Disney dining plan will NOT include grat in 2008

[agnes!]

I am confused.

Have the parameters of the DDE actually changed (along with the massive changes for the DDP? I saw something saying that a tip is now automatically added or maybe it isn't added or something...

PLEASE someone who knows post on this thread, I'm a DDE member & want to know.

Thanks,
agnes!

 

[a1tinkfans]

Just My Two Cents (I have not read the entire post)

We have used the DDP for our family more than once and loved it!

We have ALWAYS tipped ABOVE the included amount as that is just our "way" to say THANKS for a fine job. If we were not satisfied with service, we added nothing.

Without the tip included and a price increase we will likely NOT go for the DDP in the future. And likely would go to less sit down meals.

I happen to think that the wait staff is vital to the success of an establishment and I know that I would not want to deal with the public in this way...likely hungry and a bit stressed hot and cranky LOL

So I say treat them fairly. I can see why they are not happy about the change, nor am I.

 

[dizfanz]

I am confused.

Have the parameters of the DDE actually changed (along with the massive changes for the DDP? I saw something saying that a tip is now automatically added or maybe it isn't added or something...

PLEASE someone who knows post on this thread, I'm a DDE member & want to know.

Thanks,
agnes!

I think what was implied is that when the check is presented, there will be something that says 18% equals this and 20% equals that printed directly on the check. I'm guessing the servers noticed a sizeable pattern of guests that were tipping on the post-discounted amount versus the pre-disounted amount of the tab. It will still be up to the patron to tip what they want to. They will just have a guideline printed directly on the check.

 

[tfc3rid]

The server is the 'front person' for the entire dining process. They are the public face to the customer of the chef, bartender, etc. The work they do and they way they do it will either be praised or panned. That's why I understand how difficult it is to deal with people, some who are understanding, some who require immediate and perfect attention...

Serving is a difficult occupation, whether you're working in the local greasy spoon or at, say, Victoria and Alberts. You don't work what most of us consider 'normal' hours and do 'routine' things. That's why tips are important, critical... I do think that a 'free market' approach to tipping works out very well for both the consumer and the server... Is 18% a standard in America, yes, is it mandatory, absolutely not... A good tip is a priviledge, not a right...

 

[dizfanz]

As for tipping - I think those traditionally tipped are getting a bad rap, perhaps, because of the exploding number of "TIP" jars found everywhere....and I do think it IS uniquely American (spoken as an American, mind you ) I never remember having to tip for an ice cream cone, or my take-home pizza, etc....now the jars are all over the place.

It's not that the wait staff doesn't deserve it (when the service is good) it's that other areas of life are getting some folks a bit tipped-out!

As a bartender and server, ITA and well put Personally, I blame Starbucks for starting this

 

[Uncleromulus]

Agnes!:
As I understand it, the DDE will now include an automatic 18% gratuity on the original amout of the bill (before the DDE discount is applied).

 

[GreatLakes5]

Spoken strictly as a consumer:

1) I fully expect prices to rise - each year. I mean, it's the American way of doing things If my price goes up by not having the tip included in my DDP, so be it. Tomato - Tomatoe....

2) By doing this, some power has been given back to me....we had phenomenal service at Boatwright's last year. We tipped 20% on top of whatever was given him via the DDP. He was on top of things, personable, interesting, treating my children as paying guests rather than annoyances...the whole bit. We had a buffet dinner at Crystal Palace and I have no idea to this day who my server was. Drinks came and left but I never met him/her - the tip was still granted via DDP.

3) I think the DDP sometimes makes those of us on it feel like we're eating free all the time - it's often easily forgotten once we enter the kingdom that we DID pay for all the food & service just we did so in advance. In a way, sort of silly to tip in advance of service we may receive (or not receive). Sure, it can save $, not debating that....

4) A tip is not a right - it is earned. Those who will excel at waitstaffing will treat the job as a career & realize that like it or not they have to plaster a on & serve. I will gladly tip for that service. Go the extra mile (or more) & I will certainly acknowledge that as well....and your manager will hear about it as well I have had better service at McDonald's than at some WDW restaurants but there's no tip jars at my local McD's but I automatically paid the WDW server 18-20%.

5) And in regard to previous posts, I DO tip based on service - I do not hold my server responsible for poorly cooked food. If my food is late I DO hold the server responsible IF he or she does not have the courtesy to come over and speak with me about it....don't avoid my table because my salmon isn't ready.

Just my 18-20%....

 

[guelde96]

The DDP will be around 40-45 dollars a day for an adult 10 or older and 20-25 for a child under 10 ... and no grats, come on is Disney really that stupid. At least 50% of the people who do ddp will NOT do it under those terms. Right now people figure the annoyances you have to deal with such as having to use CS and TS, having to do the ddp for everyone in the room, ect... is worth the savings, but if it cost that much and no grats and you still have the annoyances, what's the point? I'd pay OOP in a sec if they actually go through with this... and I'll eat at the cheapest places available.

Is this price correct? The 10 & older price I can see. The child under 10 price is double of what it is this year. My kids definitly do not eat that much food. This is not a good deal for anyone.

 

[Disneyof3]

This all is very disturbing and I'am not very impressed at all about the tip being removed from the DDP. I was a server when I was growing up until I finished college. Servers work there butt off for there tips(mostly). I agree that some people I worked with didn't do anything and they got tips and that really made me mad but I always felt and still do that if the server didn't do a good job then the tip should reflect it. The 18% on the bottom of the bill will be ignored on our bill. If the waitress does her job and does it well and I don't have to keep asking for things or wait 1/2 hour for my bill then the tip will reflect that. I don't care if the servers give me looks, treat me well and you will be rewarded. I likely now will not do the DDP due to the tip not being included because I don't carry money with us and that is now just a inconvience for us. I feel that WDW and the servers will suffer greatly due to this and the DDP will likely end shortly after that. Good things remember in life don't always stay.

 

[Disneyserver]

I'm not upset, just my two cents of what I think will happen. If Disney is removing the tip, they believe otherwise. Normally we reach for our wallets, but on the DDP we don't HAVE to. I will leave less than 18% at a buffet, I'm serving myself!

I'll try to have less angst in my post as I am really looking forward to my trip, DDP and all.

The buffet servers are also making $3.65 an hour and they work alot harder cleaning the number of plates off your table, and running around filling up your glass of beverage that your drinking extremely fast, all servers have it hard and we do it witha smile on our face...

 

[Disneyserver]

I am confused.

Have the parameters of the DDE actually changed (along with the massive changes for the DDP? I saw something saying that a tip is now automatically added or maybe it isn't added or something...

PLEASE someone who knows post on this thread, I'm a DDE member & want to know.

Thanks,
agnes!

Agenes, starting JAN 1st 2008 there will be auto 18% grat on your check if you use a DDE card, the 18% wwill be added to your first total, and the DDP will no longer have grat included in the price, that will be left up to the guest

 

[hedwig]

The DDP has not been around forever, just three years now. How were the tips to servers before the DP?

People carried cash or Credit card then, and had to take an extra minute to sort out the bill. We just got used to the convience of not having to. Now some of us order "adult" drinks with our meal and get an extra bill to pay OOP. ( I always said it was my excuse to leave a better tip!) So we are still used to having to use our Credit card or carrying cash. We do it anyway for souven'ears'. I'm sure Disney will condition us again that tips are not included.

Now unfortunately that doesn't take care of the problem of the lousy tipper- some people will always tip lousy and that is just that. I know a lot of people though that tip very well, and don't like when automatic tips are included, they tend to not tip extra when tips are included.

I do feel sorry for the servers during the transition, and don't doubt their bottomline will be affected during the interim. Hopefully Disney will get us guests conditioned fast on this topic so all will be better for the servers!

Since the DDP is still a relatively young program, I would not be surprised to see it tweaked a few more times.

 

[rotlex]

Spoken strictly as a consumer:

1) I fully expect prices to rise - each year. I mean, it's the American way of doing things If my price goes up by not having the tip included in my DDP, so be it. Tomato - Tomatoe....

2) By doing this, some power has been given back to me....we had phenomenal service at Boatwright's last year. We tipped 20% on top of whatever was given him via the DDP. He was on top of things, personable, interesting, treating my children as paying guests rather than annoyances...the whole bit. We had a buffet dinner at Crystal Palace and I have no idea to this day who my server was. Drinks came and left but I never met him/her - the tip was still granted via DDP.

3) I think the DDP sometimes makes those of us on it feel like we're eating free all the time - it's often easily forgotten once we enter the kingdom that we DID pay for all the food & service just we did so in advance. In a way, sort of silly to tip in advance of service we may receive (or not receive). Sure, it can save $, not debating that....

4) A tip is not a right - it is earned. Those who will excel at waitstaffing will treat the job as a career & realize that like it or not they have to plaster a on & serve. I will gladly tip for that service. Go the extra mile (or more) & I will certainly acknowledge that as well....and your manager will hear about it as well I have had better service at McDonald's than at some WDW restaurants but there's no tip jars at my local McD's but I automatically paid the WDW server 18-20%.

5) And in regard to previous posts, I DO tip based on service - I do not hold my server responsible for poorly cooked food. If my food is late I DO hold the server responsible IF he or she does not have the courtesy to come over and speak with me about it....don't avoid my table because my salmon isn't ready.

Just my 18-20%....

These are pretty much my thoughts exactly! I STILL think the plan is a GREAT deal, even if tip is NOT included. In some ways, I DO like the option of tipping higher or lower depending on the level of service provided. This is not really a bad thing at all IMHO.

 

[Disneyserver]

The DDP has not been around forever, just three years now. How were the tips to servers before the DP?

People carried cash or Credit card then, and had to take an extra minute to sort out the bill. We just got used to the convience of not having to. Now some of us order "adult" drinks with our meal and get an extra bill to pay OOP. ( I always said it was my excuse to leave a better tip!) So we are still used to having to use our Credit card or carrying cash. We do it anyway for souven'ears'. I'm sure Disney will condition us again that tips are not included.

Now unfortunately that doesn't take care of the problem of the lousy tipper- some people will always tip lousy and that is just that. I know a lot of people though that tip very well, and don't like when automatic tips are included, they tend to not tip extra when tips are included.

I do feel sorry for the servers during the transition, and don't doubt their bottomline will be affected during the interim. Hopefully Disney will get us guests conditioned fast on this topic so all will be better for the servers!

Since the DDP is still a relatively young program, I would not be surprised to see it tweaked a few more times.

The Tips were very good, except of the random tables from International countries that are not familiar with US customs of tipping, and we got to leave with our tips the day we worked for them, the DDP has added more money to our pockets, and the grat went to our paychecks that made all of us into a new tax bracket , The restuarants had more regular guests from annual passholders and vacation club members, now the restuarants are overly busy and the food takes longer to come out, and the quality of the food and service has decreased, BTW for those that say they wouldn't want me to be there server I appolize that you will not ever have the chance to be served by one of Disney's best and Favorite servers, Everyday I get numerous amounts of requests to serve there family, and numerous amount of letters sent about my great service... I am a outspoken person who cares for my fellow cast members , and I dont wanna see anyone have to lose there house because guests are not tipping us the way they should, Disney is in for a shock with the amount of cast they will Lose next year and as many complaints from the guests, Disney doesnt have many people knocking at there doors anymore for employment, thats why lots of things on property are short staffed or even closed, bad pay equals No cast members

 

[Mickeyluver37]

The Tips were very good, except of the random tables from International countries that are not familiar with US customs of tipping, and we got to leave with our tips the day we worked for them, the DDP has added more money to our pockets, and the grat went to our paychecks that made all of us into a new tax bracket ,

You should be claiming all of your income regardless of whether it was a cash tip or in your paycheck.

 

[mickey2000]

Now you know why Alfredos LEFT ! Di$ney cheapness
I have watched things go down hill for many years.... JMO

 

[Disneyserver]

You should be claiming all of your income regardless of whether it was a cash tip or in your paycheck.

I do decare all My tips, and dont be so Harsh, all the servers on this site are trying to get the word out so come Jan 08 were not getting stiffed on a Tip from vetran DDP users that are used to the Grat be included

 

[Disneyserver]

Now you know why Alfredos LEFT ! Di$ney cheapness
I have watched things go down hill for many years.... JMO

Alfredos left because Disney didnt renew there contract, the food and service was horrible over there, and Disney got numerous amounts of complaints daily from guests, and if you liked the food there You need to try some Good Italian Food for a change, Tony's town square for Dinner at magic Kingdom is awesome, and mama Melrose at MGM is great food also. Or maggianos in point orlando On international drive

 

[tfc3rid]

Disneyserver...

Correct me if I'm wrong regarding tipping but even back before the DDP came into being there were cards in each 'check folder' that gave basic guidelines for tipping... I hear ya though regarding lack of tipping from International guests...

As for the DDP itself, I am a DVC member and an Annual PAssholder and used to frequent WDW dining more because I could do a 'spur of the moment' dinner... Sadly now, even though I'm OOP I don't get to eat at my favorites as often...

 

[GreatLakes5]

I do decare all My tips, and dont be so Harsh, all the servers on this site are trying to get the word out so come Jan 08 were not getting stiffed on a Tip from vetran DDP users that are used to the Grat be included

I think a better way to go about this is to simply encourage DDP (and others, really) to look over their entire bill each time they dine out.....I would when I eat at Applebee's and I should at WDW because it's my hard earned $ I just spent - whether when I bought a dining plan or as I plunk my DDE or credit card down.