Who Tips MouseKeeping?

[sfbank]

Our past two trip we have left $1/person/day. there are three of us. Now after reading posts here, I am thinking $5/day. We are staying concierege so I was thinking of leaving $5 in the morning and $2 at night. Hope that ends up being ok. I agree with everyone else on here--they deserve it. I ave gotten thank you notes both time on the day of our checkout so I know they are appreciated.

 

[WorldlyWise]

Can someone justify the difference between $5 for Mousekeeper and $15 for DCL room steward? The work seems similar - is the pay not?

 

[SuzyQ]

We always tip a few dollars every day....even though I tend to straighten things up before we leave the room

 

[liznboys]

We also tip $1 per day per person. I'll be getting my Mousekeeping envelopes ready before we leave, so all we have to do is pop one out each morning.

 

[tinkerbeth]

We usually leave $5 per day for the three of us. We seem to get lots of towels and extra soap and stuff. We stayed at AKL in August and I don't remember seeing a note that said that. If there had been one, I would likely have taken it for my scrapbook so there likely wasn't one in our room.

One thing I didn't realize before the DIS was how little some of these people make. I'm from Canada and the minimun wage is quite a bit higher here (I think it's close to 9 bucks an hour now) and I think people tend to tip less becuase people are paid a bit more an hour. JMHO. Since I found out how little these service people make at WDW, we tip a lot. Plus it's part of the fun for me. I'm having such a blast and I can afford to be there, so I like to try to spread some magic to some of the staff as well with some big tips.

 

[bunnyfoo]

I usually tip $1-$2/day per person. I really appreciate the work the Mousekeepers do while I'm on vacation

Can someone justify the difference between $5 for Mousekeeper and $15 for DCL room steward? The work seems similar - is the pay not?

One of my co-workers said her daughter worked for a cruise line (I can't remember which one) and said that she made about $50/month. So most of the employees there depended on tips ... I'm not sure if this would be the same for DCL.

 

[experiment626mom]

We tip about $5 a day also. This trip will be the first time we will be in adjoining rooms, so I guess it will be a dollar a person in two mousekeeping envelopes.v (Unless of course the kids do something horrendous to the room)

By the way, for those who do special envelopes, how do you do them? I usually buy stickers from the local Hobby Lobby and then print "Mousekeeping Thanks!!" on my printer and add stickers. I guess I'm just looking for new ideas!

 

[Trista&Mark]

Should you tip more based on room style? Just curious. Whenever we went on vacations we always left a tip at the end of the stay...glad I read this post. Mabye 2-5bux a night for our stay at the poly would be appropriate?

How much should you tip the guy that brings your bags to the room?? Thats if they do...im not sure how it works. I have only stayed in 1 upscale hotel in my life....and they didnt even help with the bags.....they just gave directions to the room and took my car After seeing what they did with my car ill never have my car parked by anyone else ever again.

And also the new shuttle service that takes you to and from the airport that starts in May...tip them or no? Im not sure how it works yet. Its supposidly free. I also heard that when you arrive at the Polynesian that sometimes they give you a tour of the grounds and take you to your room in a golf cart? If that is true...tip them how much? Im a tipping newbie when it comes to resort stays.

 

[AKQJ10]

I ALWAYS tip the Mousekeepers, usually on the first day of my stay. It lets them know that I appreciate their hard work. I usually also include a little note just to say thanks. And they remember that gesture as well, often throwing in little "added touches" to your stay, like towel animals, etc.

 

[jenelope]

I usually tip $2 per day (for just me) and leave it every day. On my last trip, I came back to my room right after Mousekeeping had cleaned it and she asked if it was a tip or if I had just left it out. See, the little Mousekeeping card that the hotel leaves there had fallen behind the TV and I couldn't retrieve it. I usually put the tip under the card so that they know, but in this case I couldn't do that and it was a little confusing. The previous day, the tip was untouched for the same reason. This is precisely why I intend to make up "Thanks, Mousekeeping!" envelopes for this trip. Also, if I make them up and fill them in advance, I never have to worry about whether I have cash for the tip. (On a recent trip to Canada, I got $50 in ones before leaving town. My family laughed at me, but I never had to worry about being weighted down with loonies and twoonies for ski check or housekeeping.)

As for shuttle transportation, I tip $1 per bag to whomever handles my luggage. My bags get heavier every time I lift them, so I appreciate not having to haul them out of the luggage area.

 

[Sandi]

For experiment626mom -
My DD and I have done blow-pen envelopes the last several times we've prepared envelopes. It's a fun project and the envelopes turn out beautifully. There are castle and princess stencils, etc. I think it's more fun than printing off the ready-designed stuff from the internet.

 

[msr709]

. . .

By the way, for those who do special envelopes, how do you do them? I usually buy stickers from the local Hobby Lobby and then print "Mousekeeping Thanks!!" on my printer and add stickers. I guess I'm just looking for new ideas!

Someone on these Boards does have link to these envelopes. If you do a search for Mousekeeping Envelopes you should find it. I also saw some on www.disneydollarless.com. I have used these myself. HTH

 

[Hieatt]

Gee, I've never tipped housekeeping in my life - never really occurred to me. Seems like the "they don't make much money and work hard" rationale could extend to a limitless amount of people in your life. Fast food restaurant employees, garbage men, etc. In any event, I probably will start leaving a few dollars a day if it is indeed a generally accepted practice - I just never knew it was.

However, I have to say that I am generally put off by the expansion of tipping - seems like everyone has a jar out for tips these days - I've even seen them at fast food drive thrus. It used to be just restaurants and porters - now the sky is the limit.

 

[Chicago526]

My theory is that anyone that cleans hotel rooms for a living needs the money. If I can afford to stay in a hotel, I can afford to tip the maid $5 a day. I only wouldn't NOT tip if the service was bad, and then I'd complain to the hotel as well.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Gee, I've never tipped housekeeping in my life - never really occurred to me. Seems like the "they don't make much money and work hard" rationale could extend to a limitless amount of people in your life. Fast food restaurant employees, garbage men, etc. In any event, I probably will start leaving a few dollars a day if it is indeed a generally accepted practice - I just never knew it was.

However, I have to say that I am generally put off by the expansion of tipping - seems like everyone has a jar out for tips these days - I've even seen them at fast food drive thrus. It used to be just restaurants and porters - now the sky is the limit.

I agree with your point about fast food service, as you are serving yourself and bussing your own table, the register people are part of the kitchen staff. But tipping housekeeping isn't a new fad. It's been around for a long time. Even Ms. Manner's says you should tip housekeepers.
And to erase all emotions and give you a purely logical standpoint, don't you want the people who have access to your toothbrush while you're not around to be happy, well paid people?!? I thought so !

 

[estnh]

I have always thought it to be common practice at any hotel to tip housekeeping a few bucks a night per person. Whether housekeepers make minimum wage or not, its pretty hard to get by on minimum wage!

But especially at Disney, where the mousekeepers try so hard to add their contribution to the magic. When my daughter was younger, her favorite part of each day at Disney was to get back to the resort and see the new incredibly creative arrangements the mousekeeper had made of her stuffed animals! In ten years of resort visits (twice a year on good years!) we have yet to be disappointed by Disney mousekeepers.

Most of these folks work very hard and go out of their way to make our stay more pleasant, and we should acknowledge them for it with adequate tips!

 

[totalia]

I work in a hotel. I don't tip housekeeping in any hotel. They are just doing their jobs. Tipping is for exceptional service,not just because they have a sucky job. If a person goes the extra mile, they can expect a tip but not for just doing the job they were hired to do. Tipping is NOIT to supplement your income (regardless of whether the gvt thinks it should be).

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I work in a hotel. I don't tip housekeeping in any hotel. They are just doing their jobs. Tipping is for exceptional service,not just because they have a sucky job. If a person goes the extra mile, they can expect a tip but not for just doing the job they were hired to do. Tipping is NOIT to supplement your income (regardless of whether the gvt thinks it should be).

I read in Star magazine that Brad Pitt is back on the market AND he tips !

 

[goofy4tink]

We print out the Thanks MouseKeeping envelopes for each trip...one for each day. Then I stick a $5 bill in each one before we even leave home. That way I don't have to think about finding the money each day! I think I've used mostly Heidi's site. I'm sure someone can post a link to it. Darned if I know how.

 

[dreamflight99]

However, I have to say that I am generally put off by the expansion of tipping - seems like everyone has a jar out for tips these days - I've even seen them at fast food drive thrus. It used to be just restaurants and porters - now the sky is the limit.

LOL...here too! I visit a drive-through coffee chain, and the tip jar is fastened to the window ledge! Here in So. Cali, they are EVERYWHERE! I went into a local bakery the other morning, and noticed the TIP jar on the counter in this place too. It does seem to be rampant.

I always tip mousekeeping. Even though we are neat/clean (I'm one of those whom make the beds each morning, place all the towels in the tub, and p/u all trash), I still leave $5-6 each day (for three persons). Housekeepers are by far, the hardest working staff members at any resort. They've seen/cleaned it ALL. My heart goes out to them.