Hey Guys! We’re back with another DFB Video today, and we’re chatting about a few ways that the money-saving tips you hear about all over the Internet that can actually BACKFIRE if they aren’t implemented correctly.
We dive into money-saving details about the Disney Dining Plan, free dining, splitting meals, annual passes, and more!! Should you do it? Are they actually going to end up costing you more? We’ve got all the answers you need in our latest DFB Video.
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So check out the video and then let us know: What money-saving tips pay off for you when visiting a Disney park.
Lee & Robin says
This analysis assumes you are not a Florida local, so you visit only a few times per year.
While it’s true that 20% of $750 is $150, the price of the TIW card, the “payoff” spending point is more complicated. Since you by definition already have an annual pass, you get 10% off at many of the same restaurants with the pass that you get 20% off with the card. So in the extreme case where you only dined in restaurants that also had an annual pass discount, you would have to spend $1500 to break even with the card (because you would have gotten 10% with your annual pass anyway, so you’re effectively only saving an additional 10% with the card). To wit:
If we exclude food courts, bars, and things like Sprinkles and Joffrey’s from each list of discounts, then cross-compare, we find that the only additional restaurants that you get any kind of discount with TIW that you don’t get at least 10% with an AP are:
The five restaurants at the Swan & Dolphin
Chefs de France in Epcot
FlameTree, Pizzafari, and Restaurantosaurus in AK
Mario & Enzo’s, Raglan Road, and The Edison in DS.
That’s a pretty short list.
On the other hand, you can get 10% off some restaurants with an AP that you get no discount with TIW:
Blaze, The Boathouse, Earl of Sandwich, Polite Pig, Rainforest Cafe, TREX and Wolfgang Puck Express at DS
ESPN WW of Sports Grill at the ESPN Complex
Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti at AK
Sebastian’s Bistro at the Caribbean
Storybook Dining at Artist Point
Teppan Edo, Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar at Epcot
Diamond Horseshoe at MK
This comparison has convinced us that the TIW card won’t be worth it to us based on our 2-3 eight day trips/year. If you’re a big alcohol drinker, the calculus will be different. We do have a drink or two with dinner, but not enough to make up for the difference.
Also note that the TIW discounts for some shows like Hoop De Doo are limited to the late showing only. No such limitation appears to apply to the AP discount.
Finally note that most of the discounts on the AP are good for the passholder and 3 guests, while it’s the card holder and 9 guests with the TIW card. If you travel like we do, it makes financial sense for everyone to have an AP anyway, so this limitation is not an issue (three 8 day tickets cost considerably more than one annual pass, even with the recent increase).