Tables in Wonderland or Regular dining plan

[Laura's Dad]

We are planning an 8 night trip in December. We will have 8 staying in a 2 bedroom villa. We had considered the Regular Dining Plan and have planned some meals accordingly. We took a short 3 night trip in March and went ahead and purchased an AP to use for both trips. Do you think it would be better to purchase the Tables in Wonderland card and use it for our table service meals and pay out of pocket for our counter service meals, or would it be better to just use the dining plan? We would probably order alcoholic beverages with our counter service if we had the dining plan. We would probably order some appetizers not on the dining plan to share. I'm not sure about so many deserts on the dining plan. Can you substitute a side for a desert? Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[sharonabe]

The best and truly only way to know which will be a better value is to go ahead and plan where you WANT to eat with no thought to any plan or discount. Choose the restaurants and experiences you know you want and you'll do regardless of how you pay. Then just do the math. With 8 people, you may just have to take the average meal cost, but it's still better than a shot in the dark.

As for substituting the dessert, you will have to ask at every TS place what, if anything, they will give you instead of the dessert. Most will offer a side salad or cup of soup, maybe an extra veggie or a fruit plate, but that's about it.

Remember with 8 eating together at TS, you will be charged an automatic gratuity. Using the TiW also incurs that, so you will be getting a true 20% discount on your food, including those apps you might order to share.