Tipping at Disney resorts question

[anmickey]

Ok, this is a bit embarassing, since I feel that I should know this, but I'm going to ask it anyway. We are planning a stay in February at the WL for 10 days. This is the nicest vacation my family has taken and one of the nicest hotels we'll have ever stayed at. I read a thread on here about tipping housekeeping and that isn't something that ever even really occurred to me. This vacation I want to be prepared and make sure I am tipping those that are expecting it and tipping an appropriate amount. I don't want to leave anybody out because we're inexperienced. I also don't have extra money to be throwing at anybody and everybody we come in contact with. So my question is:

Who do you tip on your Disney vacations, how much, and do you feel it is optional or not?

 

[MiramarQE]

Tipping outside of table service restaurants is for excellent personal service (we use TIW for TS restaurants - 18% gratuity is automatically added - unless there is something exceptional we leave it at that)

We typically tip good Mousekeepers $3-5/day - and I try to hand it to them directly, but I think using an envelope is also acceptable - just make sure they can see it and indicate it is for them.

Bell services - we usually have 4 (smaller) bags total - $5 each way.

We haven't used valet parking - but I would likely tip $2-3 there.

 

[daizieduck]

I generally tip mousekeeping $2 a day. Bell services and Magical Express we tip $1 per bag and $1 per person as well.

 

[SuperDan523]

I usually go by the rule of $1 per occupant plus $1 per day. So $3 for a couple and $5 for a family of four.

Its also important to tip every day, not one lump sum at the end, since you may not have the same mouse keeper every day.

 

[shyjade]

I go with the $1 per person for mousekeeping, but we are a family of 2 so I always leave at least $3 per day, clearly marked in an envelope that it is for them.

As for baggage, I believe the rule is $1 per bag to each person who handles your luggage.

Tipping is not "required", but a common practice and somewhat expected for certain jobs where the majority of their income comes from tips. Tipping is often greatly debated here on the DIS so listen to what others have to say, and then make decisions based on what's best for you and your family.

 

[Pakey]

Housekeeping: I tip $2 per person per day + $1, so that's $5 for 2 people. I leave it every day because you don't have the same housekeeper every day. I don't do envelopes; I leave it on the bathroom vanity or the nightstand. There is often a little card saying the housekeeper's name is "xxx" and I put the money by that card.

Turndown service is $1 per person per day. You will have turndown if you stay club level at WDW and I think you can request it at deluxes, I'm not sure since I usually stay club level. For turndown service, I leave the money on the bed.

I tip bell services $2 per bag, each way. I tip $2 for hailing a cab for me.

Valet parking I tip $2-5 each way.

For spa treatments, food servers, boat captains for parasailing or fireworks cruises, I tip 20%.

 

[anmickey]

Thank you all. That is very helpful for me. I was wondering if all the bus drivers between resorts expected tips and was thinking that could get a bit expensive. Now I have idea of what to budget.

 

[TDC Nala]

You do not tip the Disney transportation drivers. They are supposed to refuse tips if offered.

If you use DME it is customary to tip the driver if he or she handles luggage for you (carrryons under the bus).

 

[mevelandry]

Who do you tip on your Disney vacations, how much, and do you feel it is optional or not?

$3-5/night for housekeeping in a Deluxe, 2-3$/night in a Moderate/Value (more tip for bigger room)

18-20% of the bill at TS restaurants

 

[anmickey]

You do not tip the Disney transportation drivers. They are supposed to refuse tips if offered.

If you use DME it is customary to tip the driver if he or she handles luggage for you (carrryons under the bus).

Thats great to know. Thanks!

 

[cobright]

Tipping in general and tipping hotel maids in particular is a surprisingly divisive topic.

That said, there are some employees who's job description assumes that they will be tipped by the guests they interact with (bell hop, valet, taxi drivers, restaurant wait staff, ... ummmm ... missing any common ones here?)

Tipping Disney Housekeeping (Mousekeeping) is a particularly thorny issue and there is nothing close to a consensus as to whether one should or shouldn't tip the maid. For what its worth, most mousekeepers are entry level and paid with the assumption that their's is not a 'tipped' profession.

Disney mousekeepers earn about $10.00/hr with few earning significantly more than this and none earning more than $13.50 (if I remember correctly). So this isn't a person earning even less than minimum wage and whatever your conscience is comfortable with in regards to additional gratuity should be your guide.

and yet...

Knowing what I know, just from my personal perspective on the issue, I can't respect a person that spends thousands of dollars taking a vacation yet cannot bother to throw a couple of bucks towards the woman keeping their room clean. Or who refuse to do so 'on principle'. But that's just me.

 

[Mom2six]

Tipping in general and tipping hotel maids in particular is a surprisingly divisive topic.

That said, there are some employees who's job description assumes that they will be tipped by the guests they interact with (bell hop, valet, taxi drivers, restaurant wait staff, ... ummmm ... missing any common ones here?)

Tipping Disney Housekeeping (Mousekeeping) is a particularly thorny issue and there is nothing close to a consensus as to whether one should or shouldn't tip the maid. For what its worth, most mousekeepers are entry level and paid with the assumption that their's is not a 'tipped' profession.

Disney mousekeepers earn about $10.00/hr with few earning significantly more than this and none earning more than $13.50 (if I remember correctly). So this isn't a person earning even less than minimum wage and whatever your conscience is comfortable with in regards to additional gratuity should be your guide.

and yet...

Knowing what I know, just from my personal perspective on the issue, I can't respect a person that spends thousands of dollars taking a vacation yet cannot bother to throw a couple of bucks towards the woman keeping their room clean. Or who refuse to do so 'on principle'. But that's just me.

I know people in the tipped category pay taxes on those tips, usually out of their paycheck. Does mouse keeping?

 

[TDC Nala]

I can't respect a person that spends thousands of dollars taking a vacation yet cannot bother to throw a couple of bucks towards the woman keeping their room clean. Or who refuse to do so 'on principle'. But that's just me.

it's not always a woman. I have seen male housekeepers at WDW. On the cruise ships, most of the cabin stewards are male, but that's a different thing.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Who do you tip on your Disney vacations, how much, and do you feel it is optional or not?

TYPICAL DISNEY TIPPING:
1) DME
. . . if you use DME, you don't tip
. . . luggage is delivered to your room without you present
. . . the tip is paid by Disney (by Union contract), not by you
2) Front Desk & Concierge
. . . these are not tipped positions, so don't even offer
. . . if they take the tip for themselves, they can be terminated
3) Room Maids
. . . maids are one of the higher paid jobs hourly jobs at WDW
. . . but, maids at WDW can make as much as $13.82/hr, PLUS bonuses
. . . tips are not necessary nor encouraged
. . . some tip, thinking maids make minimum wage, like at many hotels
4) Luggage
. . . if luggage is toted AT YOUR REQUEST, $1 per bag is reasonable
5) Table Service Eateries
. . . normal "waitress" tips are customary
. . . typically, 15% for very good service
. . . more/less based upon the level of service
. . . unless 6-or-more on ressie, where 18% tip is automatic
6) Valet Parking
. . . valet attendants ARE NOT employees of Disney
. . . they are subcontractors
. . . WHEN THE CAR IS PICKED-UP, $1-$3 is customary
7) Disney Bus Drivers
. . . Disney bus drivers are non-tipped

 

[mevelandry]

Thank you all. That is very helpful for me. I was wondering if all the bus drivers between resorts expected tips and was thinking that could get a bit expensive. Now I have idea of what to budget.

We don't tip the bus drivers... except the Magical Express driver (5$ each time).

 

[mevelandry]

Disney mousekeepers earn about $10.00/hr with few earning significantly more than this and none earning more than $13.50 (if I remember correctly). So this isn't a person earning even less than minimum wage and whatever your conscience is comfortable with in regards to additional gratuity should be your guide.

What a crappy wage! That makes me wanna tip them even more!

 

[cobright]

I know people in the tipped category pay taxes on those tips, usually out of their paycheck. Does mouse keeping?

No. There is no assumed tip income for this position.

And yes it can be a male. I'm generalizing but the overwhelming majority will be women from Mexico or South America or Haiti. Not that it matters much if course, except that by nature I am sympathetic to the plight of the immigrant laborer. Male or female, this is not a job taken by people with means or options.

 

[cobright]

What a crappy wage! That makes me wanna tip them even more!

I make a point to tip our mousekeeper directly, usually $20 the first day and $5 each day till we leave.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

If it is just DH and I we tip housekeeping $5 a day. When it is all 5 of us we tip $10 a day. If I were staying in a deluxe resort I would tip $10 a day even if it were just Dh and I.

I have used RAC desk at the resort on the morning of our check out and we had 7 duffle bags and I tipped them $10.

We don't use bell hops or sky caps or anything like that. If you use the yellow DME tags to get your bags to the room you may or may not even be there when they deliver the bags. I usually am not. So no tip there.

 

[lbv7]

I know people in the tipped category pay taxes on those tips, usually out of their paycheck. Does mouse keeping?

Since valet, bellmen usually receive 100% of their tips in cash, I would be very surprised if any of them declared 100% of their tips as income. The same would go for restaurant servers when they receive cash tips. Housekeeping would be no different - guaranteed all cash tips are not declared on their income tax forms.