The Disney Tipping Info Thread *Updated 9.1.09*

[llori7]

Are you able to use a gift card (the free $200 gift card) to pay for tips at table services?? Not sure how it worked. We don't usually spend $200 in souvenirs, so I would love to be able to use it for tips!

Thanks!

 

[atksn]

I was wondering the same thing.

I am guessing that what you can do (and PLEASE, someone correct me if I am incorrect) is "charge" the tip to your room account. Then pay your room balance w/ the Gift Card. I had posted earlier about tipping and putting it on my account and paying w/ Visa Reward $ or if we get Disney Gift Cards (before knowing for sure about the current promo) for Xmas, and was told that I could do that.

My other ? about the Gift Cards: Can it be used toward purchase of alcohol- like for a glass of wine w/ dinner?

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Are you able to use a gift card (the free $200 gift card) to pay for tips at table services?? Not sure how it worked. We don't usually spend $200 in souvenirs, so I would love to be able to use it for tips!

Thanks!

Yes, you can use the free $200 gift card to pay for tips.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Just trying to make sure we have enough budgeted for tips. How much per person should we budget for tips? We usually tip 18-20% but more for outstanding service.

We are a party of 5 but DS is only 1.

Would $25 a day be about right?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Check the menus here http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining/disneydining.cfm to get an idea of the food prices. $25 a day would assume you "spend" $125 to $138.89 per day (less if you plan to tip more).

 

[Happyathome]

Yes, you can use the free $200 gift card to pay for tips.

How is the best way to go about that? We're doing the DP, so when the bill comes, do I
1) give the waiter our KTTW AND our gift card?
2) give our KTTW and charge everything to the room, and use the gift card to pay our hotel charges?

Anyother ways to do it?

Thanks for your help!!

 

[caroline1851]

Just trying to make sure we have enough budgeted for tips. How much per person should we budget for tips? We usually tip 18-20% but more for outstanding service.

We are a party of 5 but DS is only 1.

Would $25 a day be about right?

You need to check out the menus of where you'll be eating and figure out how much the bill will probaly be and go from there.
I tipped between 15-20%, so the amount varied quite a bit depending on where we ate and what we ordered.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

You need to check out the menus of where you'll be eating and figure out how much the bill will probaly be and go from there.
I tipped between 15-20%, so the amount varied quite a bit depending on where we ate and what we ordered.

Thanks. I will try to estimate the costs of some of the higher priced meals. I just want to make sure I budget plenty for tips. We always get such great service so I better just up the budget a bit since the server will have to deal with any mess that DS1 makes even though he technically isn't adding to the cost of the meal.

 

[TroyE]

This is what I normally tip for restaurant service anyway. I think I will do the same while at Disney.

You need to check out the menus of where you'll be eating and figure out how much the bill will probaly be and go from there.
I tipped between 15-20%, so the amount varied quite a bit depending on where we ate and what we ordered.

 

[kkayluvsdis]

Hi All,
Does anyone know if it is okay to tip with Disney Dollars? We have collected quite a few since our last trip and were hoping to use some for tipping at our TS meals. We are on the DDP for the first time this trip and figure that being able to leave cash/disney dollars would really simplify the tipping process. Thanks!-Kelly

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I think cash would be better, who wants a gift card to the place they work? Use the Disney Dollars to buy things in the parks, snacks, drinks, souveniers ect.

 

[cglaura]

Hi All,
Does anyone know if it is okay to tip with Disney Dollars? We have collected quite a few since our last trip and were hoping to use some for tipping at our TS meals. We are on the DDP for the first time this trip and figure that being able to leave cash/disney dollars would really simplify the tipping process. Thanks!-Kelly

We have used them before (the dollars). The first time, we asked our server if she minded, and she said she could exchange them for cash at the register and it was no problem. We always round up the tip just a little bit for any inconvience there may be. We've also left them for mousekeeping.

 

[Tricia1972]

Hi All,
Does anyone know if it is okay to tip with Disney Dollars? We have collected quite a few since our last trip and were hoping to use some for tipping at our TS meals. We are on the DDP for the first time this trip and figure that being able to leave cash/disney dollars would really simplify the tipping process. Thanks!-Kelly

I don't know that I'd just leave them at the table, but I might write in the amount $20 on the tip line and give the Disney Dollars to the server so they can use that to settle out the tip at the time you pay. Kind of like how you'd write $20 on the tip line and have them swipe your KTTW card to pay that amount.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I think cash would be better, who wants a gift card to the place they work? Use the Disney Dollars to buy things in the parks, snacks, drinks, souveniers ect.

Disney Dollars are the same as cash for employees. They don't have to use them at Disney. They can trade them in for cash. So, to the PP, go for it!

 

[atksn]

Hi All,
Does anyone know if it is okay to tip with Disney Dollars? We have collected quite a few since our last trip and were hoping to use some for tipping at our TS meals. We are on the DDP for the first time this trip and figure that being able to leave cash/disney dollars would really simplify the tipping process. Thanks!-Kelly

From what I have been told, you can "charge" the tip to your resort room, and then pay off any charges to the room w/ Disney Dollars or the Gift Card (if going during the upcoming promo). That is totally what I intend to do for our TS meals

 

[TeresaBelle]

While on DDP, do most people tip with cash or use CC?

 

[wdwluver]

I use my KTTW card and just pay it off with cash at checkout.

 

[Gixer]

I hope someone can help me out, I am confused about tipping on the DDP. There are 5 in our part and I have 2 rooms booked, me and DH in one room and my mom and 2 DD's in the other room. First off, I had to book the rooms seperatley and Disney wouldnt let me combine the 2 rooms onto one booking so I have 2 seperate bookings with different reservation numbers which in itself is just absurd.

How will the gratuity at restraunts work? we are all one party and will sit at the same table for all our TS meals. When it comes to adding the gratuity will my mom and kids get a seprate bill from me and DH so we in effect have to pay gratuity twice? I really dont understand how it all works, I want to just be able to pay gratuity for all of us at once on one bill, but seeing as the reservations are seperate it looks like I will be expected to pay gratuity for DH and myself, then a seperate gratuity for my mom and kids, is this the way its going to work out?

 

[Tricia1972]

I hope someone can help me out, I am confused about tipping on the DDP. There are 5 in our part and I have 2 rooms booked, me and DH in one room and my mom and 2 DD's in the other room. First off, I had to book the rooms seperatley and Disney wouldnt let me combine the 2 rooms onto one booking so I have 2 seperate bookings with different reservation numbers which in itself is just absurd.

How will the gratuity at restraunts work? we are all one party and will sit at the same table for all our TS meals. When it comes to adding the gratuity will my mom and kids get a seprate bill from me and DH so we in effect have to pay gratuity twice? I really dont understand how it all works, I want to just be able to pay gratuity for all of us at once on one bill, but seeing as the reservations are seperate it looks like I will be expected to pay gratuity for DH and myself, then a seperate gratuity for my mom and kids, is this the way its going to work out?

Because you are a party of five there will be no automatic gratuity. This gives you a few more options.

When you are finished you will receive two bills. One for your mom and two children. Another for you and your DH.

Each bill will list the total amount due for food, and suggested tip amounts that are 18% and 20% of the food total for that bill. You may tip one of those amounts or write in a different amount at your discretion.

Here is where options come into play:

You can tip for both checks on one bill (Example 1) or tip for each check on each bill (Example 2).

EXAMPLE 1
Bill 1
$100 - Food
$0 - Tip (Tip is reflected in the total of Bill 2)

Bill 2
$200 - Food
$54 - 18% of $300 (combination of Bill 1 and Bill 2)

EXAMPLE 2
Bill 1
$100 - Food
$18 - 18% tip
$118 - Total

Bill 2
$200 - Food
$36 - 18% tip
$236 - Total


As you can see, it matters not how it's divvied up - you are tipping the same $ because it's a percentage of the bills.


Does this help?

 

[Gixer]

Thanks for the explanation, I can see now that it just works out the same