Tip for VIP tour guide

[Jojo Cat Lady]

Family of 5 adults, including Grandma in scooter chair. We have scheduled a VIP tour June 9 for 7 hours at $700 per hour. We already have reservations at Blue Bayou for dinner. We are staying at GCH. Internet searches for tip suggestions recommend 20% which seems high but we don't want to be stingy.

 

[LAS2AMS]

The historical standard on these forums is 15-20%, with most people claiming to leave the higher amount. People generally take the position that if you can afford the tour, you can afford to tip 20%.

Personally, I think it’s nonsense. A 20% tip is likely equivalent to a full weeks wage for the CM conducting the tour. Tip with you feel it’s worth and what you’re comfortable paying. If you leave a couple hundred bucks in cash, I highly doubt the CM is going to view you as stingy.

 

[Nonsuch]

I tip $500

…If you leave a couple hundred bucks in cash, I highly doubt the CM is going to view you as stingy.

Very true.

 

[Wesley815]

Wonder what the hourly pay rate/salary is for VIP Guides since guests have to still buy park tickets and food, etc.

If Disney is keeping nearly all of the $700 per hour and expecting guests to make up for it in tips that is pretty sad but not surprising from corporate viewpoint.

 

[Minnie1222]

If you leave a couple hundred bucks in cash, I highly doubt the CM is going to view you as stingy.

$200 tip for a $4900 tour is CHEAP! If you can't match the $700 hourly rate, at least tip about $500.

 

[disneychrista]

You tip the tour guide? Would never have thought to do this.

 

[juxtapose]

A 20% tip would be $140 an hour in tip only. That's very high, like way higher than I make with a well-paying job. I doubt VIP tour guides are making that consistently, that's over 200k a year in tips.

 

[LoveToDisney]

Why do people choose to buy something expensive and then want to cheap out on the tip?! I say pay the CM the 15-20% or don’t buy the VIP.

 

[LAS2AMS]

These employees aren’t earning a tipped wage, and as I said earlier, 20% would be equivalent to a full weeks’ wages for a FT employee. I would handily bet that it’s rare they ever receive they ever receive that amount. My 1994 UG To WDW says the standard tip for a basic Magic Kingdom tour (which retailed around $50 for three hours) was a few bucks per person. Mine how far we’ve come!

In my lifetime, I’ve learned that people lecture me on leaving large tips, generally tend to be the cheapest tippers. Be skeptical of anything you read on the internet.

Awhile ago. CA eliminated the tipping wage and there was a study done to see how it impacted the amount people left as a tip. The lion’s share of people still self-reported leaving 20% of more, but an analysis of tens of thousands of receipts revealed the average was around 15%.

 

[disneychrista]

Why do people choose to buy something expensive and then want to cheap out on the tip?! I say pay the CM the 15-20% or don’t buy the VIP.

IMO, it is Disney's responsibility to pay the CM not the guest. I have always been under the impression that tipping CM's, with the exception of sit down dinning, was not even allowed. As I said above, it would never even occurred to me to tip the tour guide.

Honest question is tipping also expected for standard tours?

 

[LAS2AMS]

IMO, it is Disney's responsibility to pay the CM not the guest. I have always been under the impression that tipping CM's, with the exception of sit down dinning, was not even allowed. As I said above, it would never even occurred to me to tip the tour guide.

Honest question is tipping also expected for standard tours?

For years, I’ve worked on the accounts of tons of celebrities who go to DLR. The CM were forbidden from accepting gratuity or gifts of any kind. I have no idea if this policy applies to regular ole folks, since I have never done a VIP tour.

I have done many tours at WDW and DLR and rarely do I see people tip. We did the Living in the Land tour at Epcot last fall, our first in many years, and the CM told us that if we enjoyed the tour, she would prefer a shout out.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Honest question is tipping also expected for standard tours?

I've been on several standard tours and haven't tipped nor have I seen anyone else tip.
I'm not sure what's going on with this thread. Any other VIP tip posts I have seen have said anywhere from $100-$500. Either the people going off about tipping more have been extremely generous with their VIP tour guides or they don't know what they are talking about.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Either the people going off about tipping more have been extremely generous with their VIP tour guides or they don't know what they are talking about.

This forum has long maintained 15-20 is standard but I would handily bet that the lion’s halve/ would never do a costly VIP tour.

 

[irlandaise]

These employees aren’t earning a tipped wage...


Awhile ago. CA eliminated the tipping wage ...

What is a "tipped wage" or a "tipping wage"? Is that where employers are allowed to pay a lower hourly rate because there's an expectation that the employee will be receiving tips from customers? I've heard of that policy but don't know anything about the laws around it.

 

[LAS2AMS]

What is a "tipped wage" or a "tipping wage"? Is that where employers are allowed to pay a lower hourly rate because there's an expectation that the employee will be receiving tips from customers? I've heard of that policy but don't know anything about the laws around it.

Historically, employees in occupations that received tips earned a reduced wage. The Federal tipped wage is $2.13/hr vs. $7.25/hr for everyone else.

Minimum wage in CA starts at $16.50 and is higher in some cities and occupations (notably fast food workers earn $20/hour). The tipping wage was eliminated a few years back. It’s the primary reason, for example, that the Thanksgiving Dinner at the Grand Ballroom in the DLR will likely never return.

 

[disneychrista]

What is a "tipped wage" or a "tipping wage"? Is that where employers are allowed to pay a lower hourly rate because there's an expectation that the employee will be receiving tips from customers? I've heard of that policy but don't know anything about the laws around it.

There is no "tipped wage" in California, everyone must be paid a wage not less than minimum wage or $16.50/hr. I would venture to guess the VIP tour guides are making significantly more than $16.50 hour.

 

[irlandaise]

There is no "tipped wage" in California,

Yes, that's what LAS2AMS said: "CA eliminated the tipping wage." I was seeking clarification on what that meant, even though it's not relevant to California (and therefore Disneyland) employees. I assume it is still offered in some states.

It appears from LAS2AMS's explanation that my guess about the meaning was correct.

 

[disneychrista]

Yes, that's what LAS2AMS said: "CA eliminated the tipping wage." I was seeking clarification on what that meant, even though it's not relevant to California (and therefore Disneyland) employees. I assume it is still offered in some states.

It appears from LAS2AMS's explanation that my guess about the meaning was correct.

Yes what LAS2AMA's said is correct. In some states servers and similar are paid a very minimal wage and tips are expected to make up the difference. In a lot of cases server in those states won't get anything in the weekly/bi-weekly pay, as the entire thing is used to cover the taxes on the tips.

 

[evilmommie]

VIP Tour guides are happy with any tips they receive, period. I know two of them and the experiences they have with celebrities and business leaders, leads to incredible lifetime friendships. $970 would be outrageous, IMO. Me personally..I would tip $500 in cash.

 

[Minnie1222]

I'm not sure what's going on with this thread. Any other VIP tip posts I have seen have said anywhere from $100-$500. Either the people going off about tipping more have been extremely generous with their VIP tour guides or they don't know what they are talking about.

I'm giving an honest answer based on my personal experiences. The last few tours we took were only $400-$450/hr and I tipped $300-$400. If the hourly rate is now $700, then $500 to $650 is a fair amount to me. I don't consider myself a generous tipper ever.