Tip the Mousekeepers?

[toniosmom]

In other (non-DVC) hotel rooms, I have often tipped the housekeepers upon checkout because we had daily cleanings and I wanted to show how much we appreciated coming back every day to a clean room.

Our DVC stays are usually no longer than 7 days, so we never have a full clean during our vacation. Just the trash and towel.

I'm curious as to how many of you tip the mousekeepers upon checkout if you had nothing more than a trash and towel change during your stay.

No judgements here on whether you tip or not. Just curious.

 

[jodifla]

I didn't use to tip maids until a read a news story where a reporter followed a maid for a day.

Then I started tipping.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Always tip the mousekeepers. There will be many on here who will say mousekeepers are not tipped positions, but regardless, they are providing a service to me, one that I appreciate. I usually tip about $5.00 on T&T day, sometimes more if we've left the room in a little disarray. We also tip $10.00 or so on check-out.

I can tell you from staying two weeks at DVC last year, the mousekeeper who was first tipped on T&T during the first part of the vacation, was very generous and went above and beyond for the rest of the stay. You could tell she appreciated being recognized. In the end, if $5.00 or $10.00 is going to break the budget at Disney, I think I need to rethink going.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Never tip the housekeepers unless we have a serious mess/problem that we need their help with. Usually we just keep the villa clean and leave them with very little to clean up after us so they don't have to spend so much time in the villa getting it ready for another guest.

And I don't tip any other non-tipped position either. I tip food servers, valet, etc because those are tipped positions. Housekeeping is a non-tipped position.

 

[jekjones1558]

Never tip the housekeepers unless we have a serious mess/problem that we need their help with. Usually we just keep the villa clean and leave them with very little to clean up after us so they don't have to spend so much time in the villa getting it ready for another guest.

And I don't tip any other non-tipped position either. I tip food servers, valet, etc because those are tipped positions. Housekeeping is a non-tipped position.

Okay. "Not a tipped position" is quoted over and over and over. Where is it stated that mousekeeping is not a tipped position? I have actually looked all over the Disney website and have not seen this.

 

[pb4ugo]

of course we tip...in appreciation of the service that has been provided...and always on trash and towel day...and we're not messy either...we're hardly in the room!

 

[erionm]

I believe that it's the state and federal governments that don't include housekeeping as a tipped position in regards to the minimum wages laws.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I believe that it's the state and federal governments that don't include housekeeping as a tipped position in regards to the minimum wages laws.

I believe that is poor reasoning. Many jobs are not considered "tipped" when it comes to minimum wage laws (laws allowing for employers to pay less then minimum wage as long as base salary plus tips exceed minimum wage), however you still tip many of these positions (or should).

 

[DizGirl20]

I openly admit I never thought to tip... until I read about it here on The Dis Boards!

Now we tip all (well, most of) the time, even when we are not at DVC.

 

[Mississippian]

I tip when I leave a mess. The greater the mess, the more the tip.

When staying DVC, I tend to clean up far more than I do when checking out of a hotel room. When I've bent over backwards to help housekeeping do their job, I see no reason to give them extra money.

I do often leave unopened food, some of which has real value, I assume the maids take it home. I know I would.

 

[tjhsr]

We tip every time.T&T and when we leave.

 

[eva]

I do often leave unopened food, some of which has real value, I assume the maids take it home. I know I would.

I believe that I read somewhere that they are not allowed to do this. But some may still.

We always tip. You would be amazed what a few dollars can do to make someone's day. We spend so much money on a trip to WDW, that I feel a few extra dollars isn't going to hurt my budget and sure will help out another human being. I'm sure a lot of people consider positions like housekeeping, hairdressers, and such as "non-tip". But I like to add a little extra magic to someone's day. And I really appreciate good service. And it is amazing how many extra toiletries and laundry detergent we get.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm curious as to how many of you tip the mousekeepers upon checkout if you had nothing more than a trash and towel change during your stay.

I typically stay seven nights. I always tip on T&T day, and on departure.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I believe that is poor reasoning. Many jobs are not considered "tipped" when it comes to minimum wage laws (laws allowing for employers to pay less then minimum wage as long as base salary plus tips exceed minimum wage), however you still tip many of these positions (or should).

Well, I don't tip the guys who pick up the trash at the theme parks. I don't tip the people who mow the grass at the resorts. What about the guy who comes to the villa to put in a new lightbulb or repair the AC? Should I be tipping them as well? Why stop at the housekeepers?

 

[taaren]

I don't think about it much, but DH always insists on leaving a tip at checkout for Mousekeepers since we both spent our younger years in the service industries he is very empathetic. On T&T so far they have knocked before the late-waking part of our party has headed to the park, so they hand us the new towels at the door and whatever else we ask for, and they never enter the room so we don't tip then.
Bell services at VGC will say "no, this is a full service hotel" when we try to tip them and they refuse to accept cash, so we started bringing chocolate covered macadamia nuts instead and they always accept that!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I feel the best tip I can give the mousekeepers is to leave them with a villa that needs very little cleaning and time to turn it around for the next guest.

I strip the beds that were used, fold the blankets and comforters, put them in the middle of the bed along with the pillows. I pile the dirty linens along with the towels and consolidate all in the Jacuzzi. I throw out the used soaps, put the dishes in the dishwasher and start it, empty the ice from the ice maker and turn it off, gather up and tie up all the trash bags, and replace them with fresh ones. I make sure the internet cord is back in its bag in the closet, and that the remotes are with the TVs. When I leave, they should be able to come in and do the routine cleaning, make the beds, place the towels, clean the kitchen and bathrooms, and put the dishes away.

I've seen the horrible mess some people leave the villas in. I do NOT want to be one of those who leaves that kind of mess. It takes me very little time to do those simple things, and I know it saves them a lot of time by making their job easier.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Well, I don't tip the guys who pick up the trash at the theme parks. I don't tip the people who mow the grass at the resorts. What about the guy who comes to the villa to put in a new lightbulb or repair the AC? Should I be tipping them as well? Why stop at the housekeepers?

Interesting thought. I think you are probably right, since housekeepers would fall into that "essentials" group of employees.

 

[jekjones1558]

Well, I don't tip the guys who pick up the trash at the theme parks. I don't tip the people who mow the grass at the resorts. What about the guy who comes to the villa to put in a new lightbulb or repair the AC? Should I be tipping them as well? Why stop at the housekeepers?

My question remains: Where did you get the information that mousekeeping is not a tipped position?

 

[erionm]

My question remains: Where did you get the information that mousekeeping is not a tipped position?

The Federal and State Governments determine what positions are classified as tipped for the minimum wage labor laws.

 

[jekjones1558]

The Federal and State Governments determine what positions are classified as tipped for the minimum wage labor laws.

Well, if that is the criteria then why is everyone tipping bell services? If you go to the Disney employment website, you will see that starting wages for bell services is well above the minimum wage and about the same as mousekeeping. I know that in some states "tip credit" laws for wait staff allow employers to pay less than minimum wage because tips are assumed. AFAIK bell services is NOT a tip credit job at WDW (and the Disney employment website confirms this) but they expect tips (and everyone tips them). Why should mousekeeping be any different, since their starting wages are the same as bell services?