Revisiting the "tipping the mousekeeper" debate

[Disdad13]

"Hopefully a towel animal will pop up sometime over the week!"

Don't count on any towel animals because of tipping. We have been there several times, tip every day, and have never gotten a towel animal. As for tipping in general, I have always found tipping to be a somewhat strange concept. Strange in how it is determined who does and does not get tipped, and even the amount of the tip. For example, why do we have to tip the guy at the airport who checks our bags in at the curb? If we don't, will he not put them on the correct plane? And if tipping is based on superior service, how can he treat your baggage better than the next guy? And what about fairness in tipping? Why does a waiter/waitress deserve 15 - 20% gratuity based on the cost of the meal? Why should a waiter at a nice restaurant get a $20 tip on a $100 meal while a waiter at the local mom and pop only gets a couple bucks because the meal is so much cheaper? Did the person at the mom and pop do any less work? Probably, they did more. And if a waiter/waitress gets 15-20% of the cost of the meal, why doesn't a housekeeper get 15 - 20% of the cost of the room? That housekeeper certainly does more thru the course of your stay than the waiter did at your meal.

I guess I have just always found it a little strange to tip people simply for doing their job. Sure, it is OK if you get exceptional service - no matter what it is, but, how often do you end up tipping just because it is customary rather than because the service was exceptional? I know I usually tip because I feel like I'm suppose to, not because I feel I have been given great service. Now, I certainly tip more generously if somebody goes out of their way to do something above and beyond, but that is usually the exception rather than the norm.

I guess what I am trying to say is that for those of you who tip everybody, great! And for those of you who never tip, or are selective in tipping, that's great, too. I don't think there is a wrong or right here. Just my I will get off my soap box now!

[luvdiznee]

What exactly is considered exceptional service? Certainly not making beds, leaving new towels and scrubbing toilets. Just wondering since we always tip, what should I actually be tipping for?

[NJDad]

Disney castmembers...technically aren't supposed to accept tips, because that puts them on the same level as the guest...

That was the part that got me. Wasn't sure who was supposed to be on the higher level and who's meant for the lower level.

Sorry to all those offended by the sarcasm.

[mouseketeer mom]

I would be embarrassed not to tip mousekeeping. We leave $5.00 each AM on the bathroom vanity with a Thank you scribbled on a napkin or something so they know its for them. Then if we come back to clean up before dinner, I'll leave something for turn down staff, like 2 bucks or so, only if we come back before turn down. If not, theres no tips for them. When we stayed at a 2 BR WLvilla in Feb. the service was EXCEPTIONAL. Our mousekeeping cleaned the huge place every day until it sparkled. It was like cleaning a small house, the villa was huge. She left me whatever I asked, laundry det. every day for example! I left her a $5.00 tip every day, but at the end of the week, seeing it was the same person, we left her a $20.00 and a note for doing such a super job for us. It was really appreciated. We used all the space in the villa and she was amazing.

[disneynarula]

I always leave a tip but this post had me thinking. Why is it that "gratuity" is added the the price of the DDP and often when your party is a larger size?

Why don't they just pay waitstaff a decent wage and eliminate the tipping thing?

If a waiter or waiter gives bad service shouldn't they just lose their job?

That being said... WDW is not the only place that I leave a tip for housekeeping.

Plus we always get the towel animals. Maybe it is because we always stay in moderates and values where mousekeeping just has to clean the rooms and not deal with a lot of extra deluxe things like turn down service.

I also tip mousekeeping because it makes me feel like I am spreading the magic. I also bring special cards that I make at home.

[crazypoohbear]

Most people who work or have worked in the service industry know that these jobs are low paying. I.E. waitresses here only make about $2.55 per hour while the minimum wage is $6.75 per hour. These wages are set differently because the government knows that people tip and we can't have waiters and waitresses making too much money I have not noticed a difference in service whether I tip daily or at the end of the week. A Tip isn't required but is expected for good service.
In this day and age it is getting harder and harder to get good service.

So IF leaving a few dollars a day helps out someone who is busting their behinds while I enjoy myself, I'm gonna leave the money!
This August I'll be going down with 3 TEENAGE BOYS. I will not have to clean up after them SO I will pay someone else to do it with great pleasure!

[Maleficent's Dad]

Tipping... First off, I'd like to clarify something in the original post (reiterating what has already been stated). It is common practice to tip housekeeping services when you travel - not just in Disney. I'm surprised that more people don't know about this.

We tip just about everyone!! We bring about $100 in singles for each trip. Let's see...
Airport parking valet service (Avistar Parking out of NY), baggage check at airport, bartender in airpot (if we stop in), Car Service driver or ME driver, bell services - both at the curb and in the room, all bartenders, waitstaff, golf staff members (when we play), taxi drivers (shuttles to/from golf), and of course, Mousekeeping!!!

One thing that always has gotten me:
Have you ever noticed that people who serve adult drinks outside cannot be tipped, but those serving inside, can be? Get yourself a beer at the R&C Pub and they'll gladly accept your tip. Get the same beer (for a slightly higher price) outside at the kiosk, and they can't take it. Same holds true around the WS and other "outdoor" locations. I always found this an odd policy.

[SBETigg]

One thing that always has gotten me:
Have you ever noticed that people who serve adult drinks outside cannot be tipped, but those serving inside, can be? Get yourself a beer at the R&C Pub and they'll gladly accept your tip. Get the same beer (for a slightly higher price) outside at the kiosk, and they can't take it. Same holds true around the WS and other "outdoor" locations. I always found this an odd policy.

At the kiosks, you are not "being served" as it is essentially "counter service." You're taking the beer and bringing it to a table yourself. If you did that at the bar inside, you're probably sitting at the bar and standard bar service rules apply. But outside, it's not a bar, it's a counter service and tipping would naturally be discouraged. The poolside bars at the hotels will indeed take your tip most happily, as it is a bar service and not a counter service in that case. Confusing?

[crazeedizneefinatic]

One thing that always has gotten me:
Have you ever noticed that people who serve adult drinks outside cannot be tipped, but those serving inside, can be? Get yourself a beer at the R&C Pub and they'll gladly accept your tip. Get the same beer (for a slightly higher price) outside at the kiosk, and they can't take it. Same holds true around the WS and other "outdoor" locations. I always found this an odd policy.

Just a side note about tipping at outdoor kiosks. Last September my Mom and I purchased from an outide booth, a Margarita slush outside in Epcot. The CM who served it slide a black pouch twords us for a tip! Now don't get me wrong, I do believe in tipping and do, but in this case she turned her back and dispensed it into a glass and handed it over? I am not sure if this was her practice or she was allowed to ask for a tip? When we did not leave a tip she hastily took it off the counter. Has anyone else tipped at an outdoor kiosk and should you??
Thanks!

[walstib]

First off, thank you very much MNNHFLTX for stepping in after the post fron NJDad. I did not appreciate the tone of that response to me,

That's just rude and I've never done anything to attack you personally, NJDad.

Sorry to all those offended by the sarcasm.

The apology came first !

[jacknsally02]

guess it's a new york thing, but we always tip, by the way NJDad, I wasn't offended by your sarcasm, I thought you were dead on.

[QTPie68]

We tip just about everyone!!

Talk about!!! Last trip to WDW I tipped my DH by mistake...just another guy helping out with the bags .



Mousekeeping always get daily tips from us, and on those days that I ask for the linens to be changed (not just beds made but fresh linen) I add extra.

[LizLovesDiz]

I would still tip the Mousekeeping people,providing of course that they do a good job,and they usually do,and they seem very nice!!!

[4myprincesses]

Customary is the key here. In the United States it is customary to tip wait staff, bell hops, valet, housekeeping, etc. Since it is customary it is in a sense figured into the wage. A waitresses' wage may be $2.55, but I can tell you for a fact that a hard working and good waitress can make up to $10 an hour at a mom and pop shop that is busy. If tips get too low, restaurants won't be able to keep help and then service is bad. This is why you see many "mom and pop" shops going out of business...really, who wants to sling food to a bunch of hungry people and then clean up their chewed on chicken bones, scrape gum off their plates and get on the floor and pick up the half of the meal that Jr didn't eat. It isn't pleasant work, though if your good the wages compensate.

Speaking of mom and pop shops (my mom and pop own and operate one) the service you get here is simply not the same as you would get at lets say Le Cellier for example. Pricier food also tends to come with a more personalized service and services. Now this might be a source of argument as well as restaurants are getting away from this, even at Disney. Our last trip to CaliGrill was a bit of a disappointment as our server was just about non-exist. We counted at least 7 tables he was serving and one was a group of 8. In our little restaurant, a waitress will wait on anywhere from 6-9 tables (of 4) depending on how busy the shift is. However, we do not offer wine, appetizers, soup and salad course, extensive desserts and you can eat an entire meal at our place for $8 instead of $28+.
All this to say, fancier places=higher prices=more tip for server but not AS much more as you may be thinking since they should have fewer tables to be able to support the amount of tip with the service provided.

I would love to hear how this relates to mousekeeping. Are they paid to compensate for a no-tip policy (if there is a no-tip policy?) Are they outsourced? Every American regardless of work is entitled to a fair wage for a good days work. As far as I am concerned housekeeping and waitstaff deserve the tip above all else as they are doing what you go on vacation to not have to do...stock you space (be it with food or soap) and clean-up!

In going to another country you should read up on their customs as not to offend them, why not read up on what the customs are here in your own back yard.

[pook@wdw]

Not only do we tip them (even though we're not required to) we thank them personally (if we see them) Seems a little common courtesy can go a long way.

[njsmama]

Okay, I couldn't stand it! I called the Disney info line, and asked about tipping housekeeping. The gentleman I spoke with assured me that tipping housekeeping was perfectly fine, but to check with the resort we would be staying in just to make sure. lol. I called the Poly, and the lady at the front desk says that housekeeping is allowed to take tips. I must have too much time on my hands tonight....lol.
Have a great weekend!