At table service restaurants, Disney automatically adds an 18% gratuity to the bills of parties of six or more. This policy is enforced, even with small children in the party.
People tend to feel very passionate about their
beliefs about tipping. My hubby and I have frequent arguments
about acceptable tips. So to keep things impartial, I'm going to quote
an article that ran in the Wall Street Journal on October 23, 2008 by
Neal Templin called, "Tipping Point: What it Takes to Make Your Waiter
Like You." Templin writes:
I usually tip 20% for excellent restaurant service, 15% for
solid service and 10% for bad service. I thought I was being generous.
Turns out that makes me, at best, an average tipper. Tips have been on
the rise for some time. During the 1950s, people commonly tipped 10% of
the bill, says Michael Lynn of the Cornell University School of Hotel
Administration. By the 1970s and 1980s, the standard tip had risen to
15% of the tab. Nowadays, people commonly tip 15% to 20%, with the average tip about 18%.
So as it turns out, 18% is now the standard tip everywhere, not
just Disney World.
As the parent of twins, I know how much extra work a bunch of little ones at a table can be for a server -- spilled drinks, sticky hands, Cheerios on the floor, etc. When my kids were preschoolers I personally felt so bad about the mess that I always made sure my servers got a great tip AND a HUGE thank you at the end of the meal. Anything above and beyond is up to you, but the 18% minimum for your party size is required.