CM attitude towards Premium Dining Plan

[Iggipolka]

The wife and I have the Premium plan for our upcoming trip that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. There aren't any CS or TS credits to count, we can choose to eat all TS meals if we want or all CS meals if we want, or any combination there of.

From what I've read, it seems like CM's don't like the regular dining plan and I was wondering if this applies to the premium plan as well. I'm wondering if anyone has been on this plan and if they've noticed a negative attitude or treatment by CM's due to the plan?

Also, are tips included on the plan?

Thanks!

 

[Marseeya]

Why wouldn't they like the plan?

We had nothing but wonderful service when we were on the regular dining plan. So much so, that we regularly left extra money for a tip.

I think an 18% tip is included, if I'm not mistaken. It's at least 15.

 

[Ears2You]

I have never used the premium plan, but I have used the DDP 2 times over the past year and have never had a problem. Every persons dining experiences are different, but I never noticed any difference between our service and the service of guests around us. I have also read posts from other members discussing the poor service they had. I think that the experiences are definitely individual, and not representative of every cast member at Disney.

 

[Iggipolka]

I don't know why CM's wouldn't like the plan. I've just read reports here of guests getting irritated attitudes from CM's after mentioning that they were on the dining plan and/or receiving noticably less quality service than other guests around them who aren't on the plan.
I haven't experienced this personally as I haven't been to Disney while on the dining plan (yet), so it is second hand info.

 

[pezpam]

I have heard this, too, but when we went on the DDP, we didn't encounter a single instance of a peeved server. They were all perfectly friendly and as helpful as ever.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I am not sure where you got your information from, but this is simply not the case. In fact, they actually cated *MORE* to those with the premium plan than anything else. My parents found this the case with the regular plan (and us with the premium plan). A 20% tip is automatically included, so there is no reason for them not to be happy about a guest using it.

 

[karen l]

We're also doing the premium plan in April after having done the silver plan on previous trips. We never had a problem with service, most went out of their way to make sure we took full advantage of the plan. I wouldn't be concerned, I'm sure it'll be great!!

 

[Iggipolka]

Wonderful! Thanks for the good news.

 

[disneytraveler]

I used the Premium plan last year and thought it was great. Yes, tips are included in the dining portion of the plan. All the Cms i had were very nice and helpful! The dining part gives you 3 meals a day and lot of extras like
tours and LaNouba!

 

[maggiew]

I am not sure where you got your information from, but this is simply not the case. In fact, they actually cated *MORE* to those with the premium plan than anything else. My parents found this the case with the regular plan (and us with the premium plan). A 20% tip is automatically included, so there is no reason for them not to be happy about a guest using it.

I think some peope felt that the CMs knew they were getting a "guaranteed" 20% tip, so they let the service slide because they knew they were getting their money regardless.

Maggie

 

[vertigo235]

I think some peope felt that the CMs knew they were getting a "guaranteed" 20% tip, so they let the service slide because they knew they were getting their money regardless.

Maggie

This is what I was thinking as well.

 

[Sammie]

As others have said, why would any server not like the plan and the guarantee of a good tip.

That said, I will venture into an area most would probably like left unspoken but hey when I have I ever let that hold me back.

I think what they don't like is the guest that tries to tweak, or abuse the plans to their own advantage. Such as trying to get add ons without paying for them, etc. For one thing, and guests probably do not realize this, Disney tracks what is purchased with the Dining Plan and if abuses show up at certain restaurants or with certain servers then repercussions will follow either to the server, the restaurant, or to the plan.

 

[abaldacci]

I had great service with the reg. plan except in the castle, but I don't think it was the plan I think it was the server.

 

[NurseGodwin]

On our last trip we used the DDP, which includes an automatic 18% gratuity. Unfortunately, it does not include automatic good service. Except Chef Mickey's Character Dinner and Concourse Steakhouse for Lunch, we found service to be substandard, especially when one is used to Disney going the extra mile in the service arena! For example: We had to argue with our "server" (and I use the term loosely, as there was no service provided) at Ohana's who charged us a table service credit for our six month old infant who "ate" a bottle of formula and a jar of baby food from our diaper bag. We had already waited over 10 minutes for the bill after we had tracked our server down and asked for it, this added another 10 minutes... twenty minutes of sitting around a table stacked with plates of old food when the family is ready to go is a loooong time. We were also "charged" for our baby at other table service restaurants, which I assume was to drive up the total bill, and thus the included tip. How could anyone look at a six month old infant and think that it was a three year old child! Anyway, the overall attitude was that the CM's were doing us a favor by allowing us to sit in their station, and the indifference was disappointing. But we'll give it another try in May and see how it goes. Kudos to the fabulous characters/CM's at Chef Mickeys and Concourse! Of course, we added extra to the gratuity for them!

 

[Hopefully]

We had outstanding service on the Dining Plan in October. Without exception our servers were wonderful, and we left an extra tip for all.
We used the Gold Plan in the past, and we felt we were catered to and found it to be a wonderful experience.
I guess there can be bad moments or off nights, but we always felt well cared for, and in no way, second class citizens.

 

[rgf207]

I think people might be worrying a little to much about this stuff. I do not believe that the Dining Plan has any affect on service. The service has to do with the CM. I believe that they would give bad service whether you were on the plan or not.

An automatic 18% gratuity would not indicate any reason why a server would give bad service because he/she knew they would get a tip. If they really cared they would still go above and beyone because their job would be at risk. If they didn't care, you would not get good service whether a tip was included or not.

My suggestion is to purchase whatever plan you would like and to have a great time. If you experience bad service, tell a manager. That is why they are there and if there is bad service, they need to be notified. Problems cannot be resolved if they are not addressed

 

[paigevz]

Well, I don't have the dining plan, but I can certainly see why a guaranteed tip MIGHT give you "lesser" service.

If the server is very busy (as always seems to be the case at WDW!), and he has several tables who will decide what to tip him based on how he performs, and one table where the tip is automatic...........whose drinks would he refill first?

I think in the case of BAD service, I have to agree, he'd just have to be a bad waiter...........but less than stellar service, could be influenced by the tip, imo..............I do think most servers would not do this, and perhaps wouldn't even particularly remember who is on or off the plan during service, but there could be some who would prioritize tables this way.

I don't think this would be a main reason for me not to choose the plan, and if you already have the plan, this one isn't one I'd choose to worry about before arriving.

 

[maxiv]

when we went to WDW in Aug'05, we had the Dining plan, too. but there weren't any negative experiences with CM's at ALL!

Well, let's see how CM's like it....im gonna tell you soon since i will be a CM from may to october *lookingforwardtoit*

 

[Cass]

We were on the Platinum Plan in December, the servers in the restaurants were great to us. Don't worry about it.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Why wouldn't they like the plan?

We had nothing but wonderful service when we were on the regular dining plan. So much so, that we regularly left extra money for a tip.

I think an 18% tip is included, if I'm not mistaken. It's at least 15.

I found the same thing so I gave additional tips (and I hate tipping due to the fact that many resteraunts in the UK add a "service charge" and then still expect a tip for the waiter). In fact I found the waiter at Narcoossee's so good that I comended him to the resteraunt manager.