Tipping

[emma'smom]

We usually have 3 bags, and we drive to Disney World.

My question is, do you tip the person that loads your luggage from the car onto the cart, and then tip the person who brings it up to your room 10 minutes later. Or do you just tip the person who brings it up to your room.

The same question also when you are checking out. Do you tip the person who comes up to your room to load the luggage on the cart, and then also tip the person who brings it to your car about 10 minutes later.

We have always tipped $5 each time, so $20 total to get luggage from car to room & from room to car.

Is this what everyone else does, or do we overtip?

Please don't flame me, just wondering!

I am so wondering the same thing. I always just tip everyone...just so I don't committ some sort of social faux pas. However, it drives me up the wall that I have to tip 4 people for my luggage. I tend to tip less because usually I just don't have that much small cash in my wallet...and quite frankly, I'm never given the option of unloading/loading my own car.

OK...now my tipping question- How much (if any) do you tip for ME service? When and to whom (bus driver, bellman who brings it to room?)

 

[bicker]

So in the end, AFAIC, you should only tip bell staff either once (if you check in after check-in time) or twice (if you check in earlier than that), when arriving, and only once when checking out. Definitely never four times!

 

[emma'smom]

Regarding the double-tipping expected by bell staff: For me, it is a matter of doing what I want them to do. When I check in at 5PM, I want them to bring my bags directly to my room -- I don't want them stored, so I won't tip them for storage of my bags, even though that is their (carefully orchestrated) procedure (i.e., its for their convenience, not mine). OTOH, when I check in at 11AM, I have no reason to expect my room to be ready, so I do want them to store my bags until my room is ready, so I tip for storage, and separately for bringing my bags to my room.

But who do you tip in the first scenario...the person who unloads you or the person who brings the bags up and unloads them into your room?

 

[bicker]

Always tip as close to the end of the provision of the service as possible, so you can factor in how good the service provided is. So, if you arrive after check-in time, you tip the person who delivers the bags to your room.

 

[themudd4]

I believe tipping at meals is dependant on service, never less than 15% for lousey service upwards to 25% for great service.
Always 15% at buffets, because I'm doing half the work.

I agree! I have been asked by a manager at a buffet (@ WDW) if the service was a problem when the tip I left was not the 20% that I am sure the waitress expected. Honestly, it had been...and we left the waitress from the tables next to us a bigger tip than our own waitress since she refilled our drinks and had to tract down our's twice.

I waited tables back when I was in high school and that was what you work for...I completely understand that. That is a better reason to go above and beyound!

OP:
As for tipping mousekeeping...I tend to tip more for the little extras. When I leave a tip and come in and the room is a mess...the next day I may not tip. If I leave a couple of bucks and then when I come back in for the evening the towels are shaped...the toys my kids (or I) have bought are in the window waiting for me...or laying on the bed looking at a map...the next day they may get a extra dollar or so. Make me feel special and I will gladly leave ya a lil something!
We are cheap folk...lol and carry our own bags. But then again we have only stayed at the value resorts at Disney. Maybe if we ever make it to deluxe I may think more about the service.

 

[tiedye602]

OK...now my tipping question- How much (if any) do you tip for ME service? When and to whom (bus driver, bellman who brings it to room?)

I'm wondering about this myself. Thanks!

 

[DVC Sadie]

I feel as if I'm in a Steve Martin movie. We not only tip but we probably over tip. When arriving to the airport we give 4.00 per bag. We tip bell hop 3.00 to 4.00 per bag each trip. When dining at a buffet we tip at least 15%. When dining full service restaurant we tip 20% for great service (or more)and 15% for average service.

 

[themudd4]

I just thought about something referring to the tipping with meals. When you purchase the dining option this includes an 18% tip to the waiter/ress. And it is over the amount of the bill you would have recieved...not what you actually paid. I am assuming this is only for TS meals.

 

[momof4andmore]

I am hoping someone can help me out with this. We had a great meal at Boma. We were on the DDP and I understand that tax and tip are included witht the plan. When I received our bill at Boma why was there a card given to us along with the bill saying that they do not include gratuities in the bill?
Thanks for your help.
momof4andmore

 

[Tam1067]

I started another thread about this based on our stay earlier this month at the Polynesian.

On check-out, my DH was told by the person working the airline check-in desk at the Polynesian, "We do accept tips here too" (this was after he'd tipped the guy who took our bags from our room, and then the guy who stored our carry-ons.

DH did not tip her because he thought she was rude for asking, but nonetheless, it seems everybody who touches your bags wants some cash.

 

[csharp7]

We are cheap folk...lol and carry our own bags. But then again we have only stayed at the value resorts at Disney. Maybe if we ever make it to deluxe I may think more about the service.

That's what I think! But we're staying at a mod this time, CBR. We'll have a car and as far as I can tell, we'll leave the bags in the car while we check in at the Custom House. Then, you can park at your 'island's' parking lot - not very far for bags to travel (and we won't have very many). Is it gauche to just DIY in this scenario?

 

[kcminnie]

The people who work airline check in at the resorts are not Disney employees. They are same people who work curbside check in at the airport. I always tip them separate from the bellhop if I use their service.

 

[zaxmom]

If I overtipped anyone, it would be the airline employees.

I have been trying to figure out how it works at the values. I have never stayed at one before. We are driving so we do not need luggage stored. I guess it means we are on our own?

Since we drive on most vacations, I never even know how many "bags" we have. We always have a cooler, pillows, backpacks...I give the valets that unload and load $5 and a bellman who takes us to the room and makes nice conversation $10. I hate it when my bellman is a bellgirl. Then I feel like I have to work and tip extra.

 

[corgi_monster]

Bellhop - $2-$3 for the first bag and then $1 for each additional bag. I don't travel light, and the poor bellhop is usually drenched in sweat by the time he's done unloading my luggage, so I feel it's well deserved.

Buffets - 10% always, but I do tip 15%-20% if I have ordered an alcoholic drink that was not included in the buffet

Restaurants - I refuse to tip for bad service. I am very mean and will leave a penny or coupon so the waitor does not think I forgot the tip either. As for good service, it can range from 20% - 150% depending on the situation and the meal. If I have gotten decent service and my breakfast was $3, I certainly don't mind leaving more than a $3 tip.

Here's the reason why I favor a $0 tip rather than boycotting a restaurant: I feel it is more the waitor's fault than the restaurant's. Sometimes restaurants make bad hiring decisions. People can be polite, well mannered, etc. in an interview and turn out to be a terror on the floor. So long as the restaurant fires this rude waitor, the restaurant has done what is necessary to correct the problem. By not tipping, I am "punishing" the person who is problem while still supporting a restaurant I like.

And before I get flamed, I should explain why I would leave a $0 tip. (I have only done this once.) I was at a touristy restaurant on the pier in San Francisco with 3 friends, and we were starving! It was somewhat like an Italian sizzlers - you could order from the menu or choose the psata/pizza buffet. When the waitor came over, he asked if we were ready to order, so we looked at each other to confirm that we all knew what we wanted. In the split second it took for us all to make eye contact, he asked (in a very sassy voice, "What? You don't speak English?" All of us are Asian-Americans, mind you, and he had taken our drink orders in English prior to this comment.
We all ordered the buffet and when he brought us our clean plates, he dropped a piece of dressing-covered lettuce onto one of the clean plates. Yes, dirty food from another table's cleared plates. Instead of bringing a new plate as we requested, he used his bare fingers to pick up the piece of lettuce and declared the plate good as new. What is WRONG with some people?
In additional to this, we received all-around bad service. Waitor was slow, didn't check up on us (although this was probably a good thing), no drink refills, slamming things down on the table, etc. There were several tables in our section that simply got up and left without eating.
Needless to say, we didn't tip. We did leave him a nice grocery store coupon good for $0.20 off Pampers.

 

[veraletta]

I'm not sure if we tip our bellhop enough money as we drove and we had a lot of stuff: Cooler, 4 suit cases, pillows, backpacks, and cases of pop.
It took two loads on the small two wheeled dolly, I feel really bad now as I only tipped him $20, thinking $10 a load.

He was so nice and kind he just happen by us as we parked our car in the parking lot at csr. He stops his cart and asked us if he could help us.
My husband's does the tipping and he wasn’t with us this time but I remember that last time he tipped the bellhop it was $20, so I did the same.

I guess I should have counted ever item. Oh well too late now, He seemed really happy with the $20, he wanted to get us ice also, I told him no as he did enough for us, by helping us unload our car.
I only tip the maids $5 a day too.
I guess next time I will at least count every thing before hand and make sure it’s at least $1 an item.

 

[nanalisa]

I'm not sure if we tip our bellhop enough money as we drove and we had a lot of stuff: Cooler, 4 suit cases, pillows, backpacks, and cases of pop.
It took two loads on the small two wheeled dolly, I feel really bad now as I only tipped him $20, thinking $10 a load.

He was so nice and kind he just happen by us as we parked our car in the parking lot at csr. He stops his cart and asked us if he could help us.
My husband's does the tipping and he wasn’t with us this time but I remember that last time he tipped the bellhop it was $20, so I did the same.

I guess I should have counted ever item. Oh well too late now, He seemed really happy with the $20, he wanted to get us ice also, I told him no as he did enough for us, by helping us unload our car.
I only tip the maids $5 a day too.
I guess next time I will at least count every thing before hand and make sure it’s at least $1 an item.

I wouldn't give it another thought. He should have had a bigger cart!

 

[marlynnp]

Needless to say, we didn't tip. We did leave him a nice grocery store coupon good for $0.20 off Pampers.

 

[aubriee]

Speaking of tipping, on my last trip I left out an envelope for our mousekeeper, I had decorated it and it said something like THANK YOU MOUSEKEEPING! With our names and a small picture on it. Two days in a row the mousekeeper didn't touch it, so I said screw it and pocketed the money. LOL I tried!!

I usually roll up my used towels in a ball, place them on the edge of the tub or vanity and leave the envelope on top, clearly marked 'Thanks Mousekeeping'. Even so, there have been times the towels were removed and the envelope left. I just assumed she forgot it, but continued to leave one everyday. The reason I think this, is that on one trip the envelope had been moved from the vanity and was left on top of the commode. I just assumed she laid it down for a second to replace the towels and then accidentally left it.

 

[aubriee]

I agree! I have been asked by a manager at a buffet (@ WDW) if the service was a problem when the tip I left was not the 20% that I am sure the waitress expected. Honestly, it had been...and we left the waitress from the tables next to us a bigger tip than our own waitress since she refilled our drinks and had to tract down our's twice.

I did this back in May. My waiter at Spoodles was terrible. I only saw him at the beginning of the meal and then again at the end after I had to send another waitress after him to get my bill. That particular waitress was the one who kept my glass filled during the meal and even took my dessert order, when I couldn't get my waiter's attention. Unfortuantely, I was on the DDP and couldn't do anything about the 18% tip he got automatically, but I refused to leave him another penny, (I always leave at least 20%). As I got up I noticed the other waitress (the good one) at a table next to me and as she finished talking to her customers I casually handed her a $10.00 bill and said thank you. I was dining solo, by the way, so my bill wasn't all that much. I hope her tip was more than my real waiters though, because he didn't deserve a penny.

As far as the OP question: I may have a tendency to overtip, but am always afraid of missing someone. I usually tip housekeeping $1.00-$2.00/person/day and also try to leave a small token gift. I tip anyone who touches my luggage $1.00-$2.00/bag, and the DME driver a couple of bucks even if I have no bags, just because I would feel funny walking past him and not handing him something. I've never really thought to differentiate between a buffet and a regular TS. I just tip 20% routinely and then go up from there depending on the service. Again, unless the service is really bad (like my waiter at Spoodles) then I'll go down.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

We'll have a car and as far as I can tell, we'll leave the bags in the car while we check in at the Custom House. Then, you can park at your 'island's' parking lot - not very far for bags to travel (and we won't have very many). Is it gauche to just DIY in this scenario?

I don't see anything wrong with this. It is what I plan on doing. If I'm checking into a hotel and using valet or if the parking area is far from the entrance I will allow bell services to handle my luggage. At someplace like CBR it is far more convenient for me to leave the bags in my car and bring them to my room when I am ready to. But then again, I don't travel with a ton of bags anyway.