I think it just depends on your housekeeper. When at CSR last April, we noticed that as we walking past certain flloors/areas, all of the windows had towel animals in them and were obviously staged by the housekeeper. You know..where the Towel animal is reading the Disney planning guide, etc...all cute little games some housekeepers will play with your items.
In our section, we got nothing....no games, no animals, nada. I tried leaving a large tip one day (I think $10) with a nice note..not asking for anything...just a well wish. Not so much as a thank you was left...nada.
Then, 4 months later we returned for
free dining - and stayed at ASMu. Wow - towel animals like crazy - really good ones with the stickers on them and bows, etc...and our room was staged each day. It was soooo fun! We came back to the room one day and met our housekeeper, who was still cleaning. She was delightful! I left a jumbo tip for her - just because she was so sweet and did such a nice job of making our stay magical. She wrote us nice notes - and the day before we were to depart, she wrote a note asking God to bless us and hoped we would return. I saved that note.
I know she would have kept up the animals, even without the tip. She just took pride and joy in what she did each day.
All that at a Value!
Tipping for favors from the housekeeprs is iffy anyway- since the staff can change without you knowing. Our special housekeeper told us one day that she would be off for the next 2 days. On those days, we did not get anything special...but the room was cleaned just fine.
If you receive extra special service and want to give your housekeeper a special tip or gift, I would make sure they will be the one to clean your room on the day you leave it - or I would give it to them personally. I wouldn't chance that you might leave it and someone new comes to clean your room that day and only that day.
Now you all have me thinking about my upcoming visit. I think I will run out and buy some trinkets from my hometown to take down with me...as gifts for any special housekeepers I come across. Maybe cash for them...but trinkets for any children in their families.