break even is $750 spent on food and drinks - easy enough with a large group, if you can work out the payment arrangements.

Steve

We use TIW coupled with Disney Gift cards which I pick up between 5% and 10% off - great savings! When we travel with with my cousin and her DH we just split the cost of the gift cards.

[Cinderelley]

We use TIW coupled with Disney Gift cards which I pick up between 5% and 10% off - great savings! When we travel with with my cousin and her DH we just split the cost of the gift cards.

How do you get a discount on gift cards?

[Cinderelley]

. Break even is $750 spent on food and drinks - easy enough with a large group,

Steve

I calculated that 20% of my anticipated dining costs would be $920 with just our table service meals. I plan on staying for 2.5 weeks, so I was already going to get the AP. It is essentially just going to pay for the tips for our meals, at 18%. Sounds like it would work out well for us.

Can you combine the AP discount and the TIW discount?

[Cinderelley]

If I use the TIW discount, can I just charge it to my room with my magicband or do I have to have the credit card with my name on it?

[VWL Mom]

How do you get a discount on gift cards?

I belong to Sam's Club, they discount them about 4.8%. Chase Freedom/Discover were running 5% rebates at Wholesale Clubs for the last few months so I took advantage of that.

I calculated that 20% of my anticipated dining costs would be $920 with just our table service meals. I plan on staying for 2.5 weeks, so I was already going to get the AP. It is essentially just going to pay for the tips for our meals, at 18%. Sounds like it would work out well for us.

Can you combine the AP discount and the TIW discount?

You cannot combine the discounts.

If I use the TIW discount, can I just charge it to my room with my magicband or do I have to have the credit card with my name on it?

You can use any payment they accept so that would be fine. Keep in mind though, if you're dining at places like Shula's TIW is accepted but Gift Cards and Magic bands are not,

[Cinderelley]

You can use any payment they accept so that would be fine. Keep in mind though, if you're dining at places like Shula's TIW is accepted but Gift Cards and Magic bands are not,

I did not realize there were places where you couldn't use your Magicbands. My thought process was that it would be easier for everyone to just give me their money, I'll put it on my room account, and then just pay for everyone (well 10 anyway). My future son-in-law could do the same for his family. We would get the discount, and I am assuming it would be easier for the servers to have just a couple of checks to run instead of just one for every family unit.
Our planned meals at this point are
Trex
Hoop Dee Doo
O'hana
Beaches N Cream
Flying Fish
Paddlefish
Coral Reef
Cinderella's Royal Table
Be Our Guest
Whispering Canyon Café
Crystal Palace (for breakfast)
Princess Storybook Breakfast
Do all of those places take the Magicbands as payment?

[VWL Mom]

I'm not sure about TRex but the rest do. TRex does accept the DDP so I would think they let you charge to your room.

If they want to take advantage of the TIW discount they need to be on your bill, no separate checks.

[Cinderelley]

I'm not sure about TRex but the rest do.

Thank you very much. That could have thrown an unexpected wrench into the plans.

[Fangorn]

You can find the full list of participating restaurants as well as all the rules at tablesinwonderland.com

Places like Shula's and T-rex are not owned or operated by Disney, and therefore are not automatically tied in to Disney's computer systems. They can opt in to whatever pieces they want (for which they pay Disney a fee).

Be aware that your resort may not allow you to put money on your account as a credit balance. The will probably allow it if it is all in cash, but not if you're wanting to use gift cards to fund that credit balance. I've tried many times and the story is always the same - you can use giftcards to pay for things charged to your room, but you can't use them to establish a credit balance. Its against Federal accounting rules apparently.

A couple of the places on your list require payment at time of booking - Hoop-dee-do for instance. In those cases, you will have to pay the full amount up front. When you check in for the meal you can show them your TIW and they will refund the discount back to the original form of payment. You'll have to figure out how to handle that with your group.

Steve

[BriarRose0708]

You may want to consider getting a Landry's card if you're going to T-Rex, Yak and Yeti and/or Rainforest Cafe. You can't use Disney Gift Cards at Rainforest or T-Rex, not certain about Yak & Yeti. The Landry's card comes with other perks like preferred seating. I don't know a ton about it, but it may be worth researching.

[Cinderelley]

Thanks for the tips everyone. If you know anything else, let me know. I would rather know the pros and cons now than scramble when everyone is at the table.

[Cinderelley]

Be aware that your resort may not allow you to put money on your account as a credit balance. The will probably allow it if it is all in cash, but not if you're wanting to use gift cards to fund that credit balance. I've tried many times and the story is always the same - you can use giftcards to pay for things charged to your room, but you can't use them to establish a credit balance. Its against Federal accounting rules apparently.

Steve

So I could charge the meals to my room and then go pay it with a disney gift card?

[Fangorn]

So I could charge the meals to my room and then go pay it with a disney gift card?

Yes. You can charge it to your room. Then just stop by the front desk periodically and pay your balance with the gift card(s). They will print out a listing of everything charged to the room, including date and who made the charge. It's very quick and easy.

Disney doesn't charge the credit card you have on file until you reach certain limits based on your resort. I don't recall what those current limits are - I think it's $1000 at the values and $2500 at the mods and deluxe. Anyway, the point is you have time to use your gift cards before the charges hit your credit card.

Steve

[Cinderelley]

Yes. You can charge it to your room. Then just stop by the front desk periodically and pay your balance with the gift card(s). They will print out a listing of everything charged to the room, including date and who made the charge. It's very quick and easy.

Disney doesn't charge the credit card you have on file until you reach certain limits based on your resort. I don't recall what those current limits are - I think it's $1000 at the values and $2500 at the mods and deluxe. Anyway, the point is you have time to use your gift cards before the charges hit your credit card.

Steve

You are awesome! This would be so much better, because then we would know how much everyone owes me exactly when I go to pay instead of guessing beforehand.

I didn't think Disney would let you have a negative balance on your room account.