Disney Dining Experience Program About This Page:

[Diz]

Don't know if many of us have the DDE card, but we decided to get it when they offered the AP discount. I just heard a rumor (from a cm) that they will now add a mandatory 18% tip on the bill.

If service is worth it, we'll pay up to 20%. But if it is lacking, I have no problem just leaving 15%.

Am I missing something? I think with a mandatory 18%, there is little reason to have a 20% discount card that costs at least $65.00 a year. I'll have to sit down and do the math on this one!

[Colexis Mom]

Yeah, the tip pretty much cancels out the discount, as it did before (well, it wasn't mandatory but that's how I looked at it when I budgeted). I'm not really a fan of the mandatory tip, as if service is lacking, that is how you show for it!

[Dave Marx]

The only way the tip "cancels out" the discount is if you don't tip at all. If you normally tip in the 15% - 20% range, the discount is still a discount.

Hitting the break-even point on the $65 fee is another matter. The break-even point on that is $325 in food and beverage purchases (wine lovers recoup this fee very quickly). 20% of $325 = $65

If I recall correctly, the 18% tip has always been mandatory. I belive that CM is mistaken that it has been added. Actually, due to the new labor agreement, it may be the other way around - the 18% may not be mandatory for much longer.

Now, if you're normally a 15% tipper, the difference between a 15% tip and an 18% tips is $3 for every $100 purchased. So, paying an 18% tip rather than a 15% tip raises your personal break-even point on the $65 membership fee from $325 to $334.75 in food and beverages (3% of $325 is $9.75).

For years the DDE was only offered to Florida Residents, partly on the assumption that only they would dine at Disney frequently enough to get full value out of that membership fee. However, anyone with an AP will probably be dining at WDW often enough to hit break-even. How much would a family of 3 spend on meals during the course of 11 days, the normal break-even point on the purchase of a regular AP? Unless they only eat counter service I think they'd hit $335 by day three or four.

[Diz]

Originally Posted by Dave Marx

How much would a family of 3 spend on meals during the course of 11 days, the normal break-even point on the purchase of a regular AP? Unless they only eat counter service I think they'd hit $335 by day three or four.

I had to chuckle at this because sometimes we would hit the break-even at day 2 with our family of five!

I know I'll keep the card. It's a Disney discount and common sense doesn't always rule with me and Disney. But based on last year, I spent over 50 days at WDW. Some of those days were cm discounts, but the DDE came in handy on cast black-out days (free dining plan/holidays) and when I'd wander off alone. So most in likely, we'll hit that break-even again.

I guess my biggest disappointment with DDE isn't with DDE as much as CRT. Cast discounts never applied to CRT and that was our favorite place for magic. Then they changed CRT to not one, but three character meals! I love characters, but I don't think CRT has the same King Stephen, old CRT feel anymore. But that's another subject, isn't it!

Thanks Dave for the break-down!

[Disneybound!]

We have a family of 6, plus taking an extra this Aug. 11th. (Yes, we leave a week from this Friday!!) We usually recoup early too, with so many of us. We'll purposely seek out eateries that take it to increase of savings. We have used it twice, in 2005, and both trips we saved more than we paid for the card. I recorded the meal cost and our DDE discounts on both trips and added it up. I feel it's more than worth it for our family! Ruth

[TiggerTails]

Well, this explains what happened to us last week @ Le Cellier..........
Our bill included a 18% tip, we usually tip 20% and felt offended a tip had already been added so we left it at that. We nearly left an extra tip good job DH spotted it!
I called DD and talked to a CM she said it must have been a mistake, so I guess it will take some time for the word to get out.
On the menu it says 18% will be added for partys of eight or more.

[elderfam]

We have used this card for years. We always leave the discount as a tip for great service. We have a trip coming up in October,,I will let you know if they add the 18% tip,

[DrDolphin]

Hmmm. I have NEVER had 18% added to my bill when using DDE over the last 4 years. Although I typically use the 20% discount to calculate the tip - and I will admit without it written there - nice and neat - I would most likely tip 15%.... SO - is it a big deal to me? No - but if I get poor service and a CM adds it at 18% - you'd better believe I will be asking a manger to lessen it on my bill. I DO NOT pay a tip (which is a reward for good service IMHO) for poor service.

Also - I just got my renewal notice - and there is NOTHING there about a mandatory tip. I think I'd better check the website...

[yakamishi]

I recently used the DDE for the first time this past January. And found it very rewarding. Altohugh, admitidly, our familly is large and there was never any fear of "breaking even" so to speak.

My only complaint was that we couldn't use it on the Hoop De Doo early show.

[Caldercup]

Originally Posted by yakamishi

our familly is large and there was never any fear of "breaking even" so to speak.

Yeah! With a large group, you'll be quick to reach that "spend $325 on food and earn back your $65 membership" point. After that, the membership is truly a discount.
Eileen

[jimmymac]

Thgi is our 3rd year using DDE and we've never had the tip included either

[Joy J]

Up until this year, I've always used the DDE card and never have I had the tip automatically added onto my bill. I hope they don't start doing that only because, if paying out of pocket, I prefer to reward good service by giving a higher tip than I would for mediocre service. This year we tried the Disney Dining Plan for the first time and loved it but with the changes coming to that plan in 2008, we'll be going back to using the DDE card again unless Disney revokes those changes.

Joy

[Evil_Queen]

I like the DDE card. I used it for my entire family in 2005 and we saved a ton of money. I still had the card at the beginning of 2006 and used it again. It more than paid for itself in the first use.

I plan on getting another card for the next trip.

[songbird]

Just finishing my first year, and looking forward to renewing. I feel I got my money's worth in the five trips I made.