Housekeeping gets major upgrades to compete!

[dclpluto]

This is about 10 yrs ago, but we had a late checkout at POP. I pack up everything in my room, not sure what my DD's room was like, and left for the park. Came back around noon and the room was cleaned. I felt like I was being intrusive in someone else's room. I didn't even want to sit on the bed.

I wasn't checked out. Why would they clean the rooms at that point?

It's nice to leave the tag on your door saying do not disturb.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

This is about 10 yrs ago, but we had a late checkout at POP. I pack up everything in my room, not sure what my DD's room was like, and left for the park. Came back around noon and the room was cleaned. I felt like I was being intrusive in someone else's room. I didn't even want to sit on the bed.

I wasn't checked out. Why would they clean the rooms at that point?

Good question.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

It's nice to leave the tag on your door saying do not disturb.

Sounds great, but the poster wasn't checked out.

 

[dclpluto]

Sounds great, but the poster wasn't checked out.

I know that. You put the tag on your door do not disturb.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I know that. You put the tag on your door do not disturb.

So, either put up the sign or say goodbye to your stuff?

What the heck was housekeeping thinking? Cleaning a room that wasn't empty? Did they think the people that left the room just left all of their stuff for the next guest? Did they just leave the stuff there? If the guest had truly left that stuff, did housekeeping take it to lost and found? It doesn't sound like it. It sounds like they left the stuff in the room.

Sorry, I can't think of a good reason why housekeeping would clean a room on checkout day while the guest hadn't checked out and while their stuff was still there.

 

[dclpluto]

So, either put up the sign or say goodbye to your stuff?

What the heck was housekeeping thinking? Cleaning a room that wasn't empty? Did they think the people that left the room just left all of their stuff for the next guest? Did they just leave the stuff there? If the guest had truly left that stuff, did housekeeping take it to lost and found? It doesn't sound like it. It sounds like they left the stuff in the room.

Sorry, I can't think of a good reason why housekeeping would clean a room on checkout day while the guest hadn't checked out and while their stuff was still there.

Housekeeper probably didn't know it was a checkout date. Mistakes happen.
Rooms get clean daily this wasn't a dvc resort. You put the tag on so they don't come in. Hopefully

 

[Saratoga Springs Tom]

It's a roll of the dice. I've had less than desirable conditions as a cash customer and as DVC. Most recently (December 16) we booked a long weekend at POR as a cash customer. We get to our room and at first it looked OK. Began to look closer and there's something sticky on the nightstand. The room appeared to be cleaned in a hurry because of the little things that weren't done. I've seen the same things happen at our DVC resorts too. Things that don't work or just not cleaned to the level it should be. Glad to see Disney doing something to hopefully improve things in housekeeping.

 

[rocketriter]

Why did she have to wait to 11 when a lot of people get up early to head to the parks? 16 is a lot. But the more rooms you have the more tips you get.

It's true that many people get off to an early start. But this board is full of complaints from people who get a knock on the door before 11 am asking if they're still in the room. Housekeeping is in a no-win situation: bad if they knock to see if they can clean earlier than 11, bad if they wait until 11 and then don't have time to finish the work. I think we should give the new system time and find out if it's an improvement. Fingers crossed! (Also, DVC policy makes tips optional--frequently discussed on this board--and as a result many members do not leave them.)

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

It's true that many people get off to an early start. But this board is full of complaints from people who get a knock on the door before 11 am asking if they're still in the room. Housekeeping is in a no-win situation: bad if they knock to see if they can clean earlier than 11, bad if they wait until 11 and then don't have time to finish the work. I think we should give the new system time and find out if it's an improvement. Fingers crossed! (Also, DVC policy makes tips optional--frequently discussed on this board--and as a result many members do not leave them.)

Housekeeping isn't a tipped position, regardless of where they work on property, DVC or cash reservation.

 

[thebigman65]

Housekeeping isn't a tipped position, regardless of where they work on property, DVC or cash reservation.

Who cares if its a "tipped position" If you think you have received good service and you want to leave a tip....i say go for it. We often do! I tell you one thing....I wouldn't want to do that job and I respect those who do and are good at it!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Who cares if its a "tipped position" If you think you have received good service and you want to leave a tip....i say go for it. We often do! I tell you one thing....I wouldn't want to do that job and I respect those who do and are good at it!

Who cares? The people that hire for it, the people that work it and those that receive their services.

Tipping or not, for Disney housekeeping, is a personal choice. No one should be made to feel that that should tip.

 

[Sweettears]

Who cares? The people that hire for it, the people that work it and those that receive their services.

Tipping or not, for Disney housekeeping, is a personal choice. No one should be made to feel that that should tip.

Not sure what you are saying here. I believe the point is who cares if it fits into your box of a tipped position or not. If they provide good service there is no reason not to tip if you please. No one is suggesting that it is mandatory in the slightest sense. I wouldn't think of not tipping.

 

[disneynutz]

I often wonder why we don't tip the wonderful Disney transportation drivers?

Bill

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Not sure what you are saying here. I believe the point is who cares if it fits into your box of a tipped position or not. If they provide good service there is no reason not to tip if you please. No one is suggesting that it is mandatory in the slightest sense. I wouldn't think of not tipping.

It's true that many people get off to an early start. But this board is full of complaints from people who get a knock on the door before 11 am asking if they're still in the room. Housekeeping is in a no-win situation: bad if they knock to see if they can clean earlier than 11, bad if they wait until 11 and then don't have time to finish the work. I think we should give the new system time and find out if it's an improvement. Fingers crossed! (Also, DVC policy makes tips optional--frequently discussed on this board--and as a result many members do not leave them.)

My point is, it isn't DVC policy that makes tips optional. Housekeeping isn't a tipped position at Disney.

 

[keishashadow]

If costs increase because of this (and more staff has to mean increased costs), then our dues will also increase. If that happens, I will be very disappointed UNLESS there are noticeable improvements.

Jmho it's likely a cost-savings or it wouldn't be implemented. Time management akin to maintenance workers being told they wouldn't be able to pick their locations to work in parks based upon seniority (although that is under dispute last I heard).

Can't say I've experienced any cleanliness issues @ WDW (DVC or CRO) other than dirty hallways/common areas @ our one SSR stay 2 years ago.

 

[dvcdisney]

This is about 10 yrs ago, but we had a late checkout at POP. I pack up everything in my room, not sure what my DD's room was like, and left for the park. Came back around noon and the room was cleaned. I felt like I was being intrusive in someone else's room. I didn't even want to sit on the bed.

I wasn't checked out. Why would they clean the rooms at that point?

I've never stayed at POP so I didn't realize that late check outs were possible. But, my guess would be is that Mousekeeping didn't know about your late check out. But even then, they should have realized that you things were still there. What they should have done was called down to the front desk and ask, and at that point, they would have known that you were staying later.

I don't think it happens that much in DVC resorts since they don't really allow late check outs. Actually, the only other place we've stayed in other than DVC resorts is AKL in 2002 and there was no late check out there either. That was the year we purchased our first set points. They picked us up at AKL on our second day, and by the end of our trip (8 days later), we were ready to purchase.

 

[drusba]

Over the years we have had several housekeeping issues. Many occurrences simply have to do with the complete lack of acknowledging requests:

Our trips are usually 8 nights or more and thus we get a full cleaning day. We also usually order another full cleaning day on the the towell and trash day (it is less costly for that day because they subtract the usual cost of the trash and towell service from the full cleaning day service). Over a period of twenty years, housekeeping has blown providing the extra full cleaning day when requested about 80% of the time. If you make the request through MS before you arrive, housekeeping never gets it, or at least claims it did not. If you make the request at the front desk when you arrive, same result. The only way it ever really happens is when you call housekeeping itself and order it when there, and even then the only way to assure it happens is to make a second call the actual morning of the service and remind housekeeping of the request. Once I called housekeeping and requested the service and was told it would be provided; when it wasn't I called again and got the same person I had talked to previously who tried to claim he had no record of my request. In addition, even for the full cleaning day that comes with booking 8 nights or more, housekeeping has failed to show up 20% of the time.

Another request never received or always ignored is time of cleaning. We often request through housekeeping when there that the cleaning on any full cleaning day not be done until the afternoon because we often are still in the room until late morning. Despite that request, housekeeping has still knocked on the door at about 8:30 wanting to clean the room and the person has no knowledge of the request we made. I am zero for all requests on that one because invariably I have gotten the knock on the door in the morning. I have even had the knock on the door twice when the do not disturb sign was on the doorknob.

I have had numerous poorly done full cleaning days. The worst was when we came back to our 2BR at 10 p.m. and found the full trash bags sitting near the door, the vacuum sitting out, the living room, kitchen and dishes not done, and only one bedroom and bathroom done. I can only assume the housekeeper took a lunch break mid-service and decided to never come back. Other issues have included one of the rooms not being done, dishes not done, trash not emptied, coffee pot not emptied and cleaned. We have some good cleanings but far too many bad ones.


If the new changes will improve DVC housekeeping I am all for them. As Maistre Gracey mentioned above, it is 20 years overdue.

 

[Sweettears]

My point is, it isn't DVC policy that makes tips optional. Housekeeping isn't a tipped position at Disney.

It is when I stay there.

 

[thebigman65]

My point is, it isn't DVC policy that makes tips optional. Housekeeping isn't a tipped position at Disney.

And my point is....I'm not sure why you are pointing that out.....this thread is about housekeeping and Disney finally doing something to bring more quality control to it ( hopefully)..... what bering does it being a tipped position have on this.....if you want to tip....tip.....if you don't want to ......don't.....I would tip if I want no matter whether it's a tipped position or not.....

 

[mac_tlc]

I don't think it happens that much in DVC resorts since they don't really allow late check outs. Actually, the only other place we've stayed in other than DVC resorts is AKL in 2002 and there was no late check out there either. That was the year we purchased our first set points. They picked us up at AKL on our second day, and by the end of our trip (8 days later), we were ready to purchase.

Our only real issue in over 25 years of DVC was in December 2010, when we came back to our room at BLT at 10:45, after going to breakfast, to find that housekeeping did indeed come into the room before we checked out and cleaned it. Ironically, they did a great job cleaning it. Unfortunately, this was right after my daughter's wedding and they threw out her bridal bouquet, threw out the Cinderella top to her wedding cake, "lost" the crystal cuffs that were attached to the bouquet, and chucked a few other momentos.

Sometimes it's not the frequency, but the impact.........

mac_tlc