A Disney Housekeepers point of view (videos)

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

How did my boredom while waiting for my daughter come to this???
I am NOT passing judgement, I am excited with anticipation of going to the parks. ..it helps me pass the time. ..nothing more.

You never mentioned boredom. You made it a point to say:

Thank you for sharing and taking the time to post the videos. I tidy our room, gather used towels and strip the beds for the staff; I know I do not have to, I just like making it a little easier for them (it takes 5 minutes).

As well as this when someone replied to your post by asking "You strip the beds?":

Yes...I strip the beds...2 linens and a duvet, a 1 minute task while my daughter gets ready for the parks.

So you mentioned that you like to make things easier for the staff and your process takes 5 min for the whole bit with 1 min for stripping the bed. If you're bored you're bored it's whatev but when you add in things like "it's easier on the staff" and "a task that takes X amount of time" I'm getting a different impression than you're just killing time which according to your procedure it kills a total of 5 mins of your time (ETA: with only 1 min being killed stripping the bed).

There's nothing wrong at all with what you're doing most would probably just find it overkill for a hotel room (ETA: meaning stripping the bed part).

 

[jiminyC_fan]

You never mentioned boredom. You made it a point to say:



As well as this when someone replied to your post by asking "You strip the beds?":



So you mentioned that you like to make things easier for the staff and your process takes 5 min for the whole bit with 1 min for stripping the bed. If you're bored you're bored it's whatev but when you add in things like "it's easier on the staff" and "a task that takes X amount of time" I'm getting a different impression than you're just killing time which according to your procedure it kills a total of 5 mins of your time (ETA: with only 1 min being killed stripping the bed).

There's nothing wrong at all with what you're doing most would probably just find it overkill for a hotel room (ETA: meaning stripping the bed part).

Wow! Not sure her post deserved all this.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I don't think in any way shape or form does any hotel expect guests to strip the bed no matter the time spent doing it.

The only places I have ever stripped the bed is my husband's grandmother's house and when requested by the owner if we're doing a for rent by owner place.

Totally ok that you're doing that but it's not a bad reflection on anyone who doesn't do that (even if it just takes a min to do it).

The benefit to the guest in stripping the bed is it clearly lets housekeeping know you want fresh sheets! No chance of you not getting fresh sheets if you strip the bed. They aren't going to remake it with used/dirty sheets.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The benefit to the guest in stripping the bed is it clearly lets housekeeping know you want fresh sheets! No chance of you not getting fresh sheets if you strip the bed. They aren't going to remake it with used/dirty sheets.

Was never saying there is or isn't a benefit to it just that most would find that overkill nor do I think hotels expect their guests to do that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Wow! Not sure her post deserved all this.

The poster made it a point to essentially say it doesn't take much time to do these tasks (5 mins total w/1 min to strip the bed) and that they just want to help the staff out (the whole point of the thread was to give perspective to housekeeping's tasks and tips from a housekeeping on being a good guests,etc) but then says they are just bored and wanted to kill time sorry that I was pointing out those come across in two different ways in the context of the thread. And I was more talking about stripping the bed.

 

[Dug720]

I know at least the Disney Cruise Line has banned the over the door holders. They were doing too much damage. Just be aware that anything that accidentally causes damage to the room my cause you to have to fork out more $$$. I would never recommend command hooks, as they are not as infallible as people seem to think.

DCL also prohibits anything with adhesive on the walls or ceiling. Ergo no command hooks. (And I agree they are not infallible. I had one that was "rated" for something much heavier than the picture I put on it - but the picture crashed (luckily it didn't break- just made a lot of noise) a few days after hanging.)

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You strip the beds?

I'm pretty clean. I don't leave trash around. And I gather dirty towels. But I do not strip the beds.

That's pretty much what I do. I also put the pillows back on the bed if they landed on the floor along with the duvet if that also ended up on the floor.

I mostly stay at Hamptons and so their directive is if you want to new towels leave the used ones on the floor and if you want to reuse towels then hang them up so if I want new towels I gather the used ones up and put them on the floor in the bathroom. Of course I'm following what directions each place gives me but if there are no directions on things like towels I'm generally gathering them up and putting them on the bathroom floor anyways.

 

[Lady V]

I think this was a great video! I have seen rooms with the door open as I was passing by and the state of the room was absolutely disgusting! I think she was very nice with her explanation! They deal with soooo much!

 

[Jennasis]

This is why I love being DVC. I prefer to not have the housekeeper in my room at all. We don't make a mess, and it doesn't matter to us at all if the bed stays unmade for the whole trip.

 

[Vijoge]

We seldom avail ourselves of the housekeeping services at hotels, and almost always keep the Do Not Disturb sign on the door during our whole stay. We still tip the staff daily as we pass them in the hall as there's no need for a housekeeper to lose income because of our preferences. Before checking out, we collect all the used towels and put them in the bathtub, and strip the bed. We make sure all the trash is either bagged or taken out of the room. We've been doing it this way for years. I know it isn't necessary.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Was never saying there is or isn't a benefit to it just that most would find that overkill nor do I think hotels expect their guests to do that.

Wow! Argumentative much??!!
So you can speak for the majority that something is overkill??? Nor did I say that anyone was EXPECTING guests to do this.
I have asked for clean sheets and did not get them on more than one occasion at WDW. So if I strip the bed I am fairly certain that I will get clean sheets! I much prefer getting what I requested even if it takes a minute or 2 of my time to help facilitate it.

This is why I love being DVC. I prefer to not have the housekeeper in my room at all. We don't make a mess, and it doesn't matter to us at all if the bed stays unmade for the whole trip.

And I like clean sheets every few days and fresh towels every day (without me having to wash them myself). I also like the bed made and trash emptied daily. And yes I make my bed at home every day. We don't need a kitchen as I don't cook on vacation. So I will gladly give up a kitchen for daily housekeeping. That's the beauty of Disney...something to fit everyone's needs.

 

[Jennasis]

Wow! Argumentative much??!!
So you can speak for the majority that something is overkill??? Nor did I say that anyone was EXPECTING guests to do this.
I have asked for clean sheets and did not get them on more than one occasion at WDW. So if I strip the bed I am fairly certain that I will get clean sheets! I much prefer getting what I requested even if it takes a minute or 2 of my time to help facilitate it.


And I like clean sheets every few days and fresh towels every day (without me having to wash them myself). I also like the bed made and trash emptied daily. And yes I make my bed at home every day. We don't need a kitchen as I don't cook on vacation. So I will gladly give up a kitchen for daily housekeeping. That's the beauty of Disney...something to fit everyone's needs.

True that! My mother would rather not go on vacation than vacation in a place with a kitchen and laundry LOL. DVC just doesn't fit her style. For us it works.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Wow! Argumentative much??!!
So you can speak for the majority that something is overkill??? Nor did I say that anyone was EXPECTING guests to do this.
I have asked for clean sheets and did not get them on more than one occasion at WDW. So if I strip the bed I am fairly certain that I will get clean sheets! I much prefer getting what I requested even if it takes a minute or 2 of my time to help facilitate it.

I wasn't being argumentative.

I didn't say you personally think people expect guests to do this...you realize I wasn't responding to your post which was giving me the possible benefits of stripping the bed right? You quoted me and I was making an explanation in regards to my response to the other poster.

I think you think I was speaking in direct reference to you..but I wasn't..

 

[bucky1023]

I find these videos interesting. You would expect some of these things to be common sense to people, but I would also think it is common sense for people to clean up after themselves at QS/CS places... but that isn't the case, when I'm throwing away someone else's trash after they have finished and moved on

 

[johnsgrl]

I enjoyed the videos , thanks for sharing.
It was almost a walk down memory lane. My first job was as a hotel housekeeper (back when they let 13 year old kids get a work permit for "domestic" work). And I so relate to the stories she told. I got quite an education from that job!
I didn't find it whiny, just an accurate re-telling of a day in the life and something that many never even think about. Guests can make their job so much more pleasant, or so very, very unpleasant.

 

[bluefunnel]

I sort of obsessively clean the room before each day(unlike my house) but I never thought about the leaving it dark thing. We always keep the curtains closed so I don't touch them and I tend to turn all of the lights off before I leave.

I guess next time I may leave a lamp on or crack open the curtains a bit.

 

[Auntie_Maim]

Watched the first and third videos (or actually listened while doing some other stuff). Good information to know.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I often stay for 4 days at a time, and normally by myself. I won't use all my towels and don't tend to fill up the trash bins, so I often decline all housekeeping. I still tip at the end of my stay, since it was clean when I arrived. I always decline when I check in, so the poor housekeeper doesn't have to keep coming by my room to see if the Do Not Disturb sign is gone. When I do have daily service, I always have my stuff off the floor, and my toiletries corralled in my dopp kit, so the room is easy to clean. But then, I am just one person, so it is easy to keep things tidy.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I often stay for 4 days at a time, and normally by myself. I won't use all my towels and don't tend to fill up the trash bins, so I often decline all housekeeping. I still tip at the end of my stay, since it was clean when I arrived. I always decline when I check in, so the poor housekeeper doesn't have to keep coming by my room to see if the Do Not Disturb sign is gone. When I do have daily service, I always have my stuff off the floor, and my toiletries corralled in my dopp kit, so the room is easy to clean. But then, I am just one person, so it is easy to keep things tidy.

I've never even thought about declining housekeeping just didn't enter my mind (speaking in more general terms). I'll have to keep that in mind. Usually I just utilize the do not disturb sign when I want to.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I've never even thought about declining housekeeping just didn't enter my mind (speaking in more general terms). I'll have to keep that in mind. Usually I just utilize the do not disturb sign when I want to.

That works too, but I hate the idea that the housekeeper has to keep checking on my room until his/her shift ends. If they know they don't have to touch my room, it is easier for them to plan their work for the day.