DDE Changes Coming in November

[Lives4Disney]

I called the DDE office and was also told specifically that the DDE was not accepted on the day of the holiday only and not during a range of dates.

Yay! Just hope that sticks.

We have spent MANY many holidays at WDW including Xmas, Thanksgivings, Mothers' Days, July 4ths......and we have been able to use our DDE card for the whole trip excluding the specific holiday DAY. Hopefully this "holiday" week/season exclusion stuff is just a rumor.


Lives4Disney

 

[Dawn414]

That IS good news. I know there is special holiday pricing around certain restaurants (especially character dining), but it sounds like with exception to the holiday itself (which we knew), we'll still get our discount. PHEW!

Dawn McG

 

[BCV23]

Yay! Just hope that sticks.

We have spent MANY many holidays at WDW including Xmas, Thanksgivings, Mothers' Days, July 4ths......and we have been able to use our DDE card for the whole trip excluding the specific holiday DAY. Hopefully this "holiday" week/season exclusion stuff is just a rumor.


Lives4Disney

Well, of course we APers have only been able to have DDE since 1/05 so it's not like we have a real long track record with it. But I haven't read of FL residents having holiday period exclusions in past years either.

Nonetheless, the verbiage is there if there is such a change even at an isolated restaurant or two.

I wonder if the independently owned restaurants have the ability to tweak it as they see fit within certain limits?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

The impression I got from the Dining CM I spoke to is that DDE holiday black-out dates for each restaurant are listed somewhere in their system. I don't know when that started, or if all Dining CMs are aware of it. Of course I have yet to hear of anything that ALL Dining CMs are aware of.

If you have an ADR you might want to call Dining and double check that it isn't showing as a DDE black-out date.

 

[Joan1]

Anyone have any more news of what the changes will be starting in November?
I need to order the DDE card this week

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Even though I tip 20% (for satisfactory) or more (for excellent) service, I gotta admit I do not like gratuities being added to my bill. A less than stellar server may slack a bit on a table when they know gratuity is added. As a former server (and I have been very vocal about my belief in generous tips on this board, including 20% at buffets) I will even admit that if I had a party of 8 at a table...that I know I am making 18% on... and a party of 4 at another table, well, if I get "in the weeds" as they say in the restaurant business, I am going to hustle a bit more for the party where I know my tip is not guaranteed. Please, no flames, it wasn't even a conscious decision, it was simply human nature taking over. Servers are there to make money.

However, no one know you are using your DDE card until it is time to pay. In that case, added gratuity doesn't bother me a bit.

Now, if they take away the discounts at the lounges, *sob* I will be devastated.

 

[Atotty]

Anxious to see the announcment since we just scheduled a trip during the "holiday" season.

BTW.....as it stands now, can you use the DDE to get a discount on a Candlelight Processional dinner reservation or is that exempt?

Thanks!

 

[Liz]

Anxious to see the announcment since we just scheduled a trip during the "holiday" season.

BTW.....as it stands now, can you use the DDE to get a discount on a Candlelight Processional dinner reservation or is that exempt?

Thanks!

No DDE discount on the Candlelight dinner package. I tried last year!

 

[buckylarue]

Even though I tip 20% (for satisfactory) or more (for excellent) service, I gotta admit I do not like gratuities being added to my bill. A less than stellar server may slack a bit on a table when they know gratuity is added. As a former server (and I have been very vocal about my belief in generous tips on this board, including 20% at buffets) I will even admit that if I had a party of 8 at a table...that I know I am making 18% on... and a party of 4 at another table, well, if I get "in the weeds" as they say in the restaurant business, I am going to hustle a bit more for the party where I know my tip is not guaranteed. Please, no flames, it wasn't even a conscious decision, it was simply human nature taking over. Servers are there to make money.

However, no one know you are using your DDE card until it is time to pay. In that case, added gratuity doesn't bother me a bit.

Now, if they take away the discounts at the lounges, *sob* I will be devastated.

Actually, several restaurants I ate at last week asked (1) are you on the Disney Dining Plan, (2) are you using the Disney Dining Experience card, (3) any other discounts, (4) and food allergies we should know about. When looking at the computer screen, it appeared that the questions all come up in that order, and they are being trained to ask them all, so they would know in advance if you were using the DDE card. Personally, I prefer to calculate my own tip as well, generally 20-25% at WDW restaurants because the service is normally excellent to exceptional, but there have been a few places that deserved (and got) a much lower tip or no tip at all...

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Hmmmm...I was there from Sept 28-Oct 2, ate at Biergarten, Crystal Palace, Chef Mickeys, California Grill and Spoodles and was NEVER asked anything EXCEPT, maybe 2 or 3 of the meals, I was asked if I was on the DDP. I was never asked if I had DDE, or food allergies.

Are you saying they asked this when you made your ADRs? Or at the restaurant? Because I was never asked those questions when I made my ADRs, including 2 that I made from my resort room while at WDW, nor at the restaurant itself.

 

[buckylarue]

They asked as I checked in at the podium at Jiko, Liberty Tree Tavern, and Turf Club. They didn't ask about DDE at the counter service places, just DDP, but I noticed the screen still listed DDP, DDE, other discount, and allergies on the screen so they could ask if they thought to do so.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

That is interesting, but I am 100% sure I was not asked about DDE or food allergies on my entire trip. Not one time ever. Oh well, guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[DrmWvr1299]

A question? When do you tell the server that you have the DDE card?

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I just plop it in the little book along with my credit card or room key!

 

[n2mm]

A question? When do you tell the server that you have the DDE card?

We usually tell them when they come back and ask if we're having desert. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. However, when we are using the DDP and DDE we will tell them upfront that we are on the DDP, but will be using our DDE discount for any OOP expenses. I think it helps keep things straight when using both.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We save a modest amount of money using the DDE card, since we don't do THAT many table service meals, but if the discount no longer applies to alcohol, we definitely won't be renewing.

I'm not sure why using the DDE would mean we should automatically be charged a tip?? DH and I tip a minimum of 20% of the pre-discounted price, so that change would not affect our wallets, BUT....I don't like the idea that a server would know they have the tip up-front and not bother to give us good service because they already know the tip is guaranteed.

 

[marlynnp]

We save a modest amount of money using the DDE card, since we don't do THAT many table service meals, but if the discount no longer applies to alcohol, we definitely won't be renewing.

I'm not sure why using the DDE would mean we should automatically be charged a tip?? DH and I tip a minimum of 20% of the pre-discounted price, so that change would not affect our wallets, BUT....I don't like the idea that a server would know they have the tip up-front and not bother to give us good service because they already know the tip is guaranteed.

No tip is guaranteed ~ you can call the manager over to complain and have the tip amount adjusted/removed.

However, since you don't even need to tell them up front that you'll be using DDE the quality of service wouldn't be based on that if you don't disclose it in advance.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

No tip is guaranteed ~ you can call the manager over to complain and have the tip amount adjusted/removed.

However, since you don't even need to tell them up front that you'll be using DDE the quality of service wouldn't be based on that if you don't disclose it in advance.

They always ask if we will be using the DDP and we say, "No, but we have the DDE"---we will definitely stop volunteering that info unless specifically asked. We have been asked if we are using the DDE occasionally at the front podium where they have the computer, but we're not asked this on a regular basis.

HOWEVER....if Disney decides to automatically add in the 18% tip on DDE dinners, I'm pretty sure the restaurants will be asking up front if customers are using the DDE plan, just like they now ask about the DDP.