DDP tipping question

[TikiGoddess]

We are traveling w/some friends of ours this year and I'm wondering about the tipping for DDP...we're going in Sept. so of course I'm hoping for free dining, but if we do not get free dining we will still be doing the DDP.

Here's my question...we are under different reservations, but we will eat all of our meals together and I'm wondering if because we'll be a party of 7 there will be an automatic tip percentage set? We will still be paying with 2 different keys to the world, but the waitress will be waiting on us as one table.

We traveled w/my inlaws last yr., but because the tip was included w/the dining plan I didn't notice if there was a set gratuity. I believe everyone just got 18%, and we did tip some additional, but I'm not sure if that's right.

Just trying to plan how much cash to bring along...thanks!

[Brian Noble]

If you are under different reservations, then you are separate parties, and will be seated separately, unless you ask to be combined. If you ask to be combined, or have a single reservation for the seven of you, I expect that an 18% service charge will be added to your bill. You could pay the service charge in cash, but I don't believe it helps the server at all; it will still be fully reported, and I suspect Disney keeps the cash and tips out at the end of the pay period.

If you are two completely separate parties that happen to show up and dine at the same time, it won't be automatically added, but you'll still be expected to tip appropriately. This can be done in cash, and if it is done so, the server will appreciate it.

It's possible that some places will seat you together, but not treat you as one party. I wouldn't expect it, but check your bill carefully so that you don't accidentally double-tip.

[TikiGoddess]

Thanks Brian! We will always be seated together. I will watch for the double tipping though...we will be paying all of our tips in cash...it's just easier for us to keep track of.

[SplashMountainMama]

I would go with the expectation of the automatic gratuity because your total number is 6 or more. However, it was our experience this past Feb. that sometimes the servers add it and sometimes not when it's 2 different bills. My parents ate with us (under 1 reservation) a few times and sometimes they had the tip added, sometimes they didn't. We always had it because our party in the reservation of 9 was 7.