Tipping question

[swilphil]

.....
Boy, safetymom will jump all over this one.

So is housekeeping a tipped position or not. I keep reading it's not though I tip no matter what. I'm just curious if what I've been reading is true.

 

[G00fyDad]

So is housekeeping a tipped position or not. I keep reading it's not though I tip no matter what. I'm just curious if what I've been reading is true.

AT Disneyland it is, but at WDW it is not.

 

[Sammie]

That would be great if that person is/was the only one cleaning the room. And depending on where you stay, they may be. But I have seen alot of people talk about having multiple Mousekeepers during their stay. That would stink for the last Mousekeeper to get all of the others tips.

If that is the case then there would be different name card left. They leave their card in the room if they service the room. I leave an envelope for each if it changes during our stay.

 

[petrymom]

I have been reading these threads and have to say "Thanks". I had read an earlier thread about tipping mousekeeping and to be honest was ignorant to the fact that this was even something I should do. (Sorry I am kind of sheltered, our upcoming vacation to Disney is first actual vacation in 12 years of marriage).

I love the ideas of the envelopes and having them done ahead. My DS and DD sat down tonight and wrote out our envelopes. We had a great time and they turned out so cute!!! Thanks for the idea.

One question though - WHAT IS A SKYCAP? Sorry, only flown one other time in my adult life. (15 years ago) Please help?

Petrymom

 

[G00fyDad]

If that is the case then there would be different name card left. They leave their card in the room if they service the room. I leave an envelope for each if it changes during our stay.

What resort was that at?

 

[MinnieM21]

What resort was that at?

I know the question wasn't directed towards me but we received a card/note each day after our room was cleaned by mousekeeping at the Grand Floridian. It was signed by whoever cleaned our room. Jackie always cleaned our room at the GF and we were so pleased by the great service!

 

[disneyfan67]

I saw this on another thread and before I got a chance to reply the thread was shut down. As a working owner of a Janitorial company I can tell you first hand, tips are welcomed. I've cleaned a lot of homes and businesses and after a hard days work it's nice to get a few dollars here and there. Most of the maid postions are very low paying and a hard job to do with little time to do it. I've cleaned carpet in a few hotels and have seen this first hand what they have do. It's worth a few dollars here and there and how can you miss 1 or 2 dollars at WDW? Would that even buy a soda in the parks? I remember the movie "Bruce Almighty" and the scene where Morgan Freeman tells Jim Carrey "if you want to see a miracle be the miracle". Meaning if you want to see things change for the better in this world you should start pitching in yourself and others can follow your lead. That two dollars you leave could add up and make a difference in that Mouse Keepers life. Maybe it might put a decent meal on the table for their children or help with a new shirt, books, etc. You would be suprised how it can add up or how it can help. They get paid very little and Disney rakes in the money, so how could it hurt? It's up to you in the end and how you feel about it. I just wanted to add my 2 cents in. Thank you!

 

[keith-atl]

No difference. when this thread is over, you will see more people like me who tip and have never received a towel animal(not a big deal actually), than tippers that have. I hope tipping does not affect service, but human nature being what it is, it would not surprise me.(Not a dig, just stating what i think)

You know I tip everyday and once we recieved a towel animal but wife took it apart to wash up before I got to see it, and my mother got towel animals as well a couple of times.

 

[keith-atl]

I have been reading these threads and have to say "Thanks". I had read an earlier thread about tipping mousekeeping and to be honest was ignorant to the fact that this was even something I should do. (Sorry I am kind of sheltered, our upcoming vacation to Disney is first actual vacation in 12 years of marriage).

I love the ideas of the envelopes and having them done ahead. My DS and DD sat down tonight and wrote out our envelopes. We had a great time and they turned out so cute!!! Thanks for the idea.

One question though - WHAT IS A SKYCAP? Sorry, only flown one other time in my adult life. (15 years ago) Please help?

Petrymom

Well Skycap I believe is the guys who check in your luggage curbside. I always tip them about 2 to 3 dollars a piece they take. I believe in karma and for some reason if i got cheap with them and my luggage didnt show I up I mad with myself. Another advice about flying that I heard is to divide your clothes up in different suitcases incase a piece gets misplaced, everyone will have something to wear till it is found.

 

[keith-atl]

I understand tipping m'keeping (those ladies probably aren't making much anyway and I'm sure they appreciate being appreciated!) but what about bellhops? Does anybody use/tip them? I am FIERCELY independent and a little on the cheap side and will be responsible for my own bags, thank you!

That's one thing I HATED about NYC! Everyone wanted to help me with my luggage cuz they wanted a tip!

Now, if our room isn't ready and they have a bellhop come get our bags to store, THEN I'll do it, but not before! I'm not paying someone to do something I'm perfectly capable of doing myself!!!

I was a waitress in college and my first 2 years of teaching so I know what it's like to rely on tips! But honestly.......I think people can just get greedy.....



Denice T.
Olathe, KS

Well if you dont stay at a deluxe you wont feel uncomfortible with bell hops because you will have to actually go get them.

Now me Im a big tipper and when Im on vacation I do not want to do a thing and I love deluxes for that, I pull up they take my luggage out of my car and they vallet my car. By the time I have gotten to my room I probably have dropped $30 in tips.

 

[G00fyDad]

I know the question wasn't directed towards me but we received a card/note each day after our room was cleaned by mousekeeping at the Grand Floridian. It was signed by whoever cleaned our room. Jackie always cleaned our room at the GF and we were so pleased by the great service!

Could it maybe be that you have one Mousekeeper for the week at a Deluxe and more than one for Moderates and below? I've never been to WDW so I'm not too sure. I have stayed at all kinds of other hotels and resorts in other places and have always had multiple housekeepers.

 

[petrymom]

Thanks Keith-ATL!!!!! I will be sure to tip them too!!!! The advice about putting some clothes in my carryon is great advice. I think I will be doing that too!!!

Petrymom

 

[jtdl]

This trip was my first time tipping Mousekeeping. I hadn't even thought about it until reading this board. I started by leaving $2 a day and found that the sheets on our beds weren't even being tucked in and we never got any special perk such as a towel animal or even the kids animals hanging in the curtain so after two days I started leaving $1. On our last day there we had a different mousekeeper and she left all kinds of cute little shells and things made from the washcloths (but no animals) and she hung the animals in the window. So in my experience, you do not get better service by tipping.

 

[G00fyDad]

Thanks Keith-ATL!!!!! I will be sure to tip them too!!!! The advice about putting some clothes in my carryon is great advice. I think I will be doing that too!!!

Petrymom

You should always take anything you may need for one nights stay in your carryon. Your luggage may be lost and take a couple of days to reach you. At least then you'd have all the toiletries and a days change of clothing. I had this happen once and wasnt prepared for it. It will never happen again.

 

[Binni]

At the Carribean resort we got great Mousekeeping service....towel animals, my gonzo doll greeting us in fun ways each day...we tipped at the end of our stay (before we new better..to tip each day, as the staff changes). At Port Orleans, we tipped everyday and got only a clean room. I will always tip a few dollars per day in an envelope I print ahead marked "Mousekeeping".
These folks work hard and rely on tips as part of their income. I think the towel animals, etc are an individual thing. As with all jobs, only some workers give 110%. When they do give more, so do I, in show of extra appreciation.

 

[jckdisneybound]

The way I look at it, anyone's who job it is to "wait on me" deserves a tip. I hate making the beds and cleaning toilets, so I'm going to tip the people who do that for me on a dialy basis. Same for valets, skycaps (anyone remember that Seinfeld episode), waiters/waitresses and such...

 

[MinnieM21]

Could it maybe be that you have one Mousekeeper for the week at a Deluxe and more than one for Moderates and below? I've never been to WDW so I'm not too sure. I have stayed at all kinds of other hotels and resorts in other places and have always had multiple housekeepers.

We stayed for about two week (Dec. 7-16th) and had the same Mousekeeper the whole time. I'm not sure if it's because we stayed at a deluxe. After Mousekeeping cleaned our room they left a note saying that they had cleaned our room, etc and they signed it. But we left a tip everyday anyway. She did a great job and was such a sweet lady.

 

[VictoriaT]

We just got back, and tipped everyday ($5), at the Polynesian, Samoa Building, and did not receive anything special except a clean room. I was hoping for one towel animal! Maybe next time- our Mousekeeper was a gentleman- maybe he did not know how to do them. I wish we did not have to leave so soon!

Now we are back in the land of giant snowfalls

 

[jtdl]

Oh, I forgot to mention that on our 2nd day I left a note asking the Mousekeeper if she could leave an extra bag big enough to cart my laundry to the laundry room. She left me a note with it thanking us for having such a clean and tidy room - but that's all we got!

 

[Skroops]

until reading these boards I didnt know what the towel animals were! They aren't always easy to see...they take a little imagination to see what they are! I didn't get it... or even understand what people were talking about! At first I was thinking that the posters were getting a souvineer type of thing that mousekeeping left for you! I realize now that I've had them before and just grabbed a rolled up, twisted towel to wipe my hands off.