Dining with an Imagineer ?

[Anal Annie]

So our ADR booking window opens on Monday....I am going to try (again) to book Dining with an Imagineer at the HBD. I've failed in the past (either by waiting to long past the minute booking opens or they didn't offer it on the dates we were there etc). Anyway, IF I can get it can anyone tell me what's an appropriate tip? I'm assuming we should tip the server for the meal but also tip the Imagineer? Would it be a similar 20% or should it be higher?? TIA.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I hadn't heard of tipping the Imagineer.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I have to agree with kaytieeldr.

I have also had lunch with Animal Specialists 4 Times, and never saw anyone tip the CM.

I hope you get an ADR for the Imagineer, and I hope it’s a wonderful experience.

Bobbi

 

[Meriweather]

We've done it 7 times and never tipped the Imagineer or seen anyone else.
We do the 20% for the server.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

We did not tip the Imagineer and my son and sons in law tip everyone!

 

[CarolynFH]

We've done it twice. Tipped server but not the Imagineer. I suspect that Imagineer positions are not considered tipped positions by Disney.

 

[Anal Annie]

Thank you everyone!! My DH insisted we should tip whoever we get and that I needed to research how much!!

Meriweather how on earth did you manage to book it that many times? Did you find each time was completely different from the last? Apparently you consider it worth the cost each time?! Were some times better than others depending on who you get?? Have you ever had a repeat imagineer??

 

[CMNJ]

My husband has done it 3 times (2HBD lunches and 1 Citrico’s dinner)
He got different imagineers all 3 times. From my understanding it is quite different each time (assuming the imagineers are different) because they tell you their back story as well as the various projects they have worked on for Disney. They also answer guest questions about most things (as long as they don’t reveal any confidential info). My husband definitely liked one of the imagineers better than the other two. Just like in any setting some people are better at telling stories and engaging people. Plus the group you are there with will shape how the event goes and what topics are discussed. I went to the dinner one with him and it was a really neat experience but my husband preferred the experience he had with a different imagineer more.

 

[starry_solo]

I did it once (I learned about it researching) with my sister and BFF at HBD this past May. We tipped the server 20%. Didn't tip the Imagineer anything. We got an autographed plate (personalized too!) included in the price of our meal. It was AWESOME!

I called in right at the 180 day mark for our BCV reservation and then made the reservation for the following Monday (that was the day we checked out and moved over to BLT) and was able to make that, plus other reservations, fairly easily via phone.

If I can find my pictures of the menu, I will post it. I'm pretty sure it has the Imagineer's name on it.

 

[Meriweather]

Thank you everyone!! My DH insisted we should tip whoever we get and that I needed to research how much!!

Meriweather how on earth did you manage to book it that many times? Did you find each time was completely different from the last? Apparently you consider it worth the cost each time?! Were some times better than others depending on who you get?? Have you ever had a repeat imagineer??

I have never had a problem booking it. Always for 2, once for 3.
All very different. There are a lot of Imagineers that rotate through.....a lot of different jobs. All very interesting.
Yes worth the cost. We like HBD anyway and the food is about the same as it would cost anyway (although we wouldn't order that many coarses).
DH had a repeat once......I wasn't with him either time. But it was 6 or 7 years apart. They tell you what their job entails and then a lot of the talk is based on questions, so it can be very different.

 

[starry_solo]

^^and what is great about it is that there are no more than 10 other guests!! So very nice and intimate.

I sat next to the Imagineer when I did it. My BFF sat next to me, sis next to her. bff asked so many questions

 

[Anal Annie]

Well so of course I set my alarm for 5:45 and eventually got up at 5:50 am this morning to book my ADR's (because when I called the other day about pricing the CM told me I could book online starting at 6:00 am) and the online dining system isn't working correctly (none of my dates opened to book anything). So I assumed I was given the wrong information and that it was really 7:00 and I went back to bed & got up again to try at 7:00. Nope. Still wouldn't work so I called dining at 7:01 after they opened. Initially the CM couldn't see anything for the experience that week either. I HAD WANTED to book it for Monday, 7/16 (because it's a green park day on the crowd calendar) but it wouldn't show anything so then after refreshing & toodling around for a few minutes she found it open on Wed., 7/18 so I booked that. The Friday that week didn't show up for booking either. Only the Wednesday. So....it's booked. But I still can't book any of my other ADR's yet either. She asked me if I wanted to do any others while I was on the phone but I figured I could just do them online when we hung up but then the stoooopid system isn't working. At all. Their entire IT structure just sucks eggs I swear. But anyway, I finally got it. Thanks ya'll!!

 

[CarolynFH]

@Anal Annie, I'm glad you got your reservation for Dining with an Imagineer! Enjoy - we did!

 

[Meriweather]

There IT department is horrible.
I seem to always have issues....not just Disney World related, but shopdisney, cruise line, etc.

Glad you got the reservation.
And sometimes it is not in the system at the 180 days. I have had to wait for 120 days a couple times......just don't give up

 

[Anal Annie]

There IT department is horrible.
I seem to always have issues....not just Disney World related, but shopdisney, cruise line, etc.

Glad you got the reservation.
And sometimes it is not in the system at the 180 days. I have had to wait for 120 days a couple times......just don't give up

Thanks. This unreliability on when they're available has been part of the reason I've always missed them in the past. There's no rhyme or reason to when and I cannot check every day at 6:00 am or 7:00 am nor do I have time to call all the time. Meanwhile it's now almost 10:00 am and I STILL CAN'T book anything at all online. My week isn't coming up as available to book. So annoying. They want us to do all this pre-planning and then the system wonks out. smh

 

[Matty B13]

Annie what browser are you using? Chrome is recommended by Disney IT, but yes their website sucks, it was having issues this weekend.

 

[Chuck S]

Fireworks parties at the MK for June aren't booking yet, either. I wish they'd follow the 6 month thing for these special seatings like regular ADRs.

 

[Anal Annie]

Annie what browser are you using? Chrome is recommended by Disney IT, but yes their website sucks, it was having issues this weekend.

My default is Safari.....it just shouldn't be so complicated to plan a trip.

 

[Matty B13]

I prefer Firefox, but I like chrome as well.