Do you tip the mousekeepers?

[jimmalru80]

We tip on our last night.

 

[Mo-Yo]

I've worked some pretty crappy jobs, too - sometimes two or three at a time - in fact I still do work two jobs, plus motherhood - that's three (but the pay stinks on that one.).

My husband works shift work - lots of long hours...and after almost 15 years of marriage we are finally rehabbing our first house (by ourselves to save money).

My experience actually leads me to tip...sometimes to over-tip. I remember some of those tough jobs, and I want to brighten someone's day.

I don't tip everyone I come in contact with...just positions that are customary, like waitresses, cabbies, bellhops, hairdressers and hotel housekeeping.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My family & I also do not tip the housekeepers at WDW, because as others have mentioned it is not a tipping position. However we always tip servers at restaurants, (assuming everything goes well) bellman, skycaps & if we ever use valet parking we have no problem tipping them.

If you want to go ahead & flame my family and I for not tipping them go ahead. However just because we do not tip the housekeepers at WDW does not mean we are bad people the way others have made us out to be.

In fact here is a story about how we did a huge favor for a housekeeper on the Atrium Club at the Contemporary who was doing Turn Down service. On this particular night my family & I happen to be in our room when the housekeeper came for Turn Down service. She said would you like it? My Dad told her will save you a job so we did not ask for it & the look on her face was great because it was one less room for her to do. When she said was there anything else she can do, my Dad asked for extra towels which we got with no problems. So I think that is a lot better then tipping because we did not make her clean up our room when we were already in there.

 

[cjb71870]

Yes Valet, Bellman, Housekeeping,etc. are tipping positions. Those who are saying they tip the valet and bellman, but not housekeeping? Yes, not every housekeeper will satisfy you, but don't claim they all are that way.

 

[Mo-Yo]

From an online Las Vegas travel guide:

Maid/Housekeeper - $1-5 a day is sufficient, depending on how messy your room has been. Turn down service would require additional tipping.

 

[babar41]

WOW! Rather strong feelings on the issue of to tip or not to tip. I really think people have to do what they feel is right. I tip, that is right for me. Others don't tip, that is right for them.

To the person who's mother was actually asked for a tip by a housekeeper.. I hope you reported this person to the front desk. That was totally unacceptable.

CR Resort Fan 4 Life... your statement: "In fact here is a story about how we did a huge favor for a housekeeper on the Atrium Club at the Contemporary who was doing Turn Down service. On this particular night my family & I happen to be in our room when the housekeeper came for Turn Down service. She said would you like it? My Dad told her will save you a job so we did not ask for it & the look on her face was great because it was one less room for her to do. When she said was there anything else she can do, my Dad asked for extra towels which we got with no problems. So I think that is a lot better then tipping because we did not make her clean up our room when we were already in there."

Although I can understand that not having to do part of your job might be a "tip", I don't think telling someone they don't have to turn down the bed, a service you asked for, is a "Huge favor". Would I have tipped that mousekeeper? Probably, for bringing me the extra towel. I would also have tipped earlier in the day when the room was cleaned originally. I'm not saying you were wrong, just saying what I would have done.

Trying to understand the logic of another is always interesting and sometimes impossible. The exchanges that go on here, at least on my part, are not meant to judge someone, but really to understand. Sometimes someone may have a different way of doing something that I never thought about, it might change my way. But not this time. I will continue tipping, after I check with the housekeepers to make sure they are allowed to keep the money. If they are not allowed to keep the money and it is donated to a charity by Disney, I will stop tipping. If my money is going to a charity I would prefer to give it to my charity of choice.

 

[ReneeA]

I tip Mousekeepers because I WANT to. I don't care whether it's a tipped position or not. I clean my house, but not because I like to...I am thankful that I have someone else clean up and scrub toilets for the week or so I'm on vacation.

We are also part of the minority that tips 25% for at full service restaurants, and adds extra tip when we are on the dining plan.

And for the record, we are a family that lives on one income, pay for me to go to nursing school, and live on a tight budget. I just feel that it's something that I want to do...it is an individual choice.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I am still curious for those who tip without anything special being done, Do you tip the ride operators, or the parking lot kids? I mean they get paid the same and it isn't fun dealing with puking kids on the tea cups or standing on blacktop in 99 degree temps or pouring rain.

I tip personal service. I don't tip the person who is sweeping gum off of the street, but I do tip the people cleaning up my personal mess. I do tip my garbage pick up person, my newspaper delivery person, etc. at christmas time as a Thank you because they are personally serving me.

 

[aide4]

We tip $1 per person per day....DD always leaves a note with a cute drawing for the mousekeeper

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

CR Resort Fan 4 Life... your statement: "In fact here is a story about how we did a huge favor for a housekeeper on the Atrium Club at the Contemporary who was doing Turn Down service. On this particular night my family & I happen to be in our room when the housekeeper came for Turn Down service. She said would you like it? My Dad told her will save you a job so we did not ask for it & the look on her face was great because it was one less room for her to do. When she said was there anything else she can do, my Dad asked for extra towels which we got with no problems. So I think that is a lot better then tipping because we did not make her clean up our room when we were already in there."

Although I can understand that not having to do part of your job might be a "tip", I don't think telling someone they don't have to turn down the bed, a service you asked for, is a "Huge favor". Would I have tipped that mousekeeper? Probably, for bringing me the extra towel. I would also have tipped earlier in the day when the room was cleaned originally. I'm not saying you were wrong, just saying what I would have done.

I would just like to point out for the record we never requested Turn Down service. It is something that is offered to all Concierge guests staying on Concierge floors at WDW Deluxe Resorts so all guests staying on the Atrium Club & Tower Club at the Contemporary get this service without requesting it. So it was something we never asked for the way you stated it. Also I feel we don't need to leave a tip for asking for 3 towels, however that is my opinion on that. Also that was not the 1st time when we have been in our room & told the housekeeper we don't need the turn down service & have asked for extra towels.

 

[RDCAnthony]

We tip on our last night.

I Tip daily $ 5.00

If you tip just once (at the end of your trip) What if its a different mousekeeper that day ? I want to make sure that the mousekeeper cleaning my mess gets the tip.

 

[babar41]

I would just like to point out for the record we never requested Turn Down service. It is something that is offered to all Concierge guests staying on Concierge floors at WDW Deluxe Resorts so all guests staying on the Atrium Club & Tower Club at the Contemporary get this service without requesting it. So it was something we never asked for the way you stated it. Also I feel we don't need to leave a tip for asking for 3 towels, however that is my opinion on that. Also that was not the 1st time when we have been in our room & told the housekeeper we don't need the turn down service & have asked for extra towels.

Sorry my statement was incorrect. When you stay on a Concierge floor, turndown service is part of your room amenities, you do not have to "ask" for the service, it is automatic. If you are in the room the housekeeper will ask you if you want turndown service, if you are not there they will just go ahead with their job. If you would prefer not to have this service during your stay it normally can be turned off by either calling the front desk or housekeeping.

As I stated, I am not saying you were wrong in not tipping, it was a matter of your personal choice, you choose not to tip in that situation. What I was questioning was your statement that you did a HUGE favor to the housekeeper by not taking the turndown service, although you did request for additional towels to be brought to you, and felt that the HUGE favor was a lot better than a tip.

Everyone tips or doesn't tip as they feel is right. I'm not trying to change your point of view. I tip for a variety of reasons and a variety of people. My money, my choice. Your money, your choice.

 

[Maria395712]

yes i tip daily
maria

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Sorry my statement was incorrect. When you stay on a Concierge floor, turndown service is part of your room amenities, you do not have to "ask" for the service, it is automatic. If you are in the room the housekeeper will ask you if you want turndown service, if you are not there they will just go ahead with their job. If you would prefer not to have this service during your stay it normally can be turned off by either calling the front desk or housekeeping.

As I stated, I am not saying you were wrong in not tipping, it was a matter of your personal choice, you choose not to tip in that situation. What I was questioning was your statement that you did a HUGE favor to the housekeeper by not taking the turndown service, although you did request for additional towels to be brought to you, and felt that the HUGE favor was a lot better than a tip.

Everyone tips or doesn't tip as they feel is right. I'm not trying to change your point of view. I tip for a variety of reasons and a variety of people. My money, my choice. Your money, your choice.

It's not like the housekeeper had to go somewhere else to get the towels. She had them in her cart so it's not like she went to another part of the Contemporary & went back up special to our room.

 

[bab31]

We tip

I feel that if I can help someone who is a little less dissadvantage than we are- we should. If we can afford a vacation at WDW we can afford to leave a tip. You never know how that tip helps the person we are tipping. and I am sure their wages are substantially lower than ours.

 

[Love That Duck]

Yep, I tip. I travel solo most of the time so I tip $3 daily. With a group/family I would tip $1 per person, min. of $3. I leave my tip in the sink area with a short note To Mousekeeping. If I make any special requests in my note or received exceptional service I tip extra accordingly. When turndown service is provided I tip a couple of dollars nightly for that as well.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Some subjects, no matter how innocently they are asked, invoke controvery. This subject, for some reason, happens to be one of them.

That seems to be the norm here. For people who are here to discuss the "Happiest Place on Earth", we are sure some of the non-happiest people according to our posts. That includes myself. Ive made a few myself that I felt bad saying after I said it. Thats why Ive had so many different user IDs here. I get burnt out after a while of defending myself and delete my account (or conveniently lose my password on purpose) and a few months or years later I create a new account and see how long IT will last before someone pushes me to close it.
If we could all be more like my Golden Retriever we would get along much better. "Just throw me a tennis ball and I'll forget anything you did!"
Just for the record, I dont usually tip mousekeepers, but we HAVE tipped mousekeepers before. Actually, I think we did once on our last trip. I just (from an employer's perspective) think its unfair that we are expected to in the first place. I certainly wouldnt hire a plumber and expect a percentage of his wages to come from the customers in the form of tip. I'd pay him, and if he does a great job I promote him and give him a raise. I dont put the responsibility on the customers. Actually, I consider myself a tipper more than most, but I do it for a job above average. I do it because it makes me feel good about myself to tip, and it helps make someones day. When you are doing it because thats part of their income, you are doing it for a different reason, and it loses its importance. JMHO

 

[babar41]

For people who are here to discuss the "Happiest Place on Earth", we are sure some of the non-happiest people according to our posts.

Ouch! I'm sorry you feel that way. I don't think we are "some of the non-happiest people." I think we are different people with different views that are sharring them. At the end of this discussion we are all going to go forward and either tip or not tip as we choose.

I do agree with you in principal. I think the whole concept of tipping is a bit odd. The whole idea was to give someone something extra for a job well done. But today that tip is actually part of the workers income, and employers pay less knowing the customer will pick up the slack... waiters and waitresses are a good example. Our laws allow them to be paid well below minimum wage because the tips are supposed to make up the difference. The customer is then pressured by the social culture to tip. So where before you tipped for a job well done, now we tip a minimum15% and then more if the service was exceptional. I think this way of paying people is wrong, but it is what it is. If I stop tipping the only people I am going to hurt are those that need the money the most.

Having said all of that... I still tip. I do so for a variety of reasons, mostly because someone has performed a service for me. It is my way of saying thank you.

And just for those out there that would like to know the numbers, as of this post 62 people stated their opinion. 50 people tip, 10 people don't tip, and 2 people made comments without stating if they tip or not.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I tip Mousekeepers because I WANT to. I don't care whether it's a tipped position or not. I clean my house, but not because I like to...I am thankful that I have someone else clean up and scrub toilets for the week or so I'm on vacation.

We are also part of the minority that tips 25% for at full service restaurants, and adds extra tip when we are on the dining plan.

And for the record, we are a family that lives on one income, pay for me to go to nursing school, and live on a tight budget. I just feel that it's something that I want to do...it is an individual choice.

Agreed, I would never criticize someone for not tipping-it's a personal matter. I tip because to me, 5.00 a day will not make a heck of a lot of difference-maybe to that Mousekeeper, it could. I've had jobs in the service industry and many people are pigs, to be honest. I worked at a cafe in an affluent area, and you would not believe the people who didn't believe in flushing the toilet in the bathroom or leaving their Kleenexes full of snot on their tables. One woman hollered at me that our bathrooms were "filthy" and then had her 4 year old leave the bathroom without washing his hands! I'm really easy on the Mousekeepers-I will often pick up the room a little, because I don't want him/her to think we are piggies!(mom raised me that way... ) I also don't believe I'm "degrading" anyone because I have compassion/empathy for someone in a minimum wage job. I've been there, believe me, and it's not a fun way to live. I also believe than the minimum wage needs to go up in this country(to at least 10.00 an hour) but until that happens, my personal choice will be to tip generously when someone does an outstanding job.

 

[maxiesmom]

Now I'm confused. I always thought you were supposed to tip Mousekeeping. But if they are not allowed to keep it, and have to turn it over to some un-named charity, what is the point? I prefer to pick my own charities to give to, thank you very much.