Does mousekeeping expect to be tipped?

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by r3ngels
Bojangles, does Disney really have a list of what jobs should get tips... and if so where can I find it.

It was a brochure in our resort room.

I don't tip concierge staff, nor are they allowed to accept tips.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Bojangles
If that is what everyone is supposed to do, then why doesn't Disney have housekeeping listed as one of the tipped positions? They have a list of the employees that is is appropriate to tip in the resort rooms, and housekeeping is not on it.

I started my post with IMHO for that reason. I know that Disney doesn't have mousekeeping listed as one of their tipped position. You can ask them if you want to know why that is.

I am a housekeeping/mousekeeping tipper; always have been and always will be, and I was replying to a person who was confused about tipping the morning mousekeeper and/or the turn down service mousekeeper.

No need to debate my opinion with you. You do whatever you want and so will the person I replied to. Its a personal preferance.

 

[lecach]

Up until about 10 years ago I never knew you were supposed to tip a hotel maid OR a hairdresser. Just never occured to me. No one I knew ever did it. Then someone pointed it out to me and I started doing it. I think there are a LOT of people who dont know to tip a maid. A girl at work just got back from CBR. She mentioned they had towel animals on the first day but none after that. I asked her if she tipped the mousekeeper. First of all she hadnt even heard the term mousekeeper. Then she said "no, I never heard of tipping a maid in a hotel". She looked at me like I was crazy. I told her that was why she didnt get any more towel animals.

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by lecach
She looked at me like I was crazy. I told her that was why she didnt get any more towel animals.

Maybe she got a different housekeeper that didn't know how to make towel animals.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Although I tip mousekeeping (unless they do a horrible job), I disagree with those posters saying it is expected. It is not on the list of tipped positions for a reason; they are not paid as if they are getting a certain amount of tips per hour.

I am sure that these people make minimum wage or close to it. I know that most of them deserve to be tipped because they go out of your way to make your stay at WDW special. My only debate is that you are somehow being rude if you do not tip because it is expected.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by Beca
That was my next question...what is appropriate for the concierge staff? And, when...just when you check out...or what?

Thanks,
Beca

Disney concierge staff are not allowed to accept monetary gratuities, however, if you want to give someone on the staff a monetary gratuity for service you feel is exceptional, you can always purchase (or bring) a greeting card and slip the gift into that. (That's what I did once for a WL concierge CM who made my DW's & my 25th anniversary unforgettable!)

At other times, I've bought a box of chocolates for the staff to share, or some cookies from DTD, or something like that.

And of course, a nice letter of appreciation to the resort manager is always appreciated.

 

[InSearchForDisney]

Just curious....has anyone ever received the little towel animals without tipping??

 

[clutter]

Yes, I've gotten towel animals without tipping. I'm the world's most inconsistent tipper. Just like I usually forget something on my way out the door at home, I usually forget something at Disney. Like tipping. I've also had tips left behind.

New question... is it mousekeeping at the Dolphin?

 

[vhoffman]

we pay extra $$$ for concierge service. Why do some people feel they should tip as well? For that matter, I never tip the housekeeping, at Disney or anywhere else. Cleaning the room is part of what I'm paying for! Especially when I pay $300 plus a night! Even If I did want to tip, I can't figure out the logisitics. Your room isn't cleaned by the same person every day. Oftentimes, its a crew, not just one person who does the cleaning. How do you tip them all? If you leave a $5 billl and three people clean the room, how do they divide it? If you leave a tip on your pillow, is it for the one who finds it, or the one who cleaned last? And leaving the tip at the front desk is no guarantee it goes to the right person. Cash can be taken by anybody. Some people have the attitude that housekeeping is doing us some sort of favor. We're doing them (and everyone who is employed by Disney) a favor with our patronage. If none of us went, they wouldn't have jobs, period. Look what happened after 9/11. The attendance dropped at WDW so much they had to lay many people off. Housekeeping is not considered (by Disney) to be a position for which tips are expected. Why should I go against their expectations? And, once you tip, its expected for the rest of your stay. If you don't tip the next day, you might ruffle a housekeepers feathers and not receive good service when you don't leave a tip. I, for one, don't feel compelled to give gifts to everyone I come in contact with just because they do a job for which they get paid.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by vhoffman
we pay extra $$$ for concierge service. Why do some people feel they should tip as well? For that matter, I never tip the housekeeping, at Disney or anywhere else. Cleaning the room is part of what I'm paying for! Especially when I pay $300 plus a night! Even If I did want to tip, I can't figure out the logisitics. Your room isn't cleaned by the same person every day. Oftentimes, its a crew, not just one person who does the cleaning. How do you tip them all? If you leave a $5 billl and three people clean the room, how do they divide it? If you leave a tip on your pillow, is it for the one who finds it, or the one who cleaned last? And leaving the tip at the front desk is no guarantee it goes to the right person. Cash can be taken by anybody. Some people have the attitude that housekeeping is doing us some sort of favor. We're doing them (and everyone who is employed by Disney) a favor with our patronage. If none of us went, they wouldn't have jobs, period. Look what happened after 9/11. The attendance dropped at WDW so much they had to lay many people off. Housekeeping is not considered (by Disney) to be a position for which tips are expected. Why should I go against their expectations? And, once you tip, its expected for the rest of your stay. If you don't tip the next day, you might ruffle a housekeepers feathers and not receive good service when you don't leave a tip. I, for one, don't feel compelled to give gifts to everyone I come in contact with just because they do a job for which they get paid.

Wow, good for you! No one is telling you you have to do otherwise but if other people choose to tip, it's their business. I was raised to tip housekeeping my whole 38 years and I'll continue to do so even if Disney says it's a non-tipped position in their 'guidelines'.

Why do non-tippers get so upset that others choose to tip?? I could care a less if you don't tip. Doesn't bother me in the least. You don't have to justify why you choose not to tip just as tippers of mousekeeping don't have to justify why they like to tip. There are more important things to worry about, IMHO.

 

[mep319]

I don't think vhoffman was getting upset...I think they were making their point just like everyone else was. Why do you assume vhoffman was getting upset b/c the opinion was different then yours? They have a valid point and are entitled to just as you are entitled to yours.


Oh! And I don't think you should assume vhoffman is a non-tipper b/c he doesn't tip mousekeeping. Two very seperate issues...as stated before it is not a tip position.

 

[karylrocks]

Just curious....has anyone ever received the little towel animals without tipping??

I have gotten them or not gotten them both ways. I think it has more to do with whether or not the maid knows how or has time to make them.

 

[cvet1]

ok dumb question - how do you make sure mousekeeping knows it's a tip. I mean how do they know i just didn't clean out my pockets meaning a couple bucks are on the table. I'm sure they just don't pick up extra cash lying around - should you leave a note......and am i crazy or has anyone else ever wondered the same thing?

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by mep319
I don't think vhoffman was getting upset...I think they were making their point just like everyone else was. Why do you assume vhoffman was getting upset b/c the opinion was different then yours? They have a valid point and are entitled to just as you are entitled to yours.

It was a feeling from the tone of his post. I honestly could be wrong, but that's the feeling I got. It wasn't because he has a different opinion than me.

Sure he's got valid points and he's totally entitled to post them. I just got the feeling he was upset with those who do tip mousekeeping.

This is so silly...I feel like I'm in the debate board!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by cvet1
ok dumb question - how do you make sure mousekeeping knows it's a tip. I mean how do they know i just didn't clean out my pockets meaning a couple bucks are on the table. I'm sure they just don't pick up extra cash lying around - should you leave a note......and am i crazy or has anyone else ever wondered the same thing?

Many of us use Mousekeeping envelopes and I posted a link to them way back in this thread!

 

[mep319]

I know..seems it may need to get bumped. I'm kind of on the fence about the whole thing anyway. I do agree w/ vhoffman that it seems folks have gone tip crazy.

 

[AppleSister1]

Originally posted by cvet1
ok dumb question - how do you make sure mousekeeping knows it's a tip. I mean how do they know i just didn't clean out my pockets meaning a couple bucks are on the table. I'm sure they just don't pick up extra cash lying around - should you leave a note......and am i crazy or has anyone else ever wondered the same thing?



I forgot envelopes last time and used pieces of paper folded over with "Mousekeeping" written on top and the money slid inside.

 

[r3ngels]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
Many of us use Mousekeeping envelopes and I posted a link to them way back in this thread!

Thank you, I already printed mine and they are ready to use for June... (I'm a bit excited about our trip- can you tell).

This is such a hot topic... who would have thought...!?!

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by r3ngels
Thank you, I already printed mine and they are ready to use for June... (I'm a bit excited about our trip- can you tell).

This is such a hot topic... who would have thought...!?!

You are very welcome! I'm just as bad, if not worse! I already printed mine for our August trip!!! I like to do it early and fill them up with money so it's one less financial thing to worry about!

At least I didn't print my October trip envelopes yet!

 

[vhoffman]

Well, lets go back to the title of this thread, "does Mousekeeping expect a tip"

I really don't know how they view it and I wish I did. This thread has turned into opinions on whether we should tip or not. I think the OP wanted to know if mousekeeping expected a tip, not our various opinions on whether or not mousekeeping should get a tip. On a trip to the Polynesian a few years ago a mousekeeper was especially helpful with advice about the area, hotel, etc. If it were not for her I would not have known about seeing the fireworks from the beach, the electric light parade, the character breakfast at Ohana's, etc. She spent a lot of time talking with me and said the hotel was only 1/3 full (that was a few months after 9/11). However, when I left I tried to give her a tip and she wouldn't take it. She said she'd enjoyed talking with me and felt she was just doing her job. Or maybe she felt someone would over hear us and perhaps it didn't look right? I offered her the tip in the hallway. Well, getting back to the original question, "Does mousekeeping expect a tip?" I can't answer that, however, my experiences lead me to think not.