$20 Trick.....at Disney?

[Carlyzmom]

Just wondering if anyone has ever tried this at Disney? Or is it only a Las Vegas thing? I have never heard of it used anywhere but Vegas, but I was wondering of anyone has thought of trying it?

I have used it with great success in Vegas, but don't know if I would have the guts to try it anywhere else!!

 

[HubbDave]

And what is the trick?

 

[BeckyEsq]

I have often wondered this myself!

 

[WEDWDW]

DEFINITELY not something you want to do at WDW!!!!

The front desk CMs can be terminated if they accept anything like that from Guests.

 

[Carlyzmom]

You fold up a $20 and put it in between your photo ID and credit card and hand it to the person checking you in the hotel - while asking them if there are any complimentary upgrades available. They take the tip, and many times give you a better room than what you paid for. Not sure it if would work here at Disney because most rooms are already booked. In Vegas there are probably many more empty rooms for them to work with. I dunno.

 

[Carlyzmom]

DEFINITELY not something you want to do at WDW!!!!

The front desk CMs can be terminated if they accept anything like that from Guests.

Like I said, I don't think I could do it myself, just wondering if anyone had tried it. I doubt they would be terminated though. Or else the bell guys would get fired every single day.

 

[HubbDave]

This would give you negative Pixie Dust.methinks...

 

[WEDWDW]

Or else the bell guys would get fired every single day.

Bell Services is a "tipped" position-Front Desk is not.

 

[Carlyzmom]

This would give you negative Pixie Dust.methinks...

Could be. I guess it would depend on the mood of the CM. Probably many of the would not get it. Probably only a Vegas thing.

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

You fold up a $20 and put it in between your photo ID and credit card and hand it to the person checking you in the hotel - while asking them if there are any complimentary upgrades available. They take the tip, and many times give you a better room than what you paid for. Not sure it if would work here at Disney because most rooms are already booked. In Vegas there are probably many more empty rooms for them to work with. I dunno.

This would not work at Disney resorts. The CM's checking you in don't give someone a free upgrade unless it has already been predetermined by the computer. For example, if the CL has a ton of vacant rooms the room controller might decide to upgrade a few people who were booked at Lagoon view and those people would be notified at check-in that they had received a free upgrade. It wasn't the CM checking them in that did it on their own. Now, if you ask if any upgrades are available, and they do have rooms, they sometimes offer people an upgrade for a fee ($50 a night is what we paid one time). So it never hurts to ask. But I wouldn't give them a $20. That is super tacky.

 

[Carlyzmom]

Bell Services is a "tipped" position-Front Desk is not.

Yes, but if a CM was particulary helpful, you can't give them a tip? After the fact, I mean. I often tip folks (outside of Disney) that are helpful and cheerful and may not necessarily be in a "tipped" position.

 

[HubbDave]

I think in Vegas it is required...lol

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

Yes, but if a CM was particulary helpful, you can't give them a tip? After the fact, I mean. I often tip folks (outside of Disney) that are helpful and cheerful and may not necessarily be in a "tipped" position.

There have been CMs terminated for accepting tips. Bell services and Mousekeepers are the only people I tip in the hotel. Not including the restaurants of course.

 

[Carlyzmom]

Like I said, I would NEVER try this personally, just wondering if it had ever crossed anyone's mind.

 

[EagleScout]

As a Vegas (and AC) veteran, as well as a Disney veteran, it typically does NOT work for a few reasons:

1) In Vegas (and Atlantic City), there is just generally a "culture" of tipping, even for "non-tipped" positions - so it is "different." And in Disney, it is true that accepting tips is "against policy", but I believe the "full policy" is something like the check-in host is required to refuse the tip a certain number of times, and at a certain point, they typically just put in a general "pot" for office parties, etc. (Although some check-in hosts are known to just continue to refuse indefinitely, particularly because the particular manager on duty may have a stricter standard, etc.)

2) Much of the tipping in Vegas and AC is for preferred views, but in Disney, those are typically separate booking categories with separate prices.

3) In Vegas (and AC, and any other casino-hotel), many of the best rooms are held open for "high rollers" (big gamblers) who are even potentially arriving, and if any of those people cancel or change plans at last minute (which does happen often), their rooms "open up" and it sort of flows down - this just does not happen as frequently at non-casino hotels. We have gotten rooms in Vegas that even had elaborate gift baskets with someone else's name on them, waiting for the person who was "supposed" to eat them.

4) As others have alluded to, there is the risk of "negative pixie dust" - many of the Disney employees are very dedicated to the "Disney standard", and as part of that, rather than just focusing on impeccable customer service, etc., some of them take an almost self-righteous approach to this and other similar attempts to be a little "sneaky", etc., despite them being fairly innocuous. As part of that, most Disney hosts will be more likely to grant upgrades or requests, if available (which is rare), if they "like" you - you are friendly, have kids, or rather than money, if you have some sort of "Sympathetic" aspect to your trip (with an elderly relative, sick child, etc.) Some have been known to express moral indignation at even an attempted "bribe". Although the person is a stranger, who wants to start their vacation with being scorned at, etc? Also, for those few "upgrades"/"requests" that are not a separate category that people sometimes request (near elevator, away from elevator, higher floor, lower floor, etc.), if you do get a check-in host "mad" at you, less likely to be helpful.

One other quick warning- if you are someone who is used to the more opulent Vegas hotel rooms, you may be in for a bit of a shock when you see the Disney rooms - which are always perfectly nice, but you are paying a big premium for onsite -which we always do, but others feel differently.

 

[WEDWDW]

And in Disney, it is true that accepting tips is "against policy", but I believe the "full policy" is something like the check-in host is required to refuse the tip a certain number of times, and at a certain point, they typically just put in a general "pot" for office parties, etc. (Although some check-in hosts are known to just continue to refuse indefinitely, particularly because the particular manager on duty may have a stricter standard, etc.)

Front Desk CMs are NEVER allowed to take tips.

There are RARE occasions where a Guest insists and so the money may be accepted by a manager and used for a "treat" for ALL Front Desk CMs.

 

[Lynne M]

Yes, but if a CM was particulary helpful, you can't give them a tip? After the fact, I mean. I often tip folks (outside of Disney) that are helpful and cheerful and may not necessarily be in a "tipped" position.

Sure, you can offer, but I'd bet that they'd refuse it, even on repeated offers, especially if you'd gotten a complimentary upgrade. If I were a front desk CM, and I knew there was a possibility that I could be let go for taking money to give extra perks to a customer, I'd probably be declining all tips, just to be safe.

PP's have talked about the culture at Vegas vs. Disney, and that plays in, too. Tipping the front desk clerk is almost part of the theming in Vegas. It's got a little of that outlaw feel to it.

All hotels set their own policies regarding complimentary upgrades. Disney has a fairly rigid set of rules around when they can be offered or given, and they're not given very often at alll, when you consider that thousands of people check into Disney resorts every day. Most are assigned before you even arrive at the resort; less commonly, a CM will have an upgrade to give out at their discretion, and even then, they must document and justify it.

I liked the 'negative pixie dust' comment, because it kind of boils down to this:

Vegas clerk getting offered 20 bucks for a better room: woohoo, an extra 20 bucks in my pocket, I like this guy.

Disney CM getting offered 20 bucks for a better room: oh, great, this guy wants me to do something that could cost me my job.

Entirely different vibe.

 

[WEDWDW]

vegas clerk getting offered 20 bucks for a better room: Woohoo, an extra 20 bucks in my pocket, i like this guy.

Disney cm getting offered 20 bucks for a better room: Oh, great, this guy wants me to do something that could cost me my job.

Entirely different vibe.

Well said!

 

[Carlyzmom]

Sure, you can offer, but I'd bet that they'd refuse it, even on repeated offers, especially if you'd gotten a complimentary upgrade. If I were a front desk CM, and I knew there was a possibility that I could be let go for taking money to give extra perks to a customer, I'd probably be declining all tips, just to be safe.

PP's have talked about the culture at Vegas vs. Disney, and that plays in, too. Tipping the front desk clerk is almost part of the theming in Vegas. It's got a little of that outlaw feel to it.

All hotels set their own policies regarding complimentary upgrades. Disney has a fairly rigid set of rules around when they can be offered or given, and they're not given very often at alll, when you consider that thousands of people check into Disney resorts every day. Most are assigned before you even arrive at the resort; less commonly, a CM will have an upgrade to give out at their discretion, and even then, they must document and justify it.

I liked the 'negative pixie dust' comment, because it kind of boils down to this:

Vegas clerk getting offered 20 bucks for a better room: woohoo, an extra 20 bucks in my pocket, I like this guy.

Disney CM getting offered 20 bucks for a better room: oh, great, this guy wants me to do something that could cost me my job.

Entirely different vibe.

I agree with you totally. Makes sense to me. That's why I would never do it. I wouldn't want a CM to feel uncomfortable. That's why I asked though. Some folks are just more bold and I wondered if it had been tried. Some people will try anything!

 

[tj2002]

I doubt the $20 trick would work, since they aren't able to accept tips at the front desk. But sometimes by just being gracious and nice you never know what you might get.

We were upgraded to a Savannah View room on our honeymoon at AKL by the CM without asking. It was a pleasant surprise. CM saw we were in a regular room, went to speak with his manager and said he wanted to make our trip special. We tried to give him a $20 tip afterwards, however he could not accept it, but was very appreciative of the offer.