Tipping? who and how much

[lifepaused]

I am an Australian and we do not tip. We know it is customary to tip in the states due to the lower pay rates.
When on Disney World Property who shall we tip?
Do you need to tip Uber drivers?
Shops if buying souvienrs ect.?

Thankyou

 

[Pmlocke]

Usually you tip those who render a service such as a waitress, uber driver, someone who handles your luggage, the maid who cleans your room. As for store clerks, the hotel concierge, the resort bus drivers-no. The usual tip is different. Food servers usually get 15-20% of the check. I believe it is $1-2 per piece of luggage, $5 - 10 daily for maid service. This is also continegnt on the quality of service. If it was bad, I sometimes leave no tip or a penny. Gives that person reason to think. If the food tastes terrible. Don't take it out on the server. They only delivered it, they didn't cook it. That is a matter for the restaurant manager. Oh, by the way, that's how I tip. I may be average or I may not. Please don't infer from this email that this is standard practice across the board, Oh and have a great trip. I'll be there agin in 103 days, but whose counting.

 

[Minsc]

This Link is a good primer on tipping.

As mentioned above, the general idea around tipping is to encourage and reward good service. It is often expected, but that does not always mean it's earned.

 

[Shanti]

I am an Australian and we do not tip. We know it is customary to tip in the states due to the lower pay rates.
When on Disney World Property who shall we tip?
Do you need to tip Uber drivers?
Shops if buying souvienrs ect.?

Thankyou

Tip dining servers 15 - 20%. The receipts at WDW will have tip options to choose from, so this is easy. Taxi or Uber drivers should also be tipped 15 - 20%.

Tip Magical Express drivers & anyone who handles your bags a few dollars each. The regular Disney bus drivers on property are not tipped.

Tip your housekeeper (mousekeeper) $5 - $10 per night, or $20 for exceptional service. Tip housekeeper nightly, not all at the end, as the housekeeping staff might rotate.

We do not tip shopkeepers or store clerks in the U.S.

 

[lifepaused]

Thanks for the help guys, I will take notes down on all of these figures.

 

[okienick]

I agree with everything posted here as general guidance, but I just want to add that you may want to do some more research about the tipping of housekeeping. There are quite a range of opinions on whether or not this is "customary". Not trying to start a debate, but there are quite a number of people on both ends of the spectrum as to whether you should or should not tip your housekeeping. I bring this up just to say that it is entirely up to you, but Disney trips aren't cheap. I don't want you to think that this particular custom is as common as the others are, so if there is an area where you may not NEED to spend the funds, this is one that you can make that decision for yourself on whether or not its right for you and your family.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I agree with everything posted here as general guidance, but I just want to add that you may want to do some more research about the tipping of housekeeping. There are quite a range of opinions on whether or not this is "customary". Not trying to start a debate, but there are quite a number of people on both ends of the spectrum as to whether you should or should not tip your housekeeping. I bring this up just to say that it is entirely up to you, but Disney trips aren't cheap. I don't want you to think that this particular custom is as common as the others are, so if there is an area where you may not NEED to spend the funds, this is one that you can make that decision for yourself on whether or not its right for you and your family.

I agree with tipping your waiter/waitress, those who handle your luggage, and Uber/taxi drivers. But as PP mentioned, it is not always customary to tip housekeeping. My family never has and I've never even heard of it being done until I joined the Dis.

 

[PlainJane]

I agree with everything posted here as general guidance, but I just want to add that you may want to do some more research about the tipping of housekeeping. There are quite a range of opinions on whether or not this is "customary". Not trying to start a debate, but there are quite a number of people on both ends of the spectrum as to whether you should or should not tip your housekeeping. I bring this up just to say that it is entirely up to you, but Disney trips aren't cheap. I don't want you to think that this particular custom is as common as the others are, so if there is an area where you may not NEED to spend the funds, this is one that you can make that decision for yourself on whether or not its right for you and your family.

There have been threads stating that Disney Housekeepers (so, not industry wide) are not a tipped position, so they make more than say a waiter does per hour. It's quite controversial on the boards. What I've seen frequently is people recommending $1-2 per person in the room per day. I normally skip housekeeping, so I don't really have strong feelings on the issue, since the last day of our trip is the only day we would receive housekeeping, so that's the only day I would be tipping.

Just so you know, Uber does not have built in tipping in the app, you would have to bring cash. Lyft lets you tip in the app. Uber also has long stated that the tip is included, but they also have stopped paying their drivers as much over the years, I would highly encourage that you tip like you would a taxi.

 

[wrmiller13]

We leave "Mousekeeping" 1.00 per person per day. We make a little Mousekeeping envelope up ahead of time at home. We usually travel with 5 people, so 5.00. That's just what WE do, not a rule or anything!

 

[BrianL]

What I've seen frequently is people recommending $1-2 per person in the room per day./QUOTE]

This is what I've always though about tipping housekeeping. $5-$10 per day seems high to me.

 

[Gehrig1B]

This is going to morph into another housekeeping/tipping debate I'm afraid. I have always tipped housekeeping wherever I stay, $2-5/day unless I asked for special favors (extra amenities/towels etc.) and yes, if you choose to tip Mousekeeping do it daily with a short thank you note as housekeepers can change each day.

 

[loves to dive]

I agree with everything posted here as general guidance, but I just want to add that you may want to do some more research about the tipping of housekeeping. There are quite a range of opinions on whether or not this is "customary". Not trying to start a debate, but there are quite a number of people on both ends of the spectrum as to whether you should or should not tip your housekeeping. I bring this up just to say that it is entirely up to you, but Disney trips aren't cheap. I don't want you to think that this particular custom is as common as the others are, so if there is an area where you may not NEED to spend the funds, this is one that you can make that decision for yourself on whether or not its right for you and your family.

We don't tip housekeeping, never even heard of it before I started reading the disboards. There is normally a little card in the room with your housekeepers name on it but we never have. We normally only have housekeeping for a day in the middle of the trip, if at all. I don't like them in my room, I just ask for more coffee and clean towels if I need them.

 

[Beer Me]

Tip housekeeping whatever you want or don't. It's definitely not as standard a practice as tipping waiters and bellhops.

I almost always do but if I don't have the right change I might not and I don't feel too bad as it's normally not expected.

Maybe this isn't true everywhere though. I had an odd experience in Montreal where didn't leave a tip after my first night because I only had $20 bills or something. Fully intended to make up for it the next day. When I came back to the room later the housekeeper was in the hallway and loudly berated me for not leaving a tip. It pissed me off so I decided not to leave one the entire trip. She yelled at me a couple more times during the week once following me down the hall. Crazy. Is all of Canada like that or just Montreal or was she just a nut?

 

[leebee]

We don't tip housekeeping anywhere, unless there's been some astronomical mess, above and beyond the norm, like the time 4 out of 5 of us had some kind of tummy bug. It was NOT pretty to see OR smell, but housekeeping was really great, bringing clean sheets and towels, mopping up messes, emptying trash/buckets. THAT was a disaster, but the housekeepers were champions!

Where we live, 15% is the customary tip for wait staff, but in bigger cities I usually leave 20%, provided the service has been good- and always a bit more for exceptional service. We tip cabbies and bell services $1 per piece of luggage.

 

[dreamit]

I wonder if tipping housekeeping is more common in certain areas of the country. I'm in Minnesota and have always been of the understanding that tipping housekeeping is as standard as tipping waitstaff. It may not be for the purpose of bringing one's wages up as is considered in the equation for waitstaff, but similar in reason to the tipping of a hair stylist for the service they provide you. Housekeeping typically spends more time on my needs than those handling my luggage, and I tip accordingly. But, this is just how I was taught, which is obviously different than some others on the Boards.

 

[CosmicGirl]

I still get confused about bell services. I've done research and yes, I've read $1-2 per bag or $1 per bag plus $1. But let's say you're staying at a value resort and you bring your bags to bell services/luggage assistance in the morning on your last day, planning to pick them up in the afternoon. Do you have to tip twice in this case: once when you get the tags and again when you pick them up? If so, this seems very disproportional to a situation when someone from bell services picks up your bags in your room or delivers them. In which situation does the $1 per bag apply?

 

[okienick]

I still get confused about bell services. I've done research and yes, I've read $1-2 per bag or $1 per bag plus $1. But let's say you're staying at a value resort and you bring your bags to bell services/luggage assistance in the morning on your last day, planning to pick them up in the afternoon. Do you have to tip twice in this case: once when you get the tags and again when you pick them up? If so, this seems very disproportional to a situation when someone from bell services picks up your bags in your room or delivers them. In which situation does the $1 per bag apply?

In my opinion, if you are taking your bags to bell services and they aren't picking them up, you could tip just when you pick them up. Certainly not more than $1/bag if they are just storing them and not having to handle, carry or transport them other than having to transport them back to you.

 

[DJFan88]

Can someone clarify valet tipping? Who do you tip and when. We had occasion only once to use it and retrieved our car a couple of times during our stay. My husband left one big tip on final retrieval of our car, but I'm not sure if that was proper? And if it is every time they take or get your car, how much each time?

 

[Gehrig1B]

Generally, you should tip each time your car is retrieved. The tip should be a minimum of $2 up to $5. If you are very fond of your car or it is a very expensive vehicle I would tip on both ends each time, again a minimum of $2. I think most valets will tell you a tip upon arrival is not expected but could get you quicker service on the other end!

 

[Alesia]

I tip 2 or 3 dollars when I drop off and 2 to 3 dollars when I pick up. Or you can just tip when you pick up. But you definitely need to tip every time, not just at the end of your trip.