TIpping ME Drivers??

[wdwdancerwannabe]

Should I plan to tip the ME Drivers?? We are a family of 4 - and we are NOT bringing our luggage onto the bus with us.... how much?

ALSO -- If I'm in the room when the bags are delivered to the room -- should I plan to tip that person as well??...

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Should I plan to tip the ME Drivers?? We are a family of 4 - and we are NOT bringing our luggage onto the bus with us.... how much?

ALSO -- If I'm in the room when the bags are delivered to the room -- should I plan to tip that person as well??...

It is your choice, I would think. If you don't have any luggage on the ME, you may not wish to tip the ME driver.

You may not be in the room when your bags are delivered, but, if you are, you might tip what you think is appropriate.

 

[Alesia]

Disney pays the tip for luggage delivery. Since you're not taking your luggage on the bus, not tip is expected. In both cases, you can tip if you want to, but it isn't necessary.

 

[Hopefully]

We tip the ME driver if he handles any baggage at all for us. If not we don't.
We have never been in the room when ME delivers because we head out to the park, and it has always been in our room when we return. The tip for ME baggage delivery is covered by Disney.
If we use the hotel Bell Services, we tip them $1 - $2/bag

 

[aubriee]

Should I plan to tip the ME Drivers?? We are a family of 4 - and we are NOT bringing our luggage onto the bus with us.... how much?

ALSO -- If I'm in the room when the bags are delivered to the room -- should I plan to tip that person as well??...

Since I pretty much always have a carry on underneath the bus, I tip the DME driver a $1.00-$2.00/bag if all he does is handle the bag. If he's personable (telling jokes and/or giving helpful information) on the way to the resort, I'll give him a $5.00. Since you are not bringing any bags onto the bus, it's up to you. It's not required and for me it would depend on the personality of the driver and how helpful and friendly he is. Now if he is standing there at the door with his hand obviously stuck out, I don't.

You probably will not be in the room when the bags are delivered. However, this past Dec I was shocked at how quick my bag came. I checked into CSR, my room was ready, so I went to go check it out, then went over to the pool to take a few pictures. On my way back to the room, I saw a cart with my bag on the back. (My checked bag is usually a bright green LL Bean duffel with my last name embroidered on it, so it's sort of hard to miss.). I stopped the driver, told him that was my bag, he could just give it to me, and I'd save him a trip to my room. He said that even with ID, he couldn't give me the bag, but to hop on and he'd run us both back to my room. He was really nice but even outside the door he wouldn't release the bag. He said he was required to drop it off inside the room. I walked in with him and tried to hand him a tip, but he said Disney had already paid the tip and he wasn't allowed to take it. I was really surprised and felt odd not giving him a tip.

 

[goofy4tink]

No tipping is expected when using DME luggage delivery. Tips have already been taken care of. Tipping the bus driver is up to you. I have tipped when I had no bags for the driver to stow and have not tipped when I did have stowed bags! Why? Because the first driver was terrific. He was an excellent driver who gave us all sorts of area info along the route. He was hysterically funny, all while driving incredibly safely. He made that 30 min trip fly by. On the other hand, the driver who stowed my piece of carryon luggage (too large to keep with me on the bus), never opened his mouth when I got to the bus, gave him my bag and boarded the bus. He never welcomed us to the bus. BUT...when we got to the first resort, he made an announcement telling us that gratuities were gratefully accepted. Um....no. I will not tip merely because you took a smallish bag from my hand. You don't get a tip if you ask for one. And he left us sitting on that bus while he took all the luggage out at each resort. Those with no bags had to wait on the bus until everyone got off at once. He had his hand out, quite literally, as we got to our luggage. However his hand wasn't out to help older guests off the bus!!
And there is a sign at the front of the bus that states...gratuities gratefully accepted for outstanding service. I don't need to be told by a driver that I can tip him.

So, use your own best judgement when it comes to tipping.