? re DDE card

[tinkfan4ever]

I'm trying to figure out if the DDE is worth the $60 to get. Do they add the 18% gratutity to every food bill like counter service or food court stuff or just to table service. I've not tipped before at food court or counter service meals. Thanks!

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

It's not added at CS or food courts (which are pretty much glorified cs)... but it's also not accepted at very many CS or food courts.

 

[TDC Nala]

18% added only at table service and bars/lounges. Anyplace you'd normally expect to pay a tip.

It can be applied to counter service only at the value food courts, POFQ food court, SSR's counter service (Artist Palette), and all CS restaurants in the Animal Kingdom park except the one at Yak & Yeti.

 

[twodancersmom2]

I think the DDE card is well worth the cost if you are going to do more than 2 or 3 TS meals. For our last trip to WDW, we purchased the DDE, and we had 7 or 8 TS meals. The card paid for itself after the first couple! We will also be using it for our trip this September, since it is good for 1 year from the date of purchase. I figure between the two trips, we'll probably save about $300 on our meals. There were some CS places that took it - I believe we used it at Flame Tree in AK and a couple of other places that I can't recall.

 

[TDC Nala]

I have used it at Flame Tree also. If you are at AK, you can also use it at Restaurantosaurus and Pizzafari. I am staying at SSR in October and will make use of it there, most likely.

 

[whithouston]

A separate question about the DDE....I realize there are blackout dates, but they are just specific holidays, not over the whole week, correct? For example, I know that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are blacked out, but the days before and after that would be okay to use it right? Also, you can't use it in conjunction with packages (i.e. Candlelight Processional Package,) right?

Thanks!

 

[Uncleromulus]

True. But if you read the "fine print" they always reserve the right to add extra blackout dates, much as Disney does with that "'Holiday Pricing" business.
Far as I am personally aware, DDE hasn't yet gone beyond the actual listed blackout dates.

 

[tinkfan4ever]

Thanks everyone! I think we'll go ahead a get it since it'll be good for a year. We'll be moving to the Orlando area next May so I guess it'll a least pay for itself.

Thanks again!

 

[TDC Nala]

The blackout dates are: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Mother's Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

To my knowledge they have never added another blackout date. Which doesn't mean they won't ever do it in the future, if they've reserved the right to do so.

No, they don't accept it for dining "packages" or special events.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

The blackout dates are: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Mother's Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

To my knowledge they have never added another blackout date. Which doesn't mean they won't ever do it in the future, if they've reserved the right to do so.

No, they don't accept it for dining "packages" or special events.

Thanks for this. am going over Christmas but didn't look at the DDE card as I thought it was all of the holiday - in line with the price increases. May look at getting one now.

 

[kmurawski]

Remember, you can always adjust the amount of the tip. It's a convenience to have it added on but you can reflect good or poor service in your final gratuity. We used the DDE in conjunction with the DDP and we already got our money back on what we paid for it.

 

[tinkfan4ever]

How do you adjust the tip? I thought it was already printed and figured on the receipt?

 

[NejTheLion]

How do you adjust the tip? I thought it was already printed and figured on the receipt?

I'm a little confused by that comment as well. You can certainly add additional gratuity, and we usually do. Not sure how you could decrease an automatic gratuity.

Honestly, if your service is so bad that you want to tip less than 18%, you should be speaking with the restaurant's manager! And if you do that, they'll likely discount your meal in some way. I don't think we've ever encountered service that bad. Sure, there are sometimes problems with the food or problems being seated, but the servers have always been fine.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can't adjust the automatic tip amount downward, only the restaurant manager can do that.

You can always leave an additional amount if you wish to.

 

[inkkognito]

We generally leave an additional amount because we usually tip at least 20 percent for good service.

Thankfully, since the time they've added the auto gratuity we've never felt that the service warranted below 18 percent. But last year there were two times when it was so bad that I think we left 10 percent, which is waaaaay low for us, and in those cases I would have spoken with the manager because there's no way it was worth 18 percent. Usually tho' it's top notch and we add some more on top of the auto gratuity.

 

[BlondeAlligator]

You can't adjust the automatic tip amount downward, only the restaurant manager can do that.

You can always leave an additional amount if you wish to.

So the 18% added is the tip for the server...in theory you don't have to add anything unless you want to tip a little extra?

 

[tinkfan4ever]

Ok, I've decided to purchased the DDE. Should I order it now and have it shipped to me or get it at Guest Services at WDW? Do you get a paper card or the plastic kind when you get it at guest services? We don't leave until late July.

 

[disney1990]

The blackout dates are: New Years Eve, New Years Day, Easter Sunday, Mother's Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

To my knowledge they have never added another blackout date. Which doesn't mean they won't ever do it in the future, if they've reserved the right to do so.

No, they don't accept it for dining "packages" or special events.

They accepted my DDE at Hollywood and Vine when we did the Fantasmic Package just last week.

You get a nice plastic card.

 

[inkkognito]

Ok, I've decided to purchased the DDE. Should I order it now and have it shipped to me or get it at Guest Services at WDW? Do you get a paper card or the plastic kind when you get it at guest services? We don't leave until late July.

Just buy it at Guest Relations. We bought ours at GR at the international gateway at Epcot this year. Much easier than the old way.

 

[NejTheLion]

Exactly. I'm guessing it was instituted for two reasons:

1) It's a convenience for card holders since you don't have to worry about calculating the tip if you're happy with 18%.

2) Sad to say, but I'm sure there are people who were basing their tips off the discounted price rather than the original total.

So, you can just sign the receipt and not have to worry about it, unless your service was exceptional and you'd like to tip extra