Three small Disney 'money' questions...

[KELLY]

There are 4 of us. I leave 5.00 a day for mousekeeping.
ME I give the driver 5.00 each way. We have a stroller that needs to go underneath and usually a couple of small carry ons.
We are doing the QSDP so no tips needed for dining this year. Except t-rex, rainforest and garden grill.

 

[r&kmommy]

I'm very torn on tipping... part of me says what they do is included in the price of the room, and unless the room is nasty when we arrive or we don't get any clean towels, there really isn't any way for them to do it "wrong" ... and what I would consider above and beyond for the housekeeping crew would be when we call on our first day and request new comforters, a bedrail for dd's bed, extra pillows and an extra fuzzy blanket. We tip whomever delivers that to our room $5, and if we're not in the room we leave it in an envelope on the bed in clear view.

Another part of me knows how hard they work, my dad was a housekeeping manager for years at a hotel chain (not disney lol) and I know they work their butts off.

I tipped when my kids were babies, becuase there was always a full trash can and I rarely "tidied up" before we headed out to the parks becuase I was running around getting us all ready in the morning with minimal baby sleep LOL! I tipped a few other random times when one of them left a huge mess (spilled and crushed bag of goldfish, sheets and blankets torn off the bed while I showered etc...)

When we did pressed pennies one year we took a roll of quarters and a film canister of shiny pennies...

I take 2 rolls of quarters for laundry but never use them all. I go to the laundrymat here and get a few pouches of laundry detergent before we leave because it's only $1 here.

We have never used ME but I would give the driver $5 if we had stuff to store under the bus (our car seats or stroller etc...) Bellhops get $5.

 

[luvdisney00]

I am really surprised that people don't tip mousekeeping, I thought everyone did. We are a family of 5 and always leave $5 a day in premade envelopes and $10 on the last day. We always seem to get towel animals, so maybe that's why. Before the Dis I used to just leave a bigger tip at the end of the stay, but I learned here to leave it each day and have been doing so for not just Disney, but all hotel stays.

 

[Nancyg56]

When I read on this board that people are tipping their Mousekeepers I was shocked. The reason I say this, is after working in a 5 star resort, where no one ever left tips for our housekeepers (and we had lots of famous people stay there, as well as a few royal people from different countries), I couldn't believe people were leaving tips in a "value" resort. I mean, tipping for changing out the shampoos, and emptying the trash and making a bed. That is pretty minimal. Now, I guess if I were extra messy, I might be inclined to leave a tip.

This is not to say that they don't deserve it, or appreciate it, but, at the same time...I am on the side of the fence that says, that is what I am paying for.

I tip bellman, people who handle my luggage, bus driver, and servers.

I don't care where I stay, I tip housekeeping staff. I have to tell you that I have been with Dh 30 years and apparently he never knew I left money for the housekeeper. Last week we stayed at a hotel in Daytona beach and I left money on the pillow, he was shocked. After finding out what it was for he told me I was cheap................$5 per day for the two of us. I usually leave $5 per room no matter if it is 2 or 4 people.

We also tip higher for breakfast or lunch. 20% of not much is still not much so I try to compensate unless the service is mediocre.

 

[MinnieForMe]

We generally tip well but on our last visit had a "tipping war" where mousekeeping made a lot of money!

We had two connecting rooms. One held me (Mom), my 10 year old daughter and my 18 year old son. The other held my oldest who was 29, her daughter (my granddaughter) and my other daughter who was 25. It started out simply with a small tip ($5.00) and a towel animal for my 10 year old. Then my oldest daughter left a ($10.00) tip and a note saying her daughter was jealous and a towel animal appeared. Then my 10 year old got competative and the whole thing became a game.

By the time we left after 8 days we were leaving around $20.00 a day (each room) and the little ones were running home to see what towel animals they got. Our window was lined with them......lol.

Now before you flame me I realize you can't "buy" towel animals. We didn't try to.....we would have been fine if they weren't there. We got excellent service and appreciated it. Our family just got a little competative and felt the more appreciative we were the better our odds were to get a towel animal. We never saw mousekeeping and other than that first note to try to get a second one we never requested one. However, they kept popping up and we kept trying to out do each other's room. We ended up with wreaths, birds, mickeys, etc. They brought the little kids lots of enjoyment and the big kids and I had a lot of fun trying to leave bigger tips in hope of getting something new AND not letting the other one know how much we'd left. We'd search each other's room trying to scope out the tip. Then we'd leave for the park and hope we got a towel animal and that our mousekeeper was more talented....lol.

We've been to Disney many, many times over the years but even now I look back and think about this and smile. It was a lot of fun and since both my daughters have been in hospitality and restaurant jobs before we knew it went for a good cause and to someone who worked hard for their money.

Just wanted to share.

Sounds like a great memory and a lot of fun! I'm sure the mousekeeper enjoyed him/herself and appreciated the tips!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wow, we never really tipped mousekeeping that highly-- last trip we were there for 5 nights and left $10 for the two of us (we left it the last day, not everyday). We probably would have left more, but the mousekeeper came into our room without knocking at 10:00 am and forced us out of our room on our last day. Thank goodness we were dressed/packed/ready, but I was still angry and didn't want to leave much.

While tipping housekeeping is generally optional (there are MANY posts here over the years from people who simply weren't aware that housekeepers are 'supposed to be' tipped, or just don't do it)... it should be noted that even hotel housekeepers don't work seven days a week. When a guest tips only on check-out day, there's a two in seven chance that the person collecting the tip is just filling in for that day - and isn't actually the one who cleaned your room most of the week!

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I got singles before we left home so I wouldnt have to fret about tip money for ME we had a few bags for him to load up. We made envelopes and left 5.00 a day BUT i did have one day where the staff took the envelope and didnt clean AT ALL.. (maybe they got excited about the money and lost their head) anyways a call to the front desk made it alright but there was a bit of fuss about the towels...it took a bit of a fuss to get it across that not a single clean towel had been delivered.....anyways we got quite a few towel animals...they are fun and take extra time for the staff so they are appreciated.

To the person who tips more than 20% percent for breakfast I am with you..A typical breakfast total is way less than a dinner total and I know i keep the waitstaff hopping bringing me coffee in the morning LOL otherwise I usually do 20% if the service is decent.

Bellhop gets a dollar a bag sometimes 2. It depends on how much stuff we have!

Anyways I always appreciated tips when I was working in service and I know they can be somebodies diapers or milk or gas for the evening..so if you earn it..you get it

 

[gillenkl]

While tipping housekeeping is generally optional (there are MANY posts here over the years from people who simply weren't aware that housekeepers are 'supposed to be' tipped, or just don't do it)... it should be noted that even hotel housekeepers don't work seven days a week. When a guest tips only on check-out day, there's a two in seven chance that the person collecting the tip is just filling in for that day - and isn't actually the one who cleaned your room most of the week!

Agree, if you are going to tip - you should do it daily.

 

[Dismom55]

Just a side note: I got many of my tip envelope ideas and from a Dis thread, those who would like to use decorated envelopes as I did should look for that thread.

A note about tips, I can vouch for how appreciated they are, my hubby does furniture delivery for a major store here and before I was able to go back to work the tips he got would sometimes be the difference between gas money to work or him having to ride a bicycle about 10 miles. So I do tip when and where I can and I try to be generous.

We got several towel animals on our last WDW trip and the mousekeeper was kind enough to make sure we had the same towels animals in both rooms each time one was left.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

To the person who works in the 5 star resort, I'd ask what your position is and whether you've worked at other resorts. I'm asking the poster to consider this carefully, as the poster's lack of knowledge about tipping may be a bad indicator of the housekeeping supervisory staff and of the supervisory staff in general.

The reason I say this is that in some hotels that employee American houskeeping supervisors and immigrant workers or the very poor do the housekeeping, it sometimes happens that the supervisors take the tips. The fact is covered up and often folks who are not long time employees of the hospitality industry don't understand what's happening. I know this doesn't happen at Disney, but I've heard of it happening at some very posh resorts. For this reason, when I'm travelling, I give my money directly to the maid when the maid is alone if I have even a hint this could be happening.

But yes, tipping housekeeping is an old tradition in the US.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

The current standards of tipping are, from what I understand:

$1.00 per person, $2.00 for one person for a hotel room. More is fine, none is required. I generally overtip, but that's me.

For a bus: if the driver helps you with your bags in any way, $2.00 for the first bag, $1.00 for each successive bag. If the bag is oversized, awkward etc., tip more. Expected, although not required.

For bellhops: It's been $1.00 per bag for the past 20 years or so; I think that's a little out of whack. I pay $2.00 per bag, $3.00 for the first bag. However, standard is still $2.00 for the first bag, $1.00 for every bag thereafter. (Unless oversized, awkward etc.) Expected.

For housekeeping: $2.00 minimum, $1.00 per person. Not required or expected, but a nice custom to practice.

For restaurants: 15-20%, depending upon part of the country and other factors. Expected. You won't run afoul of any law not tipping this, but you have marked yourself as cheap and mean. (No excuses here, neither ideaological nor geographical. Don't like it? Don't eat at nice restaurants in the US.)

Baristas: None is ever required or expected, loose change is nice. At most coffee houses tips are shared.

Sonic: loose change is nice, none is ever required or expected, but it can be nice to make a waitress on roller skates smile sometimes.

Skycaps: $2.00 per bag minimum. REQUIRED. If they're nicer, if the weather sucks, if they really help you out, tip more. (I tend to over tip here too.)

Bartenders: same as waiters, minimum $1.00 (unless it's like $1.00 well night, then follow local custom.).

Oh, at grocery stores, if someone helps you out with your groceries, a dollar or two or three is nice if they're allowed to accept tips.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Skycaps: $2.00 per bag minimum. REQUIRED. If they're nicer, if the weather sucks, if they really help you out, tip more. (I tend to over tip here too.)

No guarantees, but sometimes generous tipping happens to get your luggage loaded on the cart, and then the plane, in such a way that it's among the first bags on the luggage carousel . Sure, it doesn't matter if you're using Magical Express luggage tags, or RAC on the way home - but other trips...

 

[snarlingcoyote]

No guarantees, but sometimes generous tipping happens to get your luggage loaded on the cart, and then the plane, in such a way that it's among the first bags on the luggage carousel . Sure, it doesn't matter if you're using Magical Express luggage tags, or RAC on the way home - but other trips...

Doesn't help me much; I've always got at least one connection, sometimes multiple connections. (Yeah, I live in the boonies and I travel to the boonies ) But I usually tip $5 for a bag that, technically, could be carry-on. Still, $2.00 is the minimum acceptable amount. I also tip more than 20% when I'm dining by myself as I take up a top that could hold 2 or 4, but it's not required.

 

[3girlsfun]

To the person who works in the 5 star resort, I'd ask what your position is and whether you've worked at other resorts. I'm asking the poster to consider this carefully, as the poster's lack of knowledge about tipping may be a bad indicator of the housekeeping supervisory staff and of the supervisory staff in general.

The reason I say this is that in some hotels that employee American houskeeping supervisors and immigrant workers or the very poor do the housekeeping, it sometimes happens that the supervisors take the tips. The fact is covered up and often folks who are not long time employees of the hospitality industry don't understand what's happening. I know this doesn't happen at Disney, but I've heard of it happening at some very posh resorts. For this reason, when I'm travelling, I give my money directly to the maid when the maid is alone if I have even a hint this could be happening.

But yes, tipping housekeeping is an old tradition in the US.

The 5 star resorts that I worked at mostly employed Americans, English, Irish, and Jamaican. Most of the Jamaicans worked in housekeeping, laundry, as well as the restaurants. I can assure you their wages were fair. They were the ones eating out nice, and going out the bars nightly buying everyone else's shots and drinks. (These were some of my best friends.) I have worked at several resorts, and also have a BS in Commercial Recreation, where I studied WDW and resorts extensively. (A bit to extensively! LOL!!!) I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm just saying I was shocked when I read that people were tipping housekeeping to the extent that they are being tipped. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it, just surprises me.

I had a discussion with my DH about this last night, as he also worked at 3 resorts off site within 5 mins. of WDW. (We lived in Orlando for a while.) He also was never tipped. Now, given, we both worked in the activities department of the resorts we worked at. We ran casino nights, kid's camps, kids' night out trips, arts and crafts, etc. NEVER one time did we get a tip, either of us. I point this out because our discussion revolved around, "where does it end?" At what point do you say, ok, we are not tipping that position, we are not tipping that, we are that. There are the obvious ones, bellhop, bus driver, servers, etc.

Then the not so obvious.....I mean, I don't want to tip a conceirge, as I feel that is their job to get a reservation, give me directions, or to help us in our planning. I don't want to tip the front desk personnel, as it is their job to check me into my room, and quite frankly, it isn't that big of a deal for them to give you a free upgrade, or have something sent to your room. It normally isn't done because of a tip, we always upgraded to better views, etc. because of room availability, which was based off of who was checking in the upcoming days during your trip. If there wasn't going to be anyone checking into that super nice room with the view, then heck, we will give it to anyone!

Anyway, to each their own when it comes to tipping. I will be tipping the person that carries our 8 million suitcases, baby formula, cribs,(yes, I said cribs) high chair, diapers, food, etc. up to our room.....now those people earn their money!!!!!!!!! Heck, I normally hang up my towels so they don't change them out, you know, be a little "green."

 

[snarlingcoyote]

The 5 star resorts that I worked at mostly employed Americans, English, Irish, and Jamaican. Most of the Jamaicans worked in housekeeping, laundry, as well as the restaurants. I can assure you their wages were fair. They were the ones eating out nice, and going out the bars nightly buying everyone else's shots and drinks. (These were some of my best friends.) I have worked at several resorts, and also have a BS in Commercial Recreation, where I studied WDW and resorts extensively. (A bit to extensively! LOL!!!) I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm just saying I was shocked when I read that people were tipping housekeeping to the extent that they are being tipped. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it, just surprises me.

I had a discussion with my DH about this last night, as he also worked at 3 resorts off site within 5 mins. of WDW. (We lived in Orlando for a while.) He also was never tipped. Now, given, we both worked in the activities department of the resorts we worked at. We ran casino nights, kid's camps, kids' night out trips, arts and crafts, etc. NEVER one time did we get a tip, either of us. I point this out because our discussion revolved around, "where does it end?" At what point do you say, ok, we are not tipping that position, we are not tipping that, we are that. There are the obvious ones, bellhop, bus driver, servers, etc.

Then the not so obvious.....I mean, I don't want to tip a conceirge, as I feel that is their job to get a reservation, give me directions, or to help us in our planning. I don't want to tip the front desk personnel, as it is their job to check me into my room, and quite frankly, it isn't that big of a deal for them to give you a free upgrade, or have something sent to your room. It normally isn't done because of a tip, we always upgraded to better views, etc. because of room availability, which was based off of who was checking in the upcoming days during your trip. If there wasn't going to be anyone checking into that super nice room with the view, then heck, we will give it to anyone!

Anyway, to each their own when it comes to tipping. I will be tipping the person that carries our 8 million suitcases, baby formula, cribs,(yes, I said cribs) high chair, diapers, food, etc. up to our room.....now those people earn their money!!!!!!!!! Heck, I normally hang up my towels so they don't change them out, you know, be a little "green."

I've worked for some High Roller Casinos and our housekeepers were all American citizens, half of them had been to jail for non-violent offenses (mostly drug addiction). I had jobs that brought me in contact with everyone in the place, from housekeeping to the VP's. I was stunned when a housekeeping manager cued me in to the fact that at some places that hired immigrant workers, especially in border states, the supervisors would take the tips knowing that their workers wouldn't argue because they were too afraid to say anything! The manager named a high end place where she knew it happened. I did some fraud work later on and discovered how some very, very nice places get shafted by their employees and the vast majority of the employees have very, very odd ideas of what really went on, even long-term employees.

But as for who is tipped and who isn't? It's American custom. Why is it customary for some gaming dealers to keep their own tips and others to pool? Why do some departments at a casino pool tips by shift and day and some just pool by shift? Why is it customary to tip your hairdresser unless she's the owner, and even then it's permissible if you have personal relationship and know it won't be taken amiss? Why do we tip the garbage men only at Christmas?

And as for upgrades, being super-nice, friendly, personable and looking a little upscale has always served me well in that regard. I don't tip front desk staff except with cookies and candy, and that's usually as I'm checking out, if they've been extremely nice to me. (Cookies and candies get SHARED and I become that Nice Lady from Louisiana. Good Karma is Good. )

Now if you're delving into the philosophy of tipping, I'll give you a logic puzzle: why do waitresses at Cracker Barrel love to work senior bus tours for breakfast but not for dinner?

 

[tigger51276]

Because the server is working just as hard at breakfast, sometimes harder. It doesn't seem right to me to penalize someone because they got the morning shift. If our breakfast is $15, I will not leave a $3 tip, I'd round that to $5 unless the service was atrocious. I guess that probably seems overly generous to some, but it feels right for us. That $2 might not mean that much to me, but it might really make the server's day.

Maria

Honestly, I do the same thing. Unless the server is just awful, I can't leave less than a $5 tip if the bill is small. I was a waitress for several years and I know the smile and feeling I got when someone left me just a little or a lot extra and like to think I'm giving that feeling to someone else.

 

[Dismom55]

Yep, pretty much round up when the tip is small, first off because I feel bad leaving tiny tip, and because I rarely carry around single dollar bills.

Making the envelopes up ahead of time and inserting cash before leaving the house does help me manage my money better and I have no worries about having the right cash for tips.

We are cash folks, we only have one credit card and it is strickly used for car rental for Disney and other trips, so cash it is for us. I also have travelers checks, those were purchased in 2007, they never expire and they are reserved for emergency cash. That would mean I did not plan for an expense or found something to purchase that I just could not walk away from.

 

[disneychrista]

We generally tip 20% for a sitdown meal -- more for breakfast, since it is generally pretty inexpensive.

Why would you tip more if your meal is less expensive?

Because the server is working just as hard at breakfast, sometimes harder.

This is the entire reason I do not tip by % but by person & how much we request from the server.

While tipping housekeeping is generally optional (there are MANY posts here over the years from people who simply weren't aware that housekeepers are 'supposed to be' tipped

When I stayed at AKL in 2002 mousekeeping was not listed as being a tipped position. Servers, bartenders, bell hops, etc were.

 

[quentina]

We always stay DVC or in some type of time share rental where housekeeping in not included.

I leave $20.00 bill and a note that says....dishwasher is clean, XXX is something is in dryer (my kids spilled soda on a blanket, I washed it). I also pull all bedding and towels, remove all trash and have it very tidy for them. They just need to vacuum and do there required cleanings.