Taking home towel animals?? C'mon!

[Tink888]

We were lucky enough to receive a towel animal at POR last Nov. It was a cute little puppy and I took it home. While I probably wouldn't take a bunch of them, I don't see a problem with taking one and in the big scheme of things I really don't think Disney cares that much one way or the other. If it was a big expense for Disney or they thought it was a problem, they'd have housekeeping stop making them.

As to why anyone would want to take them home? Because they're cute and they make a nice little souvinier of your trip. Ours is still intact (and clean) since Nov. I keep it on a shelf in my bathroom. Every morning when I'm getting ready for work, it catches my eye and I'm reminded of my trip. It makes me smile. People take them home because it's a little piece of Disney magic and Disney probably knows that.

 

[BostonRob]

No offense but I find it amusing to question whether mousekeepers are allowed to give them away but people that post on the DIS are allowed to decide. It appears that managers are giving the OK also.

No offense taken. Obviously, nobody on DIS has the authority to tell you to take a towel home. The only person who can give you an accurate answer is a manager of the hotel. Do we need an accurate answer? No, people will do what they want - as somebody else pointed out, people take stuff from hotel rooms all the time. But as long as the question is out there, we might as well discuss it. And if somebody feels that the towels are stained or useless or that the towel inventory is sufficient, then that is their decision. But that is either speculation or rationalization and certainly shouldn't be taken as an authoritative answer.
Sometimes I think the internet exist soley for these ridiculous conversations.

 

[florep1]

LOL none of us have the official say. Asking housekeeping management if it's okay to take a towel animal home to me is like asking a manager if you could take the nicely folded dinner napkin at a restaurant, or a patient's gown at a hospital. My disney trip cost does not compare to my recent hospital stay and yet I did not get a free souvenir.

 

[twinklebug]

LOL none of us have the official say. Asking housekeeping management if it's okay to take a towel animal home to me is like asking a manager if you could take the nicely folded dinner napkin at a restaurant, or a patient's gown at a hospital. My disney trip cost does not compare to my recent hospital stay and yet I did not get a free souvenir.

Yea, but do you really *want* that hospital gown? I mean, think of all the places it's been and things it's 'seen' ... oh wait... I forgot we're comparing to hotel washclothes and all the places *they* might have been

 

[kimsuenew]

Hi! I posted a poll awhile back about towel animals as I was curious as well... http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1781476 and over 200 people replied. 50% of those responding did not take home TA. Many people, including friends of mine (not included in my poll) were told by CM's they were theirs to take if they wanted them! I have also heard these are all made from "retired" washcloths?! I guess we were lucky to have received them during our stay at SSR, over 12% of those responding have never received one while staying at a WDW Resort. We left ours during our 2007 trip and more than likely will do so again (if we are lucky enough to be blessed with one during our 2008 trip). I simply do not where I would put one "on display" at our house! I can see little ones really wanting to keep theirs however! I would say if you are uncomfortable taking one, but really like one that a TA left, simply ask a CM or Manager if it is allowable. My guess is that you will be told it is!

 

[florep1]

Yea, but do you really *want* that hospital gown? I mean, think of all the places it's been and things it's 'seen' ... oh wait... I forgot we're comparing to hotel washclothes and all the places *they* might have been

Thanks for the visual. If you put it that way, I don't want either one.

 

[Missin'Disney]

PUHLEASE People!
This thread will give us DIS'ers a bad name if it goes much further. To each his own. If having a towel animal makes someone happy, so be it. No harm done. Disney profits aren't going into a nose-dive over a washcloth lost per guest stay. Many guests don't receive the critters anyway, so finally getting one can be kinda novel, and if that person wants to take it home, so be it. Why are some people so judgemental about another's pleasure in keeping a towel animal?

 

[BostonRob]

Why are some people so judgemental about another's pleasure in keeping a towel animal?

Nobody's being judgemental. The question was asked. Every answer I've read has been people telling either what a maid or a manager told them or speculating as to why or why not it's OK to take them, or telling why they would or wouldn't want to take them. But I haven't read anything judgemental.

 

[CarolA]

People claim to have asked and been told yes.

IMHO if you take the towels at the Holiday Inn then take the Disney towels. It's the same concept. Just beacuase they made them into towel animals doesn't change the fact that they are hotel towels.

(And when you room charges are high, look around your house for the "souviners" LOL!)

And yes, my response is judgemental. I don't see the difference between just taking the towels off the rack and taking the "animals"

 

[Missin'Disney]

BostonRob: several people commented that they don't know "why the heck anybody would want a towel animal." That to me, is being a little judgemental....and the name of this thread, "Taking home towel animals?? C'mon!" Also judgemental. I'm just irritated by people who seem to think they are holier than thou b/c they wouldn't ever take anything from a hotel and implying that taking a towel animal is a form of theft. I think it's just ridiculous.

 

[Dis Ohana]

BostonRob: several people commented that they don't know "why the heck anybody would want a towel animal." That to me, is being a little judgemental....and the name of this thread, "Taking home towel animals?? C'mon!" Also judgemental. I'm just irritated by people who seem to think they are holier than thou b/c they wouldn't ever take anything from a hotel and implying that taking a towel animal is a form of theft. I think it's just ridiculous.

You need to relax (judgemental observation). I don't see anyone being "holier than thou", it's just a discussion. As for me and anyone else that just wouldn't want to take a towel animal home, well that's just a personal opinion (not judgemental). The discussion might be a little ridiculous to some, but why get irritated over it?

 

[BostonRob]

several people commented that they don't know "why the heck anybody would want a towel animal." That to me, is being a little judgemental....and the name of this thread, "Taking home towel animals?? C'mon!" Also judgemental.

I suppose you're right - I never even considered the title of the thread. I'll agree that its a bit judgemental. But I'm also one of the people who implied that taking towel animals COULD be a form a theft. And I'll stand by that. There's nothing judgemental about that, its just the truth.

 

[tasha99]

If housekeeping says it's okay to take them, I think it's extremely judgmental to assume they must be lying and only the hotel manager should be asked (like he or she wants to be bothered with something that trivial!) We have a fish towel animal in our home. It had little eyes glued on it, so it was never going to be a washcloth again. It was made from a pretty threadbare washcloth, too.

 

[luvthemouse71]

When we checked in last month there were towel animals left over from the previous guest. We also left ours when we left.

I don't think they are meant to take home. Why would anyone want them anyway?

Why would people care if others wanted them?

You are allowed to take them home-I think they use the older washcloths and towels anyway.

 

[luvthemouse71]

PUHLEASE People!
. To each his own. If having a towel animal makes someone happy, so be it. No harm done. Disney profits aren't going into a nose-dive over a washcloth lost per guest stay. Many guests don't receive the critters anyway, so finally getting one can be kinda novel, and if that person wants to take it home, so be it. Why are some people so judgemental about another's pleasure in keeping a towel animal?

This thread will give us DIS'ers a bad name if it goes much further






Too late..

 

[Grumpy3]

You know I've made the same comment about the turkey legs they sell in the parks; why in the world would I want to take one of those things with me (in my stomach of course)........nasty!!!

 

[brunette8706]

My sentiments exactly. There are what, 1,000's of rooms if each guest took home one animal towel that adds up to alot of towels/washclothes. I agree I don't think it is meant to take home either.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have gotten towel animals at POP, BWV, BC, and POR.....every single time I have asked both our housekeeper as well as the front desk if it was okay to take them home. Every single time the answer has been yes. I'm not sure how much more official you can be. Did I ask Micheal Eisner? No, he was out to lunch when I tried.
Man....it's just not that big a deal. I have several of them, in my bedroom and guest room. Why? Because they are memories of fun times and some terrific housekeepers.
Is it theft? Ah, no..not when I've been told repeatedly to take them home...they are housekeeping's gift to their guests.

I've had them on our DCL ship as well...but there was no way the swan and the hanging monkey would have fit in our suitcase, so we took photos and left them behind.

Oh, for those of you who may be curious why I woulda ask at each resort about keeping the towel animals....so I can answer here, with some sort of knowledge. I always time my DME experience, I watch what people are doing at the beverage stations, where guests are parking at resorts...that sort of thing. The same subjects just keep coming up. I like to have recent info if I can.

 

[Traveliz]

If housekeeping says it's okay to take them, I think it's extremely judgmental to assume they must be lying and only the hotel manager should be asked (like he or she wants to be bothered with something that trivial!) We have a fish towel animal in our home. It had little eyes glued on it, so it was never going to be a washcloth again. It was made from a pretty threadbare washcloth, too.

ITA - I have been in the parks when a CM has let me stay on a ride for a second time through (even when others are lined up) and I did not ask to have that verified by an attractions manager. I have had a CM give me a free ice cream on my birthday at a counter service and I did not feel it necessary to ask for her supervisor. I have had a CM hand me a magical light up wand while sitting on the curb waiting for a parade and I did not ask for the Dream Team manager. I have had my ticket totally not cooperated and I have had the front end CM let me through anyway.

All of these are examples where someone other than a manager made a decision (perhaps a decision the manager had passed on to them earlier) and I went with the CM standing there in front of me.

I do not believe there are a bunch of renegade housekeepers just passing out towel animals without their managers knowing what is going on! C'mon!

Liz

 

[a1tinkfans]

Well, as a self proclaimed Disney Addict I want to say that I took my "elephant" home and I still have it 2 years later, proudly sits out at any holiday or family get together. Family gets a laugh out of it and it invariably gets everyone talking about Disney....HEY maybe THATS the reason they say to take'em home, more ways to "convert" Disneyaholics!

And I just wanna add that on our recent cruise some people mentioned that the towel animals "are great, RCCL even has a book" Well, in my humble Disney addicted position, they don't compare, they were not the cute monkeys or elephants or snakes with sunglasses like at Disney But I am biased, I know...

Too Funny...glad to see I am not the only one who enjoys the Disney reminder!!