Tipping at DVC resorts...

[NewJerseyDVCMembers]

Hi everyone! We just returned from another fantastic trip to WDW. We stayed at OKW and had a great time. On this trip we had relatives staying next door and spent some time with them. At the end of the trip We left the Housekeeping staff $10. We stayed for 5 nights, just the 2 of Us in a 1 bedroom. We had trash and towel service once, and left the room as we found it (we didn't leave a mess).
Our relatives said that was way to much! They said they left $5. They were there 5 nights as well. There were 6 of them in a 2 bedroom.
What does everyone think the housekeeping staff should be tipped?

By the way this is our first post. We love these boards!

 

[pmcpmc]

just about right.
Glad you took the plunge,welcome to the dvc board.

 

[TnRobin]

That is a hard question. I don't think I have a set standard. I usually factor in the number of days the room is cleaned, including the day we arrive. I also consider the number of rooms. What type of service we received. Did we make extra request.

As for did you tip too much or your relatives too little. I feel tipping is something extra and not required. The amount of the tip is a personal thing and is based on the service you felt you received. (That said, I do tip my housekeeping.) I would be glad that your relative tipped at all. I have gone behind a few of my relatives and tipped out of shame.

 

[Beca]

You will see MANY replies to that one!!

I guess there are some people who tip a lot, and others who tip not much, or nothing. WDW does not consider mousekeeping a tipped position. That is the official stance..and, that is all I'm going to say on that one. LOL!!!

If you really want to see what others have said in the past (sometimes very HEATED), do a search at the bottom of the page for "tipping mousekeeping".

Welcome to the boards!!



Beca

 

[Pa@okw95]

I never tip housekeeping at OKW. I don't tip the person at check-in or the bell hop as I walk by him, or the person at the front gate, I don't tip the guy who drives the boat DD. It is my hope that or dues pay housekeeping enough, it is not a tipping situation. At a resort where the lady comes in everyday and cleans the room, I give them $5 a day. At OKW all they do is bring in a set of towels and that is it, I take the garbage out. I also did not tip the guy that came in and cleaned the porch while I was there, or the guy that changed the fire extinguisher. I did not tip the guy that was trimming the bushes-all of them work for us and are paid by our dues. Sorry all are no tip jobs.

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

I'm just the oppostie; I tip everyone.

I usually leave town with at least $100 in ones ($1) and the same in fives ($5) so I'm sure to have plenty of tipping money. With all the money we spend on these vacations, I find that the tipping is a very small expense compared with everything else and most of the time, it is the most appreciated.

I have a couple of rules to tipping:

1). I tip in person. I don't tip leave the tip on the pillow. This can take some work sometimes but can be done.

2). I won't tip unless I receive a smile or some pleasant small-talk prior. If I walk up to the guy trimming the hedge and say "hello" and he replies with a smile, he gets a tip and a "thank you" for a job well done.

3). Nobody is immune from tipping. I even tipped the toll booth attendant who was very nice on our way down to WDW from the airport. She greeted me with an enthusiastic "HI", so I gave her a $5 and told her to keep the change. I've also TRIED to tip airline employees who were very nice but so far, none have accepted my tips.

Everyone is different.

MDF

 

[all5ofus]

Originally posted by Montana Disney Fan
I'm just the oppostie; I tip everyone.

I usually leave town with at least $100 in ones ($1) and the same in fives ($5) so I'm sure to have plenty of tipping money. With all the money we spend on these vacations, I find that the tipping is a very small expense compared with everything else and most of the time, it is the most appreciated.

I have a couple of rules to tipping:

1). I tip in person. I don't tip leave the tip on the pillow. This can take some work sometimes but can be done.

2). I won't tip unless I receive a smile or some pleasant small-talk prior. If I walk up to the guy trimming the hedge and say "hello" and he replies with a smile, he gets a tip and a "thank you" for a job well done.

3). Nobody is immune from tipping. I even tipped the toll booth attendant who was very nice on our way down to WDW from the airport. She greeted me with an enthusiastic "HI", so I gave her a $5 and told her to keep the change. I've also TRIED to tip airline employees who were very nice but so far, none have accepted my tips.

Everyone is different.

MDF

I like your line of thinking. In so many positions tipping is so much expected that it is even factored into their wages. The person who has no expectation of receiving a tip will truely appreciate the gesture.

 

[kathleena]

Disney considers housekeeping a non-tipped position. I never tip housekeeping.

If I did, I certainly wouldn't leave cash at the end of the trip. How do you know that the person who cleans the room at the end is the one that did T&T? The only fair way would be to leave a tip on T&T day and one on check out day.

But again, Disney says it's not a tipped position. I have been told by some Disney CMs that they are told in no uncertain terms that they are not to accept tips if they are in a non-tipped position.

 

[rocketriter]

I don't tip by the day, which makes no sense given the frequency of our cleaning services. But I do think that DVC rooms sometimes need a mighty good cleanup to get ready for us and I appreciate the effort if it's done well. I also consider tipping to be a powerful and inexpensive motivator for low-wage positions like mousekeeping. Given the number of people who post that they inspect every DVC room with a magnifying glass the moment they walk in, I hope that at least some of them leave a tip when the job has been done well.

And I really don't care if Disney considers mousekeeping to be a tipped position or not. I tip for selfish reasons: to help create a more motivated work force who will take the best possible care of my family.

 

[Beca]

Originally posted by Montana Disney Fan
I'm just the oppostie; I tip everyone.

I've also TRIED to tip airline employees who were very nice but so far, none have accepted my tips.

Everyone is different.

MDF

As a former flight attendant...I understand them not taking your tips...we were told we could NOT take them under any circumstances. Some people would slip them in my pocket, or leave them on their seat on the way out, and then I really had no choice, and sometimes I accepted them if my "No, thank you" seemed to be offensive to them. But, I really could've gotten into trouble for accepting them.

It was really very sweet of people to do that, especially considering that new flight attendants qualify for food stamps in many of the cities where there are flight attendant bases, but I never expected a tip.

Just thought I would add that!!!



Beca

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I like to use a common sense approach to everything but especially when tipping. If someone does something for you or does something above and beyond the call of duty, there is nothing wrong with showing your appreciation, even though Miss Manners may take you to task for it. You were generous and I'm sure it was appreciated.

HBC

 

[jekjones1558]

Montana Disney Fan:
I do so love people like you. Just think of how much happiness you have spread along with your $1s and $5s! Many of the folks you mentioned are service workers whose pay is certainly not high and they are often doing tasks which are under appreciated. Your generosity lets them know that somebody DOES care that they perform a valuable service. Your outlook fits right in with the atmosphere I love at Disney. Way to go!!

 

[trishy]

We always tip on the day(s) of T & T service and leave another on check out day - they've always taken it (well, at least the T & T day that we know of). I've never heard of them not being allowed to take it. Wouldn't want them to get fired. We just figured it's like the hotel housekeeping - I really don't think it's a high-paying position. Shame on Disney if they do have a restriction on tipping service industry staff.

OP - I think your tip was fine, but their tip was a bit on the cheap side if you ask me.

 

[wdwdvcdad]

Originally posted by jekjones1558
Montana Disney Fan:
I do so love people like you. Just think of how much happiness you have spread along with your $1s and $5s! Many of the folks you mentioned are service workers whose pay is certainly not high and they are often doing tasks which are under appreciated. Your generosity lets them know that somebody DOES care that they perform a valuable service. Your outlook fits right in with the atmosphere I love at Disney. Way to go!!

It really costs so little to make people happy. It just amazes me how some people are just so miserable.