Poll :Removing tips from the Dining Plan

[kid-at-heart]

I liked it the old way w/ tips included. The all-inclusive was worry free and that what you want on vacation.

Not concerned about the appetizer BUT tips included is a must. It would be nice to have a choice between apetizer and dessert. This is not an issue for me.

Having to pay for the tips has driven up the cost of the plan, too expesive for us. Yes, it's a dollars less (and appetizer less) but you pay more for the tips.

OLD WAY IS BETTER.

I agree!

 

[mikkiwikki]

I didn't select the package this time because the magic for me with the old plan was having my trip paid in full before I left.

I totally agree! I am planning to go in November and we are just not doing the DDP at all as a result of the changes.

 

[BigGreen73]

We never used it but was thinking about trying the DDP on our next WDW vacation in 09. However, with the changes, my DW and I decided against it. The DDP avarages out to $75 a day for the both of us, based on our last trip we averaged around $60 a day and that was including a couple character meals, tips, etc etc. So now that the DDP doesn't include tips etc, it's definitely not a deal for us. If it was kept the way it was, then maybe.

Who knows, maybe Disney will change the DDP again for the better before we go in 09.

 

[Obb Mom]

I vote for the old plan. I have not been to Disney in over 20 years and this is the first trip with my own family. I signed up for the DDP because I thought it was a great deal and i did not want to carry around extra cash!!
Now 2 weeks before we leave I have discovered this change. I am not dissappointed about the appitizer but the 18% grat.-thats going to hurt!

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

I vote for the old plan. I have not been to Disney in over 20 years and this is the first trip with my own family. I signed up for the DDP because I thought it was a great deal and i did not want to carry around extra cash!!
Now 2 weeks before we leave I have discovered this change. I am not dissappointed about the appitizer but the 18% grat.-thats going to hurt!

If it will hurt, then maybe you should not buy the DDP. However, buying the DDP will probably hurt a lot less than going OOP for all your meals. Do the math, and do whatever works for you and your family.

 

[DisneyMOM09]

I decided to choose the DDP because even with having to pay tips it is still a good deal for my family. I would love to have tips included so I wouldn't have to worry about money once my vacation was paid for. I also think giving a choice between app and dessert is a great idea! I would vote for a new DDP with tips included and either dessert or appetizer (your choice). this is a win win deal, we sill get our tips paid and Disney would save money on only having to serve an app or dessert not both. That being said I hope they change the DDP for 2009, I would love to have the tip paid for before I even get there!

 

[mom2my3kids]

If it will hurt, then maybe you should not buy the DDP. However, buying the DDP will probably hurt a lot less than going OOP for all your meals. Do the math, and do whatever works for you and your family.

You know who is going to get hurt, the server because if it going to hurt someones budget to tip then you know the server no matter how good service they get will get a crappy tip.

 

[mobster75]

The DDP (and DxDDP) aren't going to appeal to or be worthwhile for everyone. However, I don't see a problem with the tip not included. The only other nearly pre-paid vacations I've taken have been a few cruises where almost all the food is included, but you still have to pay mandatory 15% tips on EVERYTHING and of course, adult beverages aren't included either (My guess, that and the casino are where they make the real money).

My wife and I have crunched out the numbers and have decided to go with the DxDDP this August when we go because (1) OOP vs DxDDP is almost break-even (2) We like to eat at better restaurants, so DxDDP allows us a TS lunch and signature dining in the evening every night. (3) We really like not having to worry about how OOP dining will add up - it's almost all prepaid so we don't need to worry. The tips are NOT going to kill us.

Tipping is good as it still allows the customer some feedback control over the experience. If I get bad service, I reflect it in my tip (usually just $1) and if I get great service, that also comes out in the tip (up to 50% or more).

mobster75!

 

[patsal]

The other issue though with tips not included on the DDP or DXDDP is that parties of 6 or more still do not have control over the tip. It is automatic so saying that you control the tip is really not true for larger parties--this does not affect me on vacation for the most part, but it still is a factor that makes a problem for those in larger parties that get lousy service or feel 18% is too much to tip.
For certain if I was a party of six or more I'd avoid the DDP since that means whatever I order has an automatic 18% upcharge regardless of the level of service.

 

[mobster75]

Yes, but automatic tipping for parties of 6 or more is not a Disney-only thing. Practically every restaurant in the US imposes an automatic tip for 6 or more folks in a party.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And it's not a Dining Plan-only thing. EVERY party of six or more diners is assessed the automatic 18% service charge, no matter what payment method is used.

 

[patsal]

And it's not a Dining Plan-only thing. EVERY party of six or more diners is assessed the automatic 18% service charge, no matter what payment method is used.

While that is true (usually restaurants impose that at 8 or more, but still no big deal), my point was more in the direction of feeling like you control the tip. Any party of 6 or more will not have control of the tip--thus the "Disney canned answer of we removed the tip because people complained that it was included and wanted to have control over it" was not so much a valid reason for removing the tip. The reason they removed the tip is because it saved them money. I don't really care either way, my issue is simply tell the truth-- we removed the tip because it wasn't cost effective for us, if you want the most expensive entree that is fine but you're paying the tip on that not us. In fairness I feel the same way when places of employment try to sway the loss of benefits in the direction of "not all of our employees felt they needed vision care so we're dropping the benefit to give you more flexibility"--no you're dropping the benefit becasue it cost you too much and you don't want to pay for it.

 

[rt2dz]

Yes, but automatic tipping for parties of 6 or more is not a Disney-only thing. Practically every restaurant in the US imposes an automatic tip for 6 or more folks in a party.

I worked in the restaurant industry for over 15 years in a various capacities, including as a server, and still stay very up-to-date (still an active part of the National Restaurant Association and read the trades). 6 or more for auto-grat is not industry standard. Industry standard has dropped to 8-10. And it is not industry standard to auto-grat at all at buffets. Industry standard at buffets is 10-15% and for table service 15-20% (although that is moving to 18-22%). My emphasis is on industry because I am sure--know--that there are areas where that differs, but WDW is about lots of different places and I, personally, feel they should follow industry standard.

I think Disney should have included the tip or dropped the price significantly. I especially wish they would have kept the tip included because we are an auto-grat family. Heck, Disney should have given an option to keep the tips by adding back the $1 to a cost. They could have DDP, DxDP and DDPT (Disney Dining Plan plus Tips). That would have really given them insight to what the true majority wanted.

I don't really care about the appetizer being dropped; one per person is a bit much, but no one said you had to eat it all. However, I do think they should have changed it to appetizer or dessert.

 

[rt2dz]

As a side note--restaurants price their entrees on a bell curve. Frequently the most expensive thing on the menu is NOT the most expensive thing to make. Actually, the most expensive thing a diner can order in a restaurant is water. Point: Ordering middle of the line entrees is more likely to cost Disney money than paying the tip on the most expensive thing in the restaurant.

 

[Katiebell]

For our first trip to WDW last year, we purchased the DDP and really liked it. It was convenient, we got to try a lot of fun restaurants, and it was a good value for us. The service we received at every restaurant was good to excellent -- exactly what we've come to expect from Disney (we go to DL about once a year). It was a lot of food; we are more used to sharing appetizers and desserts, but we weren't required to clean our plates, and we got to try a lot of new things.

This year, no appetizer -- value drops $5-$10 per person -- let's average that $7.

No tip -- let's average meal, drink, and dessert at a TS restaurant $35 -- at 18%, that's a value loss to the customer of just over $6.

So the value lost per day per person is about $13...and the price went down $1. Makes me wonder why Disney even bothered to lower the price that $1 -- I guess for the psychological soothing effect? That and the "we stopped paying the tip and took away the appetizer because you wanted us to!"

Bottom line: the DDP increased guest excitement about Disney Dining, and kept the restaurants booked full. It wasn't making as much money for Disney as they would like (who wouldn't like to have more money? I would!) so they figured out some ways to increase their profit. Removing the appetizers made sense (although many of us have expressed we'd rather have a choice between appy and dessert) because if a party doesn't order them it cuts down the dining time (faster table turnover, less lingering), if they DO order one people are more willing to pay for an appy OOP when they are hungry and first arrive at a restaurants, and appies are typically more costly to prepare and serve.

I really liked the idea of the included tip but the guests pick the percentage (5%, 10%, 15%, or 20%), but I suspect that would have been an accounting nightmare, and may have led to the temptation for a server to forge or change the choice But it would have solved the problem once and for all of the perception that DDP guests got substandard service because the gratuity was guaranteed. Oh well, that's a moot point now because we have to pay for the tip out of our own pockets. We did NOT benefit at all from these changes, but they are more profitable for Disney.

Because of the changes, we chose not to purchase the DDP this trip. It's still an OK value, but we can eat cheaper OOP if we budget more carefully. It just won't be as carefree and fun If there is a free dining promo, great; if not, we'll try to get a discounted rate on our room...