Mousekeepers

[Luv4Disney]

How much do you usually tip the mousekeeper? What do you write on the envelope to make sure that they know it's for them, especially since I read that some of them don't speak English? Thanks all!

 

[tinknsnow]

We tip $1 per guest (incl. kids) and sometimes more, if we've gotten great service (extra towels, towel animals, extra soaps, "magic"...)

We've never been organized enough to remember envelopes, we just leave the cash on the bed. It's always been gone when we returned, so I'm not sure envelopes are necessary.

If I DID happen to remember the envelopes, I'd write "For our Mousekeeper" on the front.

 

[TLinden16]

I also tip $1 per person per day. If I'm travelling solo, I usually tip $2 per day. I never remember the envelopes, so I usually leave it on the vanity near the little card in the room that has the Housekeepers name. Most days it's taken. The only place it wasn't taken was at the Beach Club, but I just kept on adding more money each day until the end of the trip.

Karen

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

I usually leave a five for the 4 of us. It's just easier than packing all those $1 bills.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm sure someone will be able to give you the link to the envelope site. Heaven knows I'm just not literate enough to. But I think it was Heidi's something or other. I always print out enough envelopes for each night. Then, before I even leave my house I stick a $5 bill in each one. There are 3 of us, so that's a little more than some leave but we have had some great housekeeping so far. Only once did we have any towel animals, and that was at AllStarMusic. WHen I do the envelopes at home, I don't even have to think about it on vacation...just leave it on the vanity each morning.

 

[Amy&Dan]

At Pop two weeks ago I left a $5 bill for the four of us on the vanity each day. I left it tucked (just barely almost all of it sticking out) in a Kleenex with "For Housekeeping" written on the kleenex. Started doing this since I forgot the little notes I had made and wanted to make sure they knew it was for them. When I tip like that we always get tons of extra towels, towel animals and the knowledge that somebody who works hard and doesn't make much, feels somewhat appreciated. Also, after about 5 nights of leaving $5 a refrigerator appeared in our room. I left a note on it saying we didn't order it and it stayed. I told the front desk about it and it still stayed. We never did get charged, my son was convinced it was because we left "the lady all that money". He is 10 and thinks $5 is alot of money! Who knows, maybe she was having a frig taken out of a checkout room and thought what the heck!

 

[Ilovestitch]

I always put a $5 bill in an envelope- I write "Thank you, Mousekeeping!" on the front and decorate it with some of my little Disney scrapbooking stickers.

 

[prettyprincessmom]

We just returned from WL 2 weeks ago. We were on a waiting list for a refrigerator, I left a note the next morning on the table between the beds, asking if any were available yet and wanting an extra pillow. I left $5 bill next to the note. There is 3 of us. When we returned that night, we had our refrigerator, 2 pillows and the cutest dog made of towels! Each day we left a note saying thanks with $5, and everynight we had a new towel animal. DD7 was in heaven! What a great trip!

 

[Luv4Disney]

Thanks guys! That really helps!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Cute mousekeeping envelopes in English and Spanish. I leave it on top of a pillow! Put $5 in each before I leave home, put one out each morning and keep the rest in the room safe.
http://users.adelphia.net/~heidiw/

 

[highland3]

I have DD decorate an envelpe for each day and then stuff eachone with $5. DD writes a message on the envelope in English and Spanish that it is a gift for our Mousekeeper (maid).

 

[Schweet]

Last time we went to WDW we stayed at WL, that was six years ago. We left mousekeeping $4 a night for four of us (tucked in the card that had the mousekeepers name on it, they leave the card on the counter for you) and one day a towel "alligator" showed up on the bed, the next day a towel "duck" showed up! When we left, the kids had put the duck in the aligators mouth! The kids loved that someone they didn't even know did something special for them. Now it's our turn.

In June I'm taking my son for his graduation present so it will just be the two of us this time. I have a book on "money folding" so I plan on folding up a $5 bill for each night we stay at WL. I'm going to write my thank yous on post cards from Seattle that I'm bringing with me and I also got some Seattle pins that I'm going to use to attach the fancy folded money to the post card with! There are only 2 of us but I feel that the Mousekeepers are probably some of the least thanked castmembers at Disney and I want to make sure they know I appreciate them.

 

[beattyfamily]

Cute mousekeeping envelopes in English and Spanish. I leave it on top of a pillow! Put $5 in each before I leave home, put one out each morning and keep the rest in the room safe.
http://users.adelphia.net/~heidiw/

I was just going to post these! They are great! I have also adjusted them and added different pictures like I've put the Grinch on them for our Universal stay.

Anyway, although most of us know Disney doesn't consider Mousekeepers a tipped postion, I tip and lots of DISers do. On that note, I tip at least $1 a person, but usually $5 a day for my family of 4. I tip daily using the above envelopes. It's a fun part of the trip, getting them ready to go and I also fill them before I leave so I don't have to worry about coming up with the money down there!

I usually leave it on the bathroom mirror.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

I usually leave it on the bathroom mirror.

I've read this before, but for the life of me cannot figure out how to get it to stay!! I figured the pillows have to be changed/bed made, so it could not be missed. I'd like to have another good place - I'll have to try the mirror next time!

Thanks!

 

[hokiefan33]

We always leave $0 as a tip. Included as part of the $ I pay the hotel are clean sheets, towels and a vacuumed room, so I believe I've already paid for it. If I come back to the room and that's been done, I feel like I've got what I've ALREADY paid for, so I don't feel the need to leave anything else.

If you DO like to tip, no problem with that. But it's not required, nor are you mean if you don't. My money at Disney is spent on a good time for my family, not for the hotel staff.

 

[Luv4Disney]

How much would you tip for 2 people? We never leave a mess-I always put all the used towels in the tub and so forth.

The envelopes are so cute! Thank you!

 

[Skroops]

we usually jot a note saying thank you housekeeping (mousekeeping) with 3 dollars each day. A dollar per person. Often times they won't take cash sitting on the table without the note. We are very neat though, keeping our towels on the edge of the tub and wiping up our hair off the sink etc.
On the last day, no need to tip (TIPS =To Insure Personal Service) because we are out of there!
I usually tip housekeeping wherever I travel. I always appreciate coming back to a clean room and new shampoos and soaps!

 

[Minnie&Nana]

We do tip on the last day because it evens out for the day they prepared our room for us but did not receive a tip. Most people probably do not tip on the last day - we began doing this recently.

 

[ninaeve]

If I had not come across this thread, then I would never even think twice about tipping the maid. I agree that I pay for clean sheets and fresh towels. Maids are typically(atleast around here) paid much better than most service positions like waiters making $2/hr dependent on tips. If I was staying at a high class hotel where they did extra special things daily to the room beyond the norm, then I would have no problem tipping for good service, but when we are eating PB&J sandwiches just to come to Disney, I can not see tipping for the normal care of a room where they spend so little time/effort.

Now if you do have the extra cash, then I believe it is a very nice gesture, and a nice extra for the kids to have the towel animals, etc. I don't think that standard things like requesting clean towels deserve a tip.

K.

 

[Angelgirl13202]

some of you had posted above you already pay for clean sheets and so forth and so on. and thats to be expected! iv read on here of incidents where people didnt even get that. do a search to find what i am talking about

Yeah i say if you get extra care and special Magic than go for it

on my last College Program My roomate was a mousekeeper/frontdesk and I do know its hard work.... but she also told me she never did those towel animals...(she couldnt get them to come out right) the only really magicl thing she did was if the child had toys she would arrange them like they were playing while the child was gone wich is cute.....