Do you tip mousekeeping?

[bobbiwoz]

Hi all,

What should I do? We are shortly stopping at AK in a club level room. We will get the daily mousekeeping and also I believe the nightly turndown service (I think thats whats its called). In previous years when we have stayed (not DVC) we have always left a daily tip.

Do I need to leave another tip for the turndown?? Will it be the same maid or a different one. Its all getting very confusing lol!

Thanks in advance!

It will most likely be a different CM. DSis & I had a bit of trouble getting the sofa bed made up every night. It was worked out!

We did leave a tip for the turn down.

 

[disneynutz]

Hi all,

What should I do? We are shortly stopping at AK in a club level room. We will get the daily mousekeeping and also I believe the nightly turndown service (I think thats whats its called). In previous years when we have stayed (not DVC) we have always left a daily tip.

Do I need to leave another tip for the turndown?? Will it be the same maid or a different one. Its all getting very confusing lol!

Thanks in advance!

Based on the posts to all of the tipping threads, you should do what you want to do. Daily room service is paid for with the larger point requirements for Concierge. If you like the service and you feel that you received special attention, then tip accordingly.

Bill

 

[BeesKnees]

Neither am I, that's why my default is not to tip housekeeping (for the reasons I noted above) at timeshare or hotels unless I have additional info that it's appropriately expected. I think it's unreasonable to think that this issue will have any impact on turnover, quality control or similar. Actually the cost of living in the Orlando area is cheaper than many other parts of the state. I responded to your post specifically because your post implied that tipping was standard and as I noted, I don't think that true. As a couple of others have implied, for situations where tipping is truly appropriate, it's generally based on the quality of the service. What you do is your business.

Not directed at you specifically but as I've said before, I think many DVC people feel guilty about what they own and tipping is a way they satisfy their conscious.

As I've said several times in the past few years, I think it's likely that mousekeeping will be converted at some point and if that happens, those who were "trying to help" by tipping would have actually hurt the employees.

The CoL may be cheaper than other parts of the state but it is still really high. A maid making 8 bucks and change an hour is making less than 18k a year. She'd have to have more than one job to make a living. Regardless of the potential outcomes I can't let that stand for the person cleaning up after me and making my vacation experience and those of others nicer.

Besides if they go to a envelope tip system the maids might actually do better but in any event helping someone who makes so little can't ever be wrong.

 

[disneynutz]

The CoL may be cheaper than other parts of the state but it is still really high. A maid making 8 bucks and change an hour is making less than 18k a year. She'd have to have more than one job to make a living. Regardless of the potential outcomes I can't let that stand for the person cleaning up after me and making my vacation experience and those of others nicer.

Besides if they go to a envelope tip system the maids might actually do better but in any event helping someone who makes so little can't ever be wrong.

But where do we draw the line? We don't tip the CM who cleans the restrooms in the Parks, or the Bus Driver, Boat Driver, or Monorail Driver. They are all paid poorly and provide a service. Is it our responsibility to make up the difference in pay for what Disney pays them versus what they should get paid? Did you notice that Disney recruits College kids and foreigners to work part time so they can be paid less and with minimum benefits? Disney also just announced that any new full time employee will no longer get a pension.

Bill

 

[quirty30]

But where do we draw the line? We don't tip the CM who cleans the restrooms in the Parks, or the Bus Driver, Boat Driver, or Monorail Driver. They are all paid poorly and provide a service. Is it our responsibility to make up the difference in pay for what Disney pays them versus what they should get paid? Did you notice that Disney recruits College kids and foreigners to work part time so they can be paid less and with minimum benefits? Disney also just announced that any new full time employee will no longer get a pension.

Bill

I just see cleaning my room as a very personal service...the CM who cleans the bathrooms at the parks is not exclusively cleaning up for me or after me. Just like I'd tip a taxi driver but not a bus driver. I guess where I draw the line is at tip jars at fast food restaurants. But I do leave a small tip (like 10% or a buck a person) at places where you order at a counter but someone brings your meal and takes your plates (like WPE.)

I don't think it's my responsibility to help these people make a decent living wage, but I do feel good about choosing to throw a few extra bucks their way.

 

[Dean]

Okay, I can say that I definitely don't tip because I feel guilty for what I own...I tip at all hotel stays, or DVC stays just because I feel that housekeepers (in general) don't make a decent wage and if my tip helps their lives in a small way, that makes me happy.

To be honest, I didn't expect it to be a popular idea, nor do I expect most people that the statement applies to to be willing to admit it, likely even to themselves. Certainly for anyone that tips at WDW but not at other hotels or timeshares are likely to be in that group. For the most part, anyone who quotes the pay scale for a non tipped position but doesn't tip other similarly paid people in their life who are also in non tipped positions are likely to be included in the statement as well.

As I noted, there are many other positions at WDW that are just as lowly paid and who do just as much for the members as does mousekeeping. Unless one attempts to cover the bases for those applicable groups, there really isn't much credibility to the argument to tip a non tipped position. Can ANYONE think of another job where tipping is even discussed for someone in a non tipped position. The only ones I can think of are owners who also act as servers and those for counter service locations. Historically neither were tipped but over the last few years it's become more standard to tip owners also acting as servers but is not recommended to tip counter service staff even if they have a jar out.

Ok, so it wasn't just me...I'm 47 and I remember the exact same thing - thank you!

I don't think the question is whether it happened but rather was/is it standard. IMO the answer is clearly no for timeshares and questionable AT BEST for hotels.

The CoL may be cheaper than other parts of the state but it is still really high. A maid making 8 bucks and change an hour is making less than 18k a year. She'd have to have more than one job to make a living. Regardless of the potential outcomes I can't let that stand for the person cleaning up after me and making my vacation experience and those of others nicer.

Besides if they go to a envelope tip system the maids might actually do better but in any event helping someone who makes so little can't ever be wrong.

I don't believe the idea that FL is a high cost of living area is accurate. If you search around the net for comparisons, it looks pretty midline for the SE and for the nation. It's a little higher than Tampa but lower than Tallahassee and about the same as J'ville. Plus we don't know the usual, average or expected salary for the position, only the starting one. Those issues are determined by market forces, not schizophrenic tipping methods. Disney is also know for low pay and good benefits so you have to look at the entire package if evaluating on a pay level.

 

[kirstenb1]

I don't tip out of guilt. I tip at the motel on our drive down to WDW, at DVC, and the motel on the way back. Housekeeping is a deeply personal service. I can't imagine doing it for a living. I do it for our family the other 51 weeks of the year, and it s##ks!!!

I used to wait tables. I loved the unexpectedly high tip or kind words. To me, it's the same for housekeeping. Tips are not expected and that's what makes them special. To even remotely think something small that I offer can put a smile on someone's face...priceless.

 

[BeesKnees]

But where do we draw the line? We don't tip the CM who cleans the restrooms in the Parks, or the Bus Driver, Boat Driver, or Monorail Driver. They are all paid poorly and provide a service. Is it our responsibility to make up the difference in pay for what Disney pays them versus what they should get paid? Did you notice that Disney recruits College kids and foreigners to work part time so they can be paid less and with minimum benefits? Disney also just announced that any new full time employee will no longer get a pension.

Bill

We draw the line wherever we feel comfortable doing it. It is no different than choosing specific charities to support even though so many of them are worthy and extremely important. In this case it is more of a personal interaction so yes, I will tip.

 

[disney212]

I tip and also leave a handwritten note expressing my thanks. My grandmother worked cleaning rooms in a hotel after her divorce and always told me that although the tips helped greatly that it was the kind words that kept her going back day after day to support my dad and uncle!

 

[jekjones1558]

I tip and also leave a handwritten note expressing my thanks. My grandmother worked cleaning rooms in a hotel after her divorce and always told me that although the tips helped greatly that it was the kind words that kept her going back day after day to support my dad and uncle!

Thank you for posting. I have written notes to Mousekeeping supervisors about good service but I have not left notes for mousekeepers. I am more than willing to leave these hard working women (I have yet to have a male clean my room) a note of thanks if it helps to let them know how important they are!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

With the tip, I've always written a little note, partially to be sure the CM knew the money was for her.

 

[BeesKnees]

We always leave a note too. The last one said, "Sorry the room was a mess and there was a bunch of food left but our house was hit by a tornado and we have to leave in a hurry. Please accept this $20 for your extra trouble."

 

[Simba's Mom]

We always leave a note too. The last one said, "Sorry the room was a mess and there was a bunch of food left but our house was hit by a tornado and we have to leave in a hurry. Please accept this $20 for your extra trouble."

I hope the CM didn't think this was a dumb excuse, a joke. I know that's what really happened to you. Hope things are inproving for you now.

 

[jodifla]

Housekeeping at DVC is way, way, way, way, WAY more work than being a bus driver or even cleaning the bathrooms in the parks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We just stayed in a GV at OKW. When we left we put all the towels in the tubs. We took out all the garbage and recyclables. We washed all the dishes. All the housekeepers had to do was put on the new bedding, replace the towels, wipe down the surfaces and it would be ready for the next guests.

During our stay, we did not have a full cleaning because we were only there seven nights. On trash and towel day, I collected the towels and asked for clean towels. The housekeeper swapped them with me and I put them around the villa. Our guests upstairs in the GV were total pigs (teenaged girls) and I was embarrassed for her to see their mess on that day. We rectified the situation before we left.

 

[CMOORE185]

It seems tipping has just become part of the service we receive. We no longer tip just certain positons or for service above and beyond, we tip because it has become the edicate of our society, and it seems this edicate is expanding and expanding. There are now tip jars at Starbucks, Panera bread, and the list goes on and on. I actually feel a bit guilty passing these tip jars without throwing a little something in, although I feel they are unwarranted. Now we are tipping non-tipped positions such as housekeeping? I never used to tip housekeeping because it was a non-tipped position, and frankly I had no clue what they made. Here comes that guilty feeling again. I guess I will just tip everyone I come in contact with, than I am covered.

 

[dzorn]

Housekeeping at DVC is way, way, way, way, WAY more work than being a bus driver or even cleaning the bathrooms in the parks.

Not in the room I leave. Usually cleaner than I found it, with the exception of changing sheet and towels.

Denise in MI

 

[BeesKnees]

We don't go through a lot of extra steps for them other than making sure the kitchen is as we found it because that is the room that would bog them down on getting it flipped. I am betting they would rather have a tip than ask me to save them a couple of minutes doing their job on my vacation.

We never use T&T day though. I can't stand to have a trash bag in the room and we wash our towels every other day anyway.

 

[BeesKnees]

Not in the room I leave. Usually cleaner than I found it, with the exception of changing sheet and towels.

Denise in MI

Do you ever worry though that if they hit 3 rooms like the one you leave and then in the 4th it is appears to be the same but they overlooked something that you might be contributing to the dirty room problem?

The only way there is a standard of clean is if they clean the rooms even if they appear to be spotless.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Do you ever worry though that if they hit 3 rooms like the one you leave and then in the 4th it is appears to be the same but they overlooked something that you might be contributing to the dirty room problem?

The only way there is a standard of clean is if they clean the rooms even if they appear to be spotless.

I'm sorry but that is an absurd statement. They know what they need to look for. If they spend less time in my villa because I have removed the bedding and piled the towels in one location, they are still going to make the beds and hang new towels.