1900 Park Fare WATCH YOUR BILL

[A Mickeyfan]

March 9th I had a party of 9 going to 1900 Park Fare. 3 of them ended up sick and stayed behind in the rooms. 6 of us went, 4 adults and 2 children under 2. When I arrived at the podium, I told them about the other 3 adults being sick. The CM confirmed that there then would only be 4A and 2C. He still sat us next to the other party we were meeting there who also had 2 of their party cancel out due to being sick. Our service was terrible. While this is a buffet & I have eaten here many times, I still do expect to not have to flag down my server for my chocolate milk or coffee. The food was not that great, but not that bad either (could have been better). Only Princess was Cindy..Pearla & Suzy were there, so was Prince Charming.. Cindy came by once in an hour, her Prince was by once as well. Pearla & Suzy were great! They were by several times. Before we even had time to ask for coffee or had what looked like dessert on the table, we were handed the bill. I have the DDE & so does my cousin and we wanted seperate checks, our server said we were not able to do that. If we were to do that, we could not use our DDE cards OK, we leave it as one & use one card, no big deal. Instead of using credit cards to pay, we pay with cash. I looked at the bill carefully. It said we had FIVE adults and two children. When I called over the server again to ask her about that, she said yes, she knows. I said that we only have FOUR adults, she said yes, she knows. I just looked at her & told her to please correct it. She told me that she could not! I needed a manager if I wanted that corrected. She goes by the paper that is given to her printed out from the podium I looked at her & said, but you have been our server all night & you know that there have been only 4 adults at this table, why are you charging me for 5? She said that I would have to take that up with the manager, she cannot change it. I said "THEN GET ME THE MANAGER!" She takes the black billfold away from me & walks away with an attitude. She comes back & litterally threw the black billfold at me & walked away I looked at my cousin, she looked at me & we just shook our heads. I said to her... she just lost her tip We each counted out the correct amount to the penny! Placed it into the billfold then closed it. We finised our dessert and left. I did notice a woman dressed in a black suit over by the ledge between the seating area & the food bar with some sort of mini computer logging things in looking around. I am not sure if she was a manager of some sort or not. She did see the entire thing, I am sure of it. She even saw the service we got as well as the service my friends table got, they were at the table behind us. They had a different server but just behind us. Their server let them split their bill AND used just one DDE card for the both of them! They were slow getting their drinks too.. Everyone felt I should have asked to actually speak to the manager when I left the place (after she threw the bill at me). I really think that she did not think I was going to realize that she was over-charging me! The fuss she made that she could not chage it & I had to see a manager.. then all of a sudden it comes back changed? I was like.. they wanted to re-coop the money they were loosing on my DDE card by over-charging me an adult meal.. the amount is somewhat the same as the savings Either that or she was trying to get some extra something in her pockets.. she was outright rude & nasty. I started out very polite with her when I said that we had 4 not 5.. she knew all along she was charging us for 5 & we had 4, there was no mistake in doing that! She did admit to it..when she said she knew.. So she knew she was making a mistake & was making no effort to correct it with the hope I would not catch it. Everyone.. watch your bill... and if it happens here, it might happen anywhere else on property too!

It will be a long time before I return to 1900 Park Fare again...

 

[tnmomof4]

I had something like this happen to me last year at Cinderella's Royal Table. When on the DDP it is two table service credits per person to eat there. My twins were two at the time and not even on the DDP, so I had to just order them a meal to split and pay out of pocket. I had been doing this everywhere. I told our server this upfront before I even ordered. I told her I needed to pay for their meal. One meal to share. But when the bill came she still took off their meal as two table service credits. She said yes I know you wanted to pay for it, but I thought this way was better and tried to convice me that it was cheaper that way. (Which it wasn't) I told her no thanks and that I wanted to pay for it. I told her it would mess up my other table service credits. She said oh, well just pay for them. She said she couldn't change it. I asked to speak to the manager and she took the black billfold away from me and walked away. She came back and tossed the book at me and said the manager was busy. I said ok I will wait. We waited for around 25-30 minutes. While we were waiting, I realized that her 18% tip was bigger the way she was doing it. Finally the manager came out, and she didn't want to change it either. She said I was dumb for wasting my money paying for a meal when I had credits. I told her a table service credit includes drink, appetizer, entree, and dessert. All I had bought was a child's meal that didn't include drink, appetizer or dessert. Why would I waste two table service credits on a child's meal. All I wanted to do was pay for the meal. I finally got them to change it and give me back the two table service meals she had taken off. I was really nice and tried not to be rude.. but it was hard because both the server and manager were mean and nasty. It made me mad that they were like this in front of my kids too. She too knew she was not doing it the way I wanted to begin with. I think that she just wanted more money in her pocket...just like your server.

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

It's worrying thatb the manager behaved so badly. Hope your other meals were much nicer.

 

[kaysmommie]

That has me thinkng about taking 1900 Park Fare off my ADR list . Rude is not even the word for her. Obviously she was trying to rip you off and didn't deny it.

Same thing at CRT, I can't believe the manager thought that was OK to even charge the 2 YO. They didn't charge for my DS last September and he just turned 2 . He got the kids meal though. I ddon't think they were supposed to charge you for them at all. I know the buffets don't charge for a child age 2 and under. Some of the other table service I just bought the kids meal for DS instead of using the DDP as he was not even on the plan yet. Sorry to hear you were treated so rudely.

 

[scrapbookworm]

I wonder if it has to do with the frustrations of the Disney Dining plan itself. We've never used it. But I've been to both 1900 Park Fare and CRT and had a good time and good service. I guess it's just "luck of the draw" on what type of day your server is having as to what type of meal and service you receive, KWIM?

 

[Disney owl]

sorry to hear you had bad experience

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I wonder if it has to do with the frustrations of the Disney Dining plan itself. We've never used it. But I've been to both 1900 Park Fare and CRT and had a good time and good service. I guess it's just "luck of the draw" on what type of day your server is having as to what type of meal and service you receive, KWIM?

Mine is not the Dining Plan but the DDE which is the Disney Dining and Entertainment Card. I pay for my meals but just get the 20% off with my DDE card. So there is no Dining Plan for me. I think it is just a matter of trying to rip someone off or just trying to get a bigger tip for herself. If the latter was the case, she lost her tip totally due to what she did to me! When your meals run $27.99 before a 20% it should not be the luck of the draw with the server, we aren't talking counter service here. Even if we were, they should still treat the guest with respect & not rip them off 1900 Park Fare is not a cheap place. The first bill the server brought over to me was for $165 for what should have been 4 Adult meals since children were free! That is what grabbed my attention. I knew something was wrong. That was when I saw that she charged me for 5 adults. After she corrected it to 4 adults & gave me my 20% discount, the bill was $107.. big difference!

Look: 27.99 x 5 = 139.99 and then 20% of that is $27.99 my saving off with my DDE card I only had 4 meals though. 27.99 x 4 = 111.96 and then 20% of that is a $22.40 savings.. Confusing, I know.. but the point I am making is .. the $27.99 is too conisidental.. they overcharge me an extra person...$27.99 the savings with the DDE card for a party of 5 is $27.99... see .... one wipes the other out.... so up my party size to wipe out my discount.. sly trick...but didn't work with me I read my bill.. moral of the story.. read your bill ... even if you do have a dining plan.... which like I said, this wasn't .. this was MONEY!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I had something like this happen to me last year at Cinderella's Royal Table. When on the DDP it is two table service credits per person to eat there. My twins were two at the time and not even on the DDP, so I had to just order them a meal to split and pay out of pocket. I had been doing this everywhere. I told our server this upfront before I even ordered. I told her I needed to pay for their meal. One meal to share. But when the bill came she still took off their meal as two table service credits. She said yes I know you wanted to pay for it, but I thought this way was better and tried to convice me that it was cheaper that way. (Which it wasn't) I told her no thanks and that I wanted to pay for it. I told her it would mess up my other table service credits. She said oh, well just pay for them. She said she couldn't change it. I asked to speak to the manager and she took the black billfold away from me and walked away. She came back and tossed the book at me and said the manager was busy. I said ok I will wait. We waited for around 25-30 minutes. While we were waiting, I realized that her 18% tip was bigger the way she was doing it. Finally the manager came out, and she didn't want to change it either. She said I was dumb for wasting my money paying for a meal when I had credits. I told her a table service credit includes drink, appetizer, entree, and dessert. All I had bought was a child's meal that didn't include drink, appetizer or dessert. Why would I waste two table service credits on a child's meal. All I wanted to do was pay for the meal. I finally got them to change it and give me back the two table service meals she had taken off. I was really nice and tried not to be rude.. but it was hard because both the server and manager were mean and nasty. It made me mad that they were like this in front of my kids too. She too knew she was not doing it the way I wanted to begin with. I think that she just wanted more money in her pocket...just like your server.

The have no right to "decide what is best" for you! It should be up to you. Sure, the tip was better for her the other way I am glad you stuck to your guns & had them change it. I also hope that you did not tip her at all. That is the only way they will learn, by not tipping. I was a server for a while (many many moons ago ) and I would have never dreamed of doing anything like that. My DD is one now & would never.. that is not good service. I sure hope that Disney is not training them to be this way Yes, it is sad that they are this way if front of young children.

 

[auntie]

Boy, I'm sorry this happened to you. How frustrating. I have been reading some not so very nice posts about the dining...and watching your check for charges to the room..when people were using Dining plan..and things of that nature. We have room only reservations for May...and it's been four years since our last visit. We are staying at the WL. I have never used the Dining Plan before..and was considering adding to our room only ...possibly converting to a package. Only I'm not sure it's for us..still thinking about it. As we sometimes lke to eat outside of Disney. I was curious about your Dining Discount ....Is this when you are an AP holder?...Is there any other way to get that?...We haven't purchased our passes yet, and I had a couple of passes with days left on them. But thought I'd save those for a visit my husband and I might take to FW in the fall. However I am thinking that perhaps I should purchase one AP pass instead...if I was able to put the days left from previous park hopper toward it..and if it would be the only way to obtain the Dining Discount. I just don't know if they give you credit for old passes based on what you paid for them..(which would have been four years ago)...or what the price for a days admission now would be.
In any case...I probably confused you people more than ever. I'm just wondering if anyone has info about the discount and if it's worth it. 20 percent..that's a pretty good discount..from the sound of it.

 

[Pixie Dust Luver]

something similar happended to us last year even on the dining plan. If memory recalls correctly, our first night we ate at WCC, did not pay any attention to the bill, a few days later we ate Ohana's and was told that our bill was well over 100.00 for me and DH. so DH just puts it on his CC, when we get back to the resort we went to customer service and found out that WCC had charged us twice ............so they were able to credit his card and worked everything out..........but yes, check your bill over.

 

[mommyoftwinfants]

This happened to us at 'Ohana. My guys ordered frozen drinks and was told they were not part of the DDP that we had to pay for them but yet he didn't let them also get a milk because they already had a drink. I just shared my tea with them when they finished the frozen drink. So he got the 18% from the meal (which they didn't get a drink) plus the 18% from the frozen drinks. The waiter charged us for 3 A and 1 C. He said ohh sorry I didn't realize I did that. Hello how can you mistake a 4 year old for an adult. He was not around all night we had to beg other waiters walking around for things but when it was time for the check he stood there the whole time trying to rush me so I figured the tip in my head really fast but as he was taking the black folder away I saw that it said tip included so I took my tip back from the black folder and said Sorry I didn't realize tip was already included in the check. Hands down he is the worst server we have ever had at WDW

 

[NU2WDW]

Sorry about your rotten experience. I hope it was a fluke.

 

[MEK]

Both of these experiences are totally unacceptable. There is no way a party of 4 should ever be charged for 5 under any pretense. There is no way a child's meal should be deducted as 2 adult TS credits. All I can say is - WOW!

 

[Halbleib1]

You have to watch out also if you have two adults on the dining plan but you have a child under 3 that is not and you order a meal that you pay out of pocket for they also had the 18% tip onto the amount that you are paying out of pocket for. This happened to us just last Tuesday at the Sci- Fi. Which is bull because they were already getting almost a $20.00 tip as it was. Also we had to wait forever for the waiter all night long. We arrived at 8:30 and didnt get out of their until 10:30 we were trying to make it to the 10pm show of fantasmic which didn't happen because the waiter was so slow and rude as well. If I were paying tip out of pocket I would never have left him anywhere near that amount as the service was so bad and I do plan on writing to disney to complain about this.

 

[wilde_oscar]

I follow several of the boards and other resources concerning WDW and dinning, as I consider it, to be a large part of a vacation, the food that is. The comments I see here ring by far more true then I have seen elsewhere. Human nature is what it is, and mostly we have had great experiances dinning all over the world. We go in Sept. as it is low time of year, we can both get vacation, and a bonus is the free DDP. Last year a couple times we got lousy service, anywhere else I would not have left a tip, but with DDP you are forced into a tip. Believe you me that this year, if we get lousy service I will send the bill back and have them remove the tip, or not pay. As a matter of fact, I see it as our duty as patrons to provide the most direct feedback possible, and no tip is direct and personal... no conversation with a manager leaves as much of an impression as no tip.

Anyway, it does not surprise me in the least that some (and I stress, some) servers and trying to get away with padding the bill to increase their tip. I have resies throughout "the world" for this years trip, none of which are tied to our room/resort reservation, further I will not be informing servers what we are ddp till the end of the meal. I expect I will get gruff for it at the end of the meal, but I also expect that up to that point we will get better service.

DDPers of "the world" unite... if you get crappy service ask to hvae the tip removed.

 

[auntie]

It appears as of Jan. 08 this the gratuity will not be included in the dining plan. From what I've seen posted here on the boards, the price is to be about the same..only the guests will be adding the gratuity themselves. This will take care of the problem you have enountered where the service didn't rate an 18% gratuity...only it does raise the price of the dining plan...if guests are adding the gratuity out of pocket. Seems like our trip later this month will be our first and last using the dining plan. Since we stay at a Deluxe resort...I didn't find the so called "free dining" promos much of a value, if we are paying full rack rate for the resort. Perhaps if I were staying at moderate or especially a value resort..the free dining would be more of a value. We have this trip booked in the WL with a pin code mailer..a discounted rate...and then were able to add the dining and park passes. Making it a pretty good deal. I don't think I would get a package again if the dining didn't include the gratuity(as expected for Jan. 08)...as we are eating 5 adult meals...and then adding the gratuity on to that..the Dining Plan won't be as good a value for us. May as well just pay out of pocket.

 

[Halbleib1]

I agree with you auntie. If they are going to remove the tip they need to lower the price by about 18 percent. Not to mention that they have also taken away the appetizer. From what I can tell they did lower the price by about a dollar thats not enough to make up for taking out the tip and appetizer. I think they are going to find that most people just are not going to leave any tip at all if they are using the dining plan. I know I wouldn't leave a tip if I am still paying the same price for a plan that I am receiving less with. I know this seems harsh to some people as it is not the waiters fault however I do not feel that I should have to pay the same price for a plan that is giving me less and still leave a tip that was included only a year ago. I agree with other posters that something needed to be done about the tip portion of the dining plan as many waiters took advantage of the fact that they were getting this tip no matter what. However leaving the price the same and just removing the tip out completely is not the answer.

 

[auntie]

It appears now that Disney is charging the same money...or actually they are getting more..since the tip is not included and will be left to the guest. I imagine that many of the waitstaff are not going to be receiving eighteen percent. Seems they will be the ones to bear the burden here. Disney is making more..and giving the guests less by leaving off the appetizers, and the waiters are on their own as far as their percentage. Any way you look at it..Disney never looses money. Personally I wish they had raised the price and kept it exactly the way it was. After our trip in May...we LOVED the plan. We ate in places we might not have normally. It was a tremendous value for us..since we are feeding a teenager who is 16 and 6'2" tall and still growing. He tried things he might not have, because he wasn't worried that if he didn't like it, he'd be wasting our money. All in all it was a good time, and my husband thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. He kept saying "this dining thing you got us is the greatest!...as if I invented it! When I told my family how they cut out the appetizer they were all dissapointed..we enjoyed ordering and sharing them. I wish they had left off dessert instead. They know what they're doing though. Most people are full by the end of dinner, and might opt to skip it. Where as in the beggining of the meal you are more apt to order appetizers..and pay for them.
Disney gets to look as if they didn't raise the price, but they are actually offering less for the same money..and the waiters are going to have to work for those tips now!

 

[Halbleib1]

You are totally right Disney never loses money they always find a way to make more and they do not care about who else they may be hurting so long as it is nothing out of their pockets. I think they realized how much money they were losing since the dining plan got so popular by including the 18% and figured that they can leave the price the same and pocket the tip and by taking away the appetizer they can say that instead of raising the cost of the dining plan they took out the appetizer and tip. You are right the staff are def. not going to receive 18% from most people and Disney is making sure of that by keeping the price of the plan the same as well. I agree with you that it was nice and well worth it to have the plan when we went last April as we did not have to worry about where we were eating every night and worrying about the cost of what we ordered. It was really freeing and made our vacation more relaxing in that respect. Although I def. saw a down side of the tip being included with some waiters. However I would rather have the old plan rather than this new one as it made it so much more convenient not having to worry about how much tip to leave or worrying about saving money up for the tip. We def. tryed things that we otherwise would not have as well being that I am the picky one in our family. We also would not have gone to some of the more expensive places as we would not have been able to afford it. Some of our bills came to over 100 dollars for two people! Had we not of had the plan we would have been figuring out a way to make more meals in our room as well as looking for the cheapest meals available. The only downside to any dining plan is that it can be time consuming with the sit down meals but who wants counter service all the time either.

 

[chris7]

Money talks. I really think if a waiter gets enough bad tips because they provided poor service AND people take the time to write on the bill why they are leaving a bad tip, then it will be self correcting. We don't do the DDP and these meals cost a lot of money. I think good service is mandatory when your spending this amount. I also think that getting rid of mandatory tipping will improve food quality. Face it, if someone thinks they got bad food, it effects their overall experience and will probably effect the tip. The waiters will talk to the managers about things they think are effecting their income. On the DDP the restaurant already have your money and no one has any incentive to improve. I can't believe that people are forced to tip 18% for bad service, especially when a waiter has tried to rip them off.