How much and who to tip?

[missmolly]

I hate to expose my "class" here but we don't vacation much aside from camping and have never stayed in a 4* resort. I have no idea who I should tip and how much I should give them. Any help would be very much appreciated. Don't want to look too classless when I get there.

 

[macraven]

when i arrive and the valet gets my luggage for me, i tip $1 per bag.

last time, well more than the last trip, i check in early and have my stuff stored until the room is ready for me.

once i leave the park and go to my room, i call the front desk to have my luggage sent up. i tried to tip again, $1 per bag but the dude refused it saying not necessary as i already tipped when i checked into the hotel.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I typically get $40 in singles and 5's and keep them in an envelope. When you arrive at your resort, tip the guy who unloads your vehicle. I would do at least 5, or go with the $1 a bag rule. Later, when your luggage is brought to your room, tip the bellman--I think most people go with the $1 a bag rule here--but DH has been known to do a flat $5--a bit skimpy by some standards.

When you phone star services and ask for something to be delivered to your room--robe, extra pillow, etc., $2-3 should be adequate. If you take advantage of the package delivery from the parks, again, $2-3.

If you arrive from the airport via a cab or car service, 20% is customary.

 

[lindalinda]

I'm not sure what the rules are exactly on this but I usually leave a note for the maid service with requests (extra towels, extra soap, an extra trash can) and leave a tip of a couple of dollars then too.

 

[lindalinda]

Also, just to add, dont worry about not knowing this stuff. Its not exactly innate. No one there is going to treat you badly if you make a mistake. All the employees are just people too. Smile and speak to everyone and you'll realise this pretty quickly.

I have never had any issues at Universal with this, tho once at disney I did. Once we went and were booked at dixie landings (I think they changed the name now) and they didnt have a room for us and put us at one of the all star resorts for the first night and moved us the second day. I had tipped when we checked in, and they were supposed to move our luggage for us the next day (part of the deal since they didnt have our room). I had no intention of tipping since it was not our move, but the bellman (bellwoman actually) refused to leave without a tip. I was embarrassed and finally did tip her but I wasnt happy about it. It made me very uncomfortable. I was going to complain but I was just too embarrassed and didnt want to look like I was a cheapskate or something.

I still get suprised every once and a while about where I'm supposed to tip. I know at the carwash youre supposed to tip the guys, but I go to this drive thru one every once in a while, and there is an attendant who sprays off your car first, you know what I mean, before you go thru, well I have never tipped there. She came to the window the other day and let me know that it is only "attended" at certain times, but the price is the same. (In other words, I was supposed to tip when it was attended) I had no clue.

Anyway, what I mean is,basically, dont sweat it.

 

[missmolly]

Thanks all - I was wondering about leaving a tip fpr the cleaning person. I have heard other poeple say they always do and some say they never do.

I guess I have been a little curious on the whole parking and unloading thing too. We have always pulled up to the door, got our room and either grabbed a cart unloaded the car and one person went to park while the others waited or just parked and then grabbed our stuff and went to our room. Is that not how it works here? We are driving from MI so we will prob. be arriving after the normal check in time and our room should be ready.

If you have a car do you still have them store your bags if the room isn't ready? I guess I would have just left them in the car and got them when my room was ready. Is the parking secure? Do I need to be sure everything is out of the car?

Thanks so much for all the help. I am a bit of a compulsive worrier/obsesser. DS is just 54" and I keep worring he will not get on the coasters. That would be bad because he is really looking forward to them and as I said we don't get to vacation that far away much. It's been 6 years since we have been to FL. Doc had told us he was 54' bearfoot so we booked and bought tickets and as usual I got parinoid and measured and we get just 54" with shoes on! So that just gives me one more thing to worry about. Glad you are all here to ease my mind with the rest of the silly things I worry about.

 

[Girlsontour]

Being English, we are not use to the whole concept of tipping ! As for the housekeeping i have some stickers made up at work with a picture of the universal globe,the date and "Thanks for the housekeeping" in English and Spanish. Put the stickers on the front of an envelope and then i put in $1 per adult.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I typically get $40 in singles and 5's and keep them in an envelope. When you arrive at your resort, tip the guy who unloads your vehicle. I would do at least 5, or go with the $1 a bag rule. Later, when your luggage is brought to your room, tip the bellman--I think most people go with the $1 a bag rule here--but DH has been known to do a flat $5--a bit skimpy by some standards.

When you phone star services and ask for something to be delivered to your room--robe, extra pillow, etc., $2-3 should be adequate. If you take advantage of the package delivery from the parks, again, $2-3.

If you arrive from the airport via a cab or car service, 20% is customary.

This is exactly what we do. I leave $5.00 and a note each day for housekeeping too.

When you pull up to your hotel you will be greeted and your bags will be loaded on a cart. You will be given a ticket and from here you can just head to check in. Your bags are stored in a room with other luggage. You can access them when ever you like by asking and showing your ticket. When your room is ready a bellman will deliver them to your room. Sometimes automatically but usually we call or stop over there before heading to the room and request it.

I would just do it when you arrive rather than leave it in the car. Its done they are secure and you dont have to deal with it later.

Dont worry, your son is fine at 54" with or without his shoes. They wont make him take his shoes off as long as they arent lifts!

You will have a great trip. No worries.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

This is exactly what we do. I leave $5.00 and a note each day for housekeeping too.

Yes, I forgot about the housekeeping tip. We usually leave $3-5 per day upon checkout.

 

[Motherfletcher]

We were staying at PBH once when the free Loew's 1st newspaper (NY Times?) had an article about hotel housekeepnig and the focus was a Loew's hotel. Jonathon Tisch, Loew's Head Cheese, was saying how every once in a while he would switch jobs for a day with an underling. When he tried the housekeeping position he just couldn't do it. Making those beds is an art. The article went on to say nationally maids are only paid $8 something an hour.
My wife calls housekeeping every morning and tells them when we want the room serviced and makes special requests. My wife does this because she is an interprtter and often gets a Spanish speaking person at the housekeeping number.
When we stay at WDW hotels I always take a cast member's name tag and leave it on the night stand. This always works to get special attention because the maids think a cast member is staying there. We always score little animals made from the towels or they arrange my daughter's stuffed animals in certain poses.
We always tips the maids $5 daily (because the maids change off rooms). We started tipping the turndown maids a couple of bucks as well. The guy that takes the luggage out of the car gets $1 per bag. The guy that takes it to the room gets $2 depending on how much info he gives or how friendly he is. I give the guy at the fitness center a couple of bucks for giving me the locker room key. The one I keep forgetting is concierge.
When its just me and the kids I'll ask them if they want the "tip" and if they do I'll self park and let them tote the luggage from the car. We rarely valet since we get the car too often and that is $2 a shot. We have pulled up and told the greeter that we are self parking and they unload the car and hold the luggage in the lobby until we get there and another guy takes it to the room. We have even taken our own stuff on their cart if no one is around.

 

[thedisneymom]

Ok but does anyone tip the club staff? I have always wondered what to do about them(assuming that you don't ask for any special ressies or favors besides refill the food offerings).

 

[Motherfletcher]

Probably most people don't even talk to the club hostess. Our last stay I sat at her desk and asked a million questions. She told me stuff like take sodas and water when you leave the club and other tidbits. I should have tipped her. Others get the concierge staff to get them ressies at Emeril's for that night and other hard to get requests. They should tip too. If you don't talk to them I don't think you need to tip them for picking up your dishes, we usually do that anyway (trained from throwing away trash at McDonald's).

 

[thedisneymom]

Funny you should mention that. We also cleaned our table up and then noticed that we were the only ones doing it at the lounge. I loved your Mc D's line and I agree.