Tipping Question

[Nomad70]

It is very apparent tipping housekeepers/mousekeepers is a personal choice. I for one, do tip the mousekeepers. We usually leave $5 a day. My first job at DW was as a housekeeper (don't recall the term Mousekeeper back in '89) for the cabins at Fort Wilderness campground. I recall I made a pretty good wage back then, something just over $5 an hour. I was very happy with that considering it was above minimum and something I could live on as a single 19 year old with a room to split half the bills. lol As for tips, they were few and far between I have to admit. I had some great families who gave me as much as $25 at the end of the week (when it was me who cleaned all week) and then there the majority who left nothing. BUT, my job was not a 'tipped' position. I was never told I would get them, nor did I expect them. Now that I am the one going I feel they deserve that extra something to brighten their day and maybe help them out a bit. It really is a thankless job at times, especially when the family is really messy! lol With that said, I just booked my December stay at POFQ (with free dining) for me and dd. The CM booking it "specifically" mentioned "and please remember to tip your bell hops, wait staff and mousekeepers, as their tips are not included in the price of your MYW package. So, she did include the mousekeepers.

 

[ben1993]

This whole tipping thing makes me slightly uncomfortable, I absolutely tip servers at TS restaurants and housekeeping, but why then aren't counter service positions tipped? Or cleaners in the parks? Or everyone else working like a dog for minimum wage to deliver such great service. I work a minimum wage job too but tipping for service positions is not customary or expected in the UK.

 

[Nomad70]

This whole tipping thing makes me slightly uncomfortable, I absolutely tip servers at TS restaurants and housekeeping, but why then aren't counter service positions tipped? Or cleaners in the parks? Or everyone else working like a dog for minimum wage to deliver such great service. I work a minimum wage job too but tipping for service positions is not customary or expected in the UK.

And quite frankly, I wish it wasn't something "expected" here in the US either. I admit, it bothers me to see how many places these days, from coffee shops, to the taco shop up the street, who have "TIP" jars next to the register, basically asking to be tipped.

 

[Kona65]

The minimum wage in Florida is $ 7.67 / hr. The starting salary for a houskeeper at WDW is $ 8.35 / hr. If someone makes minimum or a little better than minimum should have no bearing if you leave them a tip or not. You tip for service, plain and simple. If you don't want to tip, then fine.
I wonder how many people making $ 8.35 / hr would be able to afford a vacation at WDW, or be a DVC owner.

What does it matter if they can't afford a trip to WDW. If you don't want to leave a tip, don't. Tipping has gotten completly out of control. Do you think the people that receive a tip, report it on the taxes each year? I don't think so. Tipping is just free money. Sure they may have to report a certain percentage each year, but a sizable portion of those tips never go reported. Do the math, that $8.35 per hour is closer to $ 25 to $30 per hour. Can you say Deluxe resort vacation.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I personally don't care if you tip or not. I do because I want to.

With that said, I find it majorly offensive that you would think that 30k is "insane." The vast majority of these CMs work very hard for very little by way if an hourly wage. The tips *might* bring them up to some semblance of a living wage.

If someone wants to make a "living wage", shouldn't that be up to them to get the education needed to get a higher paying job or seek out a higher paying job? Not the goodness or benevolence of someone else?

 

[*Fantasia*]

I can't do anything about tipping hostesses or bartenders at EPCOT at those little stands (I wasn't allowed to tip them either), but I can help out the housekeepers.

Bartenders?! They can't accept tips?! That's the first I've heard. It's a tipping position. I don't understand Disney.. It's bad enough that these folks doesn't make enough money, why would they want these workers to turn down the tips? If the guests feel they are getting an excellent service and they just want to show some appreciation, why can't the bartender accept the tip? If tipping is a big NO NO... then maybe this rule should apply across the board and that's including the housekeepers and the servers.

 

[shburks]

If someone wants to make a "living wage", shouldn't that be up to them to get the education needed to get a higher paying job or seek out a higher paying job? Not the goodness or benevolence of someone else?

Thanks for having the guts to say this. I kept thinking the same thing. I know not everyone working in those positions are uneducated, but if you have come to the US without an education past high school and/or don't speak English or you dropped out of high school and this is the only job you're qualified for, then these are the wages you get paid.

I don't think a housekeeper should expect to make the same wage as a teacher or a firefighter or an enlisted member of our armed forces who deploy to dangerous places.

 

[TDC Nala]

Bartenders?! They can't accept tips?! That's the first I've heard. It's a tipping position. I don't understand Disney..

Bartenders at full service bars are a tipped position.

The guy who pours out your Grand Marnier Slushie at that kiosk in France is not a bartender, and that's not a tipped position.

 

[cjsm&d]

This whole tipping thing makes me slightly uncomfortable, I absolutely tip servers at TS restaurants and housekeeping, but why then aren't counter service positions tipped? Or cleaners in the parks? Or everyone else working like a dog for minimum wage to deliver such great service. I work a minimum wage job too but tipping for service positions is not customary or expected in the UK.

Can't speak for the UK, but in the US tipping the chamber maids is customary at virtually every hotel or motel here (apparently except WDW) in this country. Many hotels even leave an envelope on the dresser.

I'm not saying anyone should do anything they feel uncomfortable with. I choose to do it.

 

[cjsm&d]

What does it matter if they can't afford a trip to WDW. If you don't want to leave a tip, don't. Tipping has gotten completly out of control. Do you think the people that receive a tip, report it on the taxes each year? I don't think so. Tipping is just free money. Sure they may have to report a certain percentage each year, but a sizable portion of those tips never go reported. Do the math, that $8.35 per hour is closer to $ 25 to $30 per hour. Can you say Deluxe resort vacation.

If somebody is making $18K a year as a chamber maid and anothe $10K a year in tips, I really don't care if they are claiming the tips. Chances are they're barely making ends meet as it is.

It's alot better than those who choose not to work and MY tax dollars finance their lifestyle.

 

[cjsm&d]

If someone wants to make a "living wage", shouldn't that be up to them to get the education needed to get a higher paying job or seek out a higher paying job? Not the goodness or benevolence of someone else?

Now you're judging these folks? Very inappropriate comment. You don't know what their upbringing is or whether they have had the opportunity for a higher education.

At least they're not living on the state and your and my taxes.

And I don't tip because I pity them, I tip because I appreciate their efforts, and I know they aren't compensated that well to do it.

 

[cjsm&d]

Bartenders?! They can't accept tips?! That's the first I've heard. It's a tipping position. I don't understand Disney.. It's bad enough that these folks doesn't make enough money, why would they want these workers to turn down the tips? If the guests feel they are getting an excellent service and they just want to show some appreciation, why can't the bartender accept the tip? If tipping is a big NO NO... then maybe this rule should apply across the board and that's including the housekeepers and the servers.

The stand in France (Awesome Grand Marnier Slushies) and the stand in UK (Geary's) would not take a tip and said they were not allowed.

 

[cjsm&d]

Thanks for having the guts to say this. I kept thinking the same thing. I know not everyone working in those positions are uneducated, but if you have come to the US without an education past high school and/or don't speak English or you dropped out of high school and this is the only job you're qualified for, then these are the wages you get paid.

I don't think a housekeeper should expect to make the same wage as a teacher or a firefighter or an enlisted member of our armed forces who deploy to dangerous places.

For real????

You think that they SHOULD make barely enough to get by? That'll teach them a lesson for not having some of the breaks and opportunities that most of us posting on this board have gotten.

 

[cjsm&d]

Bartenders at full service bars are a tipped position.

The guy who pours out your Grand Marnier Slushie at that kiosk in France is not a bartender, and that's not a tipped position.

Well maybe by WDW standards they aren't bartenders, but ironically, they provide the same service. The guy pouring my Guiness or Geary's at the stand is doing the exact same job as the guy inside.

 

[ols386]

It is very apparent tipping housekeepers/mousekeepers is a personal choice. I for one, do tip the mousekeepers. We usually leave $5 a day. My first job at DW was as a housekeeper (don't recall the term Mousekeeper back in '89) for the cabins at Fort Wilderness campground. I recall I made a pretty good wage back then, something just over $5 an hour. I was very happy with that considering it was above minimum and something I could live on as a single 19 year old with a room to split half the bills. lol As for tips, they were few and far between I have to admit. I had some great families who gave me as much as $25 at the end of the week (when it was me who cleaned all week) and then there the majority who left nothing. BUT, my job was not a 'tipped' position. I was never told I would get them, nor did I expect them. Now that I am the one going I feel they deserve that extra something to brighten their day and maybe help them out a bit. It really is a thankless job at times, especially when the family is really messy! lol With that said, I just booked my December stay at POFQ (with free dining) for me and dd. The CM booking it "specifically" mentioned "and please remember to tip your bell hops, wait staff and mousekeepers, as their tips are not included in the price of your MYW package. So, she did include the mousekeepers.

That is completely inappropriate for a reservations cm to make that comment.

In all the years I've been going to WDW, making reservations through WDW, I've never had a cm say anything even remotely close to that. Not saying it didn't happen, but I've never encountered it.

I'm not tipping anyone just because a cm tells me to. I'll tip as I see fit.

 

[ols386]

For real????

You think that they SHOULD make barely enough to get by? That'll teach them a lesson for not having some of the breaks and opportunities that most of us posting on this board have gotten.

No, but they can't expect to make the same wages as a teacher or firefighter, or some other positions.

 

[crashbb]

Can't speak for the UK, but in the US tipping the chamber maids is customary at virtually every hotel or motel here (apparently except WDW) in this country. Many hotels even leave an envelope on the dresser.

I'm not saying anyone should do anything they feel uncomfortable with. I choose to do it.

I've never been in a hotel that left a tip envelope on the dresser.

 

[cjsm&d]

No, but they can't expect to make the same wages as a teacher or firefighter, or some other positions.

I certainly don't think they expect that. From what I can tell, they make maybe $20K a year today. Even if they make $10K in tips, they're nowhere near making what a teacher makes.

My sister in-law was making over $40K when she started teaching back 20 years ago. And we're in Maine, which is not much ahead of Florida (if at all)in average wage.

 

[rabbitroger]

Now you're judging these folks? Very inappropriate comment. You don't know what their upbringing is or whether they have had the opportunity for a higher education.

Yet you're judging them as if they were single parents with 3 kids struggling to make ends meet doing the only job they could find.

It's a low level paying job, it's a low skill job. Just like hundred of thousands of others.

Do you tour your local factories and tip the people working on minimum wage in there?

And I don't tip because I pity them, I tip because I appreciate their efforts, and I know they aren't compensated that well to do it.

I can only hope that you tip your childrens teachers every day, because otherwise clearly you don't appreciate them. How about the doctors and nurses last time you went into hospital?

Or do you not appreciate them as much as the person who is paid to make your bed for you for 2 weeks

 

[luvallprincesses]

I've never been in a hotel that left a tip envelope on the dresser.

We just saw this for the first time this weekend when staying out of town at a Ramada for a wedding.