Tipping Bellman

[TDS'93]

I know there has been much discussion on tipping. I did a search, but did not find the answers to my particular question. It seems the general consensus is a $1-$2 per bag, which we completely agree with. My question regards when to tip. My husband and I recently stayed 1 night at BCV after our cruise. We had a car service pick us up at the port and take us to BCV. We were very early so had to store the luggage until our room was ready and the next day had to store our luggage again until the car service picked us up late in the day. We tipped when we arrived and the luggage was taken to be stored, we tipped when the luggage was delivered to the room, tipped again when the luggage was taken to be stored and then again when it was put into the car. We are not cheap and do appreciate the job that was done. Maybe it felt like we were always tipping because we were there only overnight, but it seemed a bit much. Do you tip everytime someone touches your luggage? Do you tip the same for each individual service? For example car to storage, storage to room, etc Do you tip $1-$2 for every item or just for regular luggage? For example, do you count backpacks, souvineer bags, camera cases, etc. Any comments and insight would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Mahusky]

I generally tip $1 per bag and do it twice. In and out of the room.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

We stayed at the BWV for 3 nights then the BCV for 1 night and I felt the same way. We tipped $10 when we arrived so they could store the luggage, $10 when he brought up the luggage, $10 when they came to move the luggage and $5 or $10 when the BC brought up our luggage and $0 for my husband to make 3 trips to the car with our luggage

Next time I think I'll only tip $5 or $6 each time instead of the $10 each time. We only had 2 big suitcases and a few little ones and groceries.

 

[lizziepooh]

I too was wondering about tipping when it goes in and out of storage. I have always tipped when it was delivered to our room and tipped when it was picked up from our room. On our next trip we will arrive around noon so will probably have to store luggage til check in time. We also leave late so will have to store luggage til Magic Express picks us up for a 5:20 pm departure. I'm just not sure what is appropriate.

 

[Dean]

The industry standard is $1-2 per bag at the final destination. That's at the room on arrival and at the vehicle on departure.

 

[polly p]

We too seem to over tip, but are also extremely appreciative with the help that others give us.

 

[TCPluto]

Reading the title of this thread without opening the link, the first thing that came to mind was some new high school prank, as in "tipping cows".

 

[pouncingpluto]

We don't tip for putting it into storage or wheeling it out of storage. I guess I just don't think that's that much work. We do tip for lugging our bags to or from our room!

 

[Muushka]

Well the last time we had bell service at VWL, they removed the luggage from the car to the cart. The bellman said "this is the last time you will see me" which we figured meant 'give me a tip'. Well he ruined it for all the rest of the bellmen. I refuse to tip twice (which we did that time-because of that tacky comment) to get our luggage from the car to the room. So now we always carry our own luggage.

I really do need to ask next time we go to VWL what exactly is expected of people in this circumstance. Reading this thread, seems like anything goes.

 

[Lesley]

Muushka, we had the exact same experience last time we were at VWL, then exact same comment was made- "this is the last time you'll see me". Tacky and incredibly rude. Then when they were taking our luggage to storage they apparently dropped one of our bags off the cart (witnessed by my step-father who happened to see them go by; he was outside for a smoke) and "lost" it....the nice bellman who loaded our car later was kind enough to let us look in the storage room for it. It was only extra groceries and there had been a jar of salsa in there...so I suppose it had broken and they threw the stuff out....but geez, no apology or anything. I appreciate the service and I am perfectly happy to tip. I have followed the industry standard...in the room upon arrival and at the car upon departure. I don't like feeling as if I have to pay a bribe to keep my luggage safe from harm.

It would be nice to know how bell services expects this to be handled. This was the first and only time I've ever felt pressed for a tip by a Disney cm and it was disconcerting.

 

[Muushka]

Muushka, we had the exact same experience last time we were at VWL, then exact same comment was made- "this is the last time you'll see me". Tacky and incredibly rude. Then when they were taking our luggage to storage they apparently dropped one of our bags off the cart (witnessed by my step-father who happened to see them go by; he was outside for a smoke) and "lost" it....the nice bellman who loaded our car later was kind enough to let us look in the storage room for it. It was only extra groceries and there had been a jar of salsa in there...so I suppose it had broken and they threw the stuff out....but geez, no apology or anything. I appreciate the service and I am perfectly happy to tip. I have followed the industry standard...in the room upon arrival and at the car upon departure. I don't like feeling as if I have to pay a bribe to keep my luggage safe from harm.

It would be nice to know how bell services expects this to be handled. This was the first and only time I've ever felt pressed for a tip by a Disney cm and it was disconcerting.

Unbelievable. I guess I am glad we succumbed to the pressure to tip that 'last time you will see me' Bozo. We had a laptop with us, I wonder if we would have ever seen that again??
I will ask next time we go to VWL, what exactly is expected for the one who puts the stuff on the cart.

 

[shantay1008]

Reading the title of this thread without opening the link, the first thing that came to mind was some new high school prank, as in "tipping cows".

Maybe you have to be from the midwest to appreciate that comment. I drive by several dairy farms every day, so there you go.

I wonder if bell services has a system for dividing up tips, to keep things even for those who don't have as much customer contact but are still handling luggage. At any rate, we tip $1 per bag, or round it up to $10 or $15 or whatever, depending on the number of bags. We try to give really good tips when we have a luggage transfer because we want them to continue providing that service!
Shannon

 

[bsusanmb]

Hi! Greeting from the VWL - When we arrived yesterday, the bellman said to DH, "You won't see me again. Someone else will deliver it." Too bad, so sad. We do want to tip appropriatelyl, but we only tip when the bags arrive, or if they are picked up in the room. I agree with previous post, this is the industry standard.

OK, so how much do we tip the valet for parking? the parking is free (ordinarlily $7 a day), but what should we tip and when???? I thought $2 would be appropriate for when we retrieve the car..... what do you think???

 

[TAKitty]

This is an interesting topic. When we stayed at OKW we had bell services pick up our luggage and store them. I tipped the guy who came for our luggage well. When we picked the luggage up from bell services I didn't tip the guy who found it in the closet and gave us the luggage. I just don't feel like that person did much.

 

[mdhkitten]

Well the last time we had bell service at VWL, they removed the luggage from the car to the cart. The bellman said "this is the last time you will see me" which we figured meant 'give me a tip'. Well he ruined it for all the rest of the bellmen. I refuse to tip twice (which we did that time-because of that tacky comment) to get our luggage from the car to the room. So now we always carry our own luggage.

I really do need to ask next time we go to VWL what exactly is expected of people in this circumstance. Reading this thread, seems like anything goes.

I know that this is an old post, but I was reading and had to comment. I was just staying at the Contemporary at the end of November, and it was the first time that I actually had bellmen pressure me for a tip. I always tip the bellmen, but 4 times seems a little extreme to me, and believe me, the men who took my bags to bell services and then from bell services to the car made sure to let me know that they were expecting a tip. Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing wrong with the Contemporary this trip. I had a ressie for a room for me, my mom (who's 65), and my dd (2). The girl who checked us in knew who was in the room, yet gave us a room with a king bed (in my experience with other deluxes at Disney these seem to be harder to come by! LOL). I called the desk and they said that my mom could sleep on the day bed and tried to make me feel bad for requesting another room with two beds. My mom has a bad back, and my dd was going to sleep with me. Finally they gave us the correct room. Also, we arrived a little before 3 and they assured me that our rooms would be ready at 3 at the front desk b/c we had an ADR at CP for 4:00, and the room wasn't ready until 3:30, then we had to switch rooms, then the bellman forgot one of our pieces of "luggage", which was a gallon of milk that was clearly listed on the tag where they list the number of articles. Anyway, this made us incredibly late for our ADR, but they were gracious enough to work us in. The trip got better after that, but I must say that I've never had a more negative experience at WDW. This was my 30th trip, and it doesn't seem like they're quite up to the same level of customer service that they have been in the past (or cleanliness.......I always remember everything seeming spotless at WDW, but this trip the bathrooms in the parks left something to be desired (I was there the week after Thanksgiving, so it wasn't busy), and when I dined at the CP, I had a direct view of the area where they go back to get drinks, etc, and there was all sorts of trash on the floor, with a CM just standing there doing nothing about it. ). Thanks for letting me vent!

 

[dumbo71]

I too was wondering about tipping when it goes in and out of storage. I have always tipped when it was delivered to our room and tipped when it was picked up from our room. On our next trip we will arrive around noon so will probably have to store luggage til check in time. We also leave late so will have to store luggage til Magic Express picks us up for a 5:20 pm departure. I'm just not sure what is appropriate.

I agree. I'm a good tipper but I've nver tipped when the lugage simply goes into storage.

I tip $2 per bag when it reaches my room and then again if they bring it my my car at check out.

 

[dumbo71]

Remember tipping is entirely optional.

I like to reward good service with a generous tip to encourage future good service to all members and guests.

It just seems that that a little extra cash goes a long way towards keeping the high service standards WDW has set. Worth the couple of bucks per bag.

I also tip housekeeping even though it is not a tipped position at WDW. Those people work hard and maybe just maybe the housekeeping gods will smile down on me the next time.

I've also tipped CM's checking me in when they go above and beyond to meet my requests.

 

[jdvm]

Great question. I hate being made to feel guilty so I just tip everyone a dollar a bag. For valets we tip 3 dollars in and 3 dollars out. This is one of the reasons we prefer Old Key West! It cost a fortune in tips to stay at Boardwalk or Wilderness Lodge.
John

 

[Gabby&Liv's Mommy]

This is a great discussion. We also felt like we were always tipping. $2/bag to: check-in at the airline curbside, check luggage in early, have it delivered to the room, put into storage and returned from storage. With 6 bags that’s $60. I think we are going to go down to $1/bag next trip.

 

[Santa]

I wonder if the rude bellman at VWL discribed in this thread transfered from POR.

Twice on separate occasions in 1997 I had the same bellman take us (2 adults) to our room, handled both peices of luggage, tipped him $5, He turns and as he is heading down the hall say's "you'll never see me again, Wow a whole 5 bucks". I replied back that I would since it was the second time & I did see him for an apology after speaking with his manager a few minutes later.