Tipping Magical Express Drivers

[jendon1997]

We arrived home from a great WDW trip on Saturday. We stayed at BWV and used Magical Express for our transportation to and from the airport. We were picked up at 4:50 am for our return to the airport. After making a few stops we were on our way to the airport.

The driver announced the order of the stops for the aiport and said we would be watching a video. He then thanked us in advance for the tips. I was surprised to hear this statement. We were the second stop at the airport. We got off the bus with a few other groups of people. The driver pulled a few bags out for a group of people. The people gathered there bags and began walking away. The driver YELLED "Did you not like my service?? Was I not good enough for you?? You know I work only for the tips I get from people!!" The group continued to walk away, smiling.

I never had a driver or anyone act so disrespectful about not getting a tip. I did not know these drivers were not paid except for tips. Is this true? Of course he should be tipped. He handled your bags. The transportation is free so I think tipping should not be a problem. I understand the drivers disappointment but I dont think he handled it professionally. Any input??

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I did not know these drivers were not paid except for tips. Is this true?

No, it is not true. Mears pays its drivers an hourly wage, although a good portion of thier wages do come from tips.

However, Mears allows only one sign on thier coaches, and I feel that it is a good one... "Gratuity permitted for exceptional guest service."

The way the driver reacted is not professional, and IMHO would not be exceptional guest service.

 

[jimmiej]

OK, I'm confused. If the driver handled your baggage, he should be tipped. If not, ??? I DID NOT tip the ME driver on our last trip, although he did not handle my luggage. I understood that was the proper procedure.

 

[SuperLlama!]

Being that tips are optional, I think the driver was out of line in yelling like that. Gee,even if tips were mandatory, I see yelling like that to be way out of line.

If he handled the bags, sure, I can see a tip being something that he would like, but lots of people, right or wrong, do not tip. I don't think that his behaviour was appropriate -- if I were on the bus and heard that, I would be quite uncomfortable, as I bet others were as well hearing him yell like that. Hearing him do that would not encourage me to leave a tip either

 

[TDC Nala]

This driver was out of line in my opinion.

However, I understand that since ME was instituted there is apparently a widespread thought that you don't have to tip the bus drivers even if they do handle your luggage. ME service includes gratuity for the baggage handlers at the resort, not the bus drivers.

I prefer that people don't ask for tips, but the bus drivers apparently need to. However, I'd like to see them make one announcement on the bus, not hit up individual riders and yell at them if they don't pay.

 

[dvc at last !]

The ME driver was out of line with his attitude, but
if he handled the bags he should receive a tip.

 

[Firedog]

So let me make sure I've got my thinking right on our upcomimg trip. We will be renting a van to drive to the port, and again to return to MCO. We are then using ME to head over to CBR.

I know I will tip the ME driver for loading/unloading our bags on & off the bus (do I tip him at the airport or resort?). When the bags are delivered to the room, do I need to tip as well?

On the return trip to the airport, do I only tip the driver at the airport?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

When the bags are delivered to the room, do I need to tip as well?

Yes, you should tip the bellman who delivers your luggage.

 

[jimmiej]

Yes, you should tip the bellman who delivers your luggage.

I thought the bellmen were "tipped" through ME, since in many cases, people aren't in their rooms when their luggage is delivered. I know we weren't- we were at Epcot.

 

[Lewisc]

I thought the bellmen were "tipped" through ME, since in many cases, people aren't in their rooms when their luggage is delivered. I know we weren't- we were at Epcot.

Tyler was responding to a poster who was going to have his bags transported in the DME bus and was going to be using a bellhop to deliver the bags to his room.

DME only tips bell services when the bags are transported "behind the scenes".

 

[mom2my3kids]

Okay I want to make sure I am reading this right. You are suppose to tip the disney driver that brings you to your resort from the airport??

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Okay I want to make sure I am reading this right. You are suppose to tip the disney driver that brings you to your resort from the airport??

It's not a case that "you're supposed to tip" the DME driver.

You're allowed to tip the driver. (As Tyler wrote, the motorcoaches have a sign that reads "Gratuity permitted for exceptional guest service.")

In general when travelling, with a few exceptions, it's customary to tip anyone who handles your bags in your presence. The main exceptions are airline ticket counter employees, government employees (such as TSA), and employees who are pre-tipped as part of a package or service (such as the Disney bellmen, if you applied the yellow DME tags before checked your bags at your home airport).

So, if a DME driver stows and retrieves your bags, a tip of $1-2 per bag would be proper and customary when the bags are unloaded. If you have no bags to stow, I would only tip the driver if the driver makes a real effort to make the ride enjoyable.

I've never had bags in the luggage hold of the DME motorcoach. I've made 4 roundtrips on DME (8 motorcoach rides). I think I tipped DME drivers twice.

Oh, and if a driver tries to bully guests into tipping, I think I would tip nothing, even if a tip would otherwise be customary.

 

[CleveRocks]

So to tie up any loose ends here ....

Regarding using DME, the ONLY tip that Disney pays is for delivery of your chekced bags to the inside of your resort room IF that is done through the automatic luggage delivery system (you know, put the DME tags on your bags, DON'T go to baggage claim, and the bags are automatically delivered whether you're in your room or not).

If you claim your own bags at baggage claim and take them to the DME bus, you are completely on your own for any and all tips you deem appropriate. Disney does not tip DME drivers AT ALL, and Disney will not pay the tip for a Bell Services CM who is engaged in the resort lobby when you arrive to please bring your bags to your room.

 

[jendon1997]

Actually, after seeing the driver act like this, my DH was tempted to not tip him. But we knew that was not right. I remember the drivers name. Should I contact ME and tell them about how he acted? Or just let it go.