Bell Service Tip Question?

[Masonmj84]

We do a lot of split stays and use bell services for the luggage transfers between resorts.

I always tip when they pick up our bags from the old resort and then again when they deliver the bags at our new resort (usually they transfer 3 bags and we tip $5 on each end. We also usually tip Mousekeeping $5/day. Before our vacation, we get a roll of $5 bills from the bank for tipping purposes).

 

[DrKnow]

Ok, I'm glad I'm not the only one confused. I have 3 boys ages 5 to 8 months, so we had a lot of stuff. I think there were 12 items. So I gave the first guy at WL $15. Then another guy takes my bags to the room. Not sure what todo, I gave him $15. Going home, I think I did like $10 and $10. But dang, that's $50 just in bag tips.

 

[kimieko]

Hmmmm. Maybe it's CBR that doesn't allow bell service tips.

Maybe he was a manager? If that would make a difference? He was basically the one scheduling the internal shuttle and having runners get our stroller and groceries. And that is who he told us to give the money to.

 

[Sue M]

As far as the OPs question....that's a hard one. The time we stayed at the Polynesian, we arrived by towncar. There was a CM out there, to grab our bags, so fast it was incredible. He brought the bags to the Bell stand. From there another CM took them inside. Then, a third CM took them to our room, with us, in a golf cart. Each one of those CMs literally had their hand out for a tip!!! We had 4 bags, so it was $5 times 3....just to get from the car to the room. It was ridiculous. I no longer require help with my bags. If I have to store them, I tip $1 a bag when I drop the bags off. When I have them delivered to my room, it's another $1 per bag, plus a bit more if the service was speedy. Same thing when I store the carryon bags at the end of my stay.....a few dollars when I drop my carry on bag off, a few dollars when I return to get it.

I find this very confusing too. I fly into Ft Lauderdale first to visit family, then drive rental car up to wdw, after check in I return rental. Used to drive up to front of resort, same thing, 3 different people handling luggage. Now i just park car to see if room is ready. If it's ready I'll bring luggage to room myself.

This is a good question and one I think about every time we stay at a deluxe resort (or Swan and Dolphin) because we drive. When we arrive, there is someone getting our bags out of our car and putting them on the cart, although, DH and I help them the whole time. Then they bring it to the bell stand and a different person takes you to your room and unloads your bags. Same thing happens in reverse when you're leaving. I've just settled into the routine of giving the person loading/unloading the car $10 and the person taking us to/from the room $15. Sometimes I tip more to the person dropping us off in our room if they're really talkative about amenities, etc. I feel bad like I'm not giving enough, but it puts us in awkward position of having to tip twice especially when we definitely help with the car unloading/loading. I'd rather just have one person and give him $20, but alas, it doesn't work that way. One good thing about staying at a moderate when you drive is not having to worry about that.

They have same Bell Service at the moderates, someone taking luggage out of car, bringing it to Bell Service & someone delivering.

 

[Sue M]

Maybe he was a manager? If that would make a difference? He was basically the one scheduling the internal shuttle and having runners get our stroller and groceries. And that is who he told us to give the money to.

Yes, probably. We tried to tip a person, last year but he said he was a manager just helping out and couldn't accept tips.

 

[Music City Mama]

They have same Bell Service at the moderates, someone taking luggage out of car, bringing it to Bell Service & someone delivering.

In our situation, we always arrive in the early evening (driving from TN) -- we never have to drop off our bags to anyone because we always arrive when the room is ready. At a moderate, we check in, are given our room assignment and go straight to the room bringing our bags ourselves. When we arrive at a deluxe, we can't park right next to room/building like we can at a moderate, so we have to use them for the cart (unless we want to make several trips traipsing back and forth through the lobby/elevators/hallways). So, for us, it's only at a deluxe when anyone is touching our luggage.

 

[hsgeiser]

I like to haul my own bags to avoid any conundrums like this. But I think typically it's per bag per person.

 

[cigar95]

As was just said, housekeeping isn't actually a position that is tippable, per WDW. Whether or not we do it is one thing, but if a housekeeper read their postion's description they would never expect a tip.

Housekeeping at WDW is different from the "norm" for the US hotel industry, in that they are paid on a non-tipped scale. Other hotels and chains use a pay scale that assumes there will be some amount of tip income to augment the salary.

While I learned about this a long time ago, I've never heard a definitive explanation of *why* WDW does it this way. (Lots of speculation, yes, but nothing absolute.)

 

[Jason'smom]

We had this happen at our last stay at AOA. Tipped the first guy helping us unload the car, then a different guy brought them to our room, so I felt like I had to tip him as well. I asked my TA about this, and she said try not to be in the room when they are delivered?? Maybe she was sort of joking, but I had already been thinking that way. I've just heard that CBR, where we are staying next trip, doesn't deliver bags unless you are in the room waiting. Ugh!! Tough call, I think. Maybe I'll ask the concierge when I get there?? We normally load our car when we leave but if we didn't tipping up to 4 people for hauling bags is a little much, at least in our case, we tend to pack in smaller bags so we have more of them.

 

[loves to dive]

We had this happen at our last stay at AOA. Tipped the first guy helping us unload the car, then a different guy brought them to our room, so I felt like I had to tip him as well. I asked my TA about this, and she said try not to be in the room when they are delivered?? Maybe she was sort of joking, but I had already been thinking that way. I've just heard that CBR, where we are staying next trip, doesn't deliver bags unless you are in the room waiting. Ugh!! Tough call, I think. Maybe I'll ask the concierge when I get there?? We normally load our car when we leave but if we didn't tipping up to 4 people for hauling bags is a little much, at least in our case, we tend to pack in smaller bags so we have more of them.

They will not deliver your bags to your room unless you are in it. They used to but the policy has changed.

 

[Jason'smom]

They will not deliver your bags to your room unless you are in it. They used to but the policy has changed.

Well, maybe there should be a list of all these policies, lol. We were just there in April. Maybe we won't use them this next trip?

 

[nanaSLA56]

According to AAA standards tipping for any Bell person/Valet that unloads your luggage from your car or takes luggage to and from your room should be $3 per bag. As far as Disney and who delivers bags to the room or who gets tipped is sometimes not that easy to tell because all moderate and deluxe resorts have Bell Service cast that includes valet (3rd party-not Disney-split tips), Bellman (Disney-tipped) and luggage room cast (non-tipped). All value resorts at Disney use a 3rd party to handle their luggage from guests that drive in or use Disney's Magical Express and these employees can accept tips, but they split them amongst each other. Disney tipped cast do not split tips and yes, housekeepers are a non-tipped role, but can somehow keep them if they get them. Hope this helps anyone that has questions about tipping and if they should, the answer is yes.

 

[Networth]

@nanaSLA56 This thread is over 3 years old.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

@nanaSLA56 This thread is over 3 years old.

So because it's old, you can't reply to it anymore? Please explain. And since I'm here, I tip Mousekeeping $10 a day. I tip $20 when they deliver our luggage to our room. I tip $20 when they bring our bags to our car on departure day. I tipped bell services the last 2 years $20 to go park our car and bring the keys to our room and they gladly accepted the tips each time. I also tip the person at the podium $20 at every restaurant so I can get a seat where I want.

 

[partigus]

Had similar issues- one year realized different person ( a guy) brought bags to our room then who helped load up the cart....I tipped him, but felt bad the girl who was so helpful didn't get a tip, so I went back down find her (pretty sure this was the beach club, based on memories of the parking circle- but could have been boardwalk or yacht club as well....found out...those that handle the bags in the drive way are NOT disney employees. For us at least- this person has by far the most work - dealing with my wife with ALL the bags while my wife tries to keep the kids in tow....since then I've tipped the outside person about $2 per bag and the inside $1( 20/10 0r 10/5) (I say about as we tend to have a bunch of very small light weight things AND my wife tends to do half the work)

 

[Networth]

So because it's old, you can't reply to it anymore? Please explain. And since I'm here, I tip Mousekeeping $10 a day. I tip $20 when they deliver our luggage to our room. I tip $20 when they bring our bags to our car on departure day. I tipped bell services the last 2 years $20 to go park our car and bring the keys to our room and they gladly accepted the tips each time. I also tip the person at the podium $20 at every restaurant so I can get a seat where I want.

You didn’t know once it’s one year old the thread will put Malware on your computer if you reply .

Oh and since I am here again and already have the Malware. Tipping $20 to all the podiums sounds unlikely. I worked for the Mouse years ago and have friends that still do. No CM’s will take $20 and possibly loose their jobs to help a guest get a table. You are made quite aware that is grounds for a write up or even termination.

 

[_19disnA]

Regardless of old/new thread it is still a good question and probably a lot of new people have joined in the past 3 yrs. At most hotels you tip the person who brings the luggage to your room. If they refuse due to local policy isn't something you have any control over. If someone helps you UNLOAD your car, then tipping seems proper. If you unload your own car and/or just put your own bags on their cart, you probably don't need to tip. $1/bag is a typical amount. If you choose to give more is also your business. For valet, I rarely see anyone tip them when dropping off the car, but usually $1-2 is standard when they retrieve your car.

You might go your entire vacation and never see housekeeping. If we asked for more towels/soap, etc. it seems appropriate to tip them, but not simply for doing their job.

 

[Geezer12]

I give them $10-20 when we check in and they unload the car and bring the bags to our room and another $10-20 when they load up our room and drive us to our car. I've never been told they could not accept a tip. I have never needed to tip them for holding a stroller though so

 

[Geezer12]

Exactly how I tip them.