DDP/tips easy to use

[klynn]

We have been on the DDP since Friday. So far our ts have been Le Cellier, Tuttu Italia, and California Grill. The tips are not confusing at all. The server brings the slip and asks you to total it before they run the card through. The slip tells you what a gratuity of 18% and 20% would be. One time I wrote the tip in and charged it to our room. The other two times I wrote cash and left the server cash. There has been no confusion at all.

[DisneyMimi]

So do they bring you a copy of what your bill would have been then lists either 18% or 20% at the bottom?:confused3

[jjnv]

So do they bring you a copy of what your bill would have been then lists either 18% or 20% at the bottom?:confused3

Yes. You just put in tip and total up the cost. Then they bring you back two copies to sign and two copies to take with you.

[DCLLVR]

So, if you are using cash for tips, you just tell them you will leave it on the table? or do they need the cash tip before they go "ring it up"?

[KelsiesMommy]

You just leave the cash before you go- they don't need to see the amount you leave until you're gone.

We had no problems last week- 6 nights on DDP

[jascar]

So just curious did you feel that the service was worth the 18 or 20%. On the bill it says the "recommended" amount of the tip and you just leave it on the table when you leave as you would do with most other restaurants (not Disney).

[mari360]

subscribing.... would love to find this out since i will be there in May on the DDeDP.......

[Dawn68PA]

So nice to hear a positive thing about the DDP. We always use it and love it but must admit, I've been a little confused as to how it would actually work.

Thank you so much for posting this info :cool1:

[LSchrow]

thank goodness!
from so many posts about how difficult & confusing it is, i was getting worried that there was actually more to it than met the eye :confused3

in a few previous instances, i've paid OOP while the rest of my party were on the DDP, & didn't find that even remotely confusing:confused: , but the way a few have described the tipping, i was becoming concerned that even bringing a scientific calculator wouldn't be sufficient :lmao:

ty for sharing your experience ~ enjoy your vacation :thumbsup2

[CharmedLife]

I'm here right now and unfortunately have not been having the same experience. At Akershus the other night, the server actually brought me 7 slips for my dinner with my daughter. Seriously, 7 slips. 5 of them requiring signatures.

At the end of the meal, he brought me one bill. It had both of our dinners, along with our drinks (2 glasses of wine for me, a "speciality" kids drink for DD). I added the "suggested" 20% tip and sent it back with him along with my room key to charge the tip to and take off the dining credits.

Lo and behold, he brings me back 7 slips of paper, 5 of which required signatures. One slip was just for the tip itself that I had added ($14 something), and then there was an automatic 18% tip added to that! So I was expected to pay an automatic tip ON MY TIP!!!! Then there was one that was just the bar bill, which also had an automatic 18% tip added. Then there was one that was to remove our dining credits. I don't even remember what the other ones were for, maybe those were my copies?

I was just so confused. I asked my waiter what was going on, was I supposed to be paying a tip on my tip, etc., and why wasn't I just paying the $14 something total that I had added to my original slip. He had no idea, took everything back and was gone for 15 minutes before coming back again. 2 slips for me to sign, no tip added at all. So now I'm supposed to not tip the guy - I flat out asked him, "what about the tip?" Because I know this isn't his fault, and I don't want to stiff him. He apologizes for the confusion, tells me he has had it removed because of all the trouble. So now I was basically forced to either stiff him or dig up the cash from my wallet (which I did, he ended up with $15 instead).

Anyway, it was very confusing. Nothing has been quite so bad since, but I would say that we haven't had a totally clean experience yet after 5 separate table service meals. The waitress at Chef Mickey's told us this has been horrible for them and they are encouraging all of their customers to fill out complaints with their concierges. We will definitely be doing so.

And I won't be ordering alcohol at any more meals, it seems to have confused the whole situation. Probably better for my wallet, anyway!

[kimberh]

I'm here right now and unfortunately have not been having the same experience. At Akershus the other night, the server actually brought me 7 slips for my dinner with my daughter. Seriously, 7 slips. 5 of them requiring signatures.

At the end of the meal, he brought me one bill. It had both of our dinners, along with our drinks (2 glasses of wine for me, a "speciality" kids drink for DD). I added the "suggested" 20% tip and sent it back with him along with my room key to charge the tip to and take off the dining credits.

Lo and behold, he brings me back 7 slips of paper, 5 of which required signatures. One slip was just for the tip itself that I had added ($14 something), and then there was an automatic 18% tip added to that! So I was expected to pay an automatic tip ON MY TIP!!!! Then there was one that was just the bar bill, which also had an automatic 18% tip added. Then there was one that was to remove our dining credits. I don't even remember what the other ones were for, maybe those were my copies?

I was just so confused. I asked my waiter what was going on, was I supposed to be paying a tip on my tip, etc., and why wasn't I just paying the $14 something total that I had added to my original slip. He had no idea, took everything back and was gone for 15 minutes before coming back again. 2 slips for me to sign, no tip added at all. So now I'm supposed to not tip the guy - I flat out asked him, "what about the tip?" Because I know this isn't his fault, and I don't want to stiff him. He apologizes for the confusion, tells me he has had it removed because of all the trouble. So now I was basically forced to either stiff him or dig up the cash from my wallet (which I did, he ended up with $15 instead).

Anyway, it was very confusing. Nothing has been quite so bad since, but I would say that we haven't had a totally clean experience yet after 5 separate table service meals. The waitress at Chef Mickey's told us this has been horrible for them and they are encouraging all of their customers to fill out complaints with their concierges. We will definitely be doing so.

And I won't be ordering alcohol at any more meals, it seems to have confused the whole situation. Probably better for my wallet, anyway!

I hope your check out is clean. :confused3

[hddanis]

I'm just back from 5 days of using the DxDDP and had NO issues with the tips/OOP charges. It was very simple to use. Even on the meals where we ate with friends who weren't on the DDP. They just brought us each out a check.

[klynn]

So just curious did you feel that the service was worth the 18 or 20%. On the bill it says the "recommended" amount of the tip and you just leave it on the table when you leave as you would do with most other restaurants (not Disney).

Yes, so far I have felt a 20% tip was appropriate for the service. When they bring the slip, I write cash in the tip line and leave a cash tip along wth my key card that they take back and deduct the correct DDP credits. I feel better knowing that they got their tip rather than just leaving it on the table.

[TLSnell1981]

I hope things are more consistant when we arrive next month.

[CharmedLife]

I hope your check out is clean. :confused3

Thanks. You can bet I will be going over the bill VERY carefully when we leave. What a nightmare. It seems that if you have any extras (alcohol, a person who's not on the plan, etc.) you will have a lot of confusion in the end. Like I said we've decided not to add any alcohol to meals that we're paying OOP for, no appetizers, etc. Just strictly sticking to the credits. I guess Disney is not going to make any more money off of us at these meals. To your point, I'm not looking forward to that final bill!

[jm-mom]

We just got back from a week of the Disney dining plan. The tipping was a concern before we left home but it turned out to be no big deal. Every time the bill was brought to us in a folder, we just signed it and wrote cash or told the server we'd leave cash on the table. We were able to tip whatever we wanted and didn't have to stick to the 18-20 percent suggested. Our meals were mostly buffet and we usually tipped well under depending on the service that day. We ate at three truly style buffet meals, not family style, and at all three the wait staff refilled our glasses once and that was all we ever saw them. They didn't come to even take our dirty plates once over the hour we were there. Needless to say, I couldn't see tipping them anywhere near 20 percent. The receipt makes it seem like you HAVE to tip 18 or 20 percent but the amount is purely your choice. My recommendation is to tip as you would if you were dining out at home.

Garland

[TLSnell1981]

We ate at three truly style buffet meals, not family style, and at all three the wait staff refilled our glasses once and that was all we ever saw them. They didn't come to even take our dirty plates once over the hour we were there. Needless to say, I couldn't see tipping them anywhere near 20 percent. The receipt makes it seem like you HAVE to tip 18 or 20 percent but the amount is purely your choice. My recommendation is to tip as you would if you were dining out at home.

Garland

This is the service I have generally received at buffets at WDW. There have been times it was better....but not many. We couldn't even get drink refills at H&V.....I will never dine there again. The last 2 ordeals were enough. I think it is an insult to a server at a TS restaurant to think a buffet server deserves the same grat they do.

[angelkk]

We have been on the DDP since Friday. So far our ts have been Le Cellier, Tuttu Italia, and California Grill. The tips are not confusing at all. The server brings the slip and asks you to total it before they run the card through. The slip tells you what a gratuity of 18% and 20% would be. One time I wrote the tip in and charged it to our room. The other two times I wrote cash and left the server cash. There has been no confusion at all.

Thanks. Do you mind telling me how exactly the new DDP works?

In previous years we were on DDP, and when a meal is finished, DH simply passed the Resort Key to the server. The server returns with the receipt (TS deducted) and card, usually DH leaves $10 cash for extra tips on the table and we leave.

Does it mean that with the new DDP -
1). Server first brings a slip
2). You wrote down the tip amount or cash
3). Server takes the slip along with your resort Key
4). Server returns with the receipt
5). You pay tips in Cash?

[klynn]

Thanks. Do you mind telling me how exactly the new DDP works?

In previous years we were on DDP, and when a meal is finished, DH simply passed the Resort Key to the server. The server returns with the receipt (TS deducted) and card, usually DH leaves $10 cash for extra tips on the table and we leave.

Does it mean that with the new DDP -
1). Server first brings a slip
2). You wrote down the tip amount or cash
3). Server takes the slip along with your resort Key
4). Server returns with the receipt
5). You pay tips in Cash?

Yes, this has been our experience this week.

[angelkk]

Thanks. I've read that servers cannot run your Resort card for TS deduction unless the gratuity is entered.

[mom2cookies]

I also have a question. Is the tip according to the price of the individual meals or according the price of the DDP? I mean the DDP averages approximately $40 pp right? So is the tip based on that or on the meal total?

[klynn]

I also have a question. Is the tip according to the price of the individual meals or according the price of the DDP? I mean the DDP averages approximately $40 pp right? So is the tip based on that or on the meal total?

The tip is based on the total of the meals. For example we are a family of 4 and the tips we are leaving average between $25-35 per ts.

[LSchrow]

I also have a question. Is the tip according to the price of the individual meals or according the price of the DDP? I mean the DDP averages approximately $40 pp right? So is the tip based on that or on the meal total?

tip is based on what the meal would cost OOP (not including tax). same as if using a coupon in a restaurant: tip should be based on the pre-discount amount.
hth :)

[musical2]

We are also just back from WDW after seven days on DDP. We had no problems whatsoever with the tips. We are a family plus AuPair of six so they just added the 18% tip on what the meal would have cost. Since we did a lot of character buffets, Hoop-de-doo, and Ohana, we didn't have an issue with not having an appetizer since all those have an appetizer on DDP. The only place we did not get an appetizer and had to figure out our tip was the night my wife and I got to do a date by ourselves and went to Narcoosee's. Of course since that took 2 DDP credits each, we used one of our AuPair's credits and one of our older daughter's credits. They ate counter service that night. :rolleyes1 All-in-all it went rather smoothly. We still saved quite a bit of money on the DDP rather than pay OOP because of all the Character meals we attended and the comparative cost of Hoop-de-doo and the wonderful surf and turf at Narcoosee's.

[kaytieeldr]

Can you review your bill via the television?

If not, you might want to stop by the Front Desk mid-vacation and check your bill so far.

[Merilyn]

I find it amazing that Disney is telling you how much 18 and 20% is of your bill. If I pay the tip myself, it is up to me to decide what I want to pay. I can figure that out on my own. I don't need them telling me! I really preferred the old plan and would rather pay more per day. This having to sign paper work for the tip is awful and puts the server and guest on the spot. I am using the plan in May but I am beginning to worry we won't be happy with it. I guess we will find out!

[musical2]

Well, I did note some uncomfortableness in a couple of servers when it came to presenting the tipping bill since I had a party of 6 that was subject to the automatic 18%.

[angelkk]

Well, I did note some uncomfortableness in a couple of servers when it came to presenting the tipping bill since I had a party of 6 that was subject to the automatic 18%.

hi musical - we have a party of 6 here - did you pay the mandatory tips in cash, or simply charged to your room? I usually pay tips 18-20% depending on service, and would love to pay in cash if possible.

[disneymom06]

I am curious as well, we are a family of 6 and the tip will be automatically added to our bill. No choice, except how do we pay cash with the tip being mandatory if it is already included in the bill? I am worried that if we leave cash for the tip we may also have the tip billed to our room. It appears this forces me to bill all charges to our room which I am not fond of doing.

[musical2]

hi musical - we have a party of 6 here - did you pay the mandatory tips in cash, or simply charged to your room? I usually pay tips 18-20% depending on service, and would love to pay in cash if possible.

I just charged it to the room. But they would have taken cash. Unfortunately for the server, I have a stubborn streak in me that when I am automatically charged a tip, I don't add any extra on. At Narcoosee's when there was just the two us us, and I was afforded a choice to tip, I left a little over 20%.

[hammie59]

I've been reading comments about the new DDP with fear as we'll be going soon and using it. Since there are so many mixed reviews, some say it's simple and others a disaster....my thought is that it's only "very simple" if the server knows what they're doing. Sounds like they have a lot of "training issues" going on.

[Traci35]

I hope they have this all worked by the time we get there in December. I was told by many people that the DDP was the way to go. But that was before the 2008 changes.