Cheapest way to eat table service?

[mom2morgan]

Oh, the choices!! Help me work through this. We could go during a time with free dining - but even if that fits our schedule, it means no room discounts. From what I've heard, the rack rate on rooms can offset the savings on food. SO...then there is the option of getting an AP and doing the Tables in Wonderland Program. Then there's just look for the very best possible discounts on rooms and pay OOP for meals. We like one table-service meal per day and usually have a nice entree and dessert. We plan to eat at O'Hana's, Cape May (breakfast), Beirgarten, Akershus, Le Cellier, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace (breakfast), Tusker House (breakfast), Boma, Whispering Canyon and Coral Reef.
ps - which one would you recommend for the day of our 20th anniversary? Not looking for high romance, since the kids are with us, but might as well be the nicest meal of the above.

[faline]

Out of your list, I'd suggest Coral Reef or Le Cellier for your anniversary dinner. Happy anniversary!

If you have enough park days to make an annual pass worthwhile, I'd suggest the most economical way to eat table service would be with a healthy room discount and a Tables In Wonderland card.

[mom2morgan]

How many park days would you say justifies that AP? (I know I could look it up, but probably faster to as you, Faline! LOL)

[Strmchsr]

How many park days would you say justifies that AP? (I know I could look it up, but probably faster to as you, Faline! LOL)

I think the break-even point on an AP is 2 trips totally 11-12 days.

[DizneyRox]

If you're looking at just park admissions, then I do believe it's like 11-12 days (doesn't matter if it's multiple trips or not). Since US residents are limited to only a 10 day ticket, adding even just one day on top of the 10 day ticket gets you really close.

Now, I usually suggest basing your decision on park admission days only, HOWEVER, often the question comes up with people asking to upgrade to an AP because of a possible future trip, and speculation on future discounts.

I am 100% for getting an AP based on guarantees discounts, BUT, they must be guaranteed. IF you can secure a AP discount on your current vacation and doing so covers the additional cost of an AP over whatever tickets you really need, then ABSOLUTELY get the AP. IF, you are 100% sure that you are going to the above restaurants, then the 20% savings of the TiW program would probably be significant enough to cover the cost of the TiW card. Even if it's just a couple people. Even with just the two of us, we've saved more in a couple two/three days than the cost of the TiW card, and going for 10+ days makes it all that more appealing.

You don't mention the length of your stay, but if we can assume 11 days because of what you said, I would be hard pressed to see how at least one adult member of your party getting the AP and then the TiW wouldn't save you some cash. We eat similarly and go for similar length of time and saw savings. We do get a steep discount on the AP (DVC does have a few perks) but on dining alone we saved cash, we probably would have saved more if we could include room discounts.

ps LeCellier or Whispering Canyon. Add Narcoossees to the mix and I'd go there instead.

[A Big Kid]

If the question is finding the cheapest way to eat table service, the answer is easy for me.

#1) stay away from buffets.
(of course, that leave out O'Hana's, Cape May , Beirgarten, Akershus, Fare, Crystal Palace ,Tusker House ,and Boma.)

#2) Split meals since they are usually big enough for two.

The best for a romantic dinner? LeCellier hands down.

[faline]

How many park days would you say justifies that AP? (I know I could look it up, but probably faster to as you, Faline! LOL)

I would say that 12 park days justifies an annual pass. Here's my math. I used the price of a 7 day pass (since most folks tend to go for about a week) and added the park hopper option (since annual passes include the ability to park hop). I also also used a regular annual pass rather than the premium annual pass.

A 7 day ticket = $263.06 + $54 for the park hopping option which brings the total to 317.06. Divide that by 7 days and your cost per day = $45.29.

Take the cost of the annual pass $531.44 and divide that by the $45.29 cost per day and your break even point is 11.7 days (rounded to 12).

Therefore, if you go to Disney for 2 one week trips within one year and you visit a park for 12 or more days within those two trips, you have broken even on the cost of an annual pass.

[HoosierDisneyFan]

I agree with faline (and the math :thumbsup:). An additional benefit is the AP discounts you get. You will save 10% on items purchased at the resort gift shop (including snacks, milk, post cards, T Shirts, magazines, suntan lotion, etc.) and other items like Disney Quest tickets.