Magical Express Tipping

[sssteele]

Who should be tipped when using DME? It seems I read on these boards that the bus driver shpuld be tipped. Is that correct? Anybody else that should receive a gratuity?

 

[taekwondo mom]

we tip the DME driver both upon arrival and departure . If we use bell service to store carry on we tip them also

 

[dudspizza]

Tips are included for the luggage delivery portion according to Disney. It is really up to you whether you tip the ME driver or not. I would tip if they handle your luggage.

Duds

 

[disneysnowflake]

Both times we used ME the driver told everyone before he let anyone off that he would appreciate getting tips.

 

[dizzy203]

When I used DME the driver didn't do anything. He was sitting in his seat when we boarded, he said 'Welcome to Disney' and that was about it. He never said anything about a tip.

 

[IMDORY]

I was all set to tip our ME driver on the way to WL-but he was anything but magical! I was about to tip him when we got off the bus-and he actually was kinda rude to me...so I put my $3 back in my pocket.

The trip back to the airport was an entirely different experience-the driver was soooo nice! He talked to us the whole trip, had interesting/funny comments, moved as fast as humanly possible at every stop to load everybody and get going to the airport-I tipped him $5!

 

[bradk]

most people seem to agree that you tip if they store bags under the bus for you, $1-$2 per bag.

 

[goofy4tink]

Anytime anyone 'touches' your bags, other than your dh, you should expect to tip at about $1-2 per bag. So....if we have only carryon bags with us, that we have taken on the bus (they are small, so it's permissable) we don't tip. Now, I have had really entertaining bus drivers who I felt deserved a tip because they went above and beyond what I expected them to do. So, that one driver got a $5 bill from me even though I had no bags other than my carryon tote.
Now...I have had rides on DME where the driver has come out and said that tips are always appreciated! That, in addition to the sign at the front of the bus telling me the same thing. Nope, that driver gets nothing from me. I figure that the driver is getting paid to drive the bus...I don't tip him for that. But as I said before, I do tip if the driver has done something extra. And even then, if that driver mentions 'appreciating a tip'....nothing comes out of my pocket.

As far as bell services goes...I tip the person that delivers my bags to me, or takes them away for storage. Same for the person who gets them out of storage for me.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

When I used DME the driver didn't do anything. He was sitting in his seat when we boarded, he said 'Welcome to Disney' and that was about it.

I wouldn't tip just because I was a passenger on a DME motorcoach.

I would tip if a DME driver stows my luggage in the luggage hold for me (the amount would depend on whether or not the driver was pleasant and efficient).

I have tipped DME drivers who were exceptionally pleasant, even if I didn't have any luggage that needed to be stowed.

The quality of service from DME drivers varies widely. Some know that many guests will gladly tip if they make the motorcoach trip a pleasure. Others are grumpy and do only the minimum.

He never said anything about a tip.

I would count that in his favor. I hate it when people in service roles ask for tips. It seems the people who ask are never the same people who really earned their tips through great service.

I don't mind if someone is subtle about it. The last few times that I departed from WDW, the Resort Airline Check-in (RAC) employees said something along the lines of, "Have you used our service before? We'll issue your boarding passes and check your luggage to your home airport, just like curbside check-in at the airport." Most guests are aware that it's customary to tip for curbside check-in, so the phrase "just like curbside check-in" is a subtle way of sending the message that RAC employees are remote skycaps who accept and appreciate tips.

 

[K9pal]

Our driver on the return trip did say that tips were appreciated, but he had handled our baggage and we planned to tip him anyway. However, I personally don't think it should be announced.
Also, we didn't have any Disney music or the monitors on for either trip - what's with that??

 

[Poohbear67]

Yes I think it would be the approiate thing to do. Remember these poor people are handling all of these heavy bags of ours, loading and unloading etc. so I think it would be nice of all of us to tip them even if its is jusa ct ouple of bucks.

 

[Poohbear123]

On the flight, so I don't have a LONG wait at the MCO Carrousel. I let the ME Driver put my luggage underneath the coach, if he helps me off the bus, grabs my luggage for me, than I tip.

 

[TDC Nala]

Who should be tipped when using DME? It seems I read on these boards that the bus driver shpuld be tipped. Is that correct? Anybody else that should receive a gratuity?

You should tip the driver, especially if they handle luggage for you. (If they're rude to you, maybe not).

The tip for the bell services at the resort is supposedly included with the ME service, so you don't have to be in your room when your luggage is delivered.