Tipping help please

[tksbaskets]

Just wanted to get my tips in order before we leave home. How much do you tip the hotel housekeeping people each day? I've heard $1 per person per day but want to know what you all do.

TIA,
Teresa

 

[travelin' tigger]

That's what I do!!!

 

[bratray]

hi

dollar per person per day
dollar per bag for bell man

of course tipping the mousekeeping is optional but if they do a good job then they deserve it

enjoy

lisa

 

[babyblue61]

I do not tip the mousekeepers...never occurred to me to do so. I do, however, tip $1/per bag for the bellhop.

 

[SnowAngel]

We tipped 5 a day when we stayed at ASmu for a family of five

 

[Fox&Hound]

We always tip $5/day for our family of 4. Mousekeeping was GREAT during our recent stay. After a chilly day at the park, we came back to our room to discover the heat had been turned on for us! It was nice to come back to a warm, cozy room.

 

[babyblue61]

Where are you guys staying that I'm not? I've never had a good experience with mousekeeping...rooms were never done when I came back from the parks to nap around 3:00p.m. I've stayed at the All Stars, Shades and CBR. I'm desparately hoping that bumping up to a deluxe (i.e. AKL) will change my experiences dramatically in Feb.

 

[Mufasa]

VERY BEST HOUSEKEEPERS WE'VE EVER HAD WERE AT ALL STAR MOVIES....JUST LIKE A CRUISE SHIP! TOWEL ANIMALS AND ALL EVERYDAY.....TIPPED ABOUT $5.00 DAILY FOR FAMILY OF THREE....

 

[babyblue61]

Ahh, you're "tipping" to receive the service, not as a result of the service. This explains all!!

 

[travelin' tigger]

This is just my opinion, but I've always tipped because these people work hard and have ALWAYS leave the room spotless with replaced towels, soaps, etc. and sometimes extras like towel animals.

We just got back from POFQ and the women who did our room was SOOO appreciative of the $2 we left everyday. She kept thanking me as I kept thanking her!!

 

[Fox&Hound]

Yes and no, babyblue. We left a tip our first day in a little envelope my son had decorated -- and the mousekeeper never took it. (She must not have known it was for her.) That day we came home to a warm, friendly room with a little bunny (made from a washcloth) on my son's bed and one in the baby's crib. The room was neat and tidy and WARM. We had left our room in a semi-chaotic mess, trying to get the kids out the door to an early PS. Our mousekeeper was terrific, and we tipped her well for it. (We were at POFQ as well.)

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by babyblue61
Ahh, you're "tipping" to receive the service, not as a result of the service. This explains all!!

Not necessarily so. I travel on business a lot and wherever I go, I almost always leave a tip for the housekeeping staff ($1 or 2). It's a small way of saying "Thank you for cleaning up my mess, emptying the trash cans, making the bed, leaving clean towels, dusting, etc."

At Disney we've had SUPER service from the mousekeepers at CSR, BC, WL, CBR, the old Club Suites and Treehouses... room was always done by the time we got back and invariably spotless.

Maybe you got the "trainee" mousekeeper?? (That's a running joke with my DW and me -- we always seem to end up with the "trainee" person no matter where we go -- except at Disney!)

 

[babyblue61]

I'm slightly hostile because we had a bad experience for the duration of our stay last year at AS Sport. Room was never done when we got back around 3:00/3:30 each day. I'd subsequently grab a mousekeeper and ask him/her to clean our room while we grabbed a drink so we could come back and get dressed before heading back to Epcot for dinner. Whenever we got back, towels were not replaced and two times our dirty towels were still left on the floor. We had to share a shower towel one day! I always presumed this was the service I received for staying at the All Stars. However, some of you have received good service at the All Stars. In sum, I do not tip; however, if someone was going above and beyond the call; i.e. I am certain these towel animals added magic to your childrens' experiences, I would not hesitate to return the gesture with a tip. I'm hoping to see service like that at AKL.

 

[Trekker]

As always I have a question - how do you decide who to tip

Valet - a tipped position - wage is below minimum
Waiter/waitress - a tipped position - wage is below minimum
bellman - a tipped position - wage is below minimum
Housekeeping - not a tipped position - paid at least minimum to perform the duties described here.
How about these:
The person who takes your order and gets your food at counter service?
The person who cleans your table at Food Courts?
The helpful clerk in the store who helps you find what you need, rings you up, packages for travel your purchases?
The folks who clean up the bathroom for you at the parks?
How about the bus/boat/monorail driver who gets you where you want to be?
And don't forget the security people at the front of all the parks (and all around WDW) to keep you safe?

I really believe that if you want to tip the housekeepers for performing a service for you - you need to consider all of these other people.

I do on occasion depending on circumstances tip housekeepers anywhere from $2 - $10 a day - but if I return to my room and find just the minimum done - there is no tip the next day.

I'm trying to find something I can have made (A pin or button) to express my appreciation to all the others who perform a service for me and my family.

 

[raidermatt]

The person who takes your order and gets your food at counter service?

You can if you want. I have on occasion. I think the perceived difference between this and housekeeping is that there are always other people who have touched your food along the way, even if you eat frozen dinners. But unless you have a maid, strangers don't usually touch your bedding (think about some of the "surprises" this results in), used bath towels, and other assorted used items.

The person who cleans your table at Food Courts?

Very difficult from a practical perspective, since they ususally don't clean the tables until you are gone, and somebody else might take it first. Besides, we clear all the garbage from our table anyway. All they have to do is wipe it down. Those who don't bother to pick up after themselves aren't likely to think of leaving a tip anyway.

The helpful clerk in the store who helps you find what you need, rings you up, packages for travel your purchases?

I'm almost always in self-serve mode in stores, but if somebody helped me this much, you're right, it probably should result in a tip, or maybe a complimentary note to Guest Services.

The folks who clean up the bathroom for you at the parks?

How would you do this?

How about the bus/boat/monorail driver who gets you where you want to be?

Hard to do if you don't exit by the driver. But I do tip any driver who helps with luggage, or acts as tour guide. (this usually doesn't apply to WDW)

And don't forget the security people at the front of all the parks (and all around WDW) to keep you safe?

Nice thought, but I would hope they are absolutely forbidden from accepting tips. It would look like a bribe.

I really believe that if you want to tip the housekeepers for performing a service for you - you need to consider all of these other people.

Just because one does not or cannot go out of there way to help or express appreciation to everyone, doesn't mean they can't on some occasions or in certain circumstances.


Of course, those are just my opinions, and I am not trying to force them on anyone else. Just engaging in discussion.

 

[tksbaskets]

This is our third trip to WDW. The first two trips our Mousekeepers were terrific. We have always stayed at Dixie Landings (POR). The first time I was a newbie and didn't tip the mousekeeper. Every night we returned to a spotless room with the boy's stuffed animals having a party, tea, in a towel boat, etc. The second trip, I tipped at the end of our stay (I had read somewhere that it is polite to tip mousekeepers) I started this thread because I wanted to make sure my $5 a day for my family was about the norm. I too wouldn't tip the next day if my service wasn't up to par, but from past experience (all good!) I expect nothing less. Less than a week to go

 

[Yvonp]

I worked in hospitality, now this is Canada as opposed to the US, but I don't think we are that much different. My job was in Human Resources doing the hiring, etc for the majority of the entry level positions ie: housekeepers, servers, dishwashers etc. at an international resort - perhaps many of you have heard of it - The Banff Springs Hotel.

Since working there and seeing how much Bellman make (a lot more than I did - add up $1 a bag, plus your wage, plus the extra tips), and how much the servers made (generally at least 15% which was usually mandatory, again plus their wages) compared to how much housekeeping make - yes minimum wage. I ALWAYS tip housekeeping. And because they dont expect a tip from everyone, they are so happy when they receive one, and will tend to go above and beyond - ie: towel animals.

Now my pet peeve is why do we tip cab drivers who do nothing for us? I am talking about he ones who, when we hop into the cab at one location, they grunt when we tell when we would like to go, and hold out their hand for money when we get to our destination - why do we tip them - but we don't tip the gas jockey who cheerfully fills up our tank in the freezing cold and cleans our windows?

Sorry for the vent, but when you actually work in the industry it really open your issues. No offense intended to any opinions above at all.

 

[LeslieM]

When we check in, I request early housekeeping . I then call mousekeeping from the room and again request early housekeeping. I leave the door hanger on the door, and, if I see the mousekeeper, I mention that we come back to the room for a nap. I also always request extra washcloths so I leave a daily tip, amount depending on whether 2 or 3 of us. This has always worked well for us - only one time did we have to wait about three minutes at POR. In five trips, though, we have never had a towel animal ! Maybe next trip (in 12 days!)!!

babyblue61 - We stayed at AKL on our last trip and mousekeeping there was perpetually shorthanded. They did an ok job but it bugged me that the full length mirror was dirty when we arrived and dirty when we left. I could have complained, I guess, but it became sort of a game to see if it ever got cleaned.
We've stayed at the Poly, CBR, POR and AKL and the Poly was the best. But then, I always remember that trip through a pixie dust haze !
Have a great time in Feb. and you will definitely love AKL.

 

[wilderness01]

I have tipped the housekeeping when we were in Arizona and my 19 month old was sick. They had to go above and beyond their duties. The first day she would not accept the $ but the next day we insisted her take it. She was grateful.

At disney we have never tipped. Maybe at the Contemporary we should have because we received good service but I guess we never thought of it. However when we were at the Boardwalk Villas and Beach Club (regular room) this summer the service was TERRIBLE. At the villas it wasn't cleaned up to par. We had to vaccum as soon as we arrived, there was no toilet paper, the refrigerator had been turned off with no notice posted, there was toothpaste smeared all over the bathroom door, etc. etc. I didn't complain as I didn't want to put a damper on our trip. So I cleaned up someone elses mess and we went on our merry way.

At the Beach Club the room was dirty from the start. Mold all over the bathroom shower, hair (not ours) around the sink area, etc. One day my son was not feeling well so I told the man I would make the beds, all I needed was new towels and the garbage taken. Mind you I wrapped up all the garbage bags in the room and placed them under the sink. Well guess what? The garbage was still there when I came back from getting supplies in the gift shop. I was mad. Again I didn't complain as I didn't want to put a damper on our trip.

I have since complained to management and will receive some compensation for our visit. We are due to stay at the Yacht Club and then at a 2 bedroom at the Beach Club Villas this winter. I hope the stay is better. Or at least clean.

Did I mention we were DVC members? AND AP holders?

I understand overworked housekeepers, but leaving a room dirty is unacceptable and should never ever happen.

Then there was the Old Key West we stayed at for 1 night during the same trip. There was poop on the bathroom door of the master bathroom. THERE IS WHERE I BLEW MY COOL AND CALLED TO SPEAK TO A MANAGER. Damper or not I complained. The next morning I saw the housekeeping putting all the fresh clean linen for the building on the ground leaning against the outside of the building. It had poured rain allllllllll night and everything was very wet. There was no cart or anything. This is certainly NOT up to disney standard. I was glad I was leaving WDW for home that day! Never before actually had I ever been glad to leave but now I had had it!

We are hoping this summer was an isolated incident and that the above experiences never happen again. We have always loved disney and have always been thrilled with our experiences. Just not this summer.

Sorry for the rant. I guess my point is just sometimes the housekeepers need to do their job because that is what they are paid for and think when they are cleaning if they would want themselves or their family members to stay in what they have cleaned!

Just a thought and our summer experience. I really hope no one else has had to go through this as we felt terrible about our whole trip as a result. At least our kids had a blast and we covered well for them. They still talk about their last trip and what fun they had. Oh to be innocent and a child! I am praying for a better experience this winter. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

A clean villa means we will stay DVC members.

A dirty villa = selling!

I forgot to mention that this summer was our first experience as DVC members. Hopefully one that will be replaced with a magical trip in Feb. Thanks for listening.

 

[Trekker]

raidermatt

I agree with everything you say - it is tough to tip some of the people who perform many such wonderful and needed services that we are the recipients of.

I'm also Just engaging in discussion.

But I do at times feel that there is a huge emphasis put on tipping housekeepers - which up until about 2 years ago I had never heard of.

I really just want folks to recognize that there are a lot of people being paid minimum, just like housekeeping, that never even receive as much as a thank you for a job well done.

Everybody - please have a happy holiday season!