Q. about turn down service

[mlggator]

I just stayed two nights at DLR at the Grand Californian and loved it. I am hooked on deluxes now. One thing I really liked was the turn down service. Since we are moving to the east coast and will be going to WDW now, I was wondering which resorts at WDW have turn down service at night.

Thanks,
Michele

 

[TammiMcMan]

It's available at all the deluxes. If you are staying on the club level, it's done automatically. If you are in a regular room, you have to call housekeeping and request it. At some of the deluxes, it's pretty much a guarantee, while at others, it's based on the staff availability.

 

[BunBun]

Stupid question ahead... What do they do? Just turn your blanket down? I'm kinda lost to the point because I don't understand it..

 

[TammiMcMan]

Turndown can include turning down the blankets of your beds, they also do a light cleaning if you've returned to your room after normal housekeeping had done their job. They'll remove room service trays, empty trash, replenish towels or toiletries if necessary. Some will go so far as arranging stuffed animals in cute little scenes, like gathered in a circle reading a storybook, or holding the remote and watching TV. Depending on the theme of the deluxe resort, they'll leave things on your pillow like a little poem, chocolates, salt water taffy, etc. It's sort of a nice welcome to back too after a day in the parks.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

I was thinking of requesting turndown service at the Poly a few nights. If I tip 5.00 per day in the morning for mousekeeping, how do I arrange the tip for the turndown service. What are your ideas, or how have you done it? I was thinking of surprising my parents in their room with it as well.

 

[DisneyFans4]

Stupid question ahead... What do they do? Just turn your blanket down? I'm kinda lost to the point because I don't understand it..

I love the turndown service and as another poster indicate they turn down the bed and do a light cleaning. They also close all the blinds, put the lights on and put on the tv. I love walking into our room and it's not dark. They also put some mints on your pillow and leave a card that indicates the weather forecast for the following day.

 

[mlggator]

Yes, our turn down including having all the beds ready, shades closed, light cleaning, chocolates, a page on the bed with all of the activities at the hotel for the following day, and on the one day a great surprise for my son. I know it sounds simple, but I also cannot tell you how nice it was to come back after a full evening at the park and have the room clean and ready to fall into bed. Its those little extra things that make the trip especially nice.

I too would like to know how everyone tips the turn-down crew vs. mousekeeping. Also, can you just request to have it every night upon check in? I am staying at WL in late July.

Thanks,
Michele

 

[DisneyFans4]

I too would like to know how everyone tips the turn-down crew vs. mousekeeping. Also, can you just request to have it every night upon check in? I am staying at WL in late July.

Thanks,
Michele

We had turndown service every night, I never requested it. I think it's pretty standard in a deluxe hotel. I also loved that whenever we stopped back at the room after it was already cleaned and decided to either shower or go in the pool, the bathrooms were cleaned again and we were given fresh towels. Even the garbage was cleaned again.

 

[TAEMom]

We had turndown service every night, I never requested it. I think it's pretty standard in a deluxe hotel. I also loved that whenever we stopped back at the room after it was already cleaned and decided to either shower or go in the pool, the bathrooms were cleaned again and we were given fresh towels. Even the garbage was cleaned again.

We requested it at the BC last week, and never got turndown service even once.....

 

[DisneyFans4]

We requested it at the BC last week, and never got turndown service even once.....

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that. Did you ask the front desk why? Was it crowded during your stay?

 

[TAEMom]

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that. Did you ask the front desk why? Was it crowded during your stay?

After three nights without any, we did (politely, maybe too politely?) express our disappointment to the front desk. They were apologetic, but it still never happened, no idea why. I think there was some kind of black cloud over our room during our stay there though! One of the PPs mentioned that turndown service had to do with staff availability, and given some of the other issues that we experienced at the BC (trouble getting sheets, poor housekeeping), maybe that was the problem. It did seem crowded, but not having stayed there before, I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

After three nights without any, we did (politely, maybe too politely?) express our disappointment to the front desk. They were apologetic, but it still never happened, no idea why. I think there was some kind of black cloud over our room during our stay there though! One of the PPs mentioned that turndown service had to do with staff availability, and given some of the other issues that we experienced at the BC (trouble getting sheets, poor housekeeping), maybe that was the problem. It did seem crowded, but not having stayed there before, I don't have anything to compare it to.

Wow! I am sorry to hear that. I hope you were able to have a magical trip outside of the resort.

 

[carol/houston]

I was thinking of requesting turndown service at the Poly a few nights. If I tip 5.00 per day in the morning for mousekeeping, how do I arrange the tip for the turndown service. What are your ideas, or how have you done it? I was thinking of surprising my parents in their room with it as well.

We have had turn-down service at WL. We called housekeeping after we checked into our room and requested turn-down service for our length of stay. They were wonderful and always had the childrens stuffed animals doing something....holding the remote and watching TV, reading a book and one night they made a hammock out of a towel and all the animals were in it. I make tip envelopes before I leave for Disney....on the front of each I will indicate "daily mousekeeping" and the other "evening turn-down". I usually tip $1.00 per bed for turn-down service. I leave the turn-down envelope on the night stand and the mousekeeping envelope either on the bed or in the bathroom.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Thank you for your reply! I think I will go for it and see what happens. I still have time if anyone else has had any experiences to share.

 

[SeaSpray]

I love turndown service.


Here are some pictures of turndown service from our stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge:

And a picture from our stay at the Grand Floridian:

 

[SeaSpray]

I was thinking of requesting turndown service at the Poly a few nights. If I tip 5.00 per day in the morning for mousekeeping, how do I arrange the tip for the turndown service. What are your ideas, or how have you done it? I was thinking of surprising my parents in their room with it as well.

Call HOUSKEEPING (not the front desk) from your room phone as soon as you get to your room, and request turndown service for the length of your stay. I've never had housekeeping forget to do turndown service, although I understand that it does happen. If a night goes by and you don't get it, call back the next morning and be polite but definitely request it again. I don't see any reason why any guest of a Disney deluxe resort should not get turndown service if they request/want it.


Regarding tipping, we always come back to our room after lunch and that's when we'd leave out the tip for the evening (turndown service) housekeeper.

 

[Panlow]

We had turndown service every night, I never requested it. I think it's pretty standard in a deluxe hotel. I also loved that whenever we stopped back at the room after it was already cleaned and decided to either shower or go in the pool, the bathrooms were cleaned again and we were given fresh towels. Even the garbage was cleaned again.

We had the same service at the Poly, June 11-15. Turn-down with chocolates, and arranged stuffed animals. This was in the concierge building, but was not requested. A really nice service. My DD thought it was really cute.

 

[TammiMcMan]

Unfortunately, unless you are staying on the club level, it's still just a request at the deluxe. In the past, it was automatic for anyone staying in a deluxe resort, but times have changed. I think that has more to do with staffing than anything else. Disney has been having some very large job fairs and it looks like housekeeping is definitely hurting for more employees. I guess if the decision has to be made about having a clean room or turn down, I'm sure they choose to have more staff in the morning/early afternoon. It's disappointing, but it's the current job market situation.

If you call housekeeping and request it for your stay and they miss your first night, I would call back just to be sure that it is noted on their records. If it is and you don't get it, they must be understaffed and not able to provide the service for every guest that asks.

In terms of tipping, we made up two envelopes for each day. The first was clearly marked for housekeeping and the 2nd was marked for turndown service. I put $1 per bed in the turndown envelope and more for the standard housekeeping. I have no idea if there's an industry standard, but with tipping, I think you just have to do what you're comfortable with.

 

[bunnyfoo]

What time does Mousekeeping usually come by for turndown service?

 

[DisneyFans4]

What time does Mousekeeping usually come by for turndown service?

We're always out but I think between 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. I think it also depends on when they get to it also but it's definitely after dinner.