Tables in Wonderland is a great money-saving card for regular Walt Disney World restaurant patrons who are Florida residents, Annual Passholders, or DVC members. This post reviews the discount, how it compares to the Disney Dining Plan, and offers info & tips. (Updated May 9, 2023.)
The Tables in Wonderland (TiW) card offers a 20% discount off all food and beverage (including alcohol) for up to 10 people at most table-service Walt Disney World restaurants. An 18% gratuity is added to all TiW table service transactions, most parties are tipping at or around 18% anyway, so it’s not merely a 2% discount.
Tables in Wonderland is valid for a year from the month of purchase (as opposed to being valid for a calendar year), and it actually expires on the last day of the month one year from the month during which it is purchased. This means it essentially could be valid for ~13 months if you time it right. However, Tables in Wonderland is currently unavailable–and may never return…
May 9, 2023 Update: Back when Walt Disney World closed, all Tables in Wonderland memberships–including those that expired while the parks & resorts were closed–were extended for an additional 4 months beyond the printed date of expiration. Upon reopening, new Tables in Wonderland cards were not sold and renewals were not offered.
The last Tables in Wonderland cards all would be long expired by now. There was a very small team that supported Tables in Wonderland, and their office remained closed long after Walt Disney World started reopening.
For a while, Walt Disney World had a message on its official website stating: “New Tables in Wonderland memberships are not for sale at this time. Additional information regarding future sales of Tables in Wonderland memberships will be shared at a later date.”
That is no longer the case. The page for Tables in Wonderland has been deleted, and now redirects to the dining overview page. This is unlike a handful of other offerings that are still listed as “temporarily unavailable” on DisneyWorld.com.
This distinction is significant, as Walt Disney World purged pages of entertainment and other offerings that have been permanently retired, while retaining pages for things it intends to bring back at some point when staffing or other circumstances allow. That alone suggests that Walt Disney World has no intentions of bringing back Tables in Wonderland.
In even newer-news, Walt Disney World just announced 2024 vacation packages that contained 5 major updates and improvements that are varying degrees of good news or steps towards restoring pre-closure operational normalcy. Arguably the biggest news is that the Disney Dining Plan is returning in 2024!
In response to that, several readers have asked about Tables in Wonderland. Officially, Walt Disney World has provided no updates on Tables in Wonderland in the last 3 years. When guests have inquired directly, Disney has given non-answers or redirected.
We haven’t heard any rumors one way or the other, but given the lack of updates, removal of the official website, and Disney phasing out other programs post-reopening, it’s our expectation that Tables in Wonderland will not return. There are no signs it’ll be back anytime soon–nor is it needed.
To that last point, the whole reason that Tables in Wonderland existed in the first place was to incentivize locals and Disney Vacation Club members to eat on-site at Walt Disney World and help those restaurants fill tables. For the last few years, that has been unnecessary. ADRs were competitive due to reduced capacity resulting from staffing shortages, while consumers remained eager to make up for lost time with travel and meals out.
Of course, that won’t be the case forever. Walt Disney World is already seeing pent-up demand fizzle out, and the supply v. demand imbalance has largely been resolved. Walt Disney World has started to experience a slowdown, and bookings are softening as compared to the last two years.
All of this is precisely why Walt Disney World is bringing the Disney Dining Plan back in 2024, has increased discounting, resumed Annual Pass sales, and more. These are levers the company is pulling to help increase demand and buoy bookings. It’s possible all of that will be enough. After all, Walt Disney World was doing record-setting numbers before and a slowdown from that was to be expected. The circumstances are far from dire–they’re just not as good as the last two years.
If the economy worsens from here, there’s further pullback in consumer sentiment or spending, or the levers just pulled by Walt Disney World don’t do enough to move the needle, it’s likely further steps will be taken. Already, Walt Disney World is “pulling out the old playbook” and seeing what worked in 2019 and earlier.
One of those levers could be incentivizing Floridians and Disney Vacation Club members to dine on-site. When that happens, our guess is that a “new” program comparable to Tables in Wonderland will be launched. Personally, I do not expect to see the “Tables in Wonderland” name used again. It didn’t have strong name recognition, and Walt Disney World will probably want to change up the program and rebrand as a result.
It’s also possible that Walt Disney World will amp up AP and DVC discounts without any formal program. (The downside of that, though, is not being able to monetize the discounts!) A final possibility is that Walt Disney World will opt against reinventing the wheel, and will resurrect Tables in Wonderland. The point is that we don’t know which route the company will choose, nor do we know when it’ll happen–and no one does.
Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if a replacement for Tables in Wonderland is released as early as August 2023 or as “late” as never at all. On the early side, it could launch before the return of the Disney Dining Plan because it’s not nearly as complex, so the timeline for reintroduction to implementation could be faster.
Still, it seems unlikely to me that Tables in Wonderland (or an equivalent) would come out before Walt Disney World is able to assess the popularity and impact of the Disney Dining Plan. Given that, sometime in mid-2024 probably makes more sense for a Tables in Wonderland replacement. That is, unless dining demand drops dramatically and DDP bookings for 2024 start softer than expected. So I’ll reiterate once again–who knows!
As such, we’re preserving the below historical Tables in Wonderland info for the sake of posterity–just don’t expect the dining discount card to return anytime soon…
Tables in Wonderland Pricing & Info
Tables in Wonderland costs $150 for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members, and $175 for Florida residents. Note that if you aren’t a Florida Resident, Annual Passholder, or Disney Vacation Club Member, the program unfortunately is not open to you. I guess that means it’s time for you to move to Florida?! 😉
One of the normal downsides of Tables in Wonderland is that a lot of newer restaurants don’t accept it immediately. So, if you’re a local or regular who likes to dine at the latest restaurants in the parks or at Disney Springs, that’s a bit of a bummer. However, currently there are no new restaurants that do not accept TiW.
At present, all new restaurants do now accept Tables in Wonderland (when they’re open). This includes Topolino’s Terrace, Enchanted Rose Lounge, Jaleo by José Andrés, Terralina Crafted Italian, Barcelona Lounge, Dahlia Lounge, Three Bridges Bar & Grill, and Toledo — Tapas, Steak & Seafood. We love Jaleo, Three Bridges, and Toledo, so we’re happy to see all of these added to the list.
Hopefully, at some point these restaurants are joined by other new and upcoming restaurants at Walt Disney World, including Topolino’s Terrace, Space 220 Restaurant, Takumi-Tei, Le Creperie de Paris, City Works Eatery & Pour House, Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and Toy Story Land’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant.
Unfortunately, Victoria & Albert’s no longer accepts Tables in Wonderland. There are also general blockout dates for all Tables in Wonderland locations: Mother’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. On Tables in Wonderland block-out dates, there will be a charge for parking and valet services.
In addition to the 20% savings at Table Service restaurants, a Tables in Wonderland card entitles you to the following benefits:
- complimentary valet (and standard) resort parking (if dining at the resort)
- complimentary theme park parking after 5:00 pm (if dining at the park)
- access to member-only special Food and Wine events, winemaker dinners, and celebrity chef dinners, and other events throughout the year
In addition to the above-mentioned blockout dates, it is also important to note that some Disney Springs restaurants don’t accept the card or only offer a 10% discount with it. Also, some Counter Service restaurants (Flame Tree BBQ, for the win!) offer a Tables in Wonderland discount.
As these restaurants change yearly based on the contracts signed with each restaurant, it’s best to refer to Disney’s Tables in Wonderland page before your trip to determine what discount you’ll receive at each restaurant you visit.
Before we get into the regular Tables in Wonderland review, we want to offer some thoughts on Annual Passholder and Disney Vacation Club discounts of 10% to 20% off at a some table service restaurants. There are not nearly as many restaurants offering 20% off AP/DVC discounts, but there are a decent number of restaurants.
The vast majority of table service restaurants that are offering AP or DVC discounts are only 10% off. Previously, many more were at 20%, which led us to not renew our Tables in Wonderland card a couple of years ago. However, those disappeared early last year, and have yet to return.
As such, we renewed our Tables in Wonderland card early last year, and will renew again soon if larger discounts do not appear. We dine at Walt Disney World table service restaurants with regularity, so that 10% difference is pretty significant for us.
You should do the math yourself to determine whether you’re better off with the “free” 10% off discount, or if it’s worth it to pay for the 20% off discount. Even with the AP and DVC discounts, if you’re a local and eat at Walt Disney World restaurants weekly, you still might want to get the Tables in Wonderland card.
Tables in Wonderland Card Review
Since you could find the above information in a multitude of places online, I’m assuming you’ve come here for our thoughts on whether the Tables in Wonderland card is worth the money.
In light of the price of the Tables in Wonderland card and the discount offered, the break-even point for a Florida resident breaks is $875 at Table Service restaurants, and an Annual Passholder’s break-even point is $750 spent at Table Service restaurants. (Assuming no alternative discounts are available–if there are, the math obviously changes.)
If you’ve ever paid for Table Service restaurants at Walt Disney World out of pocket, you know that you can probably break-even within only a few meals. As such, most frequent guests to Walt Disney World who regularly dine at table service restaurants will get a good amount of savings out of the Tables in Wonderland card.
Still, you might be wondering how the Tables in Wonderland card compares to the Disney Dining Plan for saving money. My biggest criticism of the Disney Dining Plan is that it offers too much food for most people and is unnecessarily complicated. Nothing is as simple as paying out-of-pocket for the food you want, when and where you want it. The Tables in Wonderland Card works well for this “strategy.”
However, if the Disney Dining Plan (1 Table Service meal consisting of an entree, dessert, and drink, 1 Counter Service meal consisting of a combo, drink, and dessert, and 1 Snack per day for the standard plan) matches your eating habits, that might very well be better for you. For us, Tables in Wonderland works better because it allows us to “eat as we please.”
We can order an appetizer if we want, skip dessert, get 3 snacks per day, etc. We don’t feel as confined to a specific eating pattern and schedule with Tables in Wonderland. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer as to which is better for your party, so doing the numbers based on your specific dining style is a must.
You may find that even if you’re a frequent user of the Disney Dining Plan, there still may be value in purchasing the Tables in Wonderland card if you eat at Walt Disney World restaurants enough. This is because the card can be used on alcohol and appetizers.
If would order these items with your Disney Dining Plan meals, and you eat enough appetizers or drink enough alcohol, you can come out ahead. Just think of it as an booze “rewards” card for Disney! Plus, since it’s accepted at some restaurants where the Disney Dining Plan is not, you can benefit by using it in these locations.
Sarah and I actually first purchased Tables in Wonderland for a trip during which we’d be using the Disney Dining Plan! For our honeymoon, we wanted to experience Victoria & Albert’s and California Grill, in addition to using the Disney Dining Plan, but the former is not on the Dining Plan, and the latter offers poor value on the Dining Plan. Back then, Tables in Wonderland cost $75 (and this was not that long ago!) so it made complete sense to buy the card and use it a couple of days in lieu of the Dining Plan.
During those two days, we ate at Victoria & Albert’s, California Grill, and Beaches and Cream. The savings on our dinner at Victoria & Albert’s came close to paying for the card, with the savings at California Grill easily putting us “in the black” on Tables in Wonderland. We used the card again at Christmas, and again in May, and saved well over one-thousand dollars in those three trips by utilizing the card.
We have had it every year since, and seen the card gradually creep up in cost. Every year we have gotten enough value to justify the purchase (we do the math), but with the latest price increase making it cost $150 (for us as Disney Vacation Club members) after our last renewal, it’s going to be tough to justify buying it again. The break-even point is high, and as menu prices continue to rise to provide illusory value for the Disney Dining Plan, we find ourselves eating fewer and fewer table service meals.
Obviously, your mileage may vary on the Tables in Wonderland card, and you should really do the math to determine if it’s right for you. If you really love the table service restaurants at Walt Disney World, what’s better than an excuse to eat an extra meal at Flying Fish, Jiko, or Kona Cafe because you need to save more money?! 😉
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? If you’re interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. OurWhat to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides” are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of the Tables in Wonderland Card? Is it worth the money for your traveling party, or do you go for the Disney Dining Plan (or something else) instead? Share your thoughts in the comments!