Question about Dining Plan

[hunter1211]

Hello! My family of 9 (dh, me, dmil, dfil, and 5 dd's. So, 4 adults, 4 children and 1 infant.) are trying to plan our WDW trip for September. We are hoping for the free dining, but realize that it might not happen.

Anyway, I have made some of my dining ADR's and dh and I were thinking of some things that we have no clue on. (We have been to WDW before, but not with the Dining plan.)

We were wondering when all 9 of us are seated at 1 table how does paying for the meal on the dining plan work? We will be in 2 rooms at a WDW hotel. (We are waiting until April to make those, so we don't know where we are staying.) Dh and I will be in one room with 3 kids and Dmil and Dfil in another room with our other 2 kids. At the end of the meal do we just give them all of our room cards? Or just one from each room? How does tip work? I know with a large party they say we will be automatically charged 18% tip, but how does that tip work with 2 different cards? Do we just pick who pays for the tip? lol

Also, when we are split up at 2 tables, do we have to sit by room. (Do the 2 kids in the room with inlaws have to sit with them and us with the other 3 kids in our room. Or can we mix it up?)

I am sorry for all the questions. We are just totally clueless about the DP, but it with our party of 9 it would be a great deal if they do offer it free! Enough to try it for the 1st time! lol

All we do know pretty much is that to pay for a meal or snack you give them your room key/card and they take that credit (table service/snack or counter service) from it.

btw....the reason I asked about the 1 table and 2 tables, is so far I have gotten these to adr's.

1 Table at Princess Storybook in Norway (Dinner)
1 Table at Chef Mickey's (Dinner)
2 Tables at Liberty Tree Tavern (Dinner)

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[hunter1211]

Anyone?

 

[team weasel]

Hi there - I'm going to post my opinion since I have never dined with that many people in a party at WDW.

I think you will need one key from each of the two rooms. Assuming you will be making two independent room reservations - not one ressie for two rooms. I think doing this will solve the tip issue too. I would think they would charge 18% of each room's bill. Does that make sense?

I honestly don't know how they will handle the multiple table thing, especially if your two tables have two different servers.

Either way - best of luck - I will be there in Sept too!

 

[GrannySandy]

I have the same problem. 17 people in 4 rooms, how will Disney know which family to charge the meals against. They ask me who belonged to which family before they seperated them into room. But the invoices went to the families by rooms, thus some people were charged for other children,,,,etc...
I am thinking we will have to do all 17 meals seperately to keep it straight. I called and ask and didn't get a answer. Anyone experienced this on the new plan?

 

[hunter1211]

It's good to know I am not the only lost one GrannySandy.

btw...I like you name. My kids granny is named Sandy also.

 

[lutherlovr]

We had the same situation. You will just need to give them one card from each room and they will charge it the appropriate credits. When we split up the bills like that we left a tip on each check separately, we just asked them to do that so they don't put the one big tip on someone's card. Or, you can ask to pay cash for the gratuity and then everyone pitches in some cash so it doesn't get charged to anyone's room.