in response to mousekeeping

Funny you mention making the room nice for the guest that is returning from a long day....

I am local so when I stay in WDW I only stay for one night. So I'm not returning to anything but my home after a second long day in the parks.

I still tip Mousekeeping when I leave in the morning. Actually, I tip whenever I have to stay in a hotel, whether on property or not. I don't know why, I just do...

I honestly had never realized that tipping for housekeeping was something that was done. I just learned about that here on the boards. Thanks for letting us know how you feel about it. I was a housekeeper for a lovely family many years ago, and I actually did enjoy making their rooms nice for them, it was a good feeling. They were doctors, and very busy, so I felt like they really appreciated what I did for them. They also payed accordingly, so everyone was happy

SweetMagic said:

I honestly had never realized that tipping for housekeeping was something that was done. I just learned about that here on the boards. Thanks for letting us know how you feel about it. I was a housekeeper for a lovely family many years ago, and I actually did enjoy making their rooms nice for them, it was a good feeling. They were doctors, and very busy, so I felt like they really appreciated what I did for them. They also payed accordingly, so everyone was happy

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It didn't occur to me to tip housekeeping until a few years ago either. :shrug: It was shortly before I joined here that I even thought about it. Now I leave $3-$5 a day for Mousekeeping depending on how much of a mess I have left the place.

I'm a cleaner, so I actually fold or rehang towels neatly, keep all my trash together, make my bed... I'm odd, I usually put the Do Not Disturb sign out half the time to try to save Mousekeeping from having to clean one of the rooms

Same here. I kind of clean up before we leave so it isn't a disaster. I clean rooms seasonally and know what it's like to enter a room that looks like a tornado hit it. We tipped mousekeeping $3-4 a day and left notes on how we appreciate what they do.

SweetMagic said:

I'm a cleaner, so I actually fold or rehang towels neatly, keep all my trash together, make my bed... I'm odd, I usually put the Do Not Disturb sign out half the time to try to save Mousekeeping from having to clean one of the rooms

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We do the same.... I have never tipped mousekeeping. I guess if our party was more than 2 adults I would consider it.

Just out of curiosity why do people feel the need to tip when mousekeeping is paid accordingly? They are not paid like the valets.

reptar77 said:

Just out of curiosity why do people feel the need to tip when mousekeeping is paid accordingly? They are not paid like the valets.

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Because they are in the service industry just like wait staff.

How should one handle tipping for a DVC room. They only do trash and towels once very 4 days.

I didn't leave a tip last vacation but that was because the trash and recycle barrels were full when I got there (including a diaper) The room had no vacum and when we called they brought us a broken one. And on the fourth day I never got towels or trash service. I didn't bother to complain because we were leaving the next day , and we emptied our trash every day.

TheKeeler7 said:

How should one handle tipping for a DVC room. They only do trash and towels once very 4 days.

I didn't leave a tip last vacation but that was because the trash and recycle barrels were full when I got there (including a diaper) The room had no vacum and when we called they brought us a broken one. And on the fourth day I never got towels or trash service. I didn't bother to complain because we were leaving the next day , and we emptied our trash every day.

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Is this the norm for DVC guests and accomidations????? We are going in the fall our first time as DVC members and I was hoping they would clean the rooms before new guests arrived. Or was this just an unfortunate one time experiance.

The room itself was clean / towels fresh when we got there. This was my 1st DVC experience but from what I have heard from others this seemed like a 1 time incident. It really was only a minor thing, but one that would affect me tipping.

I was a banquet waitress for ten years. It was a rare occasion that we were tipped, but most people believe "we" get the 15% that was tacked onto a wedding. We would get a lousy $100 for the entire night of waiting hand and foot over 20 - 30+ people for four hours without even a thank you. So my husband and I are neurotic about tipping and normally always "overtip". We try to keep it neat, but my 4 year old creates a disaster wherever he goes. After our last two trips (8 nights each) we tipped $80 each time. The housekeepers seem to usually be understaffed and are working from the crack of dawn to early evening.

We count that as a service position and gladly show our appreciation. I am shocked that so many people do not tip. On most cruise lines, the tip is taken directly from your room tab before you leave now because so many people were stiffing the staff.

So any mousekeeps/ housekeepers out there...thank you. I just wish I could afford one of you for my own home!

farmgirl said:

Is this the norm for DVC guests and accomidations????? We are going in the fall our first time as DVC members and I was hoping they would clean the rooms before new guests arrived. Or was this just an unfortunate one time experiance.

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I doubt this is the norm. We just joined the DVC about a year ago and have been to WDW three times since then, the rooms have been immaculate on all three trips. The only problem we have had was in Sept./Oct. when we stayed at Old Key West and even then the problems had more to do with the room itself being in need of some renovation and not because mousekeeping wasn't doing it's job.

One more thing...mousekeeping really has a fondness for chips in a can so be sure you HIDE YOUR PRINGLES!

*For further tips on protecting your Pringles contact sbkline.

I'm kinda weird about leaving messes for others to clean up. We always walk thru before we leave our room for the day, make a neat pile of dirty towels, put our dirty clothes in our laundry sack, throw the covers back over the beds (not totally made up or anything), make sure there isn't a bunch of junk laying around. I see that much as common courtesy. Mousekeepers shouldn't have to compensate for laziness on the part of guests. We generally leave a tip of $5 each day then $20 on the last day. I didn't know to tip Mousekeeping/Housekeeping until a few years ago. It makes sense, tho. That's a job that I wouldn't want, can't be too pleasant, we really appreciate, and is rarely recognized even though they are an integral part to a comfortable stay for me. The tip and thank-you cards are a small token to let those people know that I realize they work hard and appreciate it.

2 trips ago during our last stay at Pop our Mousekeeper left towel critters on the 2nd or 3rd day. The next day we left a little bigger tip, I think $10. The next morning our Mousekeeper saw us on the way out and ran up to thank us with a big, sweet smile. She continued to leave little bonuses and we loved it so we continued to leave extra money, usually $10. Our last day we put $40 in her card. DH handed it to her personally. I thought she was going to cry. It was pure magic for us to see the happiness we brought her. We were going to leave all our towel critters behind thinking that the hotel would still need the towels for the next guest. Our sweet Mousekeeper saw them as we were walking out with our final few things the morning we left and she caught us. She insisted we take them, that she made them for us. The kids and I had a great time dissecting them at home. We still use the linens for everyday use today.

I love Mousekeeping!

My husband and I stayed at OKW for our Sept/Oct trip. I must say the room was not the cleanest. The floor needed to be vacuumed, there were smushed bugs in our bed, hairs in the bathroom, etc. I didnt even want to sit on the toliet. The bathroom was just not cleaned well. The whole room needed a good cleaning. This was our only bad experience since becoming DVC members one year ago.

We always tip mouse keeping, as well as other house keeping because its the polite thing,as well as the right thing. People who clean our rooms deserve a tip because they work so hard on tghe room to make us feel good. I think its also the right thing becuase of all the littel extras they do that is a surprise. like towel animals, exc. its extra magical

reptar77 said:

We do the same.... I have never tipped mousekeeping. I guess if our party was more than 2 adults I would consider it.

Just out of curiosity why do people feel the need to tip when mousekeeping is paid accordingly? They are not paid like the valets.

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As I've been taught, it's customary...like tipping your hair stylist...it's like saying "thank you for giving me a nice clean room to come back to".

sweetpee_1993 said:

I'm kinda weird about leaving messes for others to clean up. ...2 trips ago during our last stay at Pop our Mousekeeper left towel critters on the 2nd or 3rd day. The next day we left a little bigger tip, I think $10...We were going to leave all our towel critters behind thinking that the hotel would still need the towels for the next guest. Our sweet Mousekeeper saw them as we were walking out with our final few things the morning we left and she caught us. She insisted we take them, that she made them for us. The kids and I had a great time dissecting them at home. We still use the linens for everyday use today. I love Mousekeeping!

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Is this for real? I had no idea you were supposed to take the towel critters!

We always tip...have had family members in various service industries, and know that by & large, the service sector is underpaid for what they have to put up with on the job. I just figure the extra $$ in the vacation budget, as if it was part of the cost of the room.

catne said:

I just figure the extra $$ in the vacation budget, as if it was part of the cost of the room.

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I also feel so blessed when I can afford to stay "on property" and if you can afford to stay there, you can afford to tip Mousekeeping.

EPCOT.nut said:

Because they are in the service industry just like wait staff.

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But they aren't paid a lower wage like wait staff are. Wait staff are tipped to make up for that pitiful wage they get. Housekeeping are paid a normal wage, and therefore I do not see it necessary to tip them.