The Disney Tipping Info Thread *Updated 9.1.09*

[faindrops27]

Hello,
I am truing to get an idea of what a family of 4 would pay on the deluxe dining plan for tips of 7 days using the plan to the max. Can anyone give me some insight.

Go, to allearsnet. Figure out what you, and your family would eat. Then, add 18-20%. On each meal. You will have a very good ball park figure.

 

[Disney8704]

Not a family of 4, but DH and I went last time for 12 nights / 13 days. We did TS for both breakfast and dinner almost daily. We did a TS dinner every night except the 1st night we were there. I think total we probably spent $300 - $400 in tips and tipped at 20% about 98% of the time and that was eating buffets almost every morning and for dinner, buffets, Teppan Edo, Jiko, Coral Reef, Restaurant Marrakesh, etc. So the expensive places. So hopefully that will give you some sort of an idea.

Best way of knowing how much to bring for tips is to look at the menus and figure out what you all are gonna order at each place. Then total the amount and times that by what % you plan on leaving for each place.

Every family that has a party of 4 all probably have different amounts. Depends on where you go, what you order and how much of a tip they all leave. Everyone's tipping amount is different. While you may tip at 20% some others may tip at 10% or 15%.

Hello,
I am truing to get an idea of what a family of 4 would pay on the deluxe dining plan for tips of 7 days using the plan to the max. Can anyone give me some insight.

 

[jimmyb7225]

Hello,
I am truing to get an idea of what a family of 4 would pay on the deluxe dining plan for tips of 7 days using the plan to the max. Can anyone give me some insight.

We are a family of 5 but 2 of them are under 3 and share a meal and the other child is nine(so its like a 2 adults and 2 Childern). We are staying 7 nights eating at about half buffets and have 3 sig restraunts and after looking at the menus at allears.net I came up with about 300-350. This was based on the percentages I used with the buffets being a slightly lower percentage then the others. I did calculate that with the deluxe dining and the restraunts we are eating at we are saving roughly 600 compared to eating there which to me seemed to make up for the tips.

 

[twooley2]

thanks for the replies. We are 2 adults and 2 teens so I guess 4 adults total. I have been thinking and am thining it will be 60.00 per day 60X7 420.00 what do u think? Too much? too little?

 

[faindrops27]

How many sit downs are you planning a day, 2 or 3??

I personally think you are lowballing it. I spent 380 my last trip on the regular ddp. That was one sit down per day for 2 adults, and 2 children 4 & 6. I really think you should look up the menus of the places you are plan to eat. I would think more like 600-700. As, signature meals are higher. And, you will be doing at least 2, or 3 sit downs per day.

 

[twooley2]

I am thinking 2 sitdowns and a counterservice to fill in if still hungary. I am thinking of doing hoop de doo once which includes the tip. The last day we will leave by lunch time and the first day we will arrive at lunch time. so essentially we will be 5 full days and 2 half days. As for signature meals Im still looking over these

 

[patsal]

Hello,
I am truing to get an idea of what a family of 4 would pay on the deluxe dining plan for tips of 7 days using the plan to the max. Can anyone give me some insight.

Last year before deciding I went to allears, figured 20% on best guess of what would be ordering all 4 of us are over 10 yo. I was in shock when I learned it would be about $1200. over the course of 14 nights. We skipped the DXDDP. This would have been a TS breakfast or lunch and a signature dinner each night rounded out with snacks to fill in if hungry. We tend to avoid buffets.

 

[twooley2]

wow! that is a lot in my opinion. What did you do to cut the cost? I am not planning a lot of signature meals but maybe more themed buffet types and a couple of dinner shows. My main concern is that I wanted all meals covered as we do like our sit down breakfast in the mornings whether it be at a resort or a charater breakfast. I for the sake of me even with the menus can not guess what we will eat we are so not predictable. I know we will loose money on the deluxe as we can not eat that much food but on the standard regular meal plan we are short a couple of meals and arent real counter service meal people. It seems counter service usually means hard to find seats or standing to eat.

 

[faindrops27]

Last year before deciding I went to allears, figured 20% on best guess of what would be ordering all 4 of us are over 10 yo. I was in shock when I learned it would be about $1200. over the course of 14 nights. We skipped the DXDDP. This would have been a TS breakfast or lunch and a signature dinner each night rounded out with snacks to fill in if hungry. We tend to avoid buffets.

Yes, that seems like the ballpark.

Twooley, maybe just downgrade to regular dining plan, and pay out of pocket for any extra meals. That way, you do not have to pay 600-700 dollars extra in tips.

If you have teens. They will be picking from the adult menu, and probably choosing an appetizer. Your bill could be anywhere from 200-300, at the fancy places, for the four of you. 20% of that. Is pretty hefty. But, even eating at the buffets, 3 times a day adds up fast too. If you all do not eat alot. I would stick with regular dining.

 

[Tikitoi]

We went to Hollywood Brown Derby, only walking up to get a piece of grapefruit cake. We were going to get it from Starring Rolls but they had already closed and the CM told us to go to HBD to get it, so anyway the waitress put an automatic 18% gratuity on the bill. For the one piece of cake. I paid it, but glad I saw it as I was going to give her a tip, anyway.

 

[twooley2]

well You did not have to pay that tip if you chose not to. As you were not a party of 6 or more..

 

[Tikitoi]

well You did not have to pay that tip if you chose not to. As you were not a party of 6 or more..

She had already rung it up as the total and I didn't want to be making a big deal of a buck.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Actually, I think you do have to pay it (although it would have been nice to have been told in advance, even though 18% of the price of a dessert would have been relatively low - about $1.20?). Disney table service restaurants DON'T actually provide take-out service; the order had to be placed by (or on behalf of) one or another server.

It's just the way it is.

 

[kaytieeldr]

wow! that is a lot in my opinion. What did you do to cut the cost? I am not planning a lot of signature meals but maybe more themed buffet types and a couple of dinner shows.

That actually puts you in a pretty good 'advance calculations' position

The gratuity IS included under the DDP for dinner shows (and CRT meals); and buffets are fixed prices - so you can calculate the tips on those meals in advance.

 

[twooley2]

thanks for all the help. I think I will look at menu prices and figure accordingly as suggested. Thanks to this board you are all a great help

 

[JoanneNC]

Is the 18% tip based on the pre tax amount before or after the 20% discount?

Thanks

 

[Pakey]

Is the 18% tip based on the pre tax amount before or after the 20% discount?

Thanks

Before the discount. So the discount is pretty much a wash against the tip.

 

[JoanneNC]

OK thanks - I figured as much -

 

[amyr1]

I though I read something about this a while back and can't seem to find anything.

Is the tip included in the CRT meals and at the Princess Storybook meal in Norway when using the DP?

How about the picture package? Is it included when using the DP?

TIA
Amy

 

[TDC Nala]

All tipping questions on the restaurant board should be addressed to the Tipping Information Thread, so this thread is being moved to merge with that one.

Tip is included with DDP for CRT but not Akershus.

Photo package is included for both.