Tipping Mousekeeping

[Tiki Room Fan]

I need to clear something up and I'm hoping someone here might know the answer. I'm also going to email WDW.

I always print out tip envelopes at home, put $5 in each one, and leave one each morning for mousekeeping, with a handwritten thank you and our names and a little note about whatever they may have done in the room that we appreciate. It's just my fiance and I in our room and we're always clean - we never leave a mess behind and I straighten up a bit before we leave the room, mostly to move things out of mousekeeping's way so they can get the room cleaned quickly. In the past, if I left a tip without putting it in the envelope, mousekeeping never took it, as I guess they're not mind readers and maybe figured the guest emptied their pockets and that's your cash there. So, I always print envelopes and put the tip inside and mousekeeping always takes them.

I've recently heard that since there is a no tipping policy at WDW (accept for bellhops and CMs at sit down restaurants) that if mousekeeping does get a tip, they have to give it to a manager, who then pools the tips. I won't even get started on how I think that is just wrong on so many levels. Tips are based on service. Why should part of my tip go to someone who may not have done a good job in someone else's room and why shouldn't the person I'm tipping get the tip I want them to have?

I was also told that if guests leave unopened food or beverages in the room, that the CMs have to throw it away, regardless if you leave a note on them for mousekeeping to take or not. We always try to find a family to give left over waters, etc. to, but one year there wasn't anyone around, so we left it for mousekeeping, who now I'm sure had to throw them away.

I was told these things by a CM who used to work at DL. I'm guessing/sure the same must apply at WDW.

 

[tinawv]

I hope this is not true as it could affect the maid service one receives. What would be the incentive to do a good job if your tips are going to be placed in a pool to be distributed to those who just do the bare minimum. I always assumed that even though you are not required to leave a tip, that the maids are still allowed to accept them.

 

[Carlyzmom]

I sure hope this isn't true! I was just getting my Mousekeeping envelopes ready!

 

[greengeen]

The whole point is that EVERY GUEST should receive excellent houskeeping service every day. Housekeeping quality should never vary based on tips! That is exactly why it has never been classified as a tipped position. It makes me cringe when people say they got something "extra" because they tipped housekeeping.

 

[Tiki Room Fan]

I never try to bribe housekeeping with tips, but I've stayed in some places where I've found blood on the shower curtain, blood on a blanket, hairs in the tub, candy wrappers under a chair, etc., etc. so when I stay somewhere and don't find any of that, and instead, housekeeping took time to make a towel animal or something special, I appreciate that and show my appreciation with a note and a tip since I don't usually get to see the housekeeper when they come and go. In my 2006 TR, I have pictures of the back and forth towel antics between myself and our mousekeeper Jose. He made our trip that much more special. I don't feel Jose should have to share the tip I wanted him to have. It has nothing to do with anyone else but him.

What burns my toast is the tip cup you find at coffee shops and places where the staff is simply pouring coffee into a cup and handing it to you. That deserves a tip? Should I give a cop a tip if he writes me a ticket since he had to write it and walk it over to me and hand it to me?

 

[Baltazar]

If I was a mousekeeper I would throw out any food products left in the room. When we leave a tip we put it under the card that says who the mousekeeper is. If mousekeeping has to pool all their money doesn't really concern me.

I tip them because it makes me feel good and I imagine the mousekeepers like it. If they have to pool it, I would imagine all of it doesn't go in.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I always leave a tip for our mousekeeper. Please keep us posted to let us know what you find out from Disney.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Re: Mousekeeping Tips

1) We do not leave tips at WDW for housekeeping.
2) At most hotels, maids are poorly paid.
3) At WDW, the maids are paid well.
4) In fact, they are paid more than many other WDW jobs.
5) WDW maids (per union contract)
. . . make up to $12.47/hr
. . . leave 45-minutes early and be paid for it
. . . make up to $1.00/hr in Flex bonus
. . . make up to $22.00/room incentive pay
. . . make up to $35.00/room incentive pay for DVC rooms
. . . work very desirable schedules versus other CM's

 

[a1tinkfans]

Interesting thread. I always tip and I always write a few words to say THANKS for their service.

We also leave water behind and I hope that it goes to someone but perhaps I can hand it off to a family this year, if we have extra's. We have done that with other stuff and we always buy water stuff/toys (those squish balls and frisbee) and leave them for another family... its a nominal amount of money and honestly it feels good to hand it off to another parent and tell them to enjoy using it and to please also pass it when they leave......

I have heard of pooled tips before and i think it stinks for the hard workers that always go above and beyond and is a joke, others that don't carry their own weight, get rewarded?? Bad idea in my opinion.
So, guess I'll still tip and hope that the MKeeper gets/keeps it!!

 

[dbriggsq]

I need to clear something up and I'm hoping someone here might know the answer. I'm also going to email WDW.

I always print out tip envelopes at home, put $5 in each one, and leave one each morning for mousekeeping, with a handwritten thank you and our names and a little note about whatever they may have done in the room that we appreciate. It's just my fiance and I in our room and we're always clean - we never leave a mess behind and I straighten up a bit before we leave the room, mostly to move things out of mousekeeping's way so they can get the room cleaned quickly. In the past, if I left a tip without putting it in the envelope, mousekeeping never took it, as I guess they're not mind readers and maybe figured the guest emptied their pockets and that's your cash there. So, I always print envelopes and put the tip inside and mousekeeping always takes them.

I've recently heard that since there is a no tipping policy at WDW (accept for bellhops and CMs at sit down restaurants) that if mousekeeping does get a tip, they have to give it to a manager, who then pools the tips. I won't even get started on how I think that is just wrong on so many levels. Tips are based on service. Why should part of my tip go to someone who may not have done a good job in someone else's room and why shouldn't the person I'm tipping get the tip I want them to have?

I was also told that if guests leave unopened food or beverages in the room, that the CMs have to throw it away, regardless if you leave a note on them for mousekeeping to take or not. We always try to find a family to give left over waters, etc. to, but one year there wasn't anyone around, so we left it for mousekeeping, who now I'm sure had to throw them away.

I was told these things by a CM who used to work at DL. I'm guessing/sure the same must apply at WDW.

You say you are tipping based on service but you also say you are leaving a tip even before this service is done - how do you know what kind of service you are going to receive when you leave your tip.

Housekeeping at Disney is a non tipped position - if people leave tips then there is the danger that Disney will see this as an opportunity to lower the wages for housekeepers and make it a tipped position - this would result in housekeepers receiving less remuneration - is this what people want.

 

[txsoccermom]

I read somewhere else about giving a CM a gift card instead of a tip b/c the tip would get "pooled" with the rest at that hotel, whereas the gift card the CM would not have to "report". Is this true? I was thinking about bringing a bunch of $5 ones too for housekeeping, b/c if we received outstanding service, I want to leave something specifically for that housekeeper.

TIA for your thoughts on this!

 

[catne]

we always leave cash, daily. Gift cards for where? I wouldn't leave gift cards because I have no idea where the housekeepers shop or eat, etc. Cash they can spend wherever they want.

I've never read that the tips for housekeepers get pooled - it's not like a restaurant where the waitress has bussers, bartenders, and servers to share with.

 

[TillyMarigold]

I've never read that the tips for housekeepers get pooled - it's not like a restaurant where the waitress has bussers, bartenders, and servers to share with.

WDW policy is that any tip given to a CM in a non-tipped position must be given to his/her manager and either shared or donated to charity.

 

[Carlyzmom]

WDW policy is that any tip given to a CM in a non-tipped position must be given to his/her manager and either shared or donated to charity.

So, do we know for sure that the mousekeepers don't get to keep their tips?

 

[nanabear]

I was once a mousekeeper tipper, cute envelopes and all, because I read about it on the DIS before my very 1st trip to WDW in 2004. I became disabled in 2007 and haven't been able to afford to tip since then.

What has happened since has worried me a great deal. I have had more frequent disappointing experiences with housekeeping services. As an experiment on our most recent trip in Dec., I left a tip on our 3rd day. Our room was not only cleaner, but we also received new toiletries which weren't needed and we got 2 towel animals.

I spoke to a WL manager on this last trip and he told me emphatically that housekeeping should not be tipped. The cost of staying in a Disney resort more than pays for excellent housekeeping and he said guests should expect it, not pay more for it once they arrive.

The manager said that he wished it wasn't encouraged. As the mousekeeping envelope popularity grew, complaints about poor service (even not getting towel animals!) increased. The resorts can't successfully monitor the "cleaning" behavior of all employees because: 1)they usually don't know when a housekeeper receives a tip because it isn't always reported, and 2)complaints/compliments can be inconsistent - they don't know if the people who express their feelings tipped or not.

For everyone's sake, I wish tipping would stop. The manager is right: it costs a lot to stay at a Disney resort and we're paying for the excellence that Disney expects from all of their employees. It isn't right that those of us who can not afford to tip (and are just lucky to to go in the 1st place) may be treated differently. We deserve the same service and respect as every other guest, don't we?

 

[Tiki Room Fan]

You say you are tipping based on service but you also say you are leaving a tip even before this service is done - how do you know what kind of service you are going to receive when you leave your tip.

Housekeeping at Disney is a non tipped position - if people leave tips then there is the danger that Disney will see this as an opportunity to lower the wages for housekeepers and make it a tipped position - this would result in housekeepers receiving less remuneration - is this what people want.

I do tip based on service. If I get a dirty hotel room and/or they forget to leave all of the towels or the extra roll of TP or tissues or whatever is about to run out, they either get a much smaller tip along with a note stating what my dis-satisfaction is, or they get no tip at all, and I complain to the desk. I've never had an issue at Disney with a dirty room.

I make up enough tip envelopes to last the week we are there. I stuff them in advance to make sure I have the $5 for the tip each morning. Then it's my choice whether or not I feel the housekeeper deserves the tip.

LOL did anyone else ever see that joke video that went around in emails a year or so ago where the housekeeper at some hotel didn't get left a tip, so she used the guest's toothbrush to scrub the toilet bowl to get back at them?

 

[dbriggsq]

I do tip based on service. If I get a dirty hotel room and/or they forget to leave all of the towels or the extra roll of TP or tissues or whatever is about to run out, they either get a much smaller tip along with a note stating what my dis-satisfaction is, or they get no tip at all, and I complain to the desk. I've never had an issue at Disney with a dirty room.

I make up enough tip envelopes to last the week we are there. I stuff them in advance to make sure I have the $5 for the tip each morning. Then it's my choice whether or not I feel the housekeeper deserves the tip.

LOL did anyone else ever see that joke video that went around in emails a year or so ago where the housekeeper at some hotel didn't get left a tip, so she used the guest's toothbrush to scrub the toilet bowl to get back at them?

I still don't understand - do you leave a tip in the morning based on the previous days service? If so how do you know that it will be the same housekeeper?
When I'm on holiday I don't want to have to monitor whether or not the housekeepers are doing their job and whether they 'deserve' a tip. That is the hotel management's job, and I think housekeepers deserve a proper wage from their employer and shouldn't have to rely on handouts from guests.

 

[UK Princess]

now I'm getting really confused!

I was baffled enough about tipping before I read this thread as coming from the UK we have a totally different culture around tipping.

I used to work in housekeeping in a luxury hotel here and if guests left their tips with the front desk it got shared between the contract staff but as I worked casually we never saw it therefore if we were given tips we were told to keep them - it only happened to me once in 2 years!!!

I will be watching with interest to see how this develops!

 

[spider0215]

Not by tipping or not tipping though. This is my first trip to the World but have stayed in many hotels. Why would you tip daily? The proper etiquette is to tip when you check out. That is why they give you one envelope in the hotels that give you envelopes. I do think it's funny though that someone on here thinks in today's economy 12.45 is a good paying job.

 

[tinksgilrs251520]

Re: Mousekeeping Tips

1) We do not leave tips at WDW for housekeeping.
2) At most hotels, maids are poorly paid.
3) At WDW, the maids are paid well.
4) In fact, they are paid more than many other WDW jobs.
5) WDW maids (per union contract)
. . . make up to $12.47/hr
. . . leave 45-minutes early and be paid for it
. . . make up to $1.00/hr in Flex bonus
. . . make up to $22.00/room incentive pay
. . . make up to $35.00/room incentive pay for DVC rooms
. . . work very desirable schedules versus other CM's

Where is this information made public or how did you know becuase i would love to get a job seeing I am a housekeeper up here in MI and i only make 8.00 per hour ......