Welcome to planDisney, Colleen! I'm so glad to be able to answer your question today. Dining is my favorite part of a Walt Disney World Resort vacation, and my family often takes advantage of the
Disney Dining Plan to set ourselves up for a smooth and carefree trip! I'm happy to share some tips and tricks with you about what to do when you're dining with a mixed group of people on the Dining Plan and people paying out of pocket.
It is totally possible to split the check when you're dining with people who aren't using the Dining Plan. When you're seated, your server will usually start by asking if anyone is using the Disney Dining Plan. That's the perfect moment to explain your situation and how everyone is paying, and your server will take it from there. This situation is super common, and Cast Members are great at splitting checks so that the Dining Plan meals are used only for the guests who have them, while others pay with a credit card,
Disney Gift Card, or cash. No need to charge anything to the
Resort Hotel room folio if you don't want to.
I have a few friendly tips to make it extra smooth! If you plan to share any appetizers or desserts across the table, just let your server know which items should be on whose checks. Dining Plan meals can only be used for the guests on that specific package, but they can also pay for items out of pocket on the same check if they choose to order more for the table. It's also important to know that for parties of six or more at the same table, an 18% automatic gratuity will be added to the bill. This is based on the size of the party at the table, not how the check is split. If your group of seven is dining together, you can still have separate bills, but each one will include the automatic gratuity.
I hope this answers your question, Colleen, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation.
Jessica