Tipping on the Dining Plan - Cash or Card?

[Pemeberly]

I'll be using the DDP for the first time tomorrow (OMG!!), and I have a random question. I know you still need to tip on the DDP out of pocket, but does it have to be with cash? Or can you use your card for the $5 tip, haha?

 

[mommypenguin29]

Following because I am interested too...hadn't thought about it before I saw your post

 

[khurley23]

I'll be using the DDP for the first time tomorrow (OMG!!), and I have a random question. I know you still need to tip on the DDP out of pocket, but does it have to be with cash? Or can you use your card for the $5 tip, haha?

I'm assuming and hoping (since it was my plan) you can even use your magic band to charge to your room and pay it all at check out.

 

[olecow]

I just paid for the tip and anything the dining plan didn't cover with my magic band (or credit card, since it's the same thing).

 

[mommypenguin29]

I just paid for the tip and anything the dining plan didn't cover with my magic band (or credit card, since it's the same thing).

That will make it easy! Thanks!

 

[Jaime4004]

I just paid for the tip and anything the dining plan didn't cover with my magic band (or credit card, since it's the same thing).

I have a probably dumb question, but never stayed onsite before. How do you pay with the magic band at a restaurant? Does the server scan it at the table? And while I'm on a roll, can you pay off your magic band charges with a disney rewards card before you check out, before it would be charged to a credit card?
Thanks

 

[olecow]

I have a probably dumb question, but never stayed onsite before. How do you pay with the magic band at a restaurant? Does the server scan it at the table? And while I'm on a roll, can you pay off your magic band charges with a disney rewards card before you check out, before it would be charged to a credit card?
Thanks

The server brings out a doohickey (that's my technical term. Feel free to use it) and you scan it at the table. At least that was true last October. I assume things haven't changed.

 

[olecow]

I have a probably dumb question, but never stayed onsite before. How do you pay with the magic band at a restaurant? Does the server scan it at the table? And while I'm on a roll, can you pay off your magic band charges with a disney rewards card before you check out, before it would be charged to a credit card?
Thanks

In response to the second part of your question, Yes, you can pay your balance off before you check out. I would make sure to go to the front desk the day or night before you check out to do this because the morning of check out they may have already charged your card. Others may have more expertise here, but I know you can pay your balance before you check out using a rewards card.

 

[Jaime4004]

The server brings out a doohickey (that's my technical term. Feel free to use it) and you scan it at the table. At least that was true last October. I assume things haven't changed.

Thanks! I had planned on paying for tips with the rewards card but it seems like it might be easier to just charge everything to the magic band (using the doohickey) and pay it off after. Rather than keeping track of reward balances.

 

[olecow]

Thanks! I had planned on paying for tips with the rewards card but it seems like it might be easier to just charge everything to the magic band (using the doohickey) and pay it off after. Rather than keeping track of reward balances.

 

[Pemeberly]

Thanks so much for the input, everyone! ...I just never have cash on me, so trying to get some dollars before tomorrow would be a pain.

 

[Danni123]

Thanks for posting this! I wanted to know all this info also. However I have a follow up question that may seem dumb... What percentage do you tip? And is it the same at all dining places (Be Our Guest, Cinderella's Table etc) I'm Australian and it's not customary to tip here.

 

[Ava]

Thanks for posting this! I wanted to know all this info also. However I have a follow up question that may seem dumb... What percentage do you tip? And is it the same at all dining places (Be Our Guest, Cinderella's Table etc) I'm Australian and it's not customary to tip here.

15-20% is typical, depending on the level of service received. If you have 6 or more in your party, Disney will automatically add an 18% gratuity to your bill.

 

[hskaggs11]

As for the question on if you can use a gift card or a rewards card to pay down your magic band account balance, I would go to the front desk sooner than the night before to pay it down. When we went last year, they would charge our credit card on file after we reached $500 spent, then start building our balance back up again. (which was easy to do when you were using the band to pay for souvenirs, tips, F&W booths, etc) So, if you had a large gift card you wanted to use, be sure to give it to the front desk as soon as you can to pay down your balance before they automatically charge your credit card on file.

 

[tim8287]

Our first night on the dining plan, I mistakenly double tipped the waiter. In my food induced coma I left a cash tip and proceeded to record how much of a tip I left on the receipt. In the end they billed my CC for the tip I wrote on the receipt. In hindsight he was good, hope he enjoyed it as much as I did eating (wayyyy too much) there.

--Tim

 

[azdisneymom]

We only do cash now. Had an incident at coral reef where left cash and the waiter wrote in a tip that got charged to the room with my alcoholic drink from dinner. There was a long thread a few weeks ago with many people sharing similar experiences at some Disney restaurants where tip amounts were changed. It can happen anywhere. I think the ones who do it at Disney just think it's easier to get away with it because how many people actually line by line check their room charges.

Now we write CASH in the tip line so that nothing can be added.

 

[Ladyfish77]

Hope I'm not hijacking thread, but I have a tip question also.

If you are on the DDP and there are people at the meal from two separate rooms, how do they take credits from proper rooms. And can the entire tip be charged to one MB (CC on file) or does the tip also have to be split between rooms?

(I want DDP credits used for each room, but I want to pay for all the tips).

 

[22Tink]

We have free dining so I have an envelope for each meal with the cash tip inside to take to our ADRs so I don't have to charge it to my credit card.

 

[mom2of2]

Hope I'm not hijacking thread, but I have a tip question also.

If you are on the DDP and there are people at the meal from two separate rooms, how do they take credits from proper rooms. And can the entire tip be charged to one MB (CC on file) or does the tip also have to be split between rooms?

(I want DDP credits used for each room, but I want to pay for all the tips).

The check will be split between the rooms and if you want to be the one who pays for the tip, just let the server know and they will charge the one MB for the tip

 

[Ladyfish77]

The check will be split between the rooms and if you want to be the one who pays for the tip, just let the server know and they will charge the one MB for the tip

Excellent, thanks! I don't wish to carry around cash for tips, although I understand why others do like that option. I plan to be traveling light, and only carry ID, a CC and minimal cash while it the parks and dining.