More Dining Info from AllEars

[Becky2005]

I understand there will be an "automatic tip/service charge" for all parties of 6or more even if they ask for seperate checks or are seated on seperate tables.

That's what I've been reading too so for us the "tip/no tip" included is a mute point. We are a family of 6, we will get an automatic tip bill anyway. The only difference is instead of paying it ahead of time in the package price, we will be paying it at the time of service.

I'm in the camp of we splurge on vacation anyway, so the deluxe plan is something we would definitely get.

 

[n2mm]

That's what I've been reading too so for us the "tip/no tip" included is a mute point. We are a family of 6, we will get an automatic tip bill anyway. The only difference is instead of paying it ahead of time in the package price, we will be paying it at the time of service.

I'm in the camp of we splurge on vacation anyway, so the deluxe plan is something we would definitely get.

OT: I guess it's good to know this in advance. Can you imagine the parties of 6 or more next year who are not aware of the tipping change. The look on their face when they are presented with a bill for the tip @ 18% on top of their total. If their bill was $300 the tip would be $54. That would be an eye-openner if you weren't expecting it. This should prove interesting.

 

[Lewisc]

There might be an uproar with some people on DIS but I don't see a big issue if the 2008 brochure said the the table service meal includes choice of soup or salad, entree, drink and dessert. Many price fixed meals offer that kind of dining experience. Guests would be unhappy if the brochure said the plan included an appetizer but the restaurant informed them the appetizer is limited to soup or salad.

I don't think guests who order large appetizer so they can "stretch" their credits are abusing the system, maybe "working" the plan. There isn't any rule prohibiting it. I suspect the number of guests doing that may have been unanticipated by Disney. Disney didn't really think through some of the issues. A lot of the appetizers are sized for sharing, some are almost entree sized. It took Disney almost two years before they decided not to allow guests to get adult meals with kids credits. Some of the snacks, such as the box of donuts can serve as meals.

I'm surprised Disney doesn't do something to require every guest dining use a credit. That could be a rule or Disney could change the meal in a way that makes it obvious every guest has to pay. That could include free seconds or serving appetizer or desserts "family style".

Can you imagine the uproar if they limited appetizers to just salad or soup??? I think that's an untenable suggestion.

Regardless, I suspect Lewis is correct: The reason to offer dessert instead of appetizer with the meal is to address the abuse by a small number of guests who would use an appetizer and an entree being included as a stronger invitation to split the meal between two diners.

 

[phabric]

I find that there is too much food when you have appetizer, entree, dessert. I would like to have the dining plan with entree and then you have choice of appetizer OR dessert. Depending on the restaurant, I could decide if I wanted appetizer or dessert.

 

[Lewisc]

I find that there is too much food when you have appetizer, entree, dessert. I would like to have the dining plan with entree and then you have choice of appetizer OR dessert. Depending on the restaurant, I could decide if I wanted appetizer or dessert.

One of the reasons for eliminating the appetizer is to reduce the number of guests who order large appetizers so they can use fewer credits then the number of guests dining. Another reason is to reduce the time DDP guests spend dining so the can increase restaurant capacity. Allowing half the guests at the table to order appetizers and the other half to order dessert wouldn't accomplish that goal. It might work if the entire table had to decide on appetizers or dessert but I'd hate to be the server explaining that to a guest.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

I have never tried the DDP before but I am considering it for an upcoming gathering in '09 so I still have time to think, crunch, etc., however, in the past the good TS cost 2 TS credits anyway this way you can use 2 from the same day and grab a snack for quick meal or eat in your room. Some the of 2-TS credits are big items like the HDDR, which is over $50.00 per person.

 

[Brygida]

An Update from Debs site:

UPDATE INFO: 7/31/07
1) The Deluxe Dining plan still does NOT include gratuity. It DOES include the appetizer.
2) No word on DVC member pricing

If true....having the DXDDP include app DOES seem to tip the balance MUCH further in it's favor, from a $$ perspective.

The question is still: Is it too much food.

No. Not if you have a 2TS meal each day, which is probably what we would do. Prior to DDP, we would do 1 main meal a day with appetizer, entree, and dessert... usually at the 2 TS restaurants. We would have a much smaller meal at either a CS/TS at some point in that day.

 

[Nancyg56]

I do use the entertainment book (our local HS sells them every year as a fund raiser...as an aside, I wonder if we're going to some of the same places...I'm a fellow nutmegger!).

I've never, ever had sub par service when using our book. I don't think anywhere we've ever eaten has added an auto tip for using it.

So...one anecdotal to another. Neither is really "proof".

Again, my completely unfounded, unproveable suspicion is that you won't see any more DDP customers "forget" to tip than OOP customers do. Not on a large enough scale to make much of a difference. Now, will the DDP customers be more memorabel? Leave more of an impression? Impact server perception That, I have no firm opinion on...just don't know.

It's my opinion based on what I've seen (just as yours is based on what you've seen). As I said previously, I can see the point. I just don't agree...which, again, I can certainly accept and agree to disagree. That's largely why I pointed it out in the first place, even though I don't agree: I think it's a valid point, even if I DON'T agree with it.

In the end, we'll have to wait and see. I'm sure if there is large scale revolt from the servers, we'll see Disney do something. The thing is: The union contract doesn't force them to do anything...so ultimately it's up to them.

Well, "Hello" from a neighbor!

I only had the lousy service one time and on it's own, not a big deal. It happens. I have no idea what is going to happen once the new DDP plans are implemented either, and if problems arise I can see Disney stepping in and adding the tip in order to keep their servers. I actually am not disagreeing with you, sorry if it came across that way, I am just looking at the opposite side. Either way, there is going to be lively discussion here.

 

[CarolA]

OT: I guess it's good to know this in advance. Can you imagine the parties of 6 or more next year who are not aware of the tipping change. The look on their face when they are presented with a bill for the tip @ 18% on top of their total. If their bill was $300 the tip would be $54. That would be an eye-openner if you weren't expecting it. This should prove interesting.

I don't think that should be that "eye opening" They should be expecting to pay close to that as a tip.....

 

[Disfan3]

I just talked to dh...who likes WDW but is not IN LOVE with it. I read the ALLEARS blog to him. He says even without the appy or tip its still a heckuva deal and "they have world class food there..." Ok Mr. Non Dis!!!

I told him about the DxDDP and he thinks that sounds good too. It would give us a chance to try the dinner shows and signature places which we have never done.

Looks like we will still buy the DDP...
(I was thinking NO.. we would not!!)

 

[wasabi girl]

Does anyone have any idea of when Disney will officially release the information on all of their plans? I'm really interested to know if the deluxe plan really allows you to use two TS per day...if it does count me in, if not, I may be better off paying out of pocket....
As things stand I may make reservations for 2008 without any dining until they work out the kinks....then add on dining if it makes sense to do so, later.

 

[honeymo78]

Does anyone have any idea of when Disney will officially release the information on all of their plans? I'm really interested to know if the deluxe plan really allows you to use two TS per day...if it does count me in, if not, I may be better off paying out of pocket....
As things stand I may make reservations for 2008 without any dining until they work out the kinks....then add on dining if it makes sense to do so, later.

If the disney pdf's are any indication the deluxe plan come with 3 meals (not divided into TS and CS like on the regular dining pdf). In the example it shows that 2 adults would have 15 credits, after 1 meal the receipt would show 13 credits. There is no CS/TS breakdown. CS costs 1 meal/credit, most TS cost 1 meal and signature and dinner shows cost 2 meals.

 

[angelmav]

I don't think that should be that "eye opening" They should be expecting to pay close to that as a tip.....

Really. They should expect to pay that at a buffet or for less than stellar service? Sorry, but just because the park prices are what they are, a tip that large shouldnt ever be considered automatic.

 

[CarolA]

Really. They should expect to pay that at a buffet or for less than stellar service? Sorry, but just because the park prices are what they are, a tip that large shouldnt ever be considered automatic.

And here we have one of the big issues I see, the "reduce the tip" because Disney inflated the prices.....

Do you do this at home? I mean it cost more to eat at Applebees then it would if you cooked it? Should we tip based on our "cost"???

If your service does not meet your standard you can always ask to have it reduced by speaking to a manager.

However, as you "Reduce" the tip you might recall that Orlando is a fairly costly city to live in. THe couple of bucks an hour those "tipped" CMs make doesn't go far...... Thoes tips are their salary.

 

[racefanof88]

WOW, and we decided to do the ddp when we go back in '08.............lol. I am now wondering if it will be worth it. My DD is a very picky eater and we have picked TS resturants based on the appetizer. And as we can't just not get the ddp for her, I am totally at a lose of what to do.


And as far as the tip, I always tip based on service, if I get good service I sometimes leave 20% or more, if I get bad service, I may not leave anything. And I think the service may be better since the servers know their tip is not automatic and depends on how well they take care of the customer. Now, that said. I have never had bad service at Disney.

I just can't wait until the official word comes out, just like the ticket price increase starting tomorrow.

 

[kritter]

Between the proposed meal plan changes and the ticket price increase almost like Disney is wanting to make it so people can not afford to go there anymore.......

 

[Colleen27]

Between the proposed meal plan changes and the ticket price increase almost like Disney is wanting to make it so people can not afford to go there anymore.......

And don't forget the annual room rate increase that is sure to come along with the package terms and rates, and the change in the pricing structure to per night rather than one rate based on check in date...

We've all gotten spoiled by the travel lull of the past half dozen years or so. All of this was bound to happen when the travel industry picked up again.

 

[donaldsgal]

Expect dramatically lower utilization of the TS restaurants (I know that is the secret agenda of many on this board), and for the effects to spillover to lower attendance at the parks and at the resorts. That very well might be the intended effect, but a superior alternative in my opinion (and one that would probably been supported by Walt) would have been to build more TS restaurants and another park!

I can understand that you THINK some people on this board want TS locations to be used less, but I'm not sure you can necessarily know that unless someone has out-and-out told you that. I can't speak for everyone, but I don't intend to hog TS places all for myself. I do what's necessary for our planning purposes - know where I want to eat by 181 days out, so on the 180th day, I can be calling to make my ADRs. I don't speak for everyone, but I doubt many people honestly hope they are the only ones in the TS restaurants. In any case, your opinion is valid even if I disagree with it and I'm sorry to hear you've gotten that impression from (selfish) others.

However, my bigger problem with this statement is that you suggest Disney execs might actually want park attendance to go down. Do you really think that could be a motivating factor for them? Yes, they are in the business of "making magic", but it's by all means a business, not something they do out of the kindness of their hearts. I would honestly be shocked if Disney, in all their planning and projecting of these proposed changes, would be hoping numbers would go down. Perhaps balanced out throughout the calendar year, but to have fewer people passing through the gates? No. That would be a large hit to the $1.1 billion profits if that would happen, and again, why would Disney want that? I just don't get how you see the Deluxe DDP as a means to an end for Disney to lower park attendance.

 

[bicker]

Indeed, they are making these changes most likely knowing that their revenues are likely to go UP not down as a result. As much as people don't like these changes, Disney actually has a pretty good handle on what they're doing with this sort of thing. The know they can even make changes late to change some things back, if they need to.

 

[kritter]

I think Disney is not really thinking this through very well.. But on the other hand they really are...My husband's take on it is the parks have been filled since the year after 9/11.. Filled to capacity...... So they are going to "push" up their prices and see how this reflects their capacity and people attending the parks. If attendance remains up they will increase again.. They want to see how much they can get out of people while keeping the attendance up. FOr the last three years they have offered the free dining to kind of "lock" people into wanting to come to WDW. Now they want to see what more they can get from people. Look today they raised their ticket prices as well.....