Beginning in January - 18% Gratuity....

[BarleyJack]

what I posted on page 7

The above was agread in contract renewals this august
Seams thay have canged number 5 to an auto 18% gratuity and on TS meals only and not CS meals.
So anyone eating at disney on any meal plan or paying cash will have to pay an 18% gratuity
Paulh

not true....call 1-407-WDW-DINE...ask for yourself !

 

[frayedend]

I propose a seminar for all Disney information employees...

"How to publish a press release that is complete, accurate, and to the Point"

Synopsis
In this class we will discuss how certain information can be misread and mis-interpreted by most people. We will talk about different internet forums and websites that are dedicated to our company. We will explain how Allhearingimplements.net will state that something may be true by using the word "Reportedly" and how this means that they don't even know what we are trying to say. We will state how to be clear in an email so that it can not be misread by people it wasn't even intended for.

Pricing and Enrollment:
Disney Employees: $200.00
Florida Residents (who may become Disney Employees): $300.00

Note: Children may take this class but only use the information that is geared toward children if they are sitting at the adults table. But if they are at a kids table then maybe they can try to read the adult information.

Gratuity for this class is not included but will be charged to your room.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I may be reading this wrong, but the way I'm reading that brochure it says that when your purchase the DDP, the price of the gratuity is not included in the purchase price..........it doesn't say that you won't be presented with some type of statement/reciept at the end of the meal upon which you may leave a tip. It also doesn't say that whatever statement/reciept they give you can't say 'this is what the 18% gratuity is'.

This will not affect our decisions regarding eating at Disney, as we already tip 15-20% on the non-discounted bill. I do have some concerns that the automatic addition of the gratuity will contribute to server apathy. And we will, as others have stated, take the few minutes to notify the manager of any poor service recieved/request a gratuity adjustment if we feel that it is warranted.

This is really annoying - now people are reading into something words that are not even there!!

 

[paulh]

not true....call 1-407-WDW-DINE...ask for yourself !

well lets just wait then and see whose right.I said this when new ddp for 08 came out that it would be for everone an 18% tip,only have to wait till 1st jan to be proved right
Paulh

 

[MissMagnolia]

If it is true that they are mandatorily adding 18% gratuity to all parties at table service restaurants, do you think it is because of the concern many CMs have had regarding the removal of the gratuity to the DDP? I have read on more than one occasion that CMs were concerned about the change because of their fear of not getting tipped as much at buffet restaurants and either requesting to switch to a non-buffet TS or quitting altogether. With the gratuity on the DDP (and so many people using the DDP), they got automatic tips no matter if they were working at a buffet-style restaurant or not.

Maybe this is WDWs way of trying to appease their employees. I guess that I don't necessarily mind the change - we tip anyway - however, I am concerned about being forced to leave a tip when the service did not warrant a full 18%. In that case, it seems like the logical thing to do would be to speak to a manager and explain the situation. That way the management is alerted to substandard service on the part of an employee and can work on re-training that individual or addressing their performance. I cannot imagine if the concern on the part of a guest was warranted that the management would still expect payment.

Remember...this is not too different for those who cruise that many cruiselines are also moving to a "mandatory" tipping. In that case, you are always welcome to disagree and explain how the service was not to your standard and alter the amount of the tip.

 

[Tricia1972]

I would think if you were on the dining plan your bill would be like this...


$100 - Food
$18 - Gratuity
$6.50 - Tax

Total Due $18.00

3 Adult TS credits Used.

 

[BarleyJack]

I propose a seminar for all Disney information employees...

"How to publish a press release that is complete, accurate, and to the Point"

Synopsis
In this class we will discuss how certain information can be misread and mis-interpreted by most people. We will talk about different internet forums and websites that are dedicated to our company. We will explain how Allhearingimplements.net will state that something may be true by using the word "Reportedly" and how this means that they don't even know what we are trying to say. We will state how to be clear in an email so that it can not be misread by people it wasn't even intended for.

Pricing and Enrollment:
Disney Employees: $200.00
Florida Residents (who may become Disney Employees): $300.00

Note: Children may take this class but only use the information that is geared toward children if they are sitting at the adults table. But if they are at a kids table then maybe they can try to read the adult information.

Gratuity for this class is not included but will be charged to your room.

The scary part is, that email was most likely carefully worded in disney's opinion before it was released.

 

[Nom]

I usually leave 20%, so this will not effect me... except I do not hesitate to leave less when I have very poor service. Like last month at Ohana... it was the worst service I have ever ever had, and I left a very small tip as a result.

We are going to be on DDDP in April, so if I am presented with a check for 18% and had terrible service, I will just ask for the manager and ask to have is adjusted down to whatever I see as appropriate. I have a feeling if there are service issues, and you take that approach, you will not be forced to pay the 18%.

I find it annoying that we are all being forced to pay 18%, but in my experience most servers are pretty good. This blanket 18% will make up for those people who tip good servers terribly, be it due to ignorance or mean-spiritedness... and there are plenty of poor tippers out there. As for poor servers, I will just refuse to pay 18% and ask for the manager. I am sure that if you have a legitimate service issue, they will not force you to pay it.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

not true....call 1-407-WDW-DINE...ask for yourself !

Do you get the feeling some people just like to argue, and to keep the pot stirred up? My email was for DDE, not DDP. I wonder how many times you and I have to state our point. You actually called and got the answer, I have not called yet, but I see no point in calling, as it will be an unnecessary cost added to my bill since I already know the answer. Thank you for your info.

 

[JimMIA]

IF that turns out to be the case they are going to have a serious uprising on their hands. Basically they are just saying we are going to raise our prices by 18 % whether you like it or not.
There are a LOT of people that will NOT stand for that period.

This particular change only raises your prices 18% if you tipped nothing at all previously.

But truthfully, they are raising your prices a lot more than 18% for 2008. In past years, the gratuity was included in the cost of DDP. For 2008, they shifted the gratuity cost to the consumer. Most estimates I've seen figure the average adult will pay $9-10 per day for that gratuity. $9/$39 price of DDP previously is a 23% price increase -- and that's without considering the value of the appetizer...which is also not included.

I don't have a problem with the new policy -- we tip that much anyway. And it makes sense to apply it across the board, rather than penalizing some guests because of the way they pay for a meal or because they have 4 kids.

Automatic gratuities of 15-18% are also pretty standard in most destination resorts. My only surprise is they haven't done this sooner.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

This is really annoying - now people are reading into something words that are not even there!!

How is that reading something that isn't there?

"Gratuities not included"

I read that as "gratuities not included in the price of the DDP".

 

[BarleyJack]

If it is true that they are mandatorily adding 18% gratuity to all parties at table service restaurants, do you think it is because of the concern many CMs have had regarding the removal of the gratuity to the DDP? I have read on more than one occasion that CMs were concerned about the change because of their fear of not getting tipped as much at buffet restaurants and either requesting to switch to a non-buffet TS or quitting altogether. With the gratuity on the DDP (and so many people using the DDP), they got automatic tips no matter if they were working at a buffet-style restaurant or not.

Maybe this is WDWs way of trying to appease their employees. I guess that I don't necessarily mind the change - we tip anyway - however, I am concerned about being forced to leave a tip when the service did not warrant a full 18%. In that case, it seems like the logical thing to do would be to speak to a manager and explain the situation. That way the management is alerted to substandard service on the part of an employee and can work on re-training that individual or addressing their performance. I cannot imagine if the concern on the part of a guest was warranted that the management would still expect payment.

Remember...this is not too different for those who cruise that many cruiselines are also moving to a "mandatory" tipping. In that case, you are always welcome to disagree and explain how the service was not to your standard and alter the amount of the tip.

Another concern is people using this to "report to the manager", when the service wasnt substandard.....just using it to get out of the tip. It goes both ways.

 

[Tricia1972]

...or wrong Paulh



I guess I really don't care one way or the other, I am a party of 6 or more with the DDE. I am pretty much guaranteed to be paying a minimum of 18%. So long as my service is good - I don't care. If service is bad, I'll talk to the manager and express that. No skin off my back.

I just think it's DDE only because of the wording and who has been sent this notice thus far.


Well that and my best friend's sisters cousin's aunt from Georgia, knows somebody who used to be a next door neighbor to Walt and she told me it was so.

 

[paulh]

This is really annoying - now people are reading into something words that are not even there!!

when i contacted disney i said if i buy an alcoholic beverage an 18% tip is auto added to bill.Next year we have to pay for a appitiser OOP.so would we be presented with severel bills:-
1 with appitiser with added 18% and one with a surgested 18% for ddp
reply was bill with appitiser and 18%for whole meal
Paulh

 

[Nom]

I'm fine with the new policy. It's standard practice in most of the resort destinations we've been to over the last five years or so, and we tip that much anyway.

It rankles me that I am being told what I can tip, but other than that first reaction, I tend to agree. I usually tip 20%, so this is not a big change for me... but if I have very poor service (which happened to me at Ohana recently), I will not hesitate to leave a small tip.

Jim, what has been your experience- if you have poor service, have you ever adjusted the automatic 18% down? My thought for our upcoming trip is that if I have another terrible experience, I would just ask for the manager and tell him or her what happened, and tell her what I would like the service bill to be adjusted down to. I can't see how they can force you to pay 18% if you had a terrible time.

 

[bicker]

I think it is appropriate. Larger parties leaving less than an appropriate tip could seriously harm a server. Six is a good middle-ground.

 

[tikibirds]

My concern is that it says ALL food and beverage transactions - do you think they are going to try and wap us with this at counter service establishments as well???

 

[Tricia1972]

when i contacted disney i said if i buy an alcoholic beverage an 18% tip is auto added to bill.Next year we have to pay for a appitiser OOP.so would we be presented with severel bills:-
1 with appitiser with added 18% and one with a surgested 18% for ddp
reply was bill with appitiser and 18%for whole meal
Paulh

This I believe to be true. The DDP brochure says for 2008

Gratuities are not included unless otherwise indicated. An 18% gratuity will be added automatically for parties of 6 or more. A gratuity may also be added automatically for ordered items that are not included in the Disney Dining Plan (e.g. alcoholic beverages).

I believe that would be for appetizers as well as alcoholic beverages.

 

[BarleyJack]

when i contacted disney i said if i buy an alcoholic beverage an 18% tip is auto added to bill.Next year we have to pay for a appitiser OOP.so would we be presented with severel bills:-
1 with appitiser with added 18% and one with a surgested 18% for ddp
reply was bill with appitiser and 18%for whole meal
Paulh

If you are concerned about the amt of tip....use separate tickets. You use the DDP for the meal. Your companion orders appetizer on separate ticket. Simple. solved.

 

[aripantaloon]

So then what happens if one, for whatever reason (poor service, poor tipper, doesn't know better, doesn't care...) leaves cash on the table is less than the $18 and then leaves the restaurant? Or better yet, just doesn't leave a thing on the table and leaves the restaurant?

Not saying that I'd do that in a million years, but I'm just wondering.