Disney Dining Experience Changes

[mkt]

Monty, with DDE I had the choice to tip less than 18% if I felt I didn't get service worth 18% gratuity. Now this change removes that.

 

[Monty]

Monty, with DDE I had the choice to tip less than 18% if I felt I didn't get service worth 18% gratuity. Now this change removes that.

Agreed, but DDE didn't establish this new policy and canceling your membership serves no purpose other than to cost you more money in order to stand on principle. In my mind, money comes before principles... :shrug:

 

[daliseurat]

Okay guys, here is what WDW just sent to me via email:

Thank you for contacting us.

We appreciate your interest in the policy change regarding gratuity at
our food and beverage locations. We apologize if the information
created some confusion. The 18% gratuity will be included when Guests
are parties of six or more enjoy dining experiences at our Table Service
locations or if Guests are members of the exclusive Disney Dining
Experience, a dining discount program for eligible Florida Residents and
Annual Passholders 21 years of age and older.

Your comments are very important to us and we assure you that they have
been shared with the appropriate areas. We look forward to showcasing
our finest food and beverage experiences with you.

Thank you once again for taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely,

Executive Offices
Walt Disney World Resort

That wasn't so hard was it? Clear and concise. Okay Disney Dining folks, how about you get the info out right the FIRST time?

 

[Laura]

I know my wife's sister has 5 kids so with 7 people total it looks like they would get hit with the automatic 18% which could be a lot of money for them.

Well I should hope they'd be leaving a gratuity of about 18% anyway, so how is this more money than they already expected to pay?

Like Monty said, having the DDE card is still a savings, it's just plain irritating to not be able to leave the gratuity that you feel the server deserves. I always budget a 20% gratuity, but if my service is horrible I drop it down to 15%. Now I lose that option.

With that said, I am going to be sure not to let my servers know that I am DDE member until the meal is over, because I don't want them to slack on my service knowing that they're getting that auto 18%.

 

[daliseurat]

http://servicetradescouncil.org/2007 STC Full Time CBA.doc

Again....you can read the contract here....see document page 65 (contract page 58)

this was a demand by the union.....nothing to do with beancounters or management....this is about keeping the cheaper segments of the population from stiffing the servers....this is about taking care of the cast members.

I beg to differ. The union can make any demands it wants. Disney actually has the right to agree or disagree to the demands. Disney decided to go along with these union demands. And many of these demands were mistakes that the company is going to be paying for.

The UNION is looking out for it's members. The UNION is making a futile effort to keep the cheapskates from stiffing the servers. Even if those servers are terrible at their jobs.

Bottom line, Disney must be held accountable for the decisions they make or agree to. And at least they could try to inform us in a manner that is not confusing.

As for me, I simply will not use DDE. I will tip according to the service I recieve. Good news for most Disney servers. Bad news for those few who don't deserve it.

 

[spaceghost]

Hmmm....I can understand being upset, but again, Disney management (for a change) is not to blame for this, as far as I can tell. I've looked through the contract that was posted and here's a few interesting tidbits:

2. The eighteen percent (18%) automatic gratuity for all new and existing package plans, to include the Disney Dining Plan, will be eliminated effective January 1, 2008.

3. Should the Company decide to reinstate package plans with automatic gratuity included, the parties agree the terms of the addendum expiring on April, 28, 2007 will remain in effect.

4. An automatic gratuity of eighteen percent (18%) will be added for supplemental food and beverage purchased at prepaid venues (i.e., Spirit of Aloha, Hoop-Dee-Doo, Cinderella’s Royal Table, Princess Tea, Special Pre-paid events such as New Year’s Eve at California Grill).5. A guaranteed three percent (3%) service charge will be added on the retail value of the meal for all Disney Dining Plan guests for parties of less than six (6), effective January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008

{....}

15. An eighteen percent (18%) service charge will be added for Company sponsored Cast discounts, e.g. Cast Serving Cast, Cast discounted meals, and Cast Celebration discounted meals. The service charge will be based on the total Food and Beverage charges before any discounts have been applied. This provision does not apply to Disney Dining Experience and Disney Vacation Club. Effective January 1, 2008, the eighteen percent (18%) service charge for all existing and new package plans, including Disney Dining Plan, supplemental Food and/or Beverage purchased and consumed by the guest covered by the package plan will be discontinued. Effective January 1, 2008, an automatic gratuity of eighteen percent (18%) will be added for all guests on the Disney Dining Experience discount program, based on the retail value of the Food and Beverage.

So, the last item clarifies for sure that this change just affects those people using the DDE. I found some of the other items interesting as well though...it would appear that for meals on the DDP, servers don't just get a tip now, but also a 3% surcharge (which is buried for the customer in the cost of the plan). It would also appear that Disney has some leeway in going back to including tips with the DDP...so maybe that change was from Disney, not the union?

 

[Maerj]

Well I should hope they'd be leaving a gratuity of about 18% anyway, so how is this more money than they already expected to pay?

Well in her case, they don't have a lot of money and this is going to most likely be the one and only trip to the world. I can't say how they tip as I don't know, I don't think they dine out often and when they do I don't think its any place fancy.

Now lets say they eat at the Crystal Palace. The total bill for their family would be around $145 (approx), which would make their automatic gratuity around $26.10 for a buffet where they pretty much go and get their food themselves and have already paid for dining plan. I will tell them about this ahead of time but I can see other people in a similar situation (large family) who don't know about this policy getting a bill at the end and being a little upset by it.

 

[mkt]

Agreed, but DDE didn't establish this new policy and canceling your membership serves no purpose other than to cost you more money in order to stand on principle. In my mind, money comes before principles... :shrug:

I have my principles, and those are priceless

 

[speck76]

With this I spoke with my wallet. I mailed my card back to Disney and then called American Express to refuse my DDE charge, and have already gotten my refund. I won't pay for this especially since I never received prior notice to this change.

Come my next trip to WDW in December, I will pay full price for my meals and base my tip on what I feel the CM deserves.

I think the program will survive without you.

 

[mkt]

I think the program will survive without you.

I know it will, Brad. However, in our consumer based society, in which the customer is nothing but a plentiful resource that can be treated poorly and tossed around, this is the only way to make a point Want better service? Withold payment.

 

[Monty]

I have my principles, and those are priceless

Well actually, they have a significant, and possibly unintended price:

Disney decides to arbitrarily assign an 18% gratuity, so you choose to forego a program that costs them 20% in order to be in a position to choose not to give all or part of that 18% to your server? So, you 'punish' Disney by giving them more money as a result of their bad decision in order to have the future option of not giving even more money to that occasional server whose service isn't up to your standards?

Next time I annoy you on the forums, feel free to give me money as my punishment! :lol:

 

[Monty]

I know it will, Brad. However, in our consumer based society, in which the customer is nothing but a plentiful resource that can be treated poorly and tossed around, this is the only way to make a point Want better service? Withold payment.

But you're withholding payment from an innocent bystander. The decision was Disney's, not DDE's.

And, as pointed out above, you're actually rewarding the perpetrator.

 

[mkt]

see, it's not quite that black and white Monty.

A result of this is, I won't be valeting at the resorts for dinner anymore. Without the free valet, I don't go to dine at the resorts (yes, I am that vain). I will likely eat at cheaper establishments that wouldn't have offered a discount to begin with. Or I will eat off property more at more reasonable prices. Very well, Disney will keep full revenue on my liquor, but that's ok with me since the only bar I drink at that offers DDE discount is the Rose and Crown, and I can easily forgo that one

 

[brkgnews]

... I am going to be sure not to let my servers know that I am DDE member until the meal is over, because I don't want them to slack on my service knowing that they're getting that auto 18%.

Probably the best course of action... but whaddayawannabet they start asking that at the beginning of the meal... you know, the way they ask you if you're on DDP before your butt even hits the chair.

My gist of the situation is that WDW had to find a way to get the CMs a guaranteed 18% tip somewhere. They could either do it...
- propertywide, and have folks at their front doors with torches and pitchforks (and foregoing tableservice locations, thus dropping revenue).
- keep it on the DDP with WDW risking having to pick up the tab (free dining periods, etc), thus dropping revenue.
- dump it on DDE, where (dependent upon use habits) the tip could potentially cost the mouse nothing based on membership fees. Plus DDE holders are, by definition of program requirements, either locals or AP holders, who are dedicated to the mouse and probably will come back even if they're taken a bit advantage of. Wonder if this would fly in Anaheim with their sterotypically demanding passholders?

 

[mkt]

But you're withholding payment from an innocent bystander. The decision was Disney's, not DDE's.

And, as pointed out above, you're actually rewarding the perpetrator.

DDE is part of Disney. It all ends up going to the same bank account at the end of the day.

 

[TinkerBelle8878]

I think what all of this boils down to is that Disney should pay their servers more. Not rely on the guests to supplement their meager paychecks and tack on this charge. They raise the park ticket prices and did this whole ala carte Magic 'not' My way passes. Take a percentage of all of that and pay the servers more.

I'm scared that this may be the gateway for surcharges or 'added' gratuities for more than parites of 6 at TS restaurants.

 

[Master Yoda]

People on here have been saying that they don't have the Mickey soaps/shampoo anymore. They were saying that they are getting supplied from another company with blue, generic labels.

So, it doesn't sound as bad as we thought as far as the dining plan but still... I know my wife's sister has 5 kids so with 7 people total it looks like they would get hit with the automatic 18% which could be a lot of money for them.

While the label did change in color it still has Mickey both on the label and on the soap. Also the products are now made by H20 which is considerably better quality than what was being used before.

 

[mcstensrud]

Sounds to me like the servers that wait on me will lose 2% as i normally tip the amount of the 20% discount:shrug:

 

[Moustronaut]

I haven't read ALL the pages on this so I apologize if this has already been posted, even though other people have confirmed this via Disney, but the update emails have come out from DDE. Just wanted to close the loop on the thread I started.

I got this about a half hour ago from the DDE team:

Many of you have expressed concern about the 18% gratuity that will be added to all Disney Dining Experience transactions. When using your Disney Dining Experience membership card the assessed gratuity will be added to all table service restaurant locations and lounges for all transactions regardless of party size. Gratuity will not be added to any counter service, food cart or quick service locations. In the past, gratuity was only implemented for larger parties of 8 or more for guests utilizing their Disney Dining Experience membership.

This adjustment to the program has been implemented in order to align the Disney Dining Experience Program with other dining experiences where gratuities are included. Effective January 1, 2008, when utilizing your Disney Dining Experience discount 18% gratuity will be added.


If you have any further questions or concerns we would ask that you send an e-mail to our Executive Offices at wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com.

Thank you,

The Disney Dining Experience Team

 

[MouseMadness]

Sounds to me like the servers that wait on me will lose 2% as i normally tip the amount of the 20% discount:shrug:

Same here, so I'm hardly going to complain :shrug: :lol:

Plus, I can hope that it will open up some of those hard to come by seats now. :lookaroun :lol: