Servers & the Dining Plans

[henry.james.s]

Since I've been here @ Intercot I've read the accounts of people recieving poor service because they were on the DDP.
I just want to go on record to say this is something I've NEVER experienced.
I've honestly lost count of how many times I've used the DDP in it's various forms, I'd say 20 trips minimum each a week long or longer. So I guestimate I've had 200 + TS meals on a Dining plan.
I'm not saying I've not had what I'd call below average (rare) service but anytime I've informed a server that I was on a DDP I can honestly say I never got a "look" or noticed any type of "attitude shift" at all. And believe me I'd notice and would let management know.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen..everyone is human, but in my long Disney dining experience I've never seen it.
Or I'm very lucky.
I've gotten to know quite a few servers over the years and the vast majority are really great, caring folks. They work their tails off and play a large part in making my time at the resort very enjoyable. :thumbsup:

[jonsmom]

You have been lucky!;)

[bretski99]

For the most part, wait staff were incredibly pleasant when we were on the dining plan, throughout all of DW. We had TS at Coral Reef, Sci Fi, Jiko, 50's, and Di Alfredo in Epcot Italy. The only exception was at 50's. This was back in December 2006, when dessert AND appetizers were included in the plan. When we couldn't eat all of our food at the end of the meal, the gentleman who was our service person said in as snarky a voice as he could, "that's why I don't like the dining plan - it's a waste of food". To be fair, the guy was in "Prime Time" full charater the whole time so it was hard to tell if he was serious, or just giving us the "Big Brother" vibe that he's supposed to give us, but he made us feel kind of bad. I've heard this has happened before at other restaurants as well. But, that was the only instance of trouble we had.

I would be curious to know if any percieved service issues improve now that the DDP makes the user pay the gratuity. Knowing it's not a statndard 18% (or whatever it was) might make them work harder for the tips. I'd be curious to know if anyone has a perspective on that.

[Tbelle1976]

Just by reading your post you seem like you must be pretty upbeat and positive person and not EXPECTING bad service when using the DDP. In all the dining experiences I've had in WDW (although not on the dining plan) I can also honestly say that I have never walked out and thought because of the service I would not go back there.

I've probably heard more neg. comments about servers while on the DDP than pos. ones, which is really sad. When you are expecting something neg., you probably spend more time looking for that negativity than enjoying what could have been a great experience.

We will be going back down in Feb on the deluxe DDP, and I have absoutely NO doubt that we will enjoy each and every meal!:mickey:

[henry.james.s]

Just by reading your post you seem like you must be pretty upbeat and positive person and not EXPECTING bad service when using the DDP. In all the dining experiences I've had in WDW (although not on the dining plan) I can also honestly say that I have never walked out and thought because of the service I would not go back there.

I've probably heard more neg. comments about servers while on the DDP than pos. ones, which is really sad. When you are expecting something neg., you probably spend more time looking for that negativity than enjoying what could have been a great experience.



On this subject I do go into it with a open mind (I'm not a pushover by any means) and will speak up if motivated to do so.
You make a very good point that some may be more apt to take something as negative, dining or anything else, if they hear or read a negative comment beforehand. Otherwise whatever it is wouldn't be noticed at all.
To me life is to short for that. :thumbsup:

[WishesFan13]

Dh and i have had the dining plan the last couple times we've gone when tips were included and this last time when they weren't and we had good servers everytime. i guess we might just be some of the lucky ones (overall we don't have very good luck though) but i don't have a single complaint about any of the servers we've had in wdw. many times we've ended up tipping over 20% because the service was so good. We did encounter a nasty cm at the mainstreet bakery but so far, anyway we've had only good expierences with the servers in the restaurants.

[HoosierDisneyFan]

I have had no problems with DDP either. I always wonder if any problem with a TS resturant is somehow attributed to the DDP when it might just a bad a waiter / cook / etc.

I have the same feeling about Magical Express. Everytime the luggage is late it's ME fault. Maybe the airline is to blame (it's no like arilines get your bags to you 100% of the time either).

[Bri]

i'm one of those people that have talking about having bad service on the dining plan . and certainly not because i've looked for it. when we went in 2005 it was my first time in years and i barely knew what the dining plan was. i also didn't know about intercot so i didn't know there were complaints about service. the first night, our waitress at coral reef literally disappeared when we mentioned the dining plan. i thought that was rude but didn't think much else of it. for the rest of the week, i certainly didn't go to each meal thinking that service was going to be bad. but when i looked back on the meals, i did recall less than caring service on some occasions when we mentioned the dining plan. i'm not saying it was like this everywhere cause it wasn't. but it was certainly the case in some instances and not because i was looking for the negative.

[lockedoutlogic]

Sometimes the service is spotty.....

but it has nothing to do with a dining plan. Waiting tables is sometimes a very difficult and seldom rewarding occupation.....

Bad service will rear it's head quite often....

But it really doesn't have anything to a dining plan

[Tbelle1976]

Sometimes the service is spotty.....

but it has nothing to do with a dining plan. Waiting tables is sometimes a very difficult and seldom rewarding occupation.....

Bad service will rear it's head quite often....

But it really doesn't have anything to a dining plan


I absoutely agree!!!

[rmsongs]

Having just returned from a 7-night trip with the DP (which I am very unhappy about in its new incarnation), we had all terrific servers, with one exception (Planet Hollywood). In all honesty, she wasn't "bad", per se, just not as attentive as she might have been. I have major problems with the "new" dining plan, but none with the servers.

[rmsongs]

I forgot to mention: We were double charged for 2 tips (1 for my family, 1 for our friends), but I'd like to think it was an honest mistake. In both instances, we paid cash, but when we checked out, we found the tip had also been charged to the room.

[henry.james.s]

Having just returned from a 7-night trip with the DP (which I am very unhappy about in its new incarnation), we had all terrific servers, with one exception (Planet Hollywood). In all honesty, she wasn't "bad", per se, just not as attentive as she might have been. I have major problems with the "new" dining plan, but none with the servers.

Were the problems you had with the "new" dining plan things you weren't aware of or changes from the "old" plan that you didn't like?

If it's "yes" to either one how can this be the fault of the DDP when so much info about the different DDP's is available here and on other WDW info sites and from Disney directly?

If "no" please elaborare.


I forgot to mention: We were double charged for 2 tips (1 for my family, 1 for our friends), but I'd like to think it was an honest mistake. In both instances, we paid cash, but when we checked out, we found the tip had also been charged to the room.

Really I don't see how this can be blamed on the DDP.
It's clearly mistakes made by your server. You said above you had no problems with your servers but I'd call what happened a problem. Perhaps their training on the DDP but not the plan itself.
One of the reasons I always review my check before leaving especially with a large group are mistakes like this.

I'm just trying to get a clearer picture on the subject and maybe help out all of us here on the DDP subject. :thumbsup:

[Tbelle1976]

I forgot to mention: We were double charged for 2 tips (1 for my family, 1 for our friends), but I'd like to think it was an honest mistake. In both instances, we paid cash, but when we checked out, we found the tip had also been charged to the room.

Is there a way to get a print out of room charges each day? I would think this would make it easier than to wait until the last day and try to look everything over and remember everything.

[peemagg]

Sure you can get a print out each day. If there is a problem with the bill to your room even if it is the last day of your visit and you haven't checked before, you have the right to dispute a charge. If I was double charged for something you had better believe I would be speaking with the hotel manager about removing that charge. If they (whoever double charged) didn't earn it they don't deserve it.

[henry.james.s]

Sure you can get a print out each day. If there is a problem with the bill to your room even if it is the last day of your visit and you haven't checked before, you have the right to dispute a charge.

This is also a reason that when I'm on a DDP I always put the tip on my room charge. Anything extra..cash is OK but AFTER I sign the check and get my copy.
On the printout a double charge would really stand out. And another reason to get a printout various times during your stay is all tips are itemized by date and location and easier to match up with receipts.

[HoosierDisneyFan]

No problems ever with DDP. I have had a couple of issues with a particular waiter / waitress but I am not blaming DDP for those problems.

[Natazu]

I've never noticed any correlation between the dining plan and service level.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We had dining plan in 2005 and never had any issues.

[PlutoPlanet]

We had good service in both 2007 and 2008 on the DDP.

[laurenC325]

When we went in October for our honeymoon we had some of the best service. The first night at Ohana's we had great service. We also ate at San Angel inn, Liberty Tree Tavern, Le Celier, Sci Fi, Brown Derby, and the Biergarten. The only bad service we encountered was at the brown derby. It was awful, in fact so bad I wrote a letter. The biergarten was just okay, but everywhere else was outstanding. In my opinion the bad service had nothing to do with the dining plan. I'm a server and I expect the service I give to my guest. Nothing but exceptonal and that is what we got from San Angel, Le Celier, Sci Fi, Liberty Tree and Ohana.