GC Incentive if Housekeeping Declined? Update July 14 - Testing Concluded

[Mickey's Best Girl]

I just don't get it. For me, having to hang around a room waiting for towels and toiletries to be delivered or hunting them down is way more effort than I am willing to put forth on my vacation when I am spending literally thousands of dollars and way more time consuming than having the room taken care of while we are out. We have three trips booked right now for two people that total over $17,000 in resort room only charges (we have AP's) and there is nothing that would convince me that money is anywhere close to worth it if I have to worry about ANY housekeeping issues.

We walk past a towel cart every single day at Pop so for us to grab new towels every 3/4 days isn't at all time consuming or painful.

And if housekeeping will replace toiletries and towels with a call I wouldn't feel the need to stick around and wait for them to be delivered. They'd just be hanging on the door when we get back from the parks.

I personally see a value in this as we only ask for housekeeping every 4/5 days for a refresh. But I totally see your point of view as well. To each their own.

 

[robinb]

I just don't get it. For me, having to hang around a room waiting for towels and toiletries to be delivered or hunting them down is way more effort than I am willing to put forth on my vacation when I am spending literally thousands of dollars and way more time consuming than having the room taken care of while we are out. We have three trips booked right now for two people that total over $17,000 in resort room only charges (we have AP's) and there is nothing that would convince me that money is anywhere close to worth it if I have to worry about ANY housekeeping issues.

Of course you don't get it. You're happily spending $17K over three trips in four months with disney and $20 bucks a day is chump change.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Gross. I don't want to stay in a room after 14 days of no housekeeping! What if they spilled (or worse) something gross on the carpet and didn't call? And food left in garbage cans? Sure, most won't do that, but...

Sorry. People can be pigs.

Honest question but how do you know that doesn't happen from time to time now?

 

[DaisyJ]

I just don't get it. For me, having to hang around a room waiting for towels and toiletries to be delivered or hunting them down is way more effort than I am willing to put forth on my vacation when I am spending literally thousands of dollars and way more time consuming than having the room taken care of while we are out. We have three trips booked right now for two people that total over $17,000 in resort room only charges (we have AP's) and there is nothing that would convince me that money is anywhere close to worth it if I have to worry about ANY housekeeping issues.

I don't think we've spent $17,000 on vacations for four the last 20 years combined, but if I was spending that kind of money in one year, it sure as hell wouldn't be to Disney.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Of course you don't get it. You're happily spending $17K over three trips in four months with disney and $20 bucks a day is chump change.

My step-father-in-law's favorite saying is: "oh that's just a drop in the bucket, right?"

 

[Disneylover99]

Why would you think that. If rooms aren't cleaned daily, they could be total mess come check-out day, meaning a longer cleaning is necessary before the room is turned over. Therefore, the less likely more rooms will be available for early check-in.

If a maid is assigned a certain section of buildings to clean, but half of the rooms have opted out of maid service, there will be more time to focus on new rooms that need to be turned over to new guests and hopefully those rooms will be ready well before check in time.

 

[eastendlights]

I don't think we've spent $17,000 on vacations for four the last 20 years combined, but if I was spending that kind of money in one year, it sure as hell wouldn't be to Disney.

Our daughter was accepted to the college program so these three trips will be to drive her there from CT so she can have her car and get settled and then two to visit her. Crazy, I know, but she will be there for 6 months and it gives me a good excuse to go.

 

[eastendlights]

Of course you don't get it. You're happily spending $17K over three trips in four months with disney and $20 bucks a day is chump change.

My step-father-in-law's favorite saying is: "oh that's just a drop in the bucket, right?"

I can do without the sarcasm, it is really not necessary. I never said $20 was chump change or a drop in the bucket. I merely said that at these prices even $20 is not enough of a discount FOR ME to forgo housekeeping. No amount would be as far as I am concerned because I go on vacation so I don't have to pick wet towels up from the floor.

If you enjoy doing that and find value, have at it. I am concerned that if many people accept this it will turn into a charge for housekeeping eventually and those that opt out will get nothing.

 

[HopperFan]

I can do without the sarcasm, it is really not necessary. I never said $20 was chump change or a drop in the bucket. I merely said that at these prices even $20 is not enough of a discount FOR ME to forgo housekeeping. No amount would be as far as I am concerned because I go on vacation so I don't have to pick wet towels up from the floor.

AND THIS IS THE POINT! For the over-inflated prices we pay to stay in Disney hotels this shouldn't even be a discussion at the table. This is tacky and honestly I don't want to stay in a hotel that won't be kept up in the best way. I can pay way less for much better service and much nicer rooms WITH housekeeping.

 

[SandS_K]

For those of us that need to stick to a strict budget to afford a disney vacation this is great. I have no problem grabbing a few extra towels and we have very little garbage. We have never spent the money to go to a table service restaurant and this may be a great time to check one out. I may have to stalk the dining reservations and see if I can get a reservation at a great restaurant towards the end of our stay. That way if we don't get the offer, we can always cancel the reservation. Now to decide where we may want to try. Time to start reading the Disney restaurants forum.

 

[Mome Rath]

At this point it's completely voluntary, and people choose to do this anyway without compensation...

 

[mb187143]

AND THIS IS THE POINT! For the over-inflated prices we pay to stay in Disney hotels this shouldn't even be a discussion at the table. This is tacky and honestly I don't want to stay in a hotel that won't be kept up in the best way. I can pay way less for much better service and much nicer rooms WITH housekeeping.

Personally, I don't think it's tacky. It's catching up with the hotel industry in general.

Also, as we have seen in this and other recent housekeeping threads there are many folks who prefer to not have daily housekeeping. Right now, the staff who are assigned to clean the rooms have no idea whether that do not disturb sign is up for an hour, the day, or the duration of the stay. They have to come back and check multiple times daily to see if it's down. Offering an option to opt out ahead of time allows their management to use their resources more effectively. This benefits Disney and the guest.

I don't think there's even a remote possibility that housekeeping will become an amenity that needs to be paid for. It's been years since other hotels have been doing this and none have gone this route yet.

 

[eastendlights]

AND THIS IS THE POINT! For the over-inflated prices we pay to stay in Disney hotels this shouldn't even be a discussion at the table. This is tacky and honestly I don't want to stay in a hotel that won't be kept up in the best way. I can pay way less for much better service and much nicer rooms WITH housekeeping.

Exactly. Disney is not testing this as a way to make resorts more affordable or to help out their guests. They are doing it to see if they can get away with not including something that should not even be a question. Do you really think that eventually they will not stop giving the incentive and then come out and say "Our guests let us know that they really did not care for housekeeping so we will now charge for those that want it-all in the name of improving guest experiences???" They will eliminate the incentive, eliminate housekeeping and then charge extra for something we are already overpaying to have.

 

[Farro]

Honest question but how do you know that doesn't happen from time to time now?

Well, one would hope if housekeeping comes in everyday, they would be emptying the garbage cans or notice a new wet/dirty stain on the carpet.

If someone makes a mess the first day, cleans it a bit, doesn't notify housekeeping and is there for over a week, it will smell. Food in a garbage can for over a couple days will smell.

I really just don't trust people to clean up after themselves. I see the ladies bathrooms at work...

 

[HopperFan]

Personally, I don't think it's tacky. It's catching up with the hotel industry in general.

Also, as we have seen in this and other recent housekeeping threads there are many folks who prefer to not have daily housekeeping. Right now, the staff who are assigned to clean the rooms have no idea whether that do not disturb sign is up for an hour, the day, or the duration of the stay. They have to come back and check multiple times daily to see if it's down. Offering an option to opt out ahead of time allows their management to use their resources more effectively. This benefits Disney and the guest.

I don't think there's even a remote possibility that housekeeping will become an amenity that needs to be paid for. It's been years since other hotels have been doing this and none have gone this route yet.

I travel a lot, my DH traveled non-stop for many years. This is not a hotel industry standard. Rentals, timeshares etc yes, hotel rooms no.

The tacky will come when the hallway is lined with trash, food, wet towels etc because guests overall just don't care. They won't want it in their room, and they want that few dollars back ...... but they won't walk it to dispose of properly. Your room will now include Florida native bugs and critters happy to help clean up.

And at the rates we pay, should not even be discussed. I'm paying stupid prices for a tiny value room with hard beds and scratchy towels, the least they can do is make them and pick up.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I can do without the sarcasm, it is really not necessary. I never said $20 was chump change or a drop in the bucket. I merely said that at these prices even $20 is not enough of a discount FOR ME to forgo housekeeping. No amount would be as far as I am concerned because I go on vacation so I don't have to pick wet towels up from the floor.

If you enjoy doing that and find value, have at it. I am concerned that if many people accept this it will turn into a charge for housekeeping eventually and those that opt out will get nothing.

With all due respect it wasn't sarcasm towards you.

I didn't say anything about you spending $17k and it being wrong.

My step-father-in-law loves to spend $ on stuff so while he wouldn't be spending the same amount as you to go to Disney he would view the gift card incentive as a drop in the bucket when considering the overall costs and would probably not value it as in his mind he's already spending $X amount to go there so that amount wouldn't mean much to him.

It's a different story for my husband and I who would probably value the gift card.

With respects to my quote you misinterpreted my meaning behind it..but apologies if you felt I was being sarcastic with you as that wasn't my intent.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, one would hope if housekeeping comes in everyday, they would be emptying the garbage cans or notice a new wet/dirty stain on the carpet.

If someone makes a mess the first day, cleans it a bit, doesn't notify housekeeping and is there for over a week, it will smell. Food in a garbage can for over a couple days will smell.

I really just don't trust people to clean up after themselves. I see the ladies bathrooms at work...

Well yeah I get you on the ladies bathroom part for sure .

The other stuff I'm just wondering if that happens anyways at least at times. I mean for mousekeeping to notice the stain they would probably have to have the spill happen in the morning before they come to clean the room. If it happens after and it has time to sit until the next day by then it may not be wet or be too noticable not to mention if they have declined mousekeeping with the DND sign. Food in a garbage can is also something that can happen now if people decline mousekeeping by putting the DND sign up.

As far as staying in a room after it hasn't been cleaned in 14 days I would assume your room has been cleaned by mousekeeping prior to you being assigned the room. Then again as it stands currently we already know that sometimes people get assigned rooms that haven't been cleaned at all or fully cleaned.

I guess what I'm saying is while it is entirely possible it could make things worse this type of stuff still likely happens everyday somewhere on Disney property already whereas the gift card incentive doesn't really seem to have much to do with it and instead has to do with the type of guest to begin with.

Those that are more likely to take the gift card are probably those who already decline mousekeeeping with the DND sign. This isn't to say that I don't have my own concerns with the pilot program though.

 

[mb187143]

I travel a lot, my DH traveled non-stop for many years. This is not a hotel industry standard. Rentals, timeshares etc yes, hotel rooms no.

The tacky will come when the hallway is lined with trash, food, wet towels etc because guests overall just don't care. They won't want it in their room, and they want that few dollars back ...... but they won't walk it to dispose of properly. Your room will now include Florida native bugs and critters happy to help clean up.

And at the rates we pay, should not even be discussed. I'm paying stupid prices for a tiny value room with hard beds and scratchy towels, the least they can do is make them and pick up.

I travel a lot for work currently. 3-4 nights a week. I didn't say it as standard but it is becoming more common. Almost all of the hotels I stay in offer an incentive to forego housekeeping. As I noted in a previous post I stay at mostly Hilton and Starwood brand hotels and this is the case in nearly all of them now. The amount varies by hotel and chain, $5/night credit, 500-3000 points per night, free breakfast at the hotel restaurant, etc. All of these are incentives I've been offered over the past 2-3 years.

I never see loads of trash or towels laying in the hallway. When I come back after the 2nd or 3rd night I have a plastic bag hanging in my door handle with new towels and toiletries. Most of the time I don't even need it and it stays in the bag.

No one is forcing anyone to stay in a Disney hotel or pay any particular rate. And again, as we have been seeing, other folks are just fine paying these rates and declining housekeeping for no incentive at all. Why would allowing the housekeeping staff to plan with a formal incentivized system in place be a bad thing? It's an option. You don't have to choose it. I can't foresee them completely doing away with housekeeping or making it a paid amenity but I'm certainly fine with having the option. If I feel like it's a good deal I take it, if I don't, I pass.

We can agree to disagree but I don't honestly see why others can't have a choice on whether to skip housekeeping and accept a gift card in return if they wish.

 

[Kaytie]

Hey all, here's another update for ya. I had to go to the front desk at Movies for another issue this morning but was able to sneak a peek at a chart they had for the no housekeeping incentive:

2 nights - $20 = $10 per night
3 nights - $40 = $13.33
4 nights - $60 = $15.00
5 nights - $80 = $16.00
6 nights - $100 = $16.66
7 nights - $120 = $17.14
8 nights - $140 = $17.50
9 nights - $160 = $17.66
10 nights - $180 = $18.00
11 nights - $200 = $18.18
12 nights - $220 = $18.33
13 nights - $240 = $18.46
14 nights - $260 = $18.57

I didn't see anything beyond 14 nights.

 

[Dean Marino]

Just us - makes sense....

But we are DVC members. DVC rooms are "full cleaned" on day 4 of occupancy, "Trash & Tidy" on day 8 of occupancy, repeat for longer stays.

We've really never had a problem with all this . OH - that schedule is for DVC OWNERS - NOT people renting DVC rooms FROM Disney for CASH. Rent from an owner? That's your schedule.