Offical free dining watch 2008

[utkscvol1]

Free dining would save me $1117. Now that's a savings! Come on announcement!!!!

 

[robinb]

Also, sometimes, half our meals are the character buffets and I don't tip 18% for those.

But the 2007 DDP included an 18% tip for those waiters and waitresses. By giving them a lesser tip they are being paid less now under the new plan than they were before. Plus, if you're getting your food for free, there is really no reason not to pay the going rate at Disney even if you don't tip that well at home. Just my opinion.

 

[pinkerbell]

One day passes don't expire until you use them. It states, "expires 14 days from first use". And we "first" used them the next year.

We cashed them in the next year on 10 day, base tickets plus waterpark option. The 5 of us did Disney for 14 days for about $1300 if you add in what we paid for the one day tickets. That was a deal! That's $18 and change per person, per day for a Disney park!

WOW, that is great to know.. so do you save your room keycard and the "pass" is on that??? or do they give you some type of hardticket?

 

[*disgal*]

But the 2007 DDP included an 18% tip for those waiters and waitresses. By giving them a lesser tip they are being paid less now under the new plan than they were before. Plus, if you're getting your food for free, there is really no reason not to pay the going rate at Disney even if you don't tip that well at home. Just my opinion.

I don't want this to take over the thread, but that was Disney's choice when they gave that under the old plan. We've eaten at CP many times and we never tipped 18%. I'm just not going to give someone 18% for bringing me my iced tea and a refill. I was a waitress for 4 years, so I understand how it goes. Now, at a full service rest. I will give 20% or more, depending on service.

And if I get free dining, that is allowing my family to spend that extra money on the room (and a ton of people on here upgrade to a mod or deluxe when they book free dining, also spending that money elsewhere), as in staying on-site. As you can see by my sig., we don't always stay on-site. It's much cheaper for us as a family of 5 to stay off-site and we love it. We love both. But it's not like because I get free dining, I all of a sudden have extra money. It just means we are paying the same price for our vacation, but we are on-site instead of off-site.

 

[mickeyfan1]

I think the 18% is added automatically?

 

[*disgal*]

WOW, that is great to know.. so do you save your room keycard and the "pass" is on that??? or do they give you some type of hardticket?

We saved the keycards in our home safe and just went to Guest services at Downtown Disney our first night to exchange them. I must confess, I was a little nervous since you can't tell anything from the card. I kept having this nightmare that we get to Disney and they say, "What? YOu say a one day pass is supposed to be on here?"...........but it never happened.

 

[*disgal*]

I think the 18% is added automatically?

I don't think it is on the Dining plan anymore. It was included in the plan for years before.

I would think with bigger parties gratuity would be included, right? Like 8 or more , or something like that?

 

[*disgal*]

I found it on Deb Will's site.............

"NOTE: Gratuity is no longer included unless otherwise indicated. An 18 percent gratuity will be added automatically for parties of 6 or more; a gratuity may also be added for items not included in the Dining Plan, such as alcoholic beverages."

 

[mickeyfan1]

I know the tip was included in the DDP last year and there was talk that it was going to be added to the bill this time. Thanks for the info.

And I am not arguing with anyone about tips. Personally, I tip at least 20% everywhere there is someone helping out, be it California Grill or Chef Mickeys. As long as the service is good. Everyone works hard in the restaurants, waitng tables, bussing, checking for drinks, etc. I know that tips mean a lot to everyone in the food business. If the service is not good, then I may drop to 15 or 10%. I have never had that happen in WDW.


Come on announcment!!!!!!

 

[robinb]

I don't want this to take over the thread, but that was Disney's choice when they gave that under the old plan. We've eaten at CP many times and we never tipped 18%. I'm just not going to give someone 18% for bringing me my iced tea and a refill. I was a waitress for 4 years, so I understand how it goes. Now, at a full service rest. I will give 20% or more, depending on service.

It was Disney's choice, NOT the choice of the servers. As an ex-waitress, I would think that you would be more sympathetic to the servers who were making 18% off you a couple years ago when you ate for free and they will now make less while you still eat for free .

 

[fuzieduck]

we went in feb. at chef mickeys on our bill it shows both 18% and 20% tip.
for a party of 4 two adults and two children our suggested tip was $38 dollars for 20 % .
We left 20% as we normally due, however when I did our trip budget I didn't even think that about the tips. my husband and I discussed how to handle the high tips due to high food cost.
We decided that we would only do two table services a day, One breakfast and one dinner.
this worked well, character breakfast are not expensive compared to the dinners so 20% was about $18 and dinner gratuity went from $30 to $50 range.
We tipped $350 dollars while there.
When you consider how much everything else is, thats nothing.
The servers also share their tips with those characters who are kids all love.
Sometimes your server is that character.

 

[*disgal*]

It was Disney's choice, NOT the choice of the servers. As an ex-waitress, I would think that you would be more sympathetic to the servers who were making 18% off you a couple years ago when you ate for free and they will now make less while you still eat for free .

Sorry Robin, not going to hijack the thread..................


We don't have a trip planned this year but if free dining came out, we would try for it. I thought my kids wouldn't mind if we skipped a year or two, but the other day my one daughter said, "man, I'm going to miss going to Disney this year". My DH and I just looked at each other because we have been watching the boards and hoping some kind of great discount would be around the corner. Here's hoping!!

 

[PrincessBelle23]

It was Disney's choice, NOT the choice of the servers. As an ex-waitress, I would think that you would be more sympathetic to the servers who were making 18% off you a couple years ago when you ate for free and they will now make less while you still eat for free .

I feel bad for them... to a point. I have been to WDW twice with free dining in the past, and more times than not the service was less than pleasing as soon as they found out we were on the DDP. Logically, why try to please the customer and work your butt off when you can do what needs to get done and still know you're getting 18%? I think it's safe to assume that service will be better at some of those places now that the staff is still working for a tip, and I'm more than happy to pay 18%-20% tip when the server is good, and at least 15% if they're not good but still do their job. However, I do agree that those working at a buffet who are responsible only for drinks should not get the same 18-20% as those who hussel back and forth with food, drinks, orders, check-ins, etc. It's not that I think anything less of them, they're just simply not doing as much. It's nice that you're so sympathetic, but after all I'm spending to go to disney, my pocket can't really pay that much for my one soda.... IMO

 

[roxy83]

My sister works for a buffet style restaurant and I asked her about this. She said that most of her guests tip her about 10% because she is really not doing much for them. She did say that if someone if celebrating an event or asks for special services that you should tip more. Personally, I agree. I am not going to tip 18-20% for a soda and greeting.

 

[ShhhQ]

we went in feb. at chef mickeys on our bill it shows both 18% and 20% tip.
for a party of 4 two adults and two children our suggested tip was $38 dollars for 20 % .
We left 20% as we normally due, however when I did our trip budget I didn't even think that about the tips. my husband and I discussed how to handle the high tips due to high food cost.
We decided that we would only do two table services a day, One breakfast and one dinner.
this worked well, character breakfast are not expensive compared to the dinners so 20% was about $18 and dinner gratuity went from $30 to $50 range.
We tipped $350 dollars while there.
When you consider how much everything else is, thats nothing.
The servers also share their tips with those characters who are kids all love.
Sometimes your server is that character.

$38 for a tip for only 4 people? That seems awful steep... according to my calculations that comes to $190 (for a tip of 20% at $38) That would be like $47.50 per person! Assuming that the 2 children ate as adults.

Sorry but that just sounded a bit high... I had already configured what our tip would be with 3 adults... and it comes to about $18

On another note, I like the idea of prepaying for our food so we don't have to worry about it on vacation. However, with the changes in the plans the amount we save by using the plan is outweighed by having to pay the tips... but worth saving the hassle. But should they offer free dining, we will actually save $570 (as we already knew we were gonna be paying tips it doesn't play in the free dining at all)

 

[fuzieduck]

3 buffets at 30 and one at 15insh.
I bought 2 pirate children drinks and my dh had 2 drinks one was some blue novelty thing, with the tax added was indeed almost 200 dollar

 

[mickeyfan1]

People forget CMs has more than breakfast. I have done the dinner buffet there, once was enough.

 

[Goofy22]

On another thread labeled I believe free dining 2008 a diser posted that on free touring plans.com They announced that they have heard from mutiple sources inside and outside of disney that free dining will be offered as of April 10th, 2008!!! It's only a rumor but a good one! Now I'm hoping 1. It is true and 2. My dates fall into the free dining range! ! I did check for myself because I had to see it for myself not that I didnt bbelieve it I just wanted to see it ! and it is there! but it does say it's a rumor not confirmed!

 

[mickey2000]

Good news for everyone waiting !!
Good Luck to All !

 

[pinkerbell]

We saved the keycards in our home safe and just went to Guest services at Downtown Disney our first night to exchange them. I must confess, I was a little nervous since you can't tell anything from the card. I kept having this nightmare that we get to Disney and they say, "What? YOu say a one day pass is supposed to be on here?"...........but it never happened.

Thanks for the help! I did not know this.