Disney dining plan will NOT include grat in 2008

[Disneyserver]

well if that's the case you really do ne a new "profession" becayse I am a server in a cafe in a town of about 12,000 and I make close to $30,000. a year and we have a total of 14 tables with 3 servers; and I don't work weekends. and other disney servers on this thread have stated that servers make close to $70,000. a year.

well Majority of servers om Property are Part time, because Disney is to cheap to Hire us fulltime because they dont wanna Pay health benefits. and second of all, Not every restuarant on property is a gold mine either, we wait around for guests to want a break from the character locations to enjoy good dinner so stop being so nasty and go on with your day

 

[GreatLakes5]

I look forward to having the power to tip given back to me - so to speak. I don't like price increases, but I expect them.

I do not say this because I want to cheat Disneyserver and others like him of money they have earned. I say this because it becomes a way to separate the "wheat from the chaff"....hopefully the great servers will continue to get great (& perhaps better) tip income, and those who never really worked to deserve an 18% (or 20%!) tip will either increase their work ethic or find a new industry.

 

[eeyoresnr]

well Majority of servers om Property are Part time, because Disney is to cheap to Hire us fulltime because they dont wanna Pay health benefits. and second of all, Not every restuarant on property is a gold mine either, we wait around for guests to want a break from the character locations to enjoy good dinner so stop being so nasty and go on with your day

go back and re-read some of your posts, then we will talk about being nasty. I only work part time and have no benefits, but when a customer is rude to me as you say so many of yours are, I go overboard with the kindness, and usually by the time they leave their attitude has changed. whatever was ailing them seems to be forgotten (at least for the time being). to categorize people by where they come from or how they pay (or don't pay) is wrong. There are good and bad in all kinds of people.
as for going on with my day... it is a great day, after all, it's Friday

 

[eeyoresnr]

I look forward to having the power to tip given back to me - so to speak. I don't like price increases, but I expect them.

I do not say this because I want to cheat Disneyserver and others like him of money they have earned. I say this because it becomes a way to separate the "wheat from the chaff"....hopefully the great servers will continue to get great (& perhaps better) tip income, and those who never really worked to deserve an 18% (or 20%!) tip will either increase their work ethic or find a new industry.

3 cheers for you! very well put!

 

[Tink10]

$7.50 a week? what a joke... my husband is a Firefighter and makes half of what you do in a year and pay $75.00 a month for union dues. and you want us to feel sorry for you because you may go down to $60,000. a year? sorry, not gonna happen here.

Honestly, what in the heck did you think that WDW servers made?

 

[Disneyserver]

Honestly, what in the heck did you think that WDW servers made?

Thanks you, Not all of us are lucky to be working at disney since it opened and land great restuarants to work at , I have been there 12 years and I am still in average place where we stay ok busy for dinner but for lunch were a ghost town , yes some Fulltime servers on property make 60 or more but Not me and not many LOL

 

[Disneyserver]

$7.50 a week? what a joke... my husband is a Firefighter and makes half of what you do in a year and pay $75.00 a month for union dues. and you want us to feel sorry for you because you may go down to $60,000. a year? sorry, not gonna happen here.

And I feel sorry your husband is a Under paid firefighter They deserve 6 figure incomes for what they do in a general Practice, But he's in a national union for fire fighters and thats the Union dues required which I Thinks its very high for the Income he's making, But teachers pay High Union dues also and are very under paid ... Remeber the regular hourly cast members at Disney who average 7.75 an hour and have to pay the union dues 30-40 dollars a month is a lot on there salaries

 

[kribit]

whoaaa...do servers really make that much? (60 or 70k)?

Most of them deserve it but I honestly didn't think it was that much. Things you learn every day...

 

[travelgirl06]

Today The Union contract was passed , so the servers will Lose the auto 18% grat on prepaid dining plans, and it will make us have to solicite tips to regular guests who are veterans of the dining plan

Ok, my interpretation, just because the servers lose the automatic gratuity doesn't necessarily mean that tips are excluded from the DDP. Possibly Disney is doing somthing to split these tips among all the servers (not just waiter/waitress). Or, the gratuity could be alterable, so that guests can vary it depending on their experience.

I agree that if tips were eliminated it would defeat the "all-inclusive feel" that makes DDP such a nice option. I would struggle to pay the daily rate for DDP and still have to tip quite a lot on food. For example, a DDP meal at Wolfgang Pucks can easily run $60, so for a family of 4 adults the additional tip would be $43.20 ($240 at 18%). Does Disney really think families are going to feel like they are getting a good deal if they are still paying substantial sums of money OOP AND buying the DDP?

Additionally, while I respect Disneyserver, if they are indeed a CM in food service, I find their posts to be unprofessional (i.e. all caps, poor grammar), and inefficient at earning respect. While I would be happy to support CMs, this is hard to do when they are "yelling" in posts and speaking rudely about guests (a very un-Disney attitude, in my opinion).

If you do want support, Disneyserver, please adress your DISboarders with respect and let us know HOW to help you (e.g. give us accurate contact info, official documents, and treat us in a way that makes us want to help you).

 

[wolverine2010]

TRAVELGIRL06...After that post it seems to me you could take some of your own advise..give me a break...i am reallly tired of all you ddp'ers

 

[jpaulgor]

This is really going to hurt the servers most of all. They are going to get stiffed, for one. If they don't get stiffed, they are not going to get the proper percentage. Some folks who normally order the most expensive stuff on the menu since they are on the DDP will get the bill and see that they should be tipping $40-50. No chance. A modest tip will be left and the server will be screwed.

 

[Snow_White]

Yeah, what I see happening for my husband and I is this (and I think we are pretty "average" in terms of regular Disney-goers).....we'll stop utilizing the dining plan (unless we get it for free) and we'll go back to ordering more reasonable amounts of food. 2 entrees and splitting dessert is our norm, plus we are water drinkers, so nothing extra there. Even if we tip 20-25% (we normally give 15% for bad service, 20-25% for good service), it will still be a far cry from the automatic 18% tip from the 2 appies, 2 entrees, 2 drinks, and 2 desserts we would have gotten on the DDP. I feel sorry for the servers We would honestly never dream of stiffing servers, but I have a feeling many people will do so because they feel like they've already "paid enough" for the dining plan.

 

[GreatLakes5]

TRAVELGIRL06...After that post it seems to me you could take some of your own advise..give me a break...i am reallly tired of all you ddp'ers

Sick of the ddp'ers? The board is meant to discuss the DDP - who did you think would show up? Or you're another server who doesn't like DDP users?

 

[hygienejean]

OMG If this is true I would definitely NOT purchase the DDP for 2008. No tips included AND they will increase the price.....Wow The DDE is looking better and better!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

TRAVELGIRL06...After that post it seems to me you could take some of your own advise..give me a break...i am reallly tired of all you ddp'ers

Really tired ... I'm trying to understand that sentiment and the motive behind it before I respond. Tired because they have a different opinion? Post? Exist? That doesn't seem very polite.

Wait. And. See. What the DDP ultimately becomes and what it consists of.

 

[theparsons]

12. An eighteen percent (18%) service charge will be added for all package plans, supplemental Food and /or Beverage purchased and consumed by the guest covered by the package plan, and Company sponsored discounts. The service charge will be based on the total charges before any discounts have been applied. This provision does not apply to Disney Dining Experience and Disney Vacation Club. This change will phase into current packages through 2006.

Ummm...is this a typo....or are we reading an old contract since it says through 2006?

And if it's not old, then if I'm reading this right, they're double dipping....they're going to add an 18% service charge to packages, and then tell us at the resturant we owe another 18%? Ummm, forget that folks....I may not be the best tipper on this board, but I don't think any of you guys out there tip 36%!

 

[dcgrumpy]

$7.50 a week? what a joke... my husband is a Firefighter and makes half of what you do in a year and pay $75.00 a month for union dues. and you want us to feel sorry for you because you may go down to $60,000. a year? sorry, not gonna happen here.

well if that's the case you really do ne a new "profession" becayse I am a server in a cafe in a town of about 12,000 and I make close to $30,000. a year and we have a total of 14 tables with 3 servers; and I don't work weekends. and other disney servers on this thread have stated that servers make close to $70,000. a year.

Maybe your husband should become a server in your cafe

 

[theparsons]

6. In situations where our guests refuse to comply with our policy, it will be the responsibility of the service person to locate a Manager prior to the guests leaving the restaurant so that Management can speak with the guests. If the service person fails to involve a Manager in the situation prior to the guests departing the restaurant, or receives discipline for poor service, the Company will not be responsible for the difference between what the guest left and eighteen percent (18%) of the guest's food and beverage total.

Ok...and if I'm reading this right....it sounds like if I'm a cheapskate and only leave 10% so long as the service person brings a manager into the situation then even if I refuse to go higher than the 10%, now the Company will give the server the 8% I refused to pay? Ummm....gosh, no wonder they voted for this contract....that makes it a guaranteed 18% for them..

Of course, in my own mind, I'm thinking if I decide I don't want to leave a big tip and the server decides to try to embarass or strong arm me with a manager....well, I'd be scooping my 10% up off the table on my way out. I really think that servers have forgotten what the acronym TIPS means....To Insure Personal Service".....that means if you give me personal service I'll tip you....not I have to tip you no matter how you treat me. Give me the good service and I'll give you the tip....give me bad service and I'll give you a bad tip. It's really pretty simple concept.

It's akin to why some will pay more for a Deluxe room when others decry the cost of a value.....those willing/able to pay for a Deluxe are willing to pay more for more services/amenities. Those who go to the value aren't willing to pay more for lower services. Those of us in the Moderates...well, we just can't make up our mind, lol.

 

[mvazul]

THE BULLY PART IS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO COME FOR FREE DINING, SOME OF THEM IN THEORY HAVE NEVER EATEN AT A FULL SERVICE RESTUARANT EXCEPT MAYBE A FAST FOOD BREAKFAST PLACE, BUTMOST ON THE FREE DINING PLAN ARE REALLY GOOD AND EVEN OVER TIP US...

I started reading this thread yesterday and this part has struck a nerve with me. It has been bugging me ever since I first read it.

I have a trip planned the last week of August with my mother and sister. Yes, it's the first week of free dining. However, we had our plans made before Disney offered free dining. They offered, so we took them up on it. We were going with or without the free dining. This will be my first time using the DDP. I am looking forward to seeing how it will work.

Now let me say, I grew up in very rural area of Pennsylvania. Not too many "high class" restaurants where I grew up. BUT...I was taught manners and respect!! I have been taught to tip well....for good service.

When DH and I were first dating, he took me to Toronto for a quick weekend vacation to see Phantom of the Opera. We went to a nice place for dinner the night before. The service we received was awesome. The waiter definitely knew how to make his customers happy. We spent three hours from appetizers to dessert. Our waiter insisted we take our time and relax - even with an extremely busy restaurant. He was there when we needed him, without asking. He knew what to recommend on the menu. I have never had service like that before or since. Our bill came to $120. DH tipped him $60!! That's right....50% of our bill!! He was that good.

On the flipside, we went to one place in SEPA (near Philadelphia), that the service was horrible. We sat at our table for 45 minutes before the waitress even brought water to our table. Then, it was another 25 minutes before she took our drink order. It was almost 2 hours before we got our lunch which only consisted of sandwiches. We left her $1. The service was horrible and her attitude was worse.

Moral of the story, we tip based on service alone. If it's good, the server will get a good tip. If it's above and beyond, their tip will also reflect that. And, if the service is atrocious, there will be no rewarding bad service. I do plan to tip above the 18% while I am doing the free dining in August. If the service is good. If it's bad, the server will get nothing above what is included.

I do feel bad for the "good" servers who get tables who won't know the tip is no longer included or who don't know it's custom to tip. But, I can say, I don't feel bad for those who just take the automatic 18% for granted and think they can get away with poor service/attitude.

However, as others have said, Disney survived before DDP and I'm sure it will after if it comes to that.

 

[theparsons]

and like you said with tips you make more per hour but why should a server make less than half as much as one in California (before tips) or any other state for that matter? serving is the same no matter where you live

Sorry, but I have to disagree with this logic.....if you take that same logic, then why would a 2 bedroom condo in San Francisco cost MORE than a 4 bedroom "mansion" size house here in Arizona? (And I know those prices, cause I sold that condo and moved here and bought the "mansion" and furnishings on the profits, and have some in the bank....lol). Bigger house should mean more cost, no matter were you live by your logic....but reality doesn't work that way. Doesn't even work city to city.....my same quality/size/age of house would cost twice what I paid if it were in Paradise Valley (the most expensive city in my area). I live about 10 minutes away from that neighborhood and paid half the cost. It's all about location....wages, food prices, gas prices, housing, even clothing. In fact, think about the last time you went online to buy something at a national chain.....and it asked you for your zip code FIRST....that's because the same exact product will cost differently depending on where you live. Try it sometime at Staples or other places that want your zip code before they'll show you prices......type in your local zip code, then pick a zip code in Manhattan or San Francisco. Not everything, but often you'll see a different price for the more expensive areas. It's all about supply and demand....it's why WDW can get away with charging it's gate fees....because people are willing to pay it to go to WDW.....but if the amusement park 20 miles away tried to do the same prices, you'd never pay it. That's the argument about why the gas prices keep going up....because Americans complain, but we still show up at the pump every week to fill up...and SUV sales have dropped only slightly...and hybrids with their 50 mpg are selling by not like the hotcakes they should be....because we'll pay for what we want when we want it. Some of us have started combining trips to save a little gas, and it has shown in the usage reports...but not significantly because we're a mobile society. And we all chose jobs based on what we wanted, not where the office was located, so now we're stuck with expensive commutes.

Wages are based on the cost of living.....higher cost of living, higher wages. Though, as anyone living in CA or NY can attest....the higher wages don't always make it an equal living style. That's why so many are moving away from California....they can't afford to live there anymore.


ok...as usual for me, this got long, but somewhere up there is my point.