Leaving Magic for MouseKeeping

[Nicholmom3]

I am looking for ideas to leave unique sprinkles of magic for our MouseKeeping. I do plan on leaving a cash tip every day, but I wanted to do just a small something extra. Any ideas or comments? Are there any "rules" I should keep in mind so that they can actually accept these gifts?

I was thinking of picking up some Boston area postcards and writing a little thank you on them, with the tip underneath. Maybe I can find some Boston themed pins or small magnets? Is this over board or do you think it would be appreciated?

If I attach the pins to the card they should be able to take the whole thing, right? Or would it be better to put it in an envelope so there is no confusion?

 

[awalker1015]

We made custom envelopes for each day of our stay to leave housekeeping tips. They had the Incredibles printed on them and said "Thank You From the Walker Family"
ETA- just Google "mouse keeping envelopes" and you will find several sites that offer the design for free.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think that it might not be as appreciated by a hard working just trying to get the job done person as you want it to be.

We leave cash for Housekeeping. No envelope, just a note stating clearly "for housekeeping".

(We here online are the only ones who call it Mousekeeping...that's not the name of the position, so I don't want to confuse anyone who, from our experience, might not be 100% fluent in English)

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I am looking for ideas to leave unique sprinkles of magic for our MouseKeeping. I do plan on leaving a cash tip every day, but I wanted to do just a small something extra. Any ideas or comments? Are there any "rules" I should keep in mind so that they can actually accept these gifts?

I was thinking of picking up some Boston area postcards and writing a little thank you on them, with the tip underneath. Maybe I can find some Boston themed pins or small magnets? Is this over board or do you think it would be appreciated?

If I attach the pins to the card they should be able to take the whole thing, right? Or would it be better to put it in an envelope so there is no confusion?

I like the postcard idea, but I think the pins and magnets are overboard. Do you think they would use or wear them? I think they would mostly appreciate cash, quite honestly. We simply write thank you notes on the notepads provided in the room, fold them and put the cash in the fold so they know it's for them to take. At the Poly, the mousekeeper wrote us little notes in response each day - it was really sweet!

 

[Jonas_Swe]

I believe that it's the act itself that counts a plenty for the housekeeper.

And I might not end up being the DIS Boards most popular member after this post.... But bear with me! There's a point in the end. And for the record, I love the effort every housekeeper does when the job is done well.

You acknowledge their effort to clean up and freshen your room for your return with an appropriate tip. Either marked "To Housekeeping", or on an undoubtedly obvious place, like the middle of an unmade bed. Can't miss that!

The thought of cards, pins, crafted items from home is so very sweet to think of. But remember, first of all it needs to be easy and practical for Housekeeping to take the gift. And there might be different housekeepers each day, they mostly are too "stressed" to reflect over any "personal" gifts. How wonderful they might be.

Please don't take this the wrong way! It's not ungratefulness from You to give less attention to the tip given, and absolutely no ungratefulness from the housekeeper not stopping to think especially about You when they receive it.

They're on their job, and have to keep their trolley with all items for all rooms they are scheduled to tend along with them, the room list for the shift, key cards (master key for rooms, housekeeping access key, and such). And any special requests for rooms and the guests noted and prepared for.

They are doing an excellent job, creating magic in their own way (a very high standard of housekeeping) and occasionally leave extra candy or towel animals behind.

It's so much easier and convenient to take the tip in the pocket or in a slot on the housekeeping cart. Having all sorts of different sized "creatively" home crafted gifts would not fit in the pocket after only a few rooms, and clutter the housekeeping cart (their main work tool). That has to remain organized so they won't miss anything that is an actual part of their work.

I was extremely lucky to have had the same housekeeper for a whole week. She signed a little card each day with her first name. So very sweet! And a few days later I accidentally walked in on her working in our room. I got to thank her personally and even got a pic with her!

Your thought is wonderful, and you think just like me when it comes to wanting to show your genuine appreciation!

But in this particular case, less is more. But it does mean everything to the housekeeper in the receiving end!

 

[MDIME]

A nice tip with a sincere note would be best IMO. Also, leaving your room tidy each day so they don't have to try to clean around your stuff.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Truly: Cash. Don't overthink it.

The wage of a housekeeper is not huge, and it's a lot of work. You may not get the same staff every day, so if you want to go all creative, you'd need to do it daily to really be just.

And Disney is no different than anywhere else. Precious gifts don't buy groceries. Cash money does.

 

[Allison]

I agree with others. Just the cash.

 

[Southernmiss]

On our stay in May, I left a note on notebook paper thanking Francesca for taking care of us and politely asking for more towels, which we received in abundance! And the next day, we got towel animals.

At the end of our stay, dd14 wrote a note thanking her and Dh left a tip.

Not over thought, but gracious none the less.

 

[Hopefully]

Housekeepers rotate, often daily. It is much better to tip daily rather than a lump sum at the end of your stay, if you choose to tip at all. I agree with the others, I would not leave anything other than the tip.

 

[AngiTN]

If you want to do something more than a tip, which is really sufficient, give their supervisor their name and tell them how much you appreciate their hard work. That will be much more important to them than any trinket would be. Compliments from guests go in their file and I know with park CM, are often acknowledged in team meetings.

 

[awalker1015]

For clarification we use the envelopes so they know the $$ is for them. My kids get a kick out of customizing them.

I agree cash rather than gifts is more likely to be appreciated and tipping daily ensures each person who cleans the room is recognizes.

 

[Alfredo68]

I would also add that it may be pure magic itself for housekeeping to not find complete chaos when they walk into the room. Maybe keeping it tidy to make their job easier and quicker could be totally appreciated?

 

[momof2cuties]

I wonder what happens if you leave a tip at the end. Do they split tips? At akl I asked after the 4th day and front desk said it's totally fine to just leave one tip at the end. at POFQ I ended up leaving it every day as I was usually leaving a note to ask for towels or shampoo or something.

 

[Aliceacc]

I think that the best thing you can do is:
- leave a relatively neat room, making their job easier.
- leave cash in an envelope that's clearly marked.
- write a note of appreciation, naming the housekeeper if you know the names, and send it to management.

Beyond that, what are they going to do with mementos of places they've never visited?

 

[Nancyg56]

I think that if you want to make that stuff you should do it. Keep in mind what previous posters have said, these CM's are very busy, they work hard, they have a schedule to meet, and they have only a trolley to cart things around on. WE used to make the envelopes, but I stopped that a few years ago and now I just leave extra money.

If you really want to make magic:
Leave your room neat so the CM can clean efficiently
Make sure you get the name and send a message to guest services
Leave cash on the bed daily
If you see mousekeepers in the hallway, say hello and thank you
Be nice

It's funny, we tip for everything. We tip DME, valet services, bell services, servers. But housekeepers?

My DH told me I was cheap when we wee away in NYC for a long weekend. He was horrified that I left $5 for our housekeeper, and told me that "the little girl who cleans our toilet deserve a lot more than the guy who follows us to our on with a bag." He was right, IMO. WE are neat, and I leave my room clean, but I cannot imagine the level of stress that accompanies that job.

 

[AngiTN]

I wouldn't trust that they split the tips if you opt to tip only at the end of your trip. More than likely whoever cleaned your room that day gets all of it. They may ask that it's pooled but I doubt there is a way to control exactly what they do with the money. It's not like at a restaurant where it's tallied on the bill and someone tracks them. If you plan to tip, tip daily. It's the only way you know for sure that the person cleaning that day gets the tip.

My DH told me I was cheap when we wee away in NYC for a long weekend. He was horrified that I left $5 for our housekeeper, and told me that "the little girl who cleans our toilet deserve a lot more than the guy who follows us to our on with a bag." He was right, IMO. WE are neat, and I leave my room clean, but I cannot imagine the level of stress that accompanies that job.

At least at Disney, the girl that cleans your room makes more salary than the guy that brings your bags to the room.

 

[Nancyg56]

[QUOTE="AngiTN, post: 56043040, member: 355902"


At least at Disney, the girl that cleans your room makes more salary than the guy that brings your bags to the room.[/QUOTE]

No doubt. We tip everyone, but I was just sharing my DH reasoning.

 

[Alfredo68]

I still think that the best tip they can get is people keeping their room in good order and as tidy as possible so that the cleaning staff can Tinkerbell their way in and out quickly, without having to spend an hour cleaning up after you. Some people can be total slobs and I would hate to walk into one of those rooms having to clean it.

 

[NJMomto2]

We got towel animals when we left good tips too