tipping in orlando

[mgmrach]

SCREAM can someone explain tipping to me?

we have the dining plan we thought it was included but read that it doesnt? if it doesnt how much do we tip?

do we tip when we valet the car? what about the person that gets the car for us after dinner?

how about the bar we wait at before dinner?

Im starting to think the tipping will cost more than the meal

[Tink]

Yes, you can tip all those folks.

The server usually gets a minimum of 18% of the total bill (pre-tax). If the service was very good that amount is customarily raised to 20%.

Same for the bartender at any lounge/bar. 18-20% of the bar tab.

The parking valet usually gets from $4 up, depending upon how you feel the service was. And yes, you can tip both ways, but often it's just done on the pick up of the car (delivery back to you after dinner).

Tipping can become a significant expense, especially if you hadn't planned on it.

Now, if any of those service staff did not provide you with good service, then you can adjust the tip downward, accordingly. However, it's not usually adjusted downward for servers unless you speak to the manager.

[uscwest]

I get free valet parking on my DDE card, so I normally tip both ways $2.00-$3.00 each. At a bar normally $1.00 per drink will suffice. Using the DDE card automatically adds the 18% though.

[Vixynne]

Bumping this thread for clarification's sake...

I've always used the DDP on all my trips to Disney; I don't think any of the adults with me (who also were using the dining plan) tipped servers! Were we amiss? I always have assumed that tips were included; I feel awful now, thinking that we were inadvertently stingy!
Since I'm headed back at Christmas, I'll need to rethink my budget if tips aren't part of the dining plan...this could get expensive, LOL...

[Keith]

Bumping this thread for clarification's sake...

I've always used the DDP on all my trips to Disney; I don't think any of the adults with me (who also were using the dining plan) tipped servers! Were we amiss? I always have assumed that tips were included; I feel awful now, thinking that we were inadvertently stingy!
Since I'm headed back at Christmas, I'll need to rethink my budget if tips aren't part of the dining plan...this could get expensive, LOL...

The tips WERE included in the dining plan up until a year or so ago, since then they've been sneakily removed.

[Johnie]

I don't think tips have been sneakily removed. It is mentioned in the adverts that tipping is no longer included except for a few dinner shows.

Now, I agree it was a much better value when tipping was included.

I only tip the valet a $1 each way.

[Vixynne]

The tips WERE included in the dining plan up until a year or so ago, since then they've been sneakily removed.

Hmmm, and yet I don't think the price of the Dining Plan has been lowered at all, has it...sneaky indeed. I love Disney but not the greedy things they tend to do sometimes. :sorry: It's the corporate way, I suppose.

[Keith]

Hmmm, and yet I don't think the price of the Dining Plan has been lowered at all, has it...sneaky indeed. I love Disney but not the greedy things they tend to do sometimes. :sorry: It's the corporate way, I suppose.

It was done very badly IMHO

They did change the price of the dining plan that was then the "normal" one (snack, counter, table) down by like a dollar or something. It really was a totally useless token change. I've met and heard loads of people who were caught unaware by the changes in the plan.

Perhaps as Johnie says, they should have read the advert for the new plan more carefully but when you've had something for a while and you order "the same again" as far as you're concerned, I think it's pretty understandable to be surprised to find it's changed so much for the worse.

[Johnie]

I completely agree Keith. People do not generally read the new rules. It was a fantastic deal when gratuity was included.

I noticed that many people are not reading the fine print. We were told at Flying Fish and YSH that it was 2TS credits and did we know that? Also, at Biergarten they asked about 50 times did we know that we would be seated with other parties. WE said yes we were aware to both but that makes me think that many people do NOT know.

[Keith]

I noticed that many people are not reading the fine print. We were told at Flying Fish and YSH that it was 2TS credits and did we know that? Also, at Biergarten they asked about 50 times did we know that we would be seated with other parties. WE said yes we were aware to both but that makes me think that many people do NOT know.

:yes: I've often been quite well informed by restaurants in that manner I admit.

I was chatting to a lady at work a few weeks ago and can't remember what it was but I mentioned something, I think it may have been the fantasmic changes, and I must've sounded a bit critical because the next thing was she was saying, quite snottily, "well you WOULD know since you have the disney web site, how was I supposed to know".

I guess that's the thing, Disney has to change and update and for those of us who hang around Disney websites all the time, we pick up an incredible amount of information. For someone who went a few years ago, had the plan and perhaps books from a brochure or on the phone, it's probably not even feasible to give them all the updated info.

I know for example that I booked the plan early this year direct with disney through some offer or other and they definitely didn't tell me that it'd changed, nor did I get tons of documentation with any of the emails! I bet one of them had a link to terms and conditions but :/

[Vixynne]

I agree, Keith, I think most people aren't as zealous about Disney info as those of us who make it part of our "radar" even when we're not actively planning a trip.

I'm sort of surprised that my travel agent didn't mention the tipping information to me when I booked my package--but you know what? I didn't read the footnotes or fine print in the paperwork, and I didn't go to the Disney website to find out...so in the end, I'm the only one to blame for not knowing, really. I'm old enough to know that there's always fine print, and just because the agent didn't mention it, doesn't mean I shouldn't have checked!

Yet another reason I'm glad these forums are here; the folks here don't seem to mind helping me stay up-to-date! :hug2:

[Keith]

I'm sort of surprised that my travel agent didn't mention the tipping information to me when I booked my package

The other thing is, to an agent who books countless packages every year, I bet "the change" feels like about a decade ago and I'll bet most of them assume people know by now. Thing is, like that lady at work, if you've booked a few years back, that's the knowledge you'll assume is still good unless you've got evidence to the contrary.

[Vixynne]

Thing is, like that lady at work, if you've booked a few years back, that's the knowledge you'll assume is still good unless you've got evidence to the contrary.

'Zactly so! :yes:

I am glad to know, though, that it's a fairly recent change...this means I didn't accidentally cheat my servers of tips that they deserved.

Time to bump up the savings schedule so I can tip our servers this time around...glad I found out the info in time! I wouldn't have wanted to be a Scrooge!