Hi, Warren!
Welcome back to Disney Parks Moms Panel!
This is a great question. When parties of 6 or more dine together in
Walt Disney World, the gratuity is automatically added to the check. How you choose to PAY that check, however, gives you options.
For example, if you have linked a credit card to your
My Disney Experience account, you will simply sign for the
Disney Dining Plan entitlements you have used in addition to signing for any expenses that are not included in your DDP. We often order an appetizer or glass or wine with our meal, neither of which are included in a Disney Dining Plan, so that charge would be included along with the additional gratuity. One "charge" is going to acknowledge use of your Table-Service entitlements and the other will be for any additional costs that you may charge to your room, a different credit card or, of course, you could pay cash or use a Disney Gift Card for that balance.
Regardless of how you choose to pay, though, you will need to sign the check at the end of your meal.
Have a most magical trip, Warren; be sure to send more questions as you think of them, too. We love to help!
Andrea H