Do you tip the mousekeepers?

[DisneyBride'03]

$11 may be "good money" to some......like a homeless person.....just a thought....not debating...many less unfortunate folks out there!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The official WDW guide lists housekeeping as a tipped position.

The way I remember reading they say it's nice that you tip your housekeeper, they never said it's a rule and you must do it like when you tip the valet, bellman or your server in a restaurant.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

$11 may be "good money" to some......like a homeless person.....just a thought....not debating...many less unfortunate folks out there!

Your point isn't clear.....We are speaking about Mousekeepers not the homeless and $11.00 for Mousekeeping per hour is a sad state of affairs for the hard work they do.
We will keep tipping regardless........checked the policy & tipping is 100% acceptable.
All I hope is this tthread DOES NOT make some stop tipping or give an excuse not to tip.

 

[WickedWench]

I just did a little research on tipping etiquette online, and every site I found that discussed the topic stated housekeepers/maids should be tipped $1-$5 per day. Some suggested using sealed envelopes, and another suggested leaving it on the pillow. Every one said tipping should be done each day because you might not get the same maid each day.

From what I've seen tipping housekeeping is as customary in the industry as tipping for other hotel services.

 

[themudd4]

Please don't think no one believes you! I believe you were told just what you said. Ten different people can ask a CM a question and will get 10 different answers! I just know that I tip as a thank you for doing such difficult job. I don't care if they are making $25 a hour. I still want to thank them from ME. I don't think anyone here is saying you are wrong. We are all just contributing to what we have been told too. Tip or not. All a personal decision!

Thanks DaisyD...glad to know that someone understands that I was told this.
I have always tipped and it is not that I wont tip now...it is a question for me of how to tip. If the Mouskeeping was not allowed to keep CASH tips then I would make the extra effort to bring gift cards and such as a thank you that they could keep.

raidermatt...I have looked through my official guide book's and can not find mouskeeping mentioned. I may be over looking it, or maybe you are looking in a different edition. Do you mind sharing the edition and page #?

WickedWench: I do not think any other brand of hotels is in question. I have never heard of this anywhere else other than Disney. But, from everything I have been taught or have learned is that yes it is customary to tip housekeeping $1 per room, per person, per day for "above" average work.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

NEVERENOUGHWDW......Perhaps I misunderstood your statement when yo stated...."I have to laugh at this thread for many reasons"...and " $11 is good money, are you kidding me?"
Again, I was not trying to debate you personally...my comment was in response to your comment abt the $11....no, its not alot...but there are some poeple..i.e. homeless...that would appreciate that.
This is way off topic here.....I know what the thread is about, thank you for reminding me Maybe now you will get my "point"....
For the record....I may have already posted this, this has become a loong thread....
I tip and have Mousekeeping envelopes ready before I arrive

 

[WickedWench]

WickedWench: I do not think any other brand of hotels is in question. I have never heard of this anywhere else other than Disney. But, from everything I have been taught or have learned is that yes it is customary to tip housekeeping $1 per room, per person, per day for "above" average work.

My main purpose was to determine if there was a set etiquitte for tipping housekeeping in the industry. According to the travel sites I looked at, there is a customary tip for housekeeping, just as there is for bell services, waiters, room service, etc. I've always believed that to be the case, but since some people are disputing it, I decided to do a little research on it. Since it is customary in the industry, I don't see how Disney would be any different.

 

[DaisyD]

WickedWench: I do not think any other brand of hotels is in question. I have never heard of this anywhere else other than Disney. But, from everything I have been taught or have learned is that yes it is customary to tip housekeeping $1 per room, per person, per day for "above" average work.

Disney is probably the first hotel that I have stayed that that didn't have tipping envelopes. Usually the envelopes at other hotels are sitting on top the minibar and have the maid's name on them.

 

[Ub_Iwerks]

Yes, I tip $1/per person per day, maybe more if we've left a big mess. And I make sure I tip each day since you don't have the same person. I also find that I get lots of extras (soaps, coffee, etc) and great service if I tip extra early in the trip. I believe in tipping, whether this is considered a tipped position or not, simply because I hate cleaning toilets and am grateful someone else is willing to do that for a living.

 

[DreaminDisney]

We tipped 5.00 a day when we stayed at Poly. We put it in the mousekeeping envelopes we brought from home. We're a family of 4 and were very happy with housekeeping

 

[pilferk]

It's funny how this subject continually comes up.....it's almost like the "mug" question.

We tip. That's what we feel right doing. Others choose not to. I believe, unless it's changed since the last time I looked in on this debate, Disney's official position is that mousekeeping is an "untipped" position.

 

[raidermatt]

The way I remember reading they say it's nice that you tip your housekeeper, they never said it's a rule and you must do it like when you tip the valet, bellman or your server in a restaurant.

There's really no rules on any of this, but below is exactly what the 2007 WDW official guide says (any typos are mine, not the guide's). They do not differentiate housekeeping from the other positions mentioned.

Tips are no less valued at Disney Resorts than at any other hotel - $1 per bag is appropriate for lugging luggage; $1 to $3 per person, per night for housekeeping services (include a note to avoid confusion). Gratuities of 15 to 20 percent (excluding tax) are customary at full-service restaurants. (If service is exceptional or otherwise, adjust accordingly.) Gratuity is inlcuded in the room service bill at WDW resorts and some off-property hotels. Check before you tip twice. Note that a 10 percent gratuity is added at the Pepper Market at Coronado Springs (despite the self-serve set-up).

Give cab drivers a 15 percent tip for good service. Baggage handlers at the train station and airport expect about $1 per bag.

Here's what American Express says about tipping housekeeping on domestic travel:

Housekeeping - A $1 to $2 tip each day is appreciated. Place the tip on the pillow, in an envelope if possible, to ensure the housekeeper knows its not money mistakenly left behind by the guest

There's a bunch of different people/sites with guidelines out there. Some say housekeeping should be tipped, and some say its appreciated. While I'm sure there maybe a few out there, I didn't come across any that said you should NOT tip them.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

UNsubscribing... Sheesh, this thread is like 2 months old or something. We all think what we all think. Arguing about it is pointless.

I have to laugh at this thread for many reasons...the first being where someone posted $11 dollars is "good money", are you kidding me? Also if you so immaculate when you are on vacation keep the do not disturb on your door so mousekeeping can move down the hall and clean rooms of people that want to tip because it is the right thing to do and just have good manners!

Like that for instance. You'll never convince someone who is so strongly FOR it, no more than you'll convince some of you who are against it. Every possible angle has been examined on this topic.
Like Myth Busters... I think we can lay this one to rest!!!

Have fun, but this is getting old I'm ouuuuutttta here!

 

[MissMouse86]

We don't tip because it seems like it's already a service included in the package. It happens in every hotel I have ever stayed in and we've never tipped for making a bed etc. I leave a bag of sweets or something at the end of our stay though, as a thank you.

 

[Tora Millypoops]

We tip the Mousekeepers. We leave $1 per person, per night, in an envelope with to the mousekepper on it, and we leave it on the table where the mousekeeper can see it. If you do tip them, don't tip once at the end of the week, because you might get different mousekeepers throughout your stay.

 

[themudd4]

As I sit here typing this up, I know I am only opening myself up for additional comments and flaming, yet I am still typing and re-opening the door. Be nice...only sharing additional info.

Recently I posted where I e-mailed Disney directly, got a phone call back and to make a long story short was told that Mousekeeping are CM's and they do not get to keep their tips, that is was pooled together and used to perks and benefits.
Well, several other of you were told they could. Well, I have been home for roughly 5 hours now, and wanted to let you know that I went straight to the mousekeeper herself. I figured if anyone would know they would...Ok, first note I had been leaving my tips for our mousekeeper every day (even though our mousekeeper, was well...not very good at all.) Anyway, Thursday night about midnight my son got sick all of the bed. Poor thing...I think it was just something he had ate. Anyway, I stripped the bed real quick and called mousekeeping and asked them to bring me up a fresh set of sheets and blankets so I could make the bed. 2 Mousekeepers were sent to our room and they were so sweet, they told me to just take care of my son, and they made the bed, bagged up the other sheets and blankets etc. Anyway, while they were in the room I used this oppertunity to ask them. Granted one spoke very little english, but the other was very easily understood. I asked about the rule I had heard, and that others were told different...and they both were happy to answer. This is a non tipped postion, but the tips they do collect are used for additional vacation days, tickets to the parks, and free dinners. I didn't ask them the kind of money they made or anything like that, but neither of them acted as if they were upset by this poilcy. They both laughed though when I handed them $10 each and told them to not tell anyone I had given it to them...
Flame if you must...just wanted to pass along this additional info.

 

[DaisyD]

As I sit here typing this up, I know I am only opening myself up for additional comments and flaming, yet I am still typing and re-opening the door. Be nice...only sharing additional info.

Recently I posted where I e-mailed Disney directly, got a phone call back and to make a long story short was told that Mousekeeping are CM's and they do not get to keep their tips, that is was pooled together and used to perks and benefits.
Well, several other of you were told they could. Well, I have been home for roughly 5 hours now, and wanted to let you know that I went straight to the mousekeeper herself. I figured if anyone would know they would...Ok, first note I had been leaving my tips for our mousekeeper every day (even though our mousekeeper, was well...not very good at all.) Anyway, Thursday night about midnight my son got sick all of the bed. Poor thing...I think it was just something he had ate. Anyway, I stripped the bed real quick and called mousekeeping and asked them to bring me up a fresh set of sheets and blankets so I could make the bed. 2 Mousekeepers were sent to our room and they were so sweet, they told me to just take care of my son, and they made the bed, bagged up the other sheets and blankets etc. Anyway, while they were in the room I used this oppertunity to ask them. Granted one spoke very little english, but the other was very easily understood. I asked about the rule I had heard, and that others were told different...and they both were happy to answer. This is a non tipped postion, but the tips they do collect are used for additional vacation days, tickets to the parks, and free dinners. I didn't ask them the kind of money they made or anything like that, but neither of them acted as if they were upset by this poilcy. They both laughed though when I handed them $10 each and told them to not tell anyone I had given it to them...
Flame if you must...just wanted to pass along this additional info.

No flaming from me. I only go by what I was told by the manager at the Poly. At the WL I personally asked a mousekeeper and she told me that tips are theirs to keep. I tip as a thank you.

 

[babar41]

themudd4... No flame from me. I just really don't understand why some are told consistantly one answer and others are told consistantly another answer. Makes no sense to me. I could understand if one person asked 4 CM's and got 4 different answers, but that is not what is happening here. Instead we have multiple Dis members asking multiple CM's and getting the same answer... just not the same answer across the board.

I think we all have to just do what we feel is right. Perhaps ask our individual mousekeeper if she is going to be able to keep any tip. If she says yes, then tip. If she says no it goes in a joint fund or to charity then each person will have to make up their mind if they want to tip or not.

Consistancy is reallt a wonderful thing. Funny how WDW is full of magic but not full of consistancy.

 

[rugrats2001]

As I sit here typing this up, I know I am only opening myself up for additional comments and flaming, yet I am still typing and re-opening the door. Be nice...only sharing additional info.

Recently I posted where I e-mailed Disney directly, got a phone call back and to make a long story short was told that Mousekeeping are CM's and they do not get to keep their tips, that is was pooled together and used to perks and benefits.
Well, several other of you were told they could. Well, I have been home for roughly 5 hours now, and wanted to let you know that I went straight to the mousekeeper herself. I figured if anyone would know they would...Ok, first note I had been leaving my tips for our mousekeeper every day (even though our mousekeeper, was well...not very good at all.) Anyway, Thursday night about midnight my son got sick all of the bed. Poor thing...I think it was just something he had ate. Anyway, I stripped the bed real quick and called mousekeeping and asked them to bring me up a fresh set of sheets and blankets so I could make the bed. 2 Mousekeepers were sent to our room and they were so sweet, they told me to just take care of my son, and they made the bed, bagged up the other sheets and blankets etc. Anyway, while they were in the room I used this oppertunity to ask them. Granted one spoke very little english, but the other was very easily understood. I asked about the rule I had heard, and that others were told different...and they both were happy to answer. This is a non tipped postion, but the tips they do collect are used for additional vacation days, tickets to the parks, and free dinners. I didn't ask them the kind of money they made or anything like that, but neither of them acted as if they were upset by this poilcy. They both laughed though when I handed them $10 each and told them to not tell anyone I had given it to them...
Flame if you must...just wanted to pass along this additional info.

Please feel free to post a copy of this 'email' that you received, including all headers, so that it can be authenticated.

Do you really expect anyone to believe that your housekeepers stated that their tips go towards "vacation days, tickets to the parks, and free dinners"? What are they expected to do with park tickets, send them to their families in Central America? Their vacation days are ALREADY provided by Disney, and what kind of 'free dinners' would they provide, maybe V&A's? That is a real bonus for someone working to support a family 'back home'.

What do you think you are accomplishing by posting this rubbish? This morning, I called EACH and EVERY Disney resort except Ft. Wilderness and Saratoga springs (the numbers are listed online at many of the common websites, including wdwinfo.com) I asked each of the people answering the telephones, who are trained to answer such questions, if housekeeping at THEIR resort was a tipped or non tipped position, in each case the answer was "tipped" or "it is up to the guest to decide whether or not to tip". Then I asked if the housekeepers are allowed to keep their tips, and the answer was "YES" at every one of the resorts. If anyone would like to repeat this experiment to verify, please report your results here as well. It took me less than 30 minutes on my cell phone (free long distance) to call 22 resorts. That you continue to perpetuate this myth through the telling of obviously fabricated stories is not only an affront to our intelligence, but a blatant attempt on your part to reduce the income of some of Disney's hardest working employees.

I personally tip between $3 and $5 per day at Disney for my family of 4, $3 for average and $5 for extra-good service. Tipping IS a choice, and I don't begrudge those who don't tip (it's your money!), but I DO dislike it when people try to stop OTHERS from tipping through the spread of false information.

rugrats2001

 

[WickedWench]

Thanks for setting the record straight rugrats. That didn't make any sense to me either.