The Disney Tipping Info Thread *Updated 9.1.09*

[Freyja]

This is what we fo as well. But for those who do want charging priviledges, you can use your child's card to deduct credits or only put charging on one adult card.

I thought you had to put charging privileges on either all room cards or none.

 

[w-family]

No, we only had charging on mine and my DH's card. We had friends' with us and we blocked charges on their cards too, and just told them they couldn't use that feature.

What a good idea about using the kids' cards, I will do that in the future.

 

[willis]

When we went in June we were scared of something like this happening because we wanted to pay the tips OOP. So on our room key or DDP card we didn't put on charging privileges so they couldn't charge anything back to the room.

That is a good idea!
Will the waiters take a Visa or Disney Reward card for tips? Don't want to have alot of cash for the tips. Has anyone only used the room key charge to put all the tips on? If they double charge it would show up on the same date. Or were the charges when cash was left for tip and 1 room charge for the same tip? this tip not included is awful.

 

[kaytieeldr]

On another note, how do you deal with mediocre service when you have a required amount? If we have truly BAD service at a restaurant, we complain to the manager. What do you do when the service doesn't warrant an "average" tip, but isn't so bad that you feel like complaining?

Truly, the best time to address less-than-desirable service is while it's occurring, rather than when the check comes. This gives the restaurant (or other business, since really this is true in any consumer transaction) a chance to make things right, or at least better - and maybe have you leave as a happy customer, rather than a disgruntled one.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

When we went in June we were scared of something like this happening because we wanted to pay the tips OOP. So on our room key or DDP card we didn't put on charging privileges so they couldn't charge anything back to the room.

I did the same thing. I had my card charged when I wanted to use snack credits last year, so this year I just didn't put my CC on my room key.

 

[hematite153]

Has anyone only used the room key charge to put all the tips on?

Yes. We've charged all tips back to the room on several occasions and never had a problem with double charging or with charges being different from our intent.

(We did have a problem once where we had to keep getting the front desk to fix things, but, that was when we checked in on Jan 1st as the computer systems were changing and our cards were frequently not working for DDP credits even though it said that we had them when we were at the resort. But, this problem came from our resort and not from the servers or from tipping issues.)

 

[Minniekins]

The tip will be part of your bill and will show in your total due. There will be an open line to write an additional amount for any additional Tip that you want to give.


$100 - Food
$6.50 - Tax
$18.00 - Gratuity
$124.50 - Balance due

________ Tip


________ Total Due


(Assuming you don't want to tip extra) I would draw a dash in the Tip Amount and write $18.00 as my Total Due. Give that to your server with your room key. Ask for the meal entitlements to be used for the meal and charge the $18.00 to your room.

Any adjustment to the tip amount will need to be addressed with management - even if you just feel that the service is average. This is because the gratuity is part of your bill - not something that you're adding to the bill.


If you want to pay cash for the tip and have no charging to your room - handle as above, give the server your key and cash to cover the amount due ($18.00 in this example).

Same for Credit Card or gift certificate.

We have just the two of us, myself and DD18. I'm wondering, if using this example, how they will do the tip. Do they just leave the gratuity line blank since there is not an automatic gratuity for only 2 people? And would I just put the tip on the line that says 'tip', and then give them my credit card(or cash) for the tip and the room card to deduct the meal credits? Thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes, they will leave the line blank. There will be two suggested tip amounts at the bottom - 18% and 20%. You can tip one of these amounts, or any other reasonable %.

If you want to charge the tip (room charge, credit card, gift card), write the amount on the 'tip' line. If you want to tip cash, you can either write in the amount or just write "cash", and hand the tip to the server or insert it in the check folder after you get your payment method back but before you leave

 

[pegryfun]

That's what we did, wrote "Cash" in the line , left the cash, and had no problem.

 

[w-family]

We actually wrote cash as well on the line, and they still charged it to our room due to the automatic tip. The funny thing is that we actually tipped over the 18% in cash. We brought the receipts down to the CM at OKW and they reversed the charges. You just need to monitor your accounts during your stay to make sure you are not double charged.

 

[MouseTrip07]

I am budgeting for tips for our December trip and trying to decide how to tip for our Candlelight Processional dinner...should I plan on 18% of our dinner amount or the cost of our package price ($54/adult, $15/child at LeCellier)?

Thank you in advance,
Jennifer

 

[wezee]

DH and I had all our drinks and tips put on our KTTW card. We wobbled back & forth, before our trip, if we would use our room card or Disney VISA at the restaurants...we were on the dining plan also.

We decided to have everything charges to our room, then pay it off with our Disney VISA before departing....because that way I could go to the front desk every few days and ask for a printout , of our room charges, to make sure everything was correct. This worked great, and if there was a posting error, I would be able to correct it at the front desk, right away. If we had used our VISA....I would not know there was an error until I rec'd my statement weeks later.....much harder to have WDW correct at that point.

PS...We had the cash at home for these expenses, but since we were getting X5 on points with our Disney Rewards, we decided to put everything on the card first!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I am budgeting for tips for our December trip and trying to decide how to tip for our Candlelight Processional dinner...should I plan on 18% of our dinner amount or the cost of our package price ($54/adult, $15/child at LeCellier)?

Thank you in advance,
Jennifer

18% of your actual check, not of the package price.

 

[catne]

I am budgeting for tips for our December trip and trying to decide how to tip for our Candlelight Processional dinner...should I plan on 18% of our dinner amount or the cost of our package price ($54/adult, $15/child at LeCellier)?

Thank you in advance,
Jennifer

Your tip is based on the total of your bill...they will bring a bill that shows what you would be charged if you were paying cash for the meal...and the tip is based on the real costs of the food you ordered, not the Dining Plan package.

 

[Minniekins]

Yes, they will leave the line blank. There will be two suggested tip amounts at the bottom - 18% and 20%. You can tip one of these amounts, or any other reasonable %.

If you want to charge the tip (room charge, credit card, gift card), write the amount on the 'tip' line. If you want to tip cash, you can either write in the amount or just write "cash", and hand the tip to the server or insert it in the check folder after you get your payment method back but before you leave

That's what we did, wrote "Cash" in the line , left the cash, and had no problem.

We actually wrote cash as well on the line, and they still charged it to our room due to the automatic tip. The funny thing is that we actually tipped over the 18% in cash. We brought the receipts down to the CM at OKW and they reversed the charges. You just need to monitor your accounts during your stay to make sure you are not double charged.

DH and I had all our drinks and tips put on our KTTW card. We wobbled back & forth, before our trip, if we would use our room card or Disney VISA at the restaurants...we were on the dining plan also.

We decided to have everything charges to our room, then pay it off with our Disney VISA before departing....because that way I could go to the front desk every few days and ask for a printout , of our room charges, to make sure everything was correct. This worked great, and if there was a posting error, I would be able to correct it at the front desk, right away. If we had used our VISA....I would not know there was an error until I rec'd my statement weeks later.....much harder to have WDW correct at that point.

PS...We had the cash at home for these expenses, but since we were getting X5 on points with our Disney Rewards, we decided to put everything on the card first!

First of all, thanks for the answers, I appreciate it!

Due to errors I've read here of people getting double charged the tip, I was actually considering not using the room charge feature on our KTTW this time. Usually I like using it, but now we do have the disney visa so I thought I'd just use that to get the rewards(hey, I want 5x rewards, lol!) and avoid them possibly charging more because they could not charge back to my room and get tip from d.visa (or cash) also. Wouldn't I avoid that possibility if I don't allow room charging on my room card that has the dining credits? I know I couldn't check my charges everyday at the desk but not sure I need to do that. It seems that to charge my d.visa twice would be a purposeful action, where a charge to my room card with the dining credits while they also got cash or credit card tip could possibly be more of an accident that could happen, not so intentional. Does that make sense at all?

 

[MouseTrip07]

18% of your actual check, not of the package price.

Your tip is based on the total of your bill...they will bring a bill that shows what you would be charged if you were paying cash for the meal...and the tip is based on the real costs of the food you ordered, not the Dining Plan package.

Thank you to you both!

Jennifer

 

[lonegungirl]

Truly, the best time to address less-than-desirable service is while it's occurring, rather than when the check comes. This gives the restaurant (or other business, since really this is true in any consumer transaction) a chance to make things right, or at least better - and maybe have you leave as a happy customer, rather than a disgruntled one.

Frankly, if someone was already giving me marginal service, I'd be a little afraid of complaining about it, for fear it'd turn the marginal service into hostile-spit-in-your-food service.

The way the tips are done now, with the server basically standing over you, watching you put the amount down, I almost feel like it's a mandatory 18% minimum tip--there really didn't feel like there was any comfortable way to go any lower for subjectively "meh" service.

 

[Freyja]

Can I charge the tip to my room when I´m on the dining plan?

 

[Tricia1972]

Can I charge the tip to my room when I´m on the dining plan?

Yes you can

 

[Freyja]

Thanks! I thought so, just got confused after reading too much, lol