The Disney Tipping Info Thread *Updated 9.1.09*

[inkedupmomma]

I know that there is a thread for this but I keep reading conflicting things ;/ Is tip included at Akershurs (princess storybook dining) or is it not?? Also I can't seem to find anything about tipping mousekeeping Do they leave an envelope at the end of your stay, or are you supposed to tip per day? Either way, how much are you supposed to leave per day..well not "supposed" but the average per day? Also, buffetts?? what is the average.. hellllp!

Thanks!

 

[imthatgirl]

I know that there is a thread for this but I keep reading conflicting things ;/ Is tip included at Akershurs (princess storybook dining) or is it not?? Also I can't seem to find anything about tipping mousekeeping Do they leave an envelope at the end of your stay, or are you supposed to tip per day? Either way, how much are you supposed to leave per day..well not "supposed" but the average per day? Also, buffetts?? what is the average.. hellllp!

Thanks!

tip is NOT included at akershus.
they do not leave an envelope. its suggested you leave a tip daily, as it could be a different mousekeeper everyday. the amount is a personal decision, we had 5 people on our last trip i tipped 5 a day until the last day and i left 10.
again its a personal thing what you tip at restaurants, i dont think the servers do less at a buffet so i still tip my average of 25-30%. the average person leaves 18-20% again its up to you.

 

[lilsydney]

I used my Disney Reward Dollars from Visa to pay off my tips in October 2007. It worked great!

did you use them at each ind TS meal or did you use it at the end to pay off your room charges?

I have rewards and disney gift cards, I don't want to "give" my gift card as a tip, but rather use the money denomination to pay the tips as I go, along with my rewards

(were people seriously saying they were going to USE the gift card AS a tip- as in here thanks for my meal there is $12.09 left on this card that I left with the check?? Why wouldn't you just have them swipe it

 

[imthatgirl]

did you use them at each ind TS meal or did you use it at the end to pay off your room charges?

I have rewards and disney gift cards, I don't want to "give" my gift card as a tip, but rather use the money denomination to pay the tips as I go, along with my rewards

(were people seriously saying they were going to USE the gift card AS a tip- as in here thanks for my meal there is $12.09 left on this card that I left with the check?? Why wouldn't you just have them swipe it

thats what the server would do, they would swipe it and take the cash. if you have more on the card than you want toeave you would have to say to the server how much to take off.
oh and even if you do leave the whole thing, be sure to tell the server whats on the card. she/he doesnt know its not fun trying to figure it out.

 

[Tricia1972]

did you use them at each ind TS meal or did you use it at the end to pay off your room charges?

I have rewards and disney gift cards, I don't want to "give" my gift card as a tip, but rather use the money denomination to pay the tips as I go, along with my rewards

(were people seriously saying they were going to USE the gift card AS a tip- as in here thanks for my meal there is $12.09 left on this card that I left with the check?? Why wouldn't you just have them swipe it

I had them swipe the card with the tip amount.

Got receipt
Wrote in extra for tip on extras not covered in DDP (remember I was there in Oct 2007)
Gave them my Rewards Card and asked them to charge the balance due on the card

Easy Peasy

 

[lilsydney]

Thanks all!
its great to have an idea of what will work at the DIS!!

 

[terri01p]

Ok I will admit that I have not went back and read thru all of this thread so please just bare with me, I just wanted to ask a question and hopefully be done with it.

For my trip to WDW we will not be on the dining plan and I have already planned on just eating at three places that should cost alot, and I want to make sure that I tip right.

So for San Angels in Mexico if my bill runs close to 100.00 ( and that's what I think it will) how much should the tip be? I just want to tip a decent amount that is right and not go overboard so what is the average tip rate for this place, also how about T-Rex in DTD, and also Beaches and Cream?

I want to be able to tip right without the server wanting to kick our butts on the way out...hehe but I also don't want to over tip because as you can guess from the post I'm having to put money back for a couple of nice meals.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[bicker]

So for San Angels in Mexico if my bill runs close to 100.00 ( and that's what I think it will) how much should the tip be?

If you're subject to the automatic gratuity, it'll be $18. If you're not subject to the automatic gratuity, you should tip between $15 and $20 for good service, more (say, $18-$25) for superior service, and even more if the service is remarkably good, i.e., the granted very special requests.

also how about T-Rex in DTD, and also Beaches and Cream?

The same percentages apply across-the-board, for full service restaurants. For buffet restaurants, if you're subject to the automatic gratuity, it'll still be 18%. If you're not subject to the automatic gratuity, you should tip between 10% and 15% for good service, more for superior service.

Everyone will have their own perspectives on this (which is why this thread has over 300 replies in it already). Be prepared for contradictory input.

 

[ShhhQ]

Ok I will admit that I have not went back and read thru all of this thread so please just bare with me, I just wanted to ask a question and hopefully be done with it.

For my trip to WDW we will not be on the dining plan and I have already planned on just eating at three places that should cost alot, and I want to make sure that I tip right.

So for San Angels in Mexico if my bill runs close to 100.00 ( and that's what I think it will) how much should the tip be? I just want to tip a decent amount that is right and not go overboard so what is the average tip rate for this place, also how about T-Rex in DTD, and also Beaches and Cream?

I want to be able to tip right without the server wanting to kick our butts on the way out...hehe but I also don't want to over tip because as you can guess from the post I'm having to put money back for a couple of nice meals.

Thanks for all your help!

I know most of your questions were already answered, but in case you were unaware... (since you said you haven't read the entire thread),,, when you get your bill it will already have your gratutity figured.... if your a party of 6 or more it is standard of 18% and if your party is smaller it will show you what your tip for a few different percentages. I too was on a budget for my tips, I looked at the menus online and tried to determine what it would be if everyone in my party ordered the most expensive item on the menu.... doing this I brought more than enough money for each tip and was able to spend the leftover money on other items in the parks.

 

[suzyqqq27]

I went through about 4 pages of the thread looking for my answer but man this is a long thread. I thought I'd just ask the question outright and see if anybody could answer me.

We're going to CRT and we're on the Dining Plan but we're paying out of pocket for the CRT since we thought we'd get better value out of our plan this way.

They took my credit card at time of booking and I already see the charge on my statement.

So, I know that gratuity is included if you use the dining plan but have I already paid for it if I'm paying out of pocket?

We are a party of 4. Thanks in advance,
Suzanne

 

[lilsydney]

I went through about 4 pages of the thread looking for my answer but man this is a long thread. I thought I'd just ask the question outright and see if anybody could answer me.

We're going to CRT and we're on the Dining Plan but we're paying out of pocket for the CRT since we thought we'd get better value out of our plan this way.

They took my credit card at time of booking and I already see the charge on my statement.

So, I know that gratuity is included if you use the dining plan but have I already paid for it if I'm paying out of pocket?

We are a party of 4. Thanks in advance,
Suzanne

just for clarification- gratuity is NOT included in the Dining Plan- hence the number of questions you are seeing from folks.

You are responsible for gratuity for a party of 4 whether on the plan or out of pocket

avg tip is 15-20% depending on your comfort level and the level of service provided

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Nevermind. GRIN

 

[Tricia1972]

I went through about 4 pages of the thread looking for my answer but man this is a long thread. I thought I'd just ask the question outright and see if anybody could answer me.

We're going to CRT and we're on the Dining Plan but we're paying out of pocket for the CRT since we thought we'd get better value out of our plan this way.

They took my credit card at time of booking and I already see the charge on my statement.

So, I know that gratuity is included if you use the dining plan but have I already paid for it if I'm paying out of pocket?

We are a party of 4. Thanks in advance,
Suzanne

CRT includes the gratuity as part of the package price that you pay for the meal. This is regardless of how you are paying for the meal (DDP or OOP)

 

[Tricia1972]

Stricken :

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hi Tricia. thank you so much for the very nice way you have of letting me know I done wrong. I will delete my post. I do not care for drama and certainly do not want to start any.

SG

 

[Tricia1972]

I know how you feel

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Tricia I sincerely hope you do NOT know how I feel. My blood doctor called and told me that I was 'off kilter'. My heart doctor just called too.

SG

 

[terri01p]

So basically the bottom line is : 18% is a standard tip at WDW and 20% is over and beyond for great service, I'm I getting that right?

 

[bicker]

Disney's standard is 18% for good service (regardless of whether it is full service or buffet). They don't have a specific standard for great service, AFAIK.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I have to admit I was worried about the tipping aspect of my last holiday. Especially as I was with family. I found the waiters so good that I took the 20% and rounded up to the nearest 10 dollars. The waiter at Le Cellier made my sisters girls feel so much better (we went 9/22 and we got so soaked my skirt was still wringing wet after the meal!) that I upped his tip from 35 to 55.