Revisiting the "tipping the mousekeeper" debate

[thejens]

This is an interesting discussion. I have always left tips in any hotel, but now feel a bit unsure about leaving tips at Disney. I have left tips simply to express appreciation for good service, and frankly because I don't think any housekeepers make enough to live very well. I personally would not feel "well paid" at $12.00 for a long day of physical work picking up after other people. I do understand the concept of not wanting wealthier people to be able to bribe their way into better service. However, I have to laugh. What is the difference between paying for concierge level vs. value stay. The "haves" are going to be treated better than the "scrimped and saved all years." Don't know how Walt would feel. He did not want the wrong element in his parks and thus was one of the first to charge an entry fee. I also must add that at my stay at the Deluxe AKL I had rather poor service from housekeeping, luggage people and front desk. It was not magical or even especially helpful or friendly. I did stop tipping on the last two days of our one week stay. I will definitely plan to write a letter about any great service I receive and will probably tip if the mousekeeping is decent.

[kakn7294]

We have tipped the mousekeepers on our last several trips, but now that Rusty has said that they are not supposed to accept the tips, it makes me wonder if I should continue to tip them. If they are pooling the money and not keeping it for themselves, why should I continue to tip? If the money is going to the actual person who cleans my room, that's one thing, but if it's going into a pool for coffee and donuts (and that's a lot of coffee and donuts!), why should I pay for that - my tip is not intended to furnish coffee and donuts. If Disney truly does not want us to tip mousekeeping, shouldn't they have a card or something in the welcome packet or in the room that states just such a thing? And shouldn't the mousekeepers leave the money behind with a note explaining why they didn't take it? I think I will send off an e-mail to Disney and ask for myself - otherwise, I will always wonder where the money actually went.

[mouseaddict]

Someone asked earlier if the $7.05-$12 an hour is a good wage in Florida..let me put it this way. DH is an EMT and makes $10.75/hr. So there are housekeepers at Disney that make more per hour than he does.
I feel that if I receive a service that deserves a tip I will give it. If the service does not..I won't. I have even left tips over and above the tip included on the DDP if the service was really good.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I think I will send off an e-mail to Disney and ask for myself . . .

1) Excellent idea.
2) I would like Disney to change SOME tipping job grades.
3) Not all.
4) I still don't want people to tip to get better service.
5) Or feel that they have to.
6) Disney has a different climate than other resorts.

[kakn7294]

Okay, I've sent the e-mail. Now for the wait to see what the "official" word on tipping is. I asked about a variety of services including: Housekeeping, Bus Drivers (both resort and DME), Bell Services, Room Service / Pizza Delivery, and Guest Service CM's. I asked that they be as specific as possible in their answers but who knows what I'll get back. I'll let you know when I get my reply!

[lindique]

I'm going to make an educated guess here. If Mousekeeping was officially a tipped position, Disney would pay them a very small wage (less than the minimum) and then the rest would be made up in assumed tips (which are taxable). My guess is that since Mousekeeping is not a glamorous position, they probably could not fill all of the jobs with qualified people if that were the case.

Making it a non-tipped position allows a much higher hourly wage plus the chance to make a bit more in unofficial tips. Thus Mousekeeping now pays more than the more "fun" jobs in the parks and would therefore attract many more applicants.

[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.

[disneynarula]

If Disney truly does not want us to tip mousekeeping, shouldn't they have a card or something in the welcome packet or in the room that states just such a thing? And shouldn't the mousekeepers leave the money behind with a note explaining why they didn't take it? .

My thoughts exactly.

[Seasonscraps]

We have tipped the mousekeepers on our last several trips, but now that Rusty has said that they are not supposed to accept the tips, it makes me wonder if I should continue to tip them. If they are pooling the money and not keeping it for themselves, why should I continue to tip? If the money is going to the actual person who cleans my room, that's one thing, but if it's going into a pool for coffee and donuts (and that's a lot of coffee and donuts!), why should I pay for that - my tip is not intended to furnish coffee and donuts. If Disney truly does not want us to tip mousekeeping, shouldn't they have a card or something in the welcome packet or in the room that states just such a thing? And shouldn't the mousekeepers leave the money behind with a note explaining why they didn't take it? I think I will send off an e-mail to Disney and ask for myself - otherwise, I will always wonder where the money actually went.

This is exactly what I was thinking as I read about coffee & donuts. I am curious to see if you receive the reply to your email.

[Meteora]

I would tell Walt that since I'm not trying to get a better table, a better room, or bypassing a line, and despite the fact that I appreciate his desire to make every guest feel special, I will continue to tip the mousekeepers during my future stays, thank you very much.

I think the problem that Walt probably anticipated--and that he might not have been wrong about--is that some people are not as generous and kind as you and other members of this board. There are definitely people who will try to use their money to get an advantage above others. Unfortunately, people are the ones who spoil it for people like the ones on this board who just want to show their appreciation for a difficult job well done.

Someone asked earlier if the $7.05-$12 an hour is a good wage in Florida..let me put it this way. DH is an EMT and makes $10.75/hr.

I'm a first grade teacher and I'm currently making 10 dollars an hour. Just for more perspective.

[crazeedizneefinatic]

I'm a first grade teacher and I'm currently making 10 dollars an hour. Just for more perspective.

This is totally off the record but,OMG! You have people such as Teachers Policeman, Fireman and EMT's that have VERY important jobs and they are paid the least. Than you have someone who has 1/3 the responsibility making $250,000 a year! Amazing. Sorry, back to the subject.

[thejens]

OMG is right! I am having the same reaction. The teachers, paramedics etc are seriously underpaid. Perhaps we should re-title this thread: Tip the housekeeper; save the world

[glenpreece]

I remember when I went for my CM interview we were told that we were not allowed to accept tips if we had certain jobs. Attractions, merchandise being non tipped positions. There reason was that servers get paid much lower and it is an incentive for them to provide better service in order to receive tips.

[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.

[gueli]

Rusty said "Kids make for big and heavy bags."

while I know this is off topic, I have found some great amount of humor in that statement.

I know my child, stuffed in a suitcase would also be quite heavy...HEhe...
ah the silly side of me ...

On topic- Often people who recieve tips ("blue collar") are the people who often give tips, as they know how nice the feeling is when someone is trying to say thank you for doing your job well.
Tip if it is the right choice for you. Hourley wage not withstanding.
And yes it doesnt feel right that many fields can pay less than $10 hour (EMT,teacher were mentioned), but at the end of the day I sure hope that the teacher or emt who positivly affected the life of someone else realizes how important and special they are.

[Goes4FastPass]

...6) Disney has a different climate than other resorts.

Absolutely true - but that "making magic" doesn't extend to employees, even if they are called cast members.

What does practically every Universal/Hard Rock employee have in common? They're delighted to be former WDW CMs now in a more employee friendly environment.

I'm sure there are many WDW CMs who enjoy their jobs and I'm glad they do. I once asked a former CM who lives in my city why she left Disney. "But it's Disney World" I said and she said, "It will always be my favorite place to visit ...and the place I was paid the least."

Why is it that the people who decide which front line employees can't be tipped always make vastly higher pay than those emloyees?

Also, I don't understand this whole "everyone gets the same level of service" theme that keeps coming up in this thread. Isn't the whole mystique around concierge level rooms is the implied promise of a higher level of service, of getting that something extra? It can't be the snacks.

[Disneytravels]

Okay so on my many calls to Disney a Day for clients and bookings I decided to ask this important question of Tipping the Housekeeping....


The Answer is Yes they can accept Tips and
Yes they get to keep them.. and
no it doesn't get pooled into Coffee and dounuts.

However you do not "have to" leave a tip(s)
- this is what they told me.

So when those of you leave tips know that its going for their hard work of cleaning up your room to their familys and not dounuts..lol

Makes me feel better now that I know!
We will contunie to leave our tips and fun notes for the "Mousekeepers"

[annetter]

For goodness sake! I do not care if they are a WDW employee or not. When I stay more than a day at any hotel, I simply think it is a nice practice to leave a couple dollars each day. As much as we spend at WDW is that really going to kill us? What a nice gesture to let the mousekeeper know that you appreciate what he/she does for you. I know I would not want that job and this simple act of acknowledgement can mean more than you know. As the commercial says - Just do it!!

Kind regards, Annette

[Seasonscraps]

Okay so on my many calls to Disney a Day for clients and bookings I decided to ask this important question of Tipping the Housekeeping....


The Answer is Yes they can accept Tips and
Yes they get to keep them.. and
no it doesn't get pooled into Coffee and dounuts.

However you do not "have to" leave a tip(s)
- this is what they told me.

So when those of you leave tips know that its going for their hard work of cleaning up your room to their familys and not dounuts..lol

Makes me feel better now that I know!
We will contunie to leave our tips and fun notes for the "Mousekeepers"

Thanks for getting this info!! I am happy to tip the mousekeepers. But buy coffee & donuts - not so much.

[TammiMcMan]

Okay so on my many calls to Disney a Day for clients and bookings I decided to ask this important question of Tipping the Housekeeping....

The Answer is Yes they can accept Tips and
Yes they get to keep them.. and
no it doesn't get pooled into Coffee and dounuts.

I don't know what "Disney a Day" is, but I wonder why they have different policy information than other CM's? Those that seem to be in service positions now, or are reporting past experience are saying that they could not accept them .