Is something different with the Valets?

[pamlet]

I've valet parked in a number of cities... for a number of years... and it has just been VERY recently - and mostly on this board that I've heard of tipping at drop off... I have always tipped only at pick up - based mostly on the fact that I've always heard that valets pool their tips. In fact at a number of places I've seen them drop their tips in a jar in the little "hut"...

My dad YEARS ago was a valet/doorman for a restaurant in Chicago. They pooled their tips ... and only the most ostentatious and/or demanding customers tipped both ways... the majority only at pick-up. (At least in his memory.. laugh)

 

[lenshanem]

I will never complain about the parking charge at WDW resorts (i.e. the Contemporary or the Poly).

You have to pay to park at the Contemporary or Poly? I've never experienced that. We've always been given a temp parking pass that covered a few hours. Or are you just referring to valet there?

On a similar note, if I understand correctly we can valet for free (not including tips) when dining at a resort using a DDE card???

Anyone know?

 

[Sammie]

Is that your opinion or are you quoting from the valet tippers guide book ?

I tip the people that give me good service. That means the guy parking and the guy bringing it back both get a fair tip.

Besides, if you stiff the guy bringing the car back, he doesn't know you're a jerk until you're safely driving away. If you stiff the guy parking your car, he knows your a jerk the entire time he's DRIVING your car. It's not worth the risk.

My thoughts exactly. I have seen the ways these guys park these cars. I want my driven to the parking lot by a happy driver. I know it should not be this way, but it is. I overheard a couple of them talking about parking cars under this tree that was always full of birds. It was a big joke.

 

[Judique]

My thoughts exactly. I have seen the ways these guys park these cars. I want my driven to the parking lot by a happy driver. I know it should not be this way, but it is. I overheard a couple of them talking about parking cars under this tree that was always full of birds. It was a big joke.

A couple of years back, I had valet parked at BWV, but forgot something in the car. Later in the afternoon, I walked over to the parking area intending to use my second key to get in the car and retrieve my item. While there, about 4 valets arrived by golf cart to pick up some vehicles. They ran of the cart, which was driven by a fifth guy, jumped into the vehicles, floored the gas on each vehicle as they started it and literally screeched tires wheeling them out of the parking area back to the valet area. That was my last time allowing anyone at Disney to valet park my vehicle. Plus that, my windows have been left open, my radio station changed, and a bit more understandable - my seat moved. The seat moving is not such an issue now, as I have a memory on my key. Can you tell I don't like people messing with my car?

 

[lenshanem]

The windows were left open?!? That could have been REALLY bad given Florida's thunderstorms! YIKES!

 

[barb45]

I wish that they were just paid decent salaries and there was NO tipping allowed. Then they would give you good service with a smile because they have a good job that pays well. They don't have to beg and you don't have to feel uncomfortable. AND if they do a lousy job - they get fired. That's what would happen to most of us in our jobs. We usually self park because we come and go 2 or 3 times a day. Also I don't like the idea of someone clowning around with my car - like the last poster just said.

 

[WOW]

It seems for the past couple years, that we have more and more started to tip when they take the car.......and when they return it.......Don't ask me how this happened, but that is what we do............And never even thought about it until I saw this post.

 

[Lexxiefern]

On a similar note, if I understand correctly we can valet for free (not including tips) when dining at a resort using a DDE card???

Anyone know?

Yes, you get free valet. We did this at the GF a week and a half ago. I showed her my DDE card and I said I had the receipt from 1900 Park Fare. She didn't really look at them, she just wrote paid on our tag.