The Disney Tipping Info Thread *Updated 9.1.09*

[minnie74]

1. I do not know if the 18% is before or after taxes. However, unless your party is made up of 6 or more, 18% is listed as the "suggested gratuity" - just a guideline. If you do have 6 or more, then the 18% is listed as a balance due on the bill.

2. Dining plan does include taxes. The only money you will need to pay at the time of your meal is the gratuity, unless you order something that isn't included on the plan.

I hope this helps you! I'm pretty tight on my budget when I travel to WDW, so I separate the tip money and keep it in it's own spot in my purse.

 

[bicker]

The 18% automatically assessed is before sales tax, if I recall previous reports correctly.

 

[jenseib]

We have the Disney dining plan for our upcoming trip. I've calculated roughly what we would end up spending in each restaurant we have ADR's in, in order to make a budget for gratuities. Two questions.
1. Are gratuity amounts (18%), calculated before or after tax.
2. Does the disney dining plan cover taxes?

Yes and yes!

 

[WantToGoNow]

We are going to WDW in November with another family - we have 5 in our family and they have 6 so we will be a party of 11. I understand that the 18% will be automatically added and that is fine because my dh will never tip less than that even if the service was horrible. We have had many discussions in the past concerning this and finally I just gave up.

My cousin's dh on the other hand, will not tip 18% if the service is not exceptional. I have spoken to him and told him that the tip will be added to his bill and that he will have to pay it. He said he will not and that he will just get up and leave. So what does Disney do then - add it to his room bill, chase him down, send security? I want my cousin know what to except if this happens.

With a party of 11, including 6 kids, I can't imagine the service being too good.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So what does Disney do then - add it to his room bill, chase him down, send security?

Any of those is possible but I would think, add it to his room bill. Does he understand that by being a party of six or more in a restaurant that imposes this service charge, and ordering from a menu that states this service charge, he is agreeing to pay it?

 

[Pumbaa_]

My cousin's dh on the other hand, will not tip 18% if the service is not exceptional. I have spoken to him and told him that the tip will be added to his bill and that he will have to pay it. He said he will not and that he will just get up and leave. So what does Disney do then - add it to his room bill, chase him down, send security? I want my cousin know what to except if this happens.

If he plans on not complying with Disney requirements, I would choose to not tie my reservations with him. Who wants drama at every meal

 

[smidgy]

Any of those is possible but I would think, add it to his room bill. Does he understand that by being a party of six or more in a restaurant that imposes this service charge, and ordering from a menu that states this service charge, he is agreeing to pay it?

If he plans on not complying with Disney requirements, I would choose to not tie my reservations with him. Who wants drama at every meal

I agree with both these statements. most restaurants iin Illinois add 18% for parties of 6 or more. It is stated on the menu. you can choose not to eat there if you want.

sounds like this guy will be walking in with a "chip on his shoulder" and will be "just looking" for any excuse justify a lesser tip. (sure wouldn't want to be his server!) for the sake of your trip, try to explain this to him ahead of time.
I have found the service at Disney restaurants (with only one exception over MANY dining experiences over 14 trips) to be stellar.

 

[Wistraveler]

This was several years back (2001 I think) and we had a meal at a restaurant in what was then Disney MGM Studios. We were a party of four adults, a child (3) and an infant (3 mos). We finished and got the bill. I didn't look at it closely, saw the tip line, and added 20%. I didn't realize until later that they had already added 18%, so the server wound up with a 38% tip, and didn't say a word to us about it.

The next day we were at a restaurant at another park and added a similar tip. The server pointed out to us that it wasn't necessary as it was already on the bill. Because of his honesty, I gave him a little something extra anyway.

I have since learned to look at the bill first before deciding whether or not to add anything. Lesson learned.

 

[WantToGoNow]

The funny thing about this is we were talking about it after church today. We got the free dining last Monday and didn't tell him. His dw wanted to not tell him so she could get a gift card in the amount they saved ($900) to use for spending money while they were there. He opened their credit card statement yesterday and saw the credit - but he did agree after the fact that the gift card would be a good idea. So we were talking about not having to pay for his food, but he said "but I still have to pay the tip" so atleast he's aware that he's going to HAVE to pay it. He did say maybe we could make separate reservations so we wouldn't have to pay the automatic gratuity - we told him it didn't matter to us because we don't have a problem with the 18%.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, here's how it works with parties of six or more:

If the entire party is seated at one table, even with separate checks each party is assessed the 18% service charge on its orders.

If the entire party checks in together but is seated at separate tables but with the same server - the 18% service charge is assessed (again, broken down by check if separate checks are processed).

If the entire party checks in together but is seated at separate tables with different servers, no 18% service charge is assessed provided each table consists of five or fewer Guests.

If the party splits up before checking in at the podium and checks in separately and is seated at separate tables and does not acknowledge any person at the other table/s and each table consists of five or fewer diners - again, no automatic service charge.

 

[BeccaGrace]

We are dining with another family of 4, so there are 8 of us total. I know on the DDP they will automatically assign us a tip due to our group size. Is it possible for us to split the tip so half goes on our KTTW and half goes on the other family's KTTW?

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

We are dining with another family of 4, so there are 8 of us total. I know on the DDP they will automatically assign us a tip due to our group size. Is it possible for us to split the tip so half goes on our KTTW and half goes on the other family's KTTW?

It can be split based on what you order, not necessarily in half.

 

[jenseib]

We are dining with another family of 4, so there are 8 of us total. I know on the DDP they will automatically assign us a tip due to our group size. Is it possible for us to split the tip so half goes on our KTTW and half goes on the other family's KTTW?

Each family will be billed seperately. So you tip will be 18% of what your family ordered and the same of the other family. but since you will be all seated together it will be automatically added on.

 

[BeccaGrace]

It can be split based on what you order, not necessarily in half.

Wow, that would be even better because they drink alcohol and we don't!
Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Dismom55]

The funny thing about this is we were talking about it after church today. We got the free dining last Monday and didn't tell him. His dw wanted to not tell him so she could get a gift card in the amount they saved ($900) to use for spending money while they were there. He opened their credit card statement yesterday and saw the credit - but he did agree after the fact that the gift card would be a good idea. So we were talking about not having to pay for his food, but he said "but I still have to pay the tip" so atleast he's aware that he's going to HAVE to pay it. He did say maybe we could make separate reservations so we wouldn't have to pay the automatic gratuity - we told him it didn't matter to us because we don't have a problem with the 18%.

OK, I read both posts, I have an idea that may smooth things past him. Why not make up Tip envelopes for each ADR, then arrange with your cousin that you and she will take care of the tip together. Leaving her hubby out of the mix. I am not saying be sneaky, just let him know the tips are taken care of in the envelope, seal the envelope before placing it on the table or giving directly to the server.

I have my tip envelopes already to go, since most of our meals are fixed price meals or buffets, this made my task easy, I simply figured out what minimum and maximum tip should be and wrote them on a slip of paper and put that into the envelope, then the week before we leave I will insert the money, taking only that envelope with me for that day. I will seal the envelope before leaving the table and placing it for our server.

I think if your cousin agrees and you can make up the envelopes in private, it just might save some aggravation, a situation that could spoil an otherwise perfect vacation.

Just a suggestion.

 

[bartleby1]

This may have already been answered somewhere in the 96 pages of this thread but I couldn't find it.

We are first timers on the dining plan and have 7 in our party hence 18% automatic tipping.

I have a ton of disney gift cards (regular gift cards - not from a promo or anything like that) and I also have a disney rewards card from our disney visa card.

So, my question is, can I use either or both of these to pay for the tips? That would be awesome since DH forgot to use them when he paid off our package and I now have $650 in disney cards to use!

 

[Tricia1972]

This may have already been answered somewhere in the 96 pages of this thread but I couldn't find it.

We are first timers on the dining plan and have 7 in our party hence 18% automatic tipping.

I have a ton of disney gift cards (regular gift cards - not from a promo or anything like that) and I also have a disney rewards card from our disney visa card.

So, my question is, can I use either or both of these to pay for the tips? That would be awesome since DH forgot to use them when he paid off our package and I now have $650 in disney cards to use!

You can use both.

 

[bartleby1]

You can use both.

WOOOHOOOOOOOOO! You just made my day! (And got hubby out of the doghouse for forgetting to use them to pay down our package!)

 

[newfiegirl]

I have no idea who or when we are expected to tip. I will be staying on site and I have the DDP, so how much should i budget for tipping? My friend mentioned that they left no tips for the 2 weeks on disney. is this the norm?

 

[Tricia1972]

The motto of the tipping thread, per the guidelines in the first post is "So long as you aren't a party of 6 or more, or using the Tables in Wonderland card what you tip is up to you at Disney."

At each TS meal you will get a receipt that shows what an 18% tip would be and what a 20% tip would be. The actual amount you leave will be up to you, whether you choose to leave more, less, or one of those amounts.

If you are a party of 6 or more, or using the Tables in Wonderland card, you will have an 18% tip added to your bill at all TS locations, including buffets.

I would check out the menus and figure out roughly what the food totals will be for what you plan on ordering and figure a rough percentage from there.