DDE Changes Coming in November

[mars315]

I will be totally bummed if they take away the discounts at Lounges. At someplace like the Tune-In Lounge in MGM, you can order your dinner there at the bar, so what difference does it make? What if I went into The Yachtsman's Steakhouse and just ordered drinks. Would we get the discount? When we were there last year, the bartender at one of the pool bars told us that they were planning to link at least the deluxe pool bars to a restaurant at that particular deluxe, thereby making the pool bar elegible for the DDE discount. I don't know what they are going to do since everybody had a different expiration on their DDE. Unless they start now and tell everyone that one year form now the changes will take place. That way, you will know before you sign up that there will be changes during your year of use. I am sure that it says "rules subject to change", but why woud they want to anger a bunch of their guests?

Michelle

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Going a little OT a bit.

I was out a few months ago with an old friend who has a hospitality degree. When she figured out the bill she excluded the bottle of wine from the figuring out the gratuity. I was surprised because I've never heard of that. Another friend agreed with her. The bottle of wine isn't used in figuring out the tip.

I'd never heard of that has anyone else.

And yes, in a hurry, I bet I've tipped my 20% on the final bill. I just didn't know.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I totally agree here, they will lose out.

For arguments sake, let's break it down by the numbers. Let's say the bill is $100:

18% of $100.00 = $18.00 tip

$100-20% discount = $80.00 total bill. 20% of $80.00 = $16.00.

It's simple math. An 18% tip on the total price is better for the server than a 20% on the discounted price.

It would be wonderful if everyone knew that you're supposed to tip on the pre-discounted price (the total the government sees for tax purposes) and not on the discounted total, but that's simply not the case. Disney seems to be doing this to rectify an ongoing problem that there servers face. Honestly, the only people that I could imagine who wouldn't like the new policy are people who want to tip less than 18% on their discounted bills.

And yes, in a hurry, I bet I've tipped my 20% on the final bill. I just didn't know.

I don't think it's something that anyone needs to apologize for. It's just not a concept that people outside the restaurant/nightclub industry would know. And according to our server last Saturday at Artist's Point, you're in the vast majority.

 

[Chuck S]

I totally agree here, they will lose out.

I think, as far as the servers, it may be wash on the tips. While many of us simply used the amount of the discount for the tip, others did not. The question is, were there more folks that did not use the 20% discount as the "tip amount" than there were those of us that did use the discount as the tip.

If the numbers between the two were about even, it will be a wash.

If more folks based a tip on the bill total after the discount, then the servers will gain.

 

[Chuck S]

For arguments sake, let's break it down by the numbers. Let's say the bill is $100:

18% of $100.00 = $18.00 tip

$100-20% discount = $80.00 total bill. 20% of $80.00 = $16.00.

It's simple math. An 18% tip on the total price is better for the server than a 20% on the discounted price.

It would be wonderful if everyone knew that you're supposed to tip on the pre-discounted price (the total the government sees for tax purposes) and not on the discounted total, but that's simply not the case. Disney seems to be doing this to rectify an ongoing problem that there servers face. Honestly, the only people that I could imagine who wouldn't like the new policy are people who want to tip less than 18% on their discounted bills.

But for those of us that used the discount amount AS the tip, then we were tipping $20 on a $100 check.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

But for those of us that used the discount amount AS the tip, then we were tipping $20 on a $100 check.

Unfortunately, according to the server we spoke with, people like you, me, and MarieA are few and far between. The majority of her DDE guests still tip 15-18% on the discounted total.

Looking at the numbers again, she would make out better if she received a guaranteed 18% on the total bill than if she received 22% tips on the discounted total for every table she served.

 

[The 'Mickster']

I never did agree with tipping, in general, Disney or elsewhere. Don't these servers get an hourly wage? I do and no matter what I do, I will never be in a situation to be tipped. My wife neither. I don't like it when I'm pressured to tip someone for the sake of tipping. If a server, hair dresser are 'super nice', then I feel like tipping and its only a couple of dollars, then that's fine by me.

We struggle at times to put our children through College, etc. and the we have to pay enornous amounts of money to give our children a dream vacation like Disney and I shouldn't feel pressured to tip.

Enough of it already!

 

[PrincessV]

I never did agree with tipping, in general, Disney or elsewhere. Don't these servers get an hourly wage? I do and no matter what I do, I will never be in a situation to be tipped. My wife neither. I don't like it when I'm pressured to tip someone for the sake of tipping. If a server, hair dresser are 'super nice', then I feel like tipping and its only a couple of dollars, then that's fine by me.

We struggle at times to put our children through College, etc. and the we have to pay enornous amounts of money to give our children a dream vacation like Disney and I shouldn't feel pressured to tip.

Enough of it already!

The hourly wage for servers is WAY below minimum wage - it's assumed that the bulk of their income comes from tips. I have no idea what it runs today, but in my many years of serving, I made $2-3 per hour plus tips. No one could live on the hourly pay alone.

Personally, I think it's a rotten system, but until legislation changes that, tips are assumed and depended on as income. Please take good care of your servers - they have families to support and vacation with, too.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

The hourly wage for servers is WAY below minimum wage - it's assumed that the bulk of their income comes from tips. I have no idea what it runs today, but in my many years of serving, I made $2-3 per hour plus tips. No one could live on the hourly pay alone.

Personally, I think it's a rotten system, but until legislation changes that, tips are assumed and depended on as income. Please take good care of your servers - they have families to support and vacation with, too.

I agree. If the policy was changed across the board and all restaurants added, say, 20% to the price of food/drinks to pay servers salaries, I think most people would find it a welcome change and would end these tipping debates once and for all. However, until they change the policy, I think everyone understands that when you eat out, you tip. It's simply part of the TS restaurant dining experience.

 

[MarieA]

I never did agree with tipping, in general, Disney or elsewhere. Don't these servers get an hourly wage? I do and no matter what I do, I will never be in a situation to be tipped. My wife neither. I don't like it when I'm pressured to tip someone for the sake of tipping. If a server, hair dresser are 'super nice', then I feel like tipping and its only a couple of dollars, then that's fine by me.

We struggle at times to put our children through College, etc. and the we have to pay enornous amounts of money to give our children a dream vacation like Disney and I shouldn't feel pressured to tip.

Enough of it already!

My daughter is a server and college student. She puts in 40 - 50 hrs. for a 2 week period in a local chain restaurant and after taxes, she comes home with $60 - $70 for those 40 - 50 hrs (approximately $1.50 per hour). She is only paid $4 per hour (which I hear is high for servers - most are paid $2 - 3 per hour) and has to claim tips based on her sales. She cannot close out her nightly receipts without adding a certain percentage of tips into her receipts. If someone skips out on a check she is responsible for paying the bill and it comes out of her tips.

She struggles to pay her bills too, car insurance, car payment, etc. and relies on her tips to do so.

Believe me, I know how hard it is paying for college. Both of my children are in private colleges and it is very costly. We still make sure we tip appropriately when we dine out.

 

[Hootch]

Going a little OT a bit.

I was out a few months ago with an old friend who has a hospitality degree. When she figured out the bill she excluded the bottle of wine from the figuring out the gratuity. I was surprised because I've never heard of that. Another friend agreed with her. The bottle of wine isn't used in figuring out the tip.

I'd never heard of that has anyone else.

And yes, in a hurry, I bet I've tipped my 20% on the final bill. I just didn't know.

is pretty common. I remember an article in Food & Wine (or a similar mag) where they talked to servers at different high end restaurants. There was a consensus that paying a 20% tip on a $400 bottle of wine was not necessary. Now if my bottle of wine costs $40 (more the norm) then I will pay the 20%. There is worked invlved with serving wine properly and that needs to be recognized.

 

[allisonswonderland]

My husband is a very good tipper, I belive in tipping based on the job they do, but I always tip at least 15%. I have friends who do not leave tips at all, most are older, but I always sneak more onto mine when I am with them. My only problem is that with this included tip I am not able to vary the amount I tip based upon service. My husband used to bar tend so he always tips more than he should...

 

[MarieA]

Going a little OT a bit.

I was out a few months ago with an old friend who has a hospitality degree. When she figured out the bill she excluded the bottle of wine from the figuring out the gratuity. I was surprised because I've never heard of that. Another friend agreed with her. The bottle of wine isn't used in figuring out the tip.

I'd never heard of that has anyone else.

And yes, in a hurry, I bet I've tipped my 20% on the final bill. I just didn't know.

I didn't know that either. I've always tipped on the entire amount including bottles of wine. I guess an $80 tip on a $400 bottle of wine is crazy. My DH and I usually spend between $40 - $60 on a bottle of wine so I guess I never thought about it in that manner.

 

[marivaid]

I don't care about the automatic tip - we tipped 20% on the original total anyway. However if they do blackout the entire holiday season and do so with only ONE MONTH warning, I have a feeling that this will result in us not only canceling most of our December ADRs, but possibly spending our holiday week somewhere else. I'm sick of paying for some things only to have the rules changed a few months later.

 

[NancyIL]

I'm wondering if the November announcement has to do with the "holiday" of Thanksgiving lasting from the 18th to the 24th, with supposedly no DDE discounts during the "holiday." That's what I was told by Disney Dining months ago when I made a reservation for Nov. 24th. I never heard if that plan to exclude the DDE discount during holiday periods changed.

The DDE card cost $50 when I bought it 2 years ago, and I got a free card for my spouse. When I got the DDE last fall, the price was $60 - and they charged for the 2nd card. The price will be $65 if I renew this November. I may not renew the DDE since I usually travel solo, and instead take advantage of the 10% dining discounts I get at lunchtime with my AP discount.

 

[Dawn414]

That's interesting because I was told that the DDE was fine during the holiday period...just not the holiday. Hmmm...

 

[Rpsemont]

OMG, don't speak those words---take away the alcohol, HOLY CRAP!! We save over a $100 a trip just on our Gurgling Suitcase tabs.

Last time we were there (Last Feb), the Gurgling Suitcase had discontinued taking DDE. But I'm with you, we used to almost pay for the card there!

 

[huey578]

What is DDE plan? Where can I get more info?

 

[Liz]

What is DDE plan? Where can I get more info?

Its a card available for annual passholders and Florida residents to purchase that gives a discount on TS meals. Here's more info:

http://allearsnet.com/din/dde.htm

 

[my3disneygirls]

I'm curious to see how this works out. I wanted to get AP's and the DDE card. I guess we'll all now in a month is the changes are for the better or not.