Reports are in: Bellman are pressuring guest for tips...

[bicker]

Yes, a bit of a shame. It always pays to dig a little deeper. I really didn't know the answer to the question until I did the research. I'm glad to know, for sure, that Magical Express includes gratuities on the way to WDW.

 

[drakethib]

I tip even when service is only good instead of great. I think everyone has a bad day I get softhearted at WDW

However, when someone lays it on thick and treats us like VIPS (no matter if they are a bellman, a desk clerk, mouse keeping,or whoever) they are very well rewarded. I gave the check in host at B&C $20 one night because she was having to put up with a jerk who felt he should not have to wait in line. I loudly made a comment on how I appreciate her putting up with unrreasonable people (he was standing about 2 feet from me) and hope this would help compensate for a little while. BTW, a few people did the same thing to her right after me. I had one waiter come back to the table at Cindy's castle after opening the "book" with the bill in it and thanked me and he said he had never received a 50% tip before (which I find hard to believe). The waiter really made us feel special that night and that is why we go to WDW. We want to be pampered and I am willing to pay for it. We budget for these tips and gifts so that we are covered when saving for our trips.

With that being said, I have never been pressured by a CM and I can assure you, much like others in this post, any pressure felt by me will make my cash go right back in my pocket.

 

[greenban]

I tip even when service is only good instead of great. I think everyone has a bad day I get softhearted at WDW

However, when someone lays it on thick and treats us like VIPS (no matter if they are a bellman, a desk clerk, mouse keeping,or whoever) they are very well rewarded. I gave the check in host at B&C $20 one night because she was having to put up with a jerk who felt he should not have to wait in line. I loudly made a comment on how I appreciate her putting up with unrreasonable people (he was standing about 2 feet from me) and hope this would help compensate for a little while. BTW, a few people did the same thing to her right after me. I had one waiter come back to the table at Cindy's castle after opening the "book" with the bill in it and thanked me and he said he had never received a 50% tip before (which I find hard to believe). The waiter really made us feel special that night and that is why we go to WDW. We want to be pampered and I am willing to pay for it. We budget for these tips and gifts so that we are covered when saving for our trips.

With that being said, I have never been pressured by a CM and I can assure you, much like others in this post, any pressure felt by me will make my cash go right back in my pocket.

Very well said, besides totally agreeing, we do the same as well.

-Tony

 

[fishermouse]

Personally I tip well unless given a reason not to, when you hand your car keys to the valet there should be a couple dollars included, when you get your car back you give a couple dollars more. Same with your bags, give a couple dollars too the person that takes them and again to the person that delivers them and yes again when they are picked up at the end of your trip. Since "lifeguards and landscapers do not interact on an individual basis they are not considered a tipped position and are payed accordingly. If the life guard saves one of my children youcan bet they will get a tip. same with the landscaper if they do something specifically for me they will get tipped. It is also not unheard of to tip the front desk cm's if they go out of thier way for you, although it it also not a position that depends on tips. Most people that recieve tips rally do DEPEND on them to live.

The following desription is from the straight scoop.com, seems pretty obvious that tipping like a lot of old customs has been changed to meet todays lifestyle.

The origin of tipping is lost, like so many things, in the Mists of Antiquity. There's evidence that tipping goes back at least to the age of the Romans, but human nature being what it is, it could just as easily date from the invention of money.

Luckily for us, etymologists have managed to come up with a selection of deeply fascinating etymologies for the phrase "to tip." The dullest and most likely has it coming from the Latin stips, meaning "gift." In the days of Geoffrey Chaucer and Middle English, "to tip" meant simply "to give"--as in "tip me that cheate" ("give me that thing"), immortal words penned by one Samuel Rowlands in his 1610 Beadle of Bridewell.

The most charming explanation refers us back to the days of Dr. Johnson and his eighteenth century circle of wits. Upon entering his local coffeeshop for a session of epigram-flinging, Dr. Johnson (or rather, one presumes, his flunky, Mr. Boswell) would drop a few pence in a box labeled "To Insure Promptness" ("T.I.P."--get it?) in order to encourage a greater display of vigor on the part of the generally listless attendants.

Tipping spread from England to colonial America, but after the revolution it was frowned upon (temporarily) as a hangover from the British class system. One only tipped one's social inferiors, which, lest we forget, did not exist in the brave new world. Unfortunately, the working class eventually got around to swallowing its pride, and tipping returned with all the fervor it possesses today. Even the Communist countries have not entirely succeeded in eliminating the practice. These days, of course, taxi drivers and waitpersons depend on tips for a substantial part of their income. If you didn't tip, presumably they'd expect to be paid more, and your restaurant bills and taxi fares would consequently be higher. The fifteen percent standard is mostly a question of what the market will bear. In New York, the figure these days is twenty percent; European restaurants generally add a ten percent gratuity to the bill.

 

[fishermouse]

One more thing, sorry but I feel strongly about this. I think it's safe to say most people spend a cople thousand dollars on a WDW vacation, to tip all the people in tipped positions I mentioned in my previous post would cost maybe an extra $100.00, meals are a seperate issue, tip according to original total of your bill, before coupons +/or discounts and tax.

 

[drakethib]

Very well said, besides totally agreeing, we do the same as well.

-Tony

That means there are 2 very smart people in the world !!!!

 

[drakethib]

One more thing, sorry but I feel strongly about this. I think it's safe to say most people spend a cople thousand dollars on a WDW vacation, to tip all the people in tipped positions I mentioned in my previous post would cost maybe an extra $100.00, meals are a seperate issue, tip according to original total of your bill, before coupons +/or discounts and tax.

Agree

 

[dumbo71]

I tip even when service is only good instead of great. I think everyone has a bad day I get softhearted at WDW

However, when someone lays it on thick and treats us like VIPS (no matter if they are a bellman, a desk clerk, mouse keeping,or whoever) they are very well rewarded. I gave the check in host at B&C $20 one night because she was having to put up with a jerk who felt he should not have to wait in line. I loudly made a comment on how I appreciate her putting up with unrreasonable people (he was standing about 2 feet from me) and hope this would help compensate for a little while. BTW, a few people did the same thing to her right after me. I had one waiter come back to the table at Cindy's castle after opening the "book" with the bill in it and thanked me and he said he had never received a 50% tip before (which I find hard to believe). The waiter really made us feel special that night and that is why we go to WDW. We want to be pampered and I am willing to pay for it. We budget for these tips and gifts so that we are covered when saving for our trips.

With that being said, I have never been pressured by a CM and I can assure you, much like others in this post, any pressure felt by me will make my cash go right back in my pocket.

I totally agree with your post. Well written and spot on.

Your generous nature also encourages good service to other guests. CM's never know where that 50% tip will come from so they have that extra incentive to go the extra mile.

 

[bavaria]

I'll admit that a few times I have been caught without any small US bills for the valet, and I always tell them that I will be back to remember them. I always get the 'yeah right' look, and they are then suitably shocked when I return a little later (usually within the hour; as long as it takes for me to visit the bank machine and break some bills) with their missing tip plus a little more for the delay.... They are usually a little shocked, which leads me to believe that they hear the 'I'll catch you later' spiel with no follow up

 

[bluslag]

My husband usually takes care of all the tips. He always makes sure he has $1and $5's on hand. He usually tips before he is even pressured so I'm not sure if we would feel pressured or not. It is very important to him to be fair but doesn't feel he has to tip everyone. He would never leave a restaurant without tipping even with bad service but he certainly would cut down on the tip. Hopefully we will not notice a change on how we are treated at WDW but I do understand every business seems to be changing with the times. Never had a bad trip yet!!

 

[FreeTime]

We always tip based on the service, not the expectation of the person (If they ask for a tip, they will not get one!). If we get average service, they will only get an average tip. I took a friend to Bob Evans for lunch last week. The service was terrible. The waitress never came back to refill the coffee or check on things. Our bill was $20. I tipped a low 10% even though I felt that the waitress should not get that much.


On the flip side, DH and I ate at Hard Rock San Diego. The waiter was great! He told us about the city, sat down and chatted with us, gave us advice on where to go, he did far more than his waiter duties and far more than our concierge at Coronado did. He in turn earned a 60% tip. Was this too much I have wondered? Maybe, but he earned every penny of it.

IMO, if you are in a tipped position you should expect to have to work for your tips. Be pleasant, providing, etc.

I think that Disney should turn all of their positions into non tipped. Someone mentioned that the tip is included for ME incoming? Hopefully Disney is paying them that. The same goes for the Dining Plan. Since the tip is included I wonder how many CM's wages have been impacted negatively (or positive for those servers that are horrible and don't deserve it).

 

[OneMoreTry]

If Disney outsources employees, how will they maintain standards? That seems strange to me. What would be the benefit?

 

[bicker]

Disney would enforce its standards on its contractor, and in many cases contractors with non-union personnel have a lot more ability to apply standards than big companies with union personnel.

 

[kdzgon]

We always tip based on the service, not the expectation of the person (If they ask for a tip, they will not get one!). If we get average service, they will only get an average tip. I took a friend to Bob Evans for lunch last week. The service was terrible. The waitress never came back to refill the coffee or check on things. Our bill was $20. I tipped a low 10% even though I felt that the waitress should not get that much.


On the flip side, DH and I ate at Hard Rock San Diego. The waiter was great! He told us about the city, sat down and chatted with us, gave us advice on where to go, he did far more than his waiter duties and far more than our concierge at Coronado did. He in turn earned a 60% tip. Was this too much I have wondered? Maybe, but he earned every penny of it.

IMO, if you are in a tipped position you should expect to have to work for your tips. Be pleasant, providing, etc....

I might undertip on occasion due to poor service, but I rarely if ever leave NO tip. Having worked as a waitress for 14+ yrs (a long time ago, but I haven't forgotten what it was like), I know that sometimes things can happen beyond a server's control that really impacts service. (A kitchen delay or a "mass seating" - ie, all tables "seated" at essentially the same time - can knock off the rhythm for hours afterward.) Also, we have no way of knowing what else might be impacting that person's mindset - (eg, perhaps they have a loved one that is critically ill, etc), so I try to give the benefit of the doubt, even to a (somewhat) surly person.

 

[Doctor P]

I might undertip on occasion due to poor service, but I rarely if ever leave NO tip. Having worked as a waitress for 14+ yrs (a long time ago, but I haven't forgotten what it was like), I know that sometimes things can happen beyond a server's control that really impacts service. (A kitchen delay or a "mass seating" - ie, all tables "seated" at essentially the same time - can knock off the rhythm for hours afterward.) Also, we have no way of knowing what else might be impacting that person's mindset - (eg, perhaps they have a loved one that is critically ill, etc), so I try to give the benefit of the doubt, even to a (somewhat) surly person.

I agree in part--never leave NO tip. If you don't leave a tip, there is a chance they will think you forgot. If you leave a really crummy tip, there should be no doubt that it is a commentary on the service.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I agree in part--never leave NO tip. If you don't leave a tip, there is a chance they will think you forgot. If you leave a really crummy tip, there should be no doubt that it is a commentary on the service.

Or walk away with the bills dangling from your hand.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Disney would enforce its standards on its contractor, and in many cases contractors with non-union personnel have a lot more ability to apply standards than big companies with union personnel.

Disney may try to enforce it's standards on sub-contractors, but in my experience, nothing walks and talks like an actual Disney employee. Too many go betweens to get the law layed down when sub-contractors are involved. JMHO.

 

[bicker]

I've worked with the folks from BAGS, and they're every bit as friendly, helpful and courteous as the best Disney CMs I've ever met. As a matter of fact, we've read a lot of reports recently of problems folks have had with rude CMs (specifically bus drivers, but you get the idea) -- that's what makes me think that the unions, in general, are really beginning to have a negative effect on the guest experience, and why I'm so strongly in favor of outsourcing some thing to entities that don't use union workers.

I would agree, though, if we had a choice between non-union Disney employees and non-union contractors, I'd go with the non-union Disney employees.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I've worked with the folks from BAGS, and they're every bit as friendly, helpful and courteous as the best Disney CMs I've ever met. As a matter of fact, we've read a lot of reports recently of problems folks have had with rude CMs (specifically bus drivers, but you get the idea) -- that's what makes me think that the unions, in general, are really beginning to have a negative effect on the guest experience, and why I'm so strongly in favor of outsourcing some thing to entities that don't use union workers.

I would agree, though, if we had a choice between non-union Disney employees and non-union contractors, I'd go with the non-union Disney employees.

I agree with you on unions... there was a place and time for unions, openining up a can of worms here, but unions are too powerful for their own good these days.

I am glad to agree with you on something.... we're both Disney lovers and I don't want to always disagree. Here's to more agreements.

 

[bicker]