Are towel animals a thing of the past?

[weluvpluto]

We just spent 11 nights at Coronado Springs and 3 at the Polynesian and not once did housekeeping leave towel animals or do anything special with DDs stuffed animals. I know its not part of their jobs, and if we had never gotten it I wouldn't miss it. I think we only got them our first two times on the Disney grounds, the last two years we have not. One of our most special memories was coming back to our room to find towel animals and DDs stuffed animals wearing our sunglasses on the bed, watching tv on pillows.
Is it just something that isn't done anymore?

 

[cindala]

Maybe it depends on the resort you stay in. There may be more talented towel animal makers at one more than another.

All I know is that we get them at the YC, and we got them at the WL when we stayed there too. We just had them on our trip in July this year.

 

[safetymom]

We get them at CBR.

 

[Msslaydbug]

We stayed at CBR last year for 10 nights and didn't see one ...so maybe it has to do with the Mousekeeper that is assigned to your room ??

 

[jordanyosh]

I have stayed on site 7 times and never, ever received towel animals or had plush arranged. We've stayed at CBR, WL, YC and BW. So, I think it all depends on your housekeeper.

 

[Blondie]

I also think it depends on the individual housekeeper.

Out of all the WDW resorts we've stayed at, we didn't get towel animals until we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge this past January.

 

[skiwee1]

We got them daily during our Poly stay this past May. It depends on whether your housekeeper knows how to do them and if she has the time. I don't think they are a thing of the past. Hope not as we are looking forward to them in October!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I have a friend who goes to DW often and she swears that you are to keep the towel animals when left in your room. Some of the ones we have seen were comprised of several bath towels and hand towels and I would feel funny about keeping them. Am I right?

SG/Linda

 

[ceecee]

Of course you aren't supposed to keep them! That would be preety costly! We have yet to get any towel animals either...got a cute litte toothbrush thing made from a washcloth.

 

[safetymom]

They are for your enjoyment while in the room. The towels stay behind when you leave.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

SafetyMom and CeeCee, it is exactly as I thought. I would not have even given creedence to the lady's assertion however she is a very nice person and not the type to steal or anything. I will show her your posts when she come to visit next.

Have to tell this quick story, often when traveling with our children, I would stop at a motel and in an effort to get a better rate would expound upon how clean and neat we were and the fact that we would never steal anything from the rooms. One time we opened our suitcases the second night to find a bathmat from the previous night's hotel in our dirty laundry. LOL Yes, I did mail it back. I was red faced for a week imagining what they were saying about us.

SG/Linda

 

[Blondie]

Ahhhh yes...the great towel animal theft debate!

Here is a communication I copied from the Debate Board during the last big towel animal controversy! Someone inquired directly with Disney about this issue, and here is the official word from Disney:

(the names have been changed to protect the innocent!)


I would please like the "official" word on the following subject please.

When a guest of a WDW resort receives, in their room, a 'creation' fashioned out of towels/washcloths, for example a bunny or duck shape, with added stickers as faces, etc...is it in fact an intended 'gift' from Disney/Disney's Housekeeping
for the guest to take such an item home with them upon checkout....or is it considered 'theft' if the guest removes said item from the room and takes it home. Would a guest have to 'ask permission' from the housekeeper or other
Disney CM in order for it to be 'considered a gift'...or, is it 'presumed' by Disney that the guest will/should take the item home.

Put another way...are these washcloth animals considered a room amenity/decor/property as in bedding, regular towels, ashtrays, coffee pots, furniture, shower curtains...or a consumable, such as shampoos, soaps, matches,
pens, note paper?

Here you can see it being passed among Disney castmembers:

From: Walt Disney World Guest Mail
[mailto:xxxxx@wdw.disneyonline.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 2:31 PM

To: xxxxxx

Subject: Re: Message for the Walt Disney World Resort

Dear xxxxx,
We are forwarding this to the Legal department for handling. We have not replied to the guest.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
xxxxx
Online Guest Service
WALT DISNEY WORLD
P.O. Box 10100
Lake Buena Vista FL 32830-0100
Original Message Follows:

The reply:
xxxx,

After reviewing the email below, it seems as though this guest is asking for clarification. Since it's not a suggestion or idea, I'm returning for your handling.
Thanks.

xxxxxx

And then Disney's official reply:

Dear xxxxx,

Thank you for contacting WALT DISNEY WORLD!

We appreciate your patience as we researched your inquiry.

While there is no "official" written policy, we spoke with one of the housekeeping managers, who advised that the washcloth "creations" are indeed considered "gifts" which guests are permitted to take home with them.

We hope that you will find this information helpful, and we look forward to future opportunities to entertain you.

If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.

Please include your full name, E-Mail address, and reservation number if applicable on all correspondence.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

xxxxx
On line Guest Service
WALT DISNEY WORLD Reservations
P O Box 10,100
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0100

So there you have it folks!

 

[Cindy B]

Wow Blondie... we did get our kids plush arranged in and one towel animal.. a cat.. made out of one or two washcloths.. (smaller cat!)

 

[Jo-Jo21]

at AKL! It was a very cute puppy - the only thing I took home though was a picture of it. Every day when we returned to the room my DS's stuffed animals were cleverly arranged (in the bath tub with shower cap on, reading, coloring, watching TV with remote control, looking out the window, waiting at the door with a welcome home sign...) Mousekeeping did a wonderful job and really added something special to our trip.

 

[safetymom]

If everyone started taking the towels then WDW would start charging extra because of it. We had towel animals every day at CBR so that could add up to lots of extra mone for WDW. Since that email got bounced around I would bet they gave you an answer but if you stated you wanted to share this information on an Internet group regarding the policy I bet you it would be different.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Everything we do has an impact. If people trash the room, take stuff they are not supposed to (or ARE supposed to) leave a lot of food on their plate at buffets we all pay more regardless. I might see taking an animal made out of one washcloth if housekeeping says it is alright but we have had huge displays that used several bathtowels and washcloths. They soon lose their shape anyway so I will settle for a picture. Is easier to store anyway. (smile)

SG/Linda

 

[LoriZH]

Official word has it that they are considered "gifts" and the guest gets to keep them, way cool!

We never got a towel animal (would LOVE to have seen them) but we have had the plush arranged many of times. That is really one of the best little "perk" for the lack of a better word, about a Disney Resort. We have had them done at ASMu and CR and hopefully they will continue to do so. I can understand the no towel animals because I think that is time consuming and would also depend on which mousekeeper you got, but no arranging of the plush stinks.

 

[johnnyr]

Originally posted by weluvpluto
We just spent 11 nights at Coronado Springs and 3 at the Polynesian and not once did housekeeping leave towel animals or do anything special with DDs stuffed animals. I know its not part of their jobs, and if we had never gotten it I wouldn't miss it. I think we only got them our first two times on the Disney grounds, the last two years we have not. One of our most special memories was coming back to our room to find towel animals and DDs stuffed animals wearing our sunglasses on the bed, watching tv on pillows.
Is it just something that isn't done anymore?

We were at the Poly in July and got a towel animal almost every day. Also got them sporatically at POFQ. I can't say we did anything different as far as tipping between the two resorts. We alsway tip $1 for each person in our party. One year we stayed at ASM and never got a towel animal. Go figure.

John

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

If your mousekeeper doesn't do the towel animals/arranging the stuffed animals all you need to do is ask and most of them will do it. We didn't get any our first night at the Poly, so dh asked our mousekeeper and we had them every day after that in GREAT abundance... more than we expected even. Of course we tipped her twice a day and also thanked her several times in the halls. It really made the trip special for the kids.

 

[chamonix]

Myquestion is, do you un-arrange the towel animals each and every day to use the towels/washcloths, or leave them? We got a small animal or two (and the toothbrush thing) on the first or second day, and we just left it up in the bathroom and admired it for the rest of the week. (We had enough towels and washcloths so we didn't need the ones made into animals) So, of course, housekeeping didn't make us any more....I guess since we *already had some*...? I was afraid that if I took them apart, dd would be sad if housekeeping didn't make us anything else. They never arranged our plush animals, leis, sunglasses or hats, etc. We had plenty, dd loves plush, we brought two with us, and purchased at least one new disney plush every day we were there! (10 days, we had to buy a bag to fly them home in!) Not only were they not arranged *cutely* they were usually just pushed out of the way, often onto the floor! (and yes, we tip 3-5 dollars for the three of us every day)