DDP for 2009

[dk1992]

Has Disney taken in the feedback from its customers on the new DDP that was instituted this year? I liked the way it was last year. I liked the fact that I could get an appetizer and dessert both! If I didn't want either one, I didn't get it. Gratuity included was a huge money saver. Not having to worry about how much to give or how much we have left in the budget was such a relief.

[jszczur5]

Has Disney taken in the feedback from its customers on the new DDP that was instituted this year? I liked the way it was last year. I liked the fact that I could get an appetizer and dessert both! If I didn't want either one, I didn't get it. Gratuity included was a huge money saver. Not having to worry about how much to give or how much we have left in the budget was such a relief.

I am more upset about the gratuity not being included, rather than the deleted app (although I would like to have a choice between app or dessert). I booked all of my reservations for 4 and my brother's family of 4 separately, so that I would not get hit with an automatic gratuity of 18%.

[TheDuckRocks]

I am more upset about the gratuity not being included, rather than the deleted app (although I would like to have a choice between app or dessert). I booked all of my reservations for 4 and my brother's family of 4 separately, so that I would not get hit with an automatic gratuity of 18%.

I am taking this to mean you will be sitting at seperate tables, if not you will be considered a party of 8 and you will be chargd the 18%.

[jszczur5]

I am taking this to mean you will be sitting at seperate tables, if not you will be considered a party of 8 and you will be chargd the 18%.

Yes, we will be sitting at separate tables.

[MommyDisneyFanatic]

I agree with the gratuity. I really liked that I didnt need any money with me and loved that we could just leave without having to worry about how much to leave

[Bri]

i do agree that having the gratuity included was easier but at the same time, it's my understanding that the gratuity then got put in the servers paycheck and they got taxed on it. i'm a waitress and i would be furious if that happened to me. also, with the gratuity NOT included, i feel the servers are more inclined to give better service. there were many times we went to an restaurant, told the server we were on DDP and then hardly saw them all night. i do think we should have a choice between the appetizer and dessert though.

[Soul_Power]

We went to WDW for the first time in 2007 before the gratuity changes were made. Now that we're booked for our 2009 trip (dining plan and all), I'm definitely going to miss having gratuity included, but it's still a great way of having our food (somewhat) paid for in advance. Yes, we're going to have to shell out that extra money for the tip, but at least we're not shelling out the money for the entire meal!
I hope it goes back to the old way someday..

[Tbelle1976]

I guess I don't understand the point in making res. and splitting up the parties so that you don't have to pay a 18% grat.
Seems pretty cheap to me on your part! I really hope your not one of those people who really think that a $5 bill left on the table for a $50 check is sufficient...

[mkymouse0206]

I am taking this to mean you will be sitting at seperate tables, if not you will be considered a party of 8 and you will be chargd the 18%.

That is not quite true. I asked this question to the Disney Dining CM and was told that no matter how many people are at your table, as long as you are on separate key to the world cards you do not get hit with the 18%. I know that where we live if you have a party of 8 or more at your table they add a 18% tip to your bill. Disney is not going by that rule, they go by how many people are booked on your package.
I will probably get flamed for this but....I am one that belives you base your tip on the "service" you receive not the price of your meal. Disney's meals are overpriced anyway. We all know this and accept it because we love everything about Disney. That doesn't mean that just because we pay over $100 for a breakfast that we would never pay in our real everyday life that we should leave another 18% of that to the server (unless he or she did everything they could to earn it) just because it is a unspoken rule.

[Nurse Kim]

We are also a family that will leave a tip based on the food and service we receive. I am a firm believer in getting what I pay for. If I leave a 18% tip I expect the service to be worthy of that tip. I was a waitress for 8 years and I know how people can stiff the waiter/waitress no matter what kind of service they get but we do base our tip on our food/service which is how it should be.

[TheDuckRocks]

That is not quite true. I asked this question to the Disney Dining CM and was told that no matter how many people are at your table, as long as you are on separate key to the world cards you do not get hit with the 18%. I know that where we live if you have a party of 8 or more at your table they add a 18% tip to your bill. Disney is not going by that rule, they go by how many people are booked on your package.

Jeana, I am not trying to get in an arguement here but sometimes the CMs on the phones do not always give out accurate information.
From our experience from our Jan. 2008 trip this is what we saw happen at all 14 Table Service locations where we ate. We were a party of 6, that was in reality broken down to a party of 2 (my hubby and myself) and a party of 4 (my daughter, her hubby and 2 kids) that ate toghter at one table on one ADR and had 2 separate checks at every meal. Every time we received 2 bills at the end of the meal, they both included the 18% in the total amount due and after the DDP credits were deducted there was still the 18% left to be paid either by cash or credit card or as a room key charge. The only way this amount could have been reduced or removed from the bill would have been to have called for a manager and explain to him why you felt that an adjustment should be made.
I hope this doesn't sour your dining at Disney, but I just wanted to let you know up front what you will probably be seeing happen on your upcoming trip.

[Mickey91]

I guess I don't understand the point in making res. and splitting up the parties so that you don't have to pay a 18% grat.
Seems pretty cheap to me on your part! I really hope your not one of those people who really think that a $5 bill left on the table for a $50 check is sufficient...

It is if the server doesn't do his/her job. The point would be to have the right to leave what ever size tip the OP wants instead of having that dictated. Then the server actually works for the tip or doesn't get it. It isn't being cheap! It is getting what you pay for. Tipping isn't a right. It is a reward!

[Tbelle1976]

It is if the server doesn't do his/her job. The point would be to have the right to leave what ever size tip the OP wants instead of having that dictated. Then the server actually works for the tip or doesn't get it. It isn't being cheap! It is getting what you pay for. Tipping isn't a right. It is a reward!

Well then I suppose your job "rewards" you with a paycheck! If you actually knew how much a server gets paid by the hour and how much they depend on the tips they receive I'm sure you would think differently.

I'm sure I would be accurate in saying that just about each and every server in WDW does their best job and giving good service and in turn would expect their tip to reflect that. An 18% tip anymore is very standard, that would not be considered overtipping.

Not wanting to get on a tangent, I do however, agree that when the tips were included in the DDP it was very convenient.

[disneygeek84]

I'm kind of glad that they took the tips out of the DDP. We went in 2006 when the dinning plan was still pretty new and not too many used it, and we were treated very well. THEN when we went in 2007 (not even a year later) we were on the DDP again, and when I tell you the second the server was aware that were on the DDP, they're whole attitude changed. I mean, we had a big party of 8 people, but it shouldn't take 2 1/2 hours to eat somewhere. There was more than one occasion that we seriously only saw the server when they took our order, brought us our drinks, brought us our food and then brought us our check. We started having to order everything when the server was there and then when the food came out we had to order our deserts and ask for them to bring our check out when they brought our deserts. And this happened the whole week, it wasn't just at one place.

From what I've heard, this seems to have gotten better now that you can choose how much the server gets. This is going to be a little bit of a hassle, but I'd rather have really great service and pay for the tip, then to have to chase down my server whenever I need more to drink.

[Stich8818]

I would have preffered to either have the option of the app or the dessert. For me I know after I eat sometimes im not always keen on having dessert. The tipping was the big thing I liked the most about the ddp. Not having to worry about what to leave and everything, But o'well. Just have to figure in the tip with the money that you take down. I guess my hope is that the new cs ddp has the refillable mug included..

Does anyone know if this is going on the basic dinning plan with the ts,cs and snack option?

[Mrs Bus Driver]

When I go I am bringing cash along for the tips. I read on another thread to just let the server know and they won't put it on the bill. I always tip according to service. I used to be a waitress and usually give more then 18% but I have been know to give less.