Towel Animals, has this happened to you?

[iheartdisney]

That was so sweet of her/him to do

Did you all take any pictures of them. I would have loved to see them staged that way

OP, sometimes you get some, sometimes you don't. Money doesn't change that fact (usually). We received several of them one year and the next trip not a one. I hope that on your next trip to the world you will be able to get one for your children

i am not the PP, but here are some photos of our animals waiting for us to return...

 

[TosaTrio]

Wow, We have been lucky, we have always had a towel animal in our room upon arrival. We even had housekeeping stop by on my dd (6) Birthday and give us a towel Birthday cake and say Happy Birthday. Often, they arrange the stuff animals too!

I completely understand the OPs daughters disappointment. Next time, if it is really important, I would call a housekeeping supervisor and ask. I have found with simple things Disney always has gone above and beyond if they can.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It is ridiculous to try and equate a towel animal with a TV, lamps, etc. In any case I don't think that there is a policy on towel animals no matter what someone might have told you verbally, because otherwise all the rooms would have them, or none of the rooms would have them, as Disney needs to ensure that all guests are treated equal. The other posts on this topic all seem to say that getting a towel animal is "up the Housekeeper", which reinforces the previous comment that WDW has no policy on this this.

So if someone from WDW calls me and tells me something, I should totally discount it.

So if it means Disney needs to treat all guests equally, then they need to do away with concierge service. Because that's not equal.

 

[DjdBrit]

Not to be a pain but this thread is starting to bug me. I know this whole site is a free speach site and we are all entitled to our own opinions so I shall share mine.....

The OP is annoyed because her child didn't get a towel animal she feels she paid for....hmmmm

Other posters are reporting that you should just call the "front desk" and demand one....hmmmmm


For me why I love Disney so much is the unexpected magic. Not the attitude that I am going to stamp my foot until I get treated how I want to be.....

I try and teach my kids to share in others joy and be grateful for what you have. I have stayed at WDW 3 times and I am not going to go on about if I did or didn't get towel animals or leave tips. Housekeepers come to my room to clean it, I expect nothing more or less. The more people demand and complain the less "perks" Disney will offer.

Ready for the flames...again just my 2 cents.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

So if it means Disney needs to treat all guests equally, then they need to do away with concierge service. Because that's not equal.

Guests can choose whether they want to stay at a Deluxe, Moderate, or Value Resorts. They are also free to choose if they want to pay extra for Club Level. This thread was originally about some rooms having towel animals, and others not. Try explaining to a yougnster why he or she doesn't get one, while other rooms do. In my books this is "not equal", and that is why I still think that no matter who you spoke to, Disney does not have a policy on towel animals, because if they did then guests who did not receive a towel animal would have every right to complain.

 

[Sammie]

Smart corporations look at everything that adds to their costs. And Disney has shown they are pretty darned smart. Anyway, do you really think that if all guests started taking towel animals home, that they would take the hit out of their profit? More likely they would up the cost of the rooms and we would all be paying for them.

I have to say, I hate the excuse that "Disney makes xxx, so I am free to take xxx" It pops up all over these boards as a reason for taking many things, from towel animals to pop refils that are not paid for, to taking jelly from the food court to make sandwhiches in people's rooms. Now I have no idea if it is ok or not to take towel animals home. I just hate the handy excuse that Disney turns a profit, so taking things is fair game.

Totally agree and it bothered me when I read that. Guess that is the reason people rob banks, all that money they have lying around.

Sadly what most don't seem to understand is successful companies pass those costs on to the customers. So Disney becomes higher and higher.

 

[Sammie]

Not to be a pain but this thread is starting to bug me. I know this whole site is a free speach site and we are all entitled to our own opinions so I shall share mine.....

The OP is annoyed because her child didn't get a towel animal she feels she paid for....hmmmm

Other posters are reporting that you should just call the "front desk" and demand one....hmmmmm


For me why I love Disney so much is the unexpected magic. Not the attitude that I am going to stamp my foot until I get treated how I want to be.....

I try and teach my kids to share in others joy and be grateful for what you have. I have stayed at WDW 3 times and I am not going to go on about if I did or didn't get towel animals or leave tips. Housekeepers come to my room to clean it, I expect nothing more or less. The more people demand and complain the less "perks" Disney will offer.

Ready for the flames...again just my 2 cents.

No flames from me. Towel animals are just like upgrades and pin codes, and anything else that is random.

Random, means not everyone gets one. Sorry that a child was disappointed but sadly it will be just the first of many disappointments in life.

And throwing money at it or throwing a fit will not help.

 

[no capes darling]

But by tipping extra there's the assumption it's going to happen... tip out of gratitude and kindness for the work they do, (I'm sure they aren't high-wage earners) not the expectation of a bonus of some kind, whether it be a towel animal or otherwise. We've stayed a number of times and towel animals do not make the trip. They are fun, but not what memories make for us. Huh, I wonder if towel animals will be the thing to show up on the next making memories ad for WDW on TV.

 

[walkdmc]

I gave up on wanting towel animals, then I got them and could care less. But I think it stinks that your kid saw everyone else get one and she didn't.

We spent one night in ASSports and almost every window we passed had more than one towel animal in the window. They looked very cute and I can see how a young kid would want to be surprised with one.

(BTW, someone on the disboards covered a travel buddy with towels, as they were lying on the bed. The "buddy" was completely covered. If you want to entertain your little ones, (or scare them!!) try that, LOL.

 

[Sammie]

I really doubt the housekeeper knew what the note said, and assumed it was just a tip for housekeeping.

 

[maxiesmom]

I try and teach my kids to share in others joy and be grateful for what you have. I have stayed at WDW 3 times and I am not going to go on about if I did or didn't get towel animals or leave tips. Housekeepers come to my room to clean it, I expect nothing more or less. The more people demand and complain the less "perks" Disney will offer.

Ready for the flames...again just my 2 cents.

No flames from me. I totally agree with you!

In a nutshell, that is the reason The Year of a Million Dreams was considered a flop. People were chasing down the Dream Teams, demanding they get something. It is pretty sad that a corporation, known for going out of its way to add a little extra to their guests vacation, get bitten in the rear for doing so. Beause some people feel left out. When did we all start expecting to win all of the time? When did life become fair????

 

[epcot.girl]

In a nutshell, that is the reason The Year of a Million Dreams was considered a flop. People were chasing down the Dream Teams, demanding they get something.

 

[mdsoccermom]

Just an FYI:

My friend talked to the mousekeeper once about the animals to thank them for making them for her kids and to ask how they make them. He said that he and his wife stay up at night and make them after they go home. THEY have to purchase the towels and the rubberbands Disney does not provide them.

Oh please. I don't believe that for a second. Not one bit. If a mousekeeper told that to your friend, it was merely a sob story to get a bigger tip.

 

[goofy4tink]

The telephone conversation I had with WDW Resort Management was that the towel animals are yours to enjoy while you are at the resort. They are not intended for you to take home.

And I've been told the exact opposite by management at BW.

Just an FYI:

My friend talked to the mousekeeper once about the animals to thank them for making them for her kids and to ask how they make them. He said that he and his wife stay up at night and make them after they go home. THEY have to purchase the towels and the rubberbands Disney does not provide them.

I'm sure part of that statement is true. But, I really doubt that the housekeeping staff pays for their own supplies.

So if someone from WDW calls me and tells me something, I should totally discount it.

So if it means Disney needs to treat all guests equally, then they need to do away with concierge service. Because that's not equal.

And that's the problem with Disney. 5 people can ask them the same question and there will be at least 3 different answers. There is little to no consistency with Disney.

Here's the thing....your housekeeper either knows how to make towel animals or she/he doens't. No amount of tipping is going to change that. My dd and I stayed at Pop once. Every single room we passed had multiple towel animals in the windows...but not ours. And our housekeeper seldom had our room cleaned before 3pm each day. But, on our next stay there, we had several towel animals in our window when we arrived. It has nothing to do with tipping...it is just up to each housekeeper.
And the fact that they don't have great skills in English shouldn't be the issue. If you need something addtl from housekeeping, I would call Housekeeping directly that morning. Ask them for what you need...they, in turn, can let your housekeeper know what you need. If a towel animal is all that important to you, call Housekeeping and let them know. Perhaps they can have your housekeeper get a towel animal from another housekeeper that does know how to make them.

Personally, I just want a clean room from my housekeeper, and it would be nice if that happened before mid-afternoon!!!

 

[declansdad]

I'm still not willing to let the housekeeper off the hook for not understanding the note. I said it before, if she couldn't read it then she should have found someone to read it to her. Many times I leave notes asking to change the sheets, for more soap, shampoo, coffee, towels, etc when I leave my tip. I expect those notes to be read and the items to be delivered to my room. I would expect the same without the tip as well. Even someone with a rudimentary understanding of English should know the English words for those items commonly used in their jobs: "sheets", "towels", "coffee", "soap", "rug", "TV", "sink", "tub", etc so she should have had a half a clue that "towel animal" had something to do with towels. If she was a Spanish speaker the word "animal" is the same in both languages. My guess is that she simply did not want to make the effort to try to understand the note or she didn't care if the OP received what the asked for.

FTR, I am usually on the side of the housekeepers. They do what I consider a hard job and I don't mind tipping them for their services. But I can't stand it when someone gets blown off like the OP. If you can't make the towel animal ... fine. But don't take the tip for a service you are unwilling or unable to preform.

If I wanted something done in my room, I would call not leave a note.

 

[declansdad]

Just an FYI:

My friend talked to the mousekeeper once about the animals to thank them for making them for her kids and to ask how they make them. He said that he and his wife stay up at night and make them after they go home. THEY have to purchase the towels and the rubberbands Disney does not provide them.

I have a bridge you may be interested in buying.

 

[robinb]

If I wanted something done in my room, I would call not leave a note.

A note works fine the vast majority of the time. Every once in a while it doesn't and I call. However, if I call I feel I need to be in the room to accept my request and then tip extra for it. I've already tipped my maid but I also feel I need to tip the person I made run out over with my extras instead of just taking them from a cart that is outside the door. So, it's more convenient and cheaper for me just to leave a note.

 

[Trinity524]

So, here's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Pop- 2008- no animals. Poor housekeeping, tipped 5 bucks a day.

Poly-2009- no animals. Poor housekeeping, tipped 5 bucks a day.

Pop 2010- Animals every day, great housekeeping, tipped 5 bucks a day.

My son would rush last year to the room to see his towel animal. It will be hard this year if we don't get them. I will tell you that the animals appeared to be premade, with stickers.

 

[jenn1024]

Just an FYI:

My friend talked to the mousekeeper once about the animals to thank them for making them for her kids and to ask how they make them. He said that he and his wife stay up at night and make them after they go home. THEY have to purchase the towels and the rubberbands Disney does not provide them.

There is a half-truth here. Housekeepers use normal room towels for the towel animals. They are also given basic supplies to make them. A few housekeepers do purchase extra items (fake flowers, stickers, holiday-themed items) to make more elaborate animals, though.

 

[lustergirl]

THanks for the replies...totally understand what everyone has said. It would not have been an issue had there not been one in every window on out floor. Just was wondering if this had happened to anyone else.

I am sorry, but if a maid, working in the USA, does not understand a note left in English, in a room where she is working...IMO, she needs to call for help, her supervisor, her translator...SOMETHING...it is not OK for me to just give him/her a pass by saying she does not know English or does not know how to read.

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