Tax and gratuity on meals

[Runey]

I'm trying to figure out whether to get the dining plan or not... It costs $37.99 per night (including tax and gratuity)... To help me figure out whether it's worth it I need to know what tax and gratuity is added on top of a meal... I've already booked CRT which was $31.99, by the time everything was added on, it came to $38.21... I'm from Australia so I've got no idea how these things work in America All taxes etc are already included in the shown price over here...

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Unless you are in a large group or otherwise stated on a menu, gratuity is technically an option. As a general rule it tends to be in the 15% to 20% range at full service, maybe a little lower at a buffet where all the server does is bring/refill drinks and clear used dishes.

At Disney World, for example, a gratuity of 15% to 18%, depending on the restaurant, is added automatically if the group is eight or more people. Any prepaid meals, such as the dining plan or specials such as the CandleLight Processional, have gratuity included.

The basic Sales Tax rate in Florida is 6.0% and is on most goods and services. The counties have an option, by vote of their residents, to add a surtax of 0.5%, 1.0% or 1.5% to the state rate.

Orange County, which is most of WDW has a surtax of 0.5%, so purchases (including meals) are taxed at 6.5%.

Osceola County, which has the All-Stars Resorts and Wide World of Sports in it, has a 1.0% surtax so purchases at those locations are subject to a 7.0% tax.

In addition, counties are allowed to have a tax on transient lodging. In Orange it is 5.0%, so the room tax at almost all of WDW is 11.5%. In Osceola it is 6.0%, so the room tax at the All-Stars Resorts is 13.0%.

Mike (CPA Retired)

 

[angel's momma]

For the dining plan, gratuity is 18%. Most of the restaurants have the 6.5% tax. That would make CRT $39.82.

Most people find that the dining plan is a great value.

 

[Runey]

Ah well can't quite get it to add up properly, but it's close enough It will give me a chance to see whether the dining plan is worth it... I suspect it may be borderline because we are doing alot of character breakfasts, and being cheaper are a bit of a waste for a TS credit...

Thanks all for your help...

 

[dzorn]

If you plan on doing a lot of character meals. It could work to your advantage for the kids. Cost of most character meals for the little ones is more than the cost of dining plan for them for the day. And you would still have snack and CS credits for the day.

Don't forget for to add up what you would expect to pay OOP for One table service , one counter service and one snack. Not just the OOP cost of one table service.

Denise

 

[formernyer]

If your original plan was to bring sandwiches into the parks and eat supper outside of Disney (with maybe only one or two special meals in the parks), then you need to do a detailed cost-benefit analysis. Just keep in mind that even though the sandwiches/offsite dinner option might come out a little cheaper, you will not be eating like you will under the plan. Until you get to Disney it's really hard to understand just how much food you'll be getting with this plan. You'll eat like you've never eaten before. You'll be stuffed at all times and scrambling to use up leftover credits at the end of the trip. I laughed at the people who posted about having leftover credits, but it happened to me. The meals are huge, so you end up sharing some of them and then scrambling to use the leftovers (we used them on breakfasts at the hotel food court). You'll also be so full that you usually won't even want to use your snack credits. Luckily there are bottled drinks and prepackaged foods that you can buy at the end with snack credits to take home with you.

If your original plan was to eat two meals a day in the parks (even if you planned to make most of them counter-service), then you don't even need to analyze the situation...you will almost certainly be better off WITH the dining plan.

 

[Runey]

Well now that the dining is included, the point is now moot

I had only just finished doing my sums and concluded I would save about $100 total when I found out that the plan was now going to be free :-D

Thanks again for all your input though