Gratuity to be removed from DDP!!

[Desnik]

I image it will be the latter......I feel terrible for the servers.

We'll still use the DDP because for us, it's not about the value, it's about the ease of things. We normally tip extra out of pocket, so I'll just have to be sure to take more tipping cash on future trips.

We also tipped extra when we had a server go above and beyond for us. With that said, it is a big difference putting an extra $5-$10 out of pocket instead of 20% of a $150 bill.

The DDP was a great deal especially because the tip was included. The ease of use was also because the tip was included. We will be using the DDP on our Nov trip but that will be it for us. I just don't think it's worth it if we have to pay the tip. I also feel for the servers. In speaking with some in the past I know some didn't like the DDP because they had to wait up to 2 weeks for their tips. But now they will be getting stiffed an awful lot. We have AP's so I guess I will just get the DDE.

Thanks to the OP for this info!

 

[klj27]

I am glad we are using the dining plan next month because I am not sure that it would be a good deal for us the new way. We consider a standard tip to be 20% and will give more for exceptional service.

The problem that I see is that if I were not on the DP I would not be ordering all the appetizers and dessert, but now I have to pay an extra 20% of their cost. Definately does not make this a deal.

 

[2manypets]

At least they're giving more than a 30 day notice on THIS major change

 

[I Run Long]

Thank goodness we're going now. This is the first time for us and I suspect the last time. This is such a terrible deal for the servers!

 

[Mom of 3]

I agree that if you don't get good food you should complain, but sometimes that just doesn't work.

We went out to eat yesterday and I don't know if our waiter was new or just a bad waiter. I ordered a salad with dressing on the side - the salad came with the dressing already mixed in with everything and it wasn't the dressing I ordered. When I quizzed the waiter about it he just offered to bring me the dressing I ordered - not the fix I expected. By the time I got to speak with the manager everyone else had finished their meal and my son had eaten the salad that I left. The manager did give me a coupon for a free salad on another visit.

Maybe I need to be a little more assertive - I didn't order this, take it back and bring me what I ordered.

 

[Nancyg56]

If the gratuity is not included in the DDP I am not sure it will have the same value to me. We always leave additional money for our CM is the service exceeds our expectations, but I know that a fair amount is included already. The beauty of the plan was the convenience of being able to sign and go if that was what I wanted to do. Now the price is being increased and the convenience is diminished. Not as much value to me anymore.

 

[thunderbird1]

The problem that I see is that if I were not on the DP I would not be ordering all the appetizers and dessert, but now I have to pay an extra 20% of their cost. Definately does not make this a deal.

Well said. The only way this would make sense for us now would be free dining--and even then I think I'd question dining at some of the more expensive restaurants because of the bigger tip we'd have to leave. But maybe that's part of Disney's motivation.

The servers are the ones who are really going to get shafted by this, though. Either because people won't understand the change or because they're trying to cut costs on the trip somewhere.

 

[rgf207]

here is another thing to consider. How much cash do you carry around with you in the parks? We hardly carry any. We use our room card or credit card so we dont have to worry about losing cash. If most people are like us than this will not sit well at all. I dont want to start carrying around wads of cash just to make sure I have enough to add the gratuity. I imagine that they can add it to your room card after you use you ddp credits but i'm not sure.

 

[apostolic4life]

At least they're giving more than a 30 day notice on THIS major change

Not to stir things up, but we have no clue to the authenticity of this proposition. It may be real, or it may be a rumor. If it comes directly from Disney in the form of a press release or notification on an official site owned by Disney we can believe it 100% when it comes out as a rumer then it is less credible. I am not implying the OP was lying, but without a bonafide Disney Official releasing the info it has to be chalked up as rumor.

Is it possible, yes. Would Disney do such a thing, yes. Why? Profits.

So if it comes out offically I will not be suprised, but until then I will look at the "World" (WDW) through blue sky colored glasses!

 

[Praying Colonel]

I consider our family the type of family Disney was marketing the DDP to. In our previous trip we stayed offsite and, with just a couple of exceptions, ate offsite because we considered it too expensive to pay OOP for TS meals onsite every day. We stayed in a condo which gave us more room for equal (or less) price than staying onsite, had CS onsite and ate our TS offsite. DDP induced us to stay onsite in order to get what we considered good meal value (and an enhanced Disney experience, because we could now enjoy TS restaurants we chose not to in the past).

Removing the gratuity would cause us to look very hard at the whole situation again. During our last trip, our average TS bill on the DDP was around $180. 18% is $32.40. Multiply that by a 7-night stay and our trip just got $226.80 more expensive if the gratuity is removed from the DDP. Doesn't look like such a good value to us now. And if we choose not to get the DDP, then one of the biggest reasons for staying onsite has been removed, too. Maybe we'll stay offsite now and rent a condo or vacation home instead of paying rack rate for a resort room.

Maybe Disney's counting on DDP users not thinking it through to that level. I'm sure they've done research on it and they think they have a good idea of how it will play out. But if I'm correct that we're a pretty typical family, there will be quite a few of us who'll be thinking this way, and you could see Disney resort occupancy drop quite a bit. It's certainly not going to help occupancy. That could be a problem for Disney when according to some reports they're still having problems with mediocre occupancy.

Some will see 1 good thing coming of it, however: those who believe that DDP is killing Disney dining will be thrilled by this move, since it could mean many more folks like our family eating offsite.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

If the food isn't good, it should be sent back, everywhere, always...even on DDP, or back at home at a restaurant.
If service is poor, tip should reflect that.
There is something to be said for a server EARNING their tip.
Tips on cruise ships have gone the "automated" route...charged to your accunt unless you choose to remove it. Some have found apathy w/ regards to service due to it. I imagine some have found the same w/ DDP. I'm sure a few WDW servers have fallen into the "well, I get the 18% no matter how hard I work...." mantra.
While we do NOT like the extra expense, it should help improve service!

I have to agree here. We went in March and it was our first time on the DDP. I found that the meals that we spent OOP had much better service then the ones on DDP. I felt, and this is mine and DH's personal opinion, that a lot (not all) of the wait staff didn't really care if they gave even poor service, they were going to get their money anyway.
That being said, I would hate to see the wait staff get stiffed by people who are trying to save a few bucks or are not knowledgeable of the change. I hope that CRO will remind people of the change when they make the ADR's.

 

[TravelinGal]

*IF* it's true, then we will have to seriously re-think every booking the DDP again. I am in the group that refuses to carry a bunch of cash to the parks. I don't like to put a charge on my room card because we've heard of too many mix ups with rooms getting charged for meals instead of using DDP credits. (Yes, I know they can fix them, but I just don't want that hassle on my vacation)

Granted, it would probably make the servers a little more aware of the guests - no slacking off because they know they're getting the guaranteed 18% on every DDP guest.

 

[castleri]

We only ate 1 or 2 TS meals per trip before we did the DDP. If they do not include the tip we will probably not use it again. When we did eat at TS meals we didn't order all the food that is included with the DDP and that is the way we would go back to ordering so the servers will end up with less in tips no matter what. We will most likely order entrees and maybe an app to share and no dessert or drink except maybe an adult beverage. As DVC members we will use our kitchens more and all in all Disney will have less of our food money. I wonder if some of this came from all the reports that servers did not like the way the tips were handled- being included in their pay checks rather than having cash in hand at the end of the shift. We still don't know if this is really true or something that has been suggested in some union discussions. Only time will tell.

 

[tinaluis]

I consider our family the type of family Disney was marketing the DDP to. In our previous trip we stayed offsite because we considered it too expensive to pay OOP for TS meals onsite every day. We stayed in a condo which gave us more room for equal (or less) price than staying onsite, had CS onsite and ate our TS offsite. DDP induced us to stay onsite in order to get what we considered good meal value (and an enhanced Disney experience, because we could now enjoy TS restaurants we chose not to in the past).

Removing the gratuity would cause us to look very hard at the whole situation again. During our last trip, our average TS bill on the DDP was around $180. 18% is $32.40. Multiply that by a 7-night stay and our trip just got $226.80 more expensive if the gratuity is removed from the DDP. Doesn't look like such a good value to us now. And if we choose not to get the DDP, then one of the biggest reasons for staying onsite has been removed, too. Maybe we'll stay offsite now and rent a condo or vacation home instead of paying rack rate for a resort room.

Maybe Disney's counting on DDP users not thinking it through to that level. I'm sure they've done research on it and they think they have a good idea of how it will play out. But if I'm correct that we're a pretty typical family, there will be quite a few of us who'll be thinking this way, and you could see Disney resort occupancy drop quite a bit. It's certainly not going to help occupancy. That could be a problem for Disney when according to some reports they're still having problems with mediocre occupancy.

Some will see 1 good thing coming of it, however: those who believe that DDP is killing Disney dining will be thrilled by this move, since it could mean many more folks like our family eating offsite.

I couldn't agree more. We've been visiting WDW since 1993 but never stayed onsite until they offered free dining last year and we never ate at a TS restaurant either. We had CS in the parks and our TS offsite. While I realize the dining wasn't exactly free (i.e., paying rack rate for the room), it was enough of a discount/bonus for me to rationalize paying much more to stay onsite. If the gratuity is no longer included, it chips away at the value of the overall vacation, thus making me less inclined to "rationalize" the cost of the total package.

 

[paulh]

the big thing for us is tip included.UK ta`s are offering it for next year and say tip is inclueded would be p...sd if had to pay tip
Paulh

 

[MommyBoo!]

the big thing for us is tip included.UK ta`s are offering it for next year and say tip is inclueded would be p...sd if had to pay tip
Paulh

I was wondering too how that would affect trips that are booked for next year. I know, they are covered by "Subject to change, yada, yada". That still seems wrong though because it is a large amount.

We eat at the same places, dining plan or not so it won't affect us too much. I guess when I book our trip next month, I will book without the ddp until we know for sure.

 

[auntsister]

I really hope this won't actually happen, I am going in 2 weeks and this is the first of being on DDP for me. I am returning next May with my DS, DD and DGD's and was planning on staying onsite mainly to use the DDP. I was hesitant about the cost of the rooms and the DDP but thought it would be easier not to worry about paying for food so was willing to spend more. Now I certainly wouldn't want to pay extra for gratuity and worry about carrying cash!
I could rent a suite or vacation home much cheaper than staying onsite and we could eat at some of the many great places in Orlando as we did in the past. I just wanted something less complicated .

 

[TravelinGal]

I was wondering too how that would affect trips that are booked for next year. I know, they are covered by "Subject to change, yada, yada". That still seems wrong though because it is a large amount.

We eat at the same places, dining plan or not so it won't affect us too much. I guess when I book our trip next month, I will book without the ddp until we know for sure.

Packages are not being booked for 2008 yet. You can book ROOM ONLY at this time, but that doesn't include the dining plan, so it wouldn't be affected by the rumored change.

They will not offer the 2008 packages until it is finalized (August is usually when the next years packages come out) - if there's a change at all - so nobody will buy it thinking it's included when it's not. (Unless they simply don't READ the information given to them) I always make sure to point out all the details like that to my clients.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I think there will be a reduction in tips, 18% is an overly large tip and 10 - 15% is more like what they will get from people from the UK.

 

[blondinkaya]

I don't really understand. Isn't the purpose of ddp convenience? How is it more convenient for the customer to have to figure in the tip themselves as opposed to paying the flat rate and letting disney take it from there?

I have a confession to make. I can't call myself a disney fanatic. I'll be 34 this year, and Sept's trip will be the very first for my family. The only reason we're going this year is because of the free ddp offer. If we like our stay, we may have more visits to disney in our future (at a different time of the year, another resort, and probably pay for our ddp or do no ddp if they start making customers add on the tip). It was the ddp offer that made my decision about this particular trip.

I obviously can't speak from experience or for anyone else, but I would think that the changes to the ddp program could dissuade people from using it or perhaps staying on the park.

I think a confirmation from disney itself is needed before reactions can be made.