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

[HopperFan]

Speaking for just myself, owning DVC does make me feel more invested in the property I own. I sweep up the bathroom floor after getting dressed; I leave dirty towels in one neat pile; I put dishes away in the dishwasher; and once, I cleaned out the bottom freezer tray because I thought we had spilled something in there; but later my husband said it wasn't our mess...oh well. There is a bit more feeling of embarrassment of leaving the room in bad shape for the housekeeping to come in and see. I can't help feeling that it would somehow be recorded against us if we made a huge mess every time we stayed in a unit. Ultimately, I do feel more respectful toward the housekeeping and my fellow owners who may be using the room after us than I would a hotel room we utilized once.

Personally, I would like some kind of housekeeping more often than every 4 days. We do have lots of recyclables, I don't like feeling grit on my bare feet, and I would prefer to come in to a made bed every day; but I resigned myself to the cleaning schedule when we bought in.

Okay, maybe I'm not clear. I'm not talking about vac daily, scrubbing fridges or mopping floors (although I do that when I stay in Mom's). I'm talking more about a respect in something I have ownership in.

I'm talking about trash to trashcans, trash to disposal locations, messes on counters wiped up, no bags of food and chips laying around, no food stuffs sitting out, no box-less pizza laying on the sheets (yup seen it) .......... I often laugh that the rooms that are the most disgusting are the guests who leave their curtains wide open (so they obviously don't care). For management purposes and my preference I would rather see Housekeeping Buildings and Non-Housekeeping Buildings.

I don't know why Disney is doing this other than (1) they can't get enough Housekeepers hired (2) this will be a paid for service later.

I'm not sure what you mean by a different level of standard for prepping the room for the Values?

Not sure what they meant but I will tell you my last few value trips ........... Not enough towels, there should be 4. Randomly getting toiletries. Some days they never even showed up while we were at parks. No lining for ice bucket nor more cups. I then go to the towel cart, grab a dozen and put up on shelf. I do want my trash emptied and out of the room and wet towels gone ... bed made me mad but it wasn't a cleanliness issue. I just made them myself. I do feel what used to be wonderful service has declined any given trip. And we are very clean and I tip well.

I'm tired of the reduction in service while the prices go up ...

 

[MeridaAndAngus]

I would definitely be interested in this. Probably would not take advantage of it for all days of a week-long trip, but for a weekend or long weekend this would definitely be worthwhile to me. Now, this all assumes the credit is available either immediately as a gift card (or credit to my Magic Band) that I can use in the parks, or a credit back against the price of my room. If it's a gift card I wouldn't get until the conclusion of my stay, that'd probably be less appealing.

 

[CarolynNC]

I like this idea. I rarely use housekeeping on my trips since I mostly travel alone or bring one friend. Even when I brought my son with a friend we rarely used the service. I like my privacy and I can grab clean towels and empty my trash. I generate very little. Since it's strictly voluntary, everyone should be happy.

Recent articles on the net have talked about Disney revamping housekeeping to address the issue of service quality. They are hiring (or have hired) more housekeeping managers, implementing a new dispatch system, and are offering a signing bonus in the range of $500 for experienced housekeepers. Perhaps this incentive is to help address the issue of not having enough warm bodies to provide the level of service they want.

 

[SL6827]

I have always called for extra towels when we are there and they have always been brought. Even extra shampoo and such and always got it. Now the past six trips have been in either a moderate or deluxe, so not sure if that has anything to do with it.

 

[captaindavidhook]

How long will this deal being going on? I will be staying at ASM in September. When do you get the GC and do you call ahead and let them know what you wish to do or do you tell them as soon as you arrive.

 

[Beer Me]

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.

Ive never been offered Hilton honors points at any Hampton, Embassy suites, Double tree or Hilton garden for foregoing housekeeping. I don't travel nearly as often as you, maybe 5 or 6 trips per year. No doubt it seems to be becoming more prevalent but it's not typical in my experience.

When traveling alone for work I would absolutely take an incentive like this. You can barely tell I'm in the room and I leave a nice tip anyway! But with family on vacation it's a different story. We are pretty neat but it's nice to have a quick daily clean and replenish soap, shampoo, tp etc.

 

[mb187143]

Ive never been offered Hilton honors points at any Hampton, Embassy suites, Double tree or Hilton garden for foregoing housekeeping. I don't travel nearly as often as you, maybe 5 or 6 trips per year. No doubt it seems to be becoming more prevalent but it's not typical in my experience.

When traveling alone for work I would absolutely take an incentive like this. You can barely tell I'm in the room and I leave a nice tip anyway! But with family on vacation it's a different story. We are pretty neat but it's nice to have a quick daily clean and replenish soap, shampoo, tp etc.

It's not all of them, those are just the brands I stay at due to company policy/preferred vendors. I got the first offer at an Embassy Suites in 2014 in Kansas City and it is become more prevalent from there. I am sure there's a calculation to where they offer it and what the incentive is.

That said, when I'm at Disney I do typically want room service every day. Partly because when we go I'm at times showering twice a day and those towels don't always dry enough for re-use in the humidity. I also have never been offered an incentive to skip it by Disney. It would depend on the offer for me, in that case, even though i regularly skip it otherwise.

I just don't have an issue with them offering it. If it helps them to plan resources better, knowing officially that guests in these 200 rooms are not in need of housekeeping, i don't have an issue with that.

 

[lovethattink]

We are participating in it now. Arrived yesterday for a 5 night stay. Got $80 at check in. Was told the first night doesn't count since the room was cleaned.

Was told to call if we need any towels, toiletries, TP, garbage bags.

I always pack Clorox wipes, dawn dish soap, extra plastic bags, pool towels and wash cloths from home.

It's day 2 and our room still looks great.

The only hang up I can see myself having is using towels for 6 days. I'm sure at some point I'll be asking for fresh towels.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We are participating in it now. Arrived yesterday for a 5 night stay. Got $80 at check in. Was told the first night doesn't count since the room was cleaned.

Was told to call if we need any towels, toiletries, TP, garbage bags.

I always pack Clorox wipes, dawn dish soap, extra plastic bags, pool towels and wash cloths from home.

It's day 2 and our room still looks great.

The only hang up I can see myself having is using towels for 6 days. I'm sure at some point I'll be asking for fresh towels.

Ohh that's good to know if they roll it out to other resorts that at least right now you can still ask for towels (my main concern) and what not. I totally didn't even think about toilet paper!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Great to hear these early reports. If towels, toiletries, and TP are available then I am very interested in trying this if offered at Pop next week

 

[AnnaKat]

We are participating in it now. Arrived yesterday for a 5 night stay. Got $80 at check in. Was told the first night doesn't count since the room was cleaned.

Was told to call if we need any towels, toiletries, TP, garbage bags.

I always pack Clorox wipes, dawn dish soap, extra plastic bags, pool towels and wash cloths from home.

It's day 2 and our room still looks great.

The only hang up I can see myself having is using towels for 6 days. I'm sure at some point I'll be asking for fresh towels.

We pack the same extras!


IF they didn't allow guests to
request & receive more towels,
toiletries, TP, and garbage bags,
THEN there may be few takers
beyond a stay of maybe 3 days.

This is a win-win

 

[vinotinto]

I don't feel great about this idea. While I think it may be OK for those staying 4 nights or less, or those who travel as singles/couples, or the DISers who come prepared with Clorox wipes (DISers not being typical), I can't imagine what the typical room of a family of 4-5 staying for a week would look like. And what if something is spilled (which is not that unusual with kids), will people hesitate to call housekeeping to come properly clean it before it really sinks in for fear of losing their credit? Will they just take one of the dirty towels and smear it over?

 

[Westcoastwild]

I don't feel great about this idea. While I think it may be OK for those staying 4 nights or less, or those who travel as singles/couples, or the DISers who come prepared with Clorox wipes (DISers not being typical), I can't imagine what the typical room of a family of 4-5 staying for a week would look like. And what if something is spilled (which is not that unusual with kids), will people hesitate to call housekeeping to come properly clean it before it really sinks in for fear of losing their credit? Will they just take one of the dirty towels and smear it over?

You know...
This MIGHT be one reason for the value refurbs; hard floors, not a lot of extra stuff. Makes wipe up easier for the guests and it means less chance of permanent damage.

But aside from that, I think what you've mentioned is the main reason I would not do this. I don't travel with cleaning supplies, and I'm not about to start. I'm okay with washing my own sheets at a hostel, but I draw the line at cleaning the bathroom if I were to get sick. I draw the line at staying at one of the rare hostels that requires you to do chores. Sorry, housekeeping is a major reason to stay in a hostel or hotel for me. Two of my friends have serious health issues that would make sharing a bathroom with them on vacation without housekeeping a miserable experience (I know because I roomed with both in college). $80 for 5 nights would not do it for me. That's $16 a day, and if that was a huge deal to me I could eliminate drinking around the world or pin shopping.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You know...
This MIGHT be one reason for the value refurbs; hard floors, not a lot of extra stuff. Makes wipe up easier for the guests and it means less chance of permanent damage.

But aside from that, I think what you've mentioned is the main reason I would not do this. I don't travel with cleaning supplies, and I'm not about to start. I'm okay with washing my own sheets at a hostel, but I draw the line at cleaning the bathroom if I were to get sick. I draw the line at staying at one of the rare hostels that requires you to do chores. Sorry, housekeeping is a major reason to stay in a hostel or hotel for me. Two of my friends have serious health issues that would make sharing a bathroom with them on vacation without housekeeping a miserable experience (I know because I roomed with both in college). $80 for 5 nights would not do it for me. That's $16 a day, and if that was a huge deal to me I could eliminate drinking around the world or pin shopping.

I don't think anyone thinks you have to carry cleaning supplies with you at any hotel. Some choose to do it but that's not a representation of those who would take the incentive.

The thing is isn't not fair to just say "well if $80 was a huge deal to me...". I doubt that for the majority of people even interested in this that it's a make it or break it situation. It's likely a bonus to them not a cut out something to make up the cost elsewhere. It's like $20 for parking at the parks if not an on-site guest is unlikely to be a make it or break it situation but it's def a nice thing to not have to pay for that. Heck for me a gift card could mean splurging on a nicer dinner or more souvenirs.

Bottom line is you're not the target market of the pilot program (as is the situation as well with some others in the thread) which is perfectly fine.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I don't think anyone thinks you have to carry cleaning supplies with you at any hotel. Some choose to do it but that's not a representation of those who would take the incentive.

The thing is isn't not fair to just say "well if $80 was a huge deal to me...". I doubt that for the majority of people even interested in this that it's a make it or break it situation. It's likely a bonus to them not a cut out something to make up the cost elsewhere. It's like $20 for parking at the parks if not an on-site guest is unlikely to be a make it or break it situation but it's def a nice thing to not have to pay for that. Heck for me a gift card could mean splurging on a nicer dinner or more souvenirs.

Bottom line is you're not the target market of the pilot program (as is the situation as well with some others in the thread) which is perfectly fine.

Right. I agree. I was more responding to the PP who was concerned about people being too afraid to call housekeeping and losing the bonus. I think most people who take the bonus wouldn't be the sort of people who would not be willing to clean up after themselves to begin with. And even if they were, if they had a serious spill, they'd be likely to forfeit the relatively minor compensation because they would want that cleaned up (unless it was day of check out). It isn't a big enough discount that cheapskates are going to live with the mess, especially since damage could result in a credit card charge.

 

[justreading]

I wouldn't want to move into a room where a family lived for a week without it being cleaned. Not unless housekeeping spent a great deal of time doing extra cleaning after that family left!

 

[maxiesmom]

I wouldn't want to move into a room where a family lived for a week without it being cleaned. Not unless housekeeping spent a great deal of time doing extra cleaning after that family left!

They will still clean the rooms between guests. That is not even an issue.

 

[mb187143]

I wouldn't want to move into a room where a family lived for a week without it being cleaned. Not unless housekeeping spent a great deal of time doing extra cleaning after that family left!

This is already happening though and the new guests have really no way to know. There are lots of people who are already declining housekeeping, even without an incentive (several posted in this thread, others in some of the recent threads about housekeeping issues). Many folks just don't want housekeeers in their rooms.

If I checked into a room that didn't look appropriately clean I would be going back to the front desk to address the issue, and it wouldn't really matter to me whether the previous guests had daily housekeeping or not, just that I have a room that is cleaned ahead of my arrival.

 

[mom2rtk]

This is already happening though and the new guests have really no way to know. There are lots of people who are already declining housekeeping, even without an incentive (several posted in this thread, others in some of the recent threads about housekeeping issues). Many folks just don't want housekeeers in their rooms.

Yes. And now it will happen a lot more.

If it was already happening in large numbers they wouldn't need to start paying people for it.

 

[justreading]

This is already happening though and the new guests have really no way to know. There are lots of people who are already declining housekeeping, even without an incentive (several posted in this thread, others in some of the recent threads about housekeeping issues). Many folks just don't want housekeeers in their rooms.

If I checked into a room that didn't look appropriately clean I would be going back to the front desk to address the issue, and it wouldn't really matter to me whether the previous guests had daily housekeeping or not, just that I have a room that is cleaned ahead of my arrival.

True.