Tipping AT WDW

[djmatthews]

I was reading some old posts about tipping; I thought I'd start a new one as some of them were very old. One thing I am interested to hear is what people from the UK and other "non-tipping countries" do, do you tip as customary to the USA or how you would tip at home?

It seems that we have it lucky to have a fair minimum wage system here in the UK, staff do not have to rely on their tips.

The thread about tipping housekeeping..... I would have never in a million years have left a tip to housekeeping until I read that thread....

To me, it does seem like the Americans tip for everything, I know the minimum wage is poor, but people seem to want tips for nothing in some cases.

 

[Scooter]

I agree...tipping seems to be out of control in America.:hammer:

I just tip at my own discretion...if I think someone deserve a tip I tip them....if not, I don't.

I don't tip what I consider to be high wage earners..again..MY discretion.

If employers would pay decent wages, this wouldn't be a problem.

Why do some people get tips and others don't?
Shouldn't the grocery bagger, who gets next to nothing get tips? Why do we tip the Waitresses but not the Chefs?
Why do I tip a bartender who simply gives me what I paid for?
I should give him or her a dollar for opening my beer for me? Heck..I would do it myself to save a tip.

Tipping etiquette is confusing to me so I just tip who I want, as much as I want, when I want.

 

[cookiee_munster]

when we went to america a few years ago we were all like "tips???... what???" but i didn't find that we had to tip everywhere, so that was cool.

i only remember getting tips back in the UK from doing my restaurant job and i actually found out that its illegal for your boss to keep your tips and spend them! ommmm... she's in for it now, me n' work people aint had tips for donkeys lol, i'm not that bothered tho...

 

[RickEff]

The nice thing about tipping is that it's up to you whether or not you choose to tip. It is very customary to tip waiters and waitresses, housekeeping, bell hops and cabbies in both the US and Canada.

If you don't want to tip too much for housekeeping (or simply can't afford to) you can be clever about it. Bring some postcards from home and write a thank you note, or little trinkets that don't cost much but aren't readily available in the US. In addition to a small tip (money was a little tight at the time) I did that a couple of years ago (not the trinkets, but the postcards from Niagara Falls) and I got a really nice note each day from the person that did the housekeeping.

Tipping here really is just a way to show appreciation.

The smartest thing to do when you tip housekeeping is to tip a little each day. Some people tip on the very last day as they leave. That's fine - but you'll find little extras in your room if you tip daily!

YMMV

Rick

 

[LivefortheMouse]

I am american and never thought u had to tip housekeeping. Can someone please tell me if i have to tip them i feel horable now.

 

[tigsmom]

Tipping is optional in WDW just like everywhere else. It just thanks a person for a job well done. Housekeepers work very hard trying to keep the place clean and neat and if you feel they deserve something then go ahead and tip. $1-$2 a night is recc. We usually tip a little more because we usually ask for extra towels, goodies, etc. and the housekeepers usually come thru. (and we are pretty messy people, not dirty just messy.)

 

[careship]

We have always tipped Mousekeeping. I should scan some pictures of the way we found our rooms after a day in the park. These people go out of their way to make the rooms special not just clean when you have children in the room. We have pic of stuffed animals playing cards and drinking from our cups on the bed. We have pics of all the stuffed animals lined up in the bathroom "pulling" another animal from the tub.

When we go without the kids, I leave $1 or $2 dollars. But when we come with the kids, I tip $2 - $3. In fact, our sons birthday they left balloons, a gift, cards signed by favorite character etc. I called the front desk, had that housekeeper sent to the room. My son gave HIM (yes a him) a huge hug and thank you. I gave him $10. It is the special things they do they need to be ackowledged for.

 

[Becky]

Please tip housekeeping daily if you tip. Reason, you won't have the same person everyday of a 6-7 day stay and if you leave a tip at the end of your stay you may end up giving it to someone who never serviced your room.

Employers plan on people tipping workers here in the Colonies. Therefore they pay their workers accordingly. Servers in sit down restaurants in most of these 50 Colonies get around $2.40 an hour. They depend on those tips to survive.

I tend to overtip. Generally 20% at sit down restaurants. I have tipped more and a few times less.

I found out after my return from the UK that I wasn't supposed to tip in Pubs. Oh well, it made some people happy.

I also tip in "All-Inclusive (tips included)" resorts in Mexico. I end up with great service as a result.

So tip. Help support working Americans
Or we just might have to move back to the UK:lol:

 

[wiskband]

Waitress here...not at WDW. someone asked why tipped waitress well because depending on what state you live in (NY here) we get paid about 2-3 and hour and we are taxed on 15% of our sales (the 15% being what we SHOULD have been tipped on. I have to say housekeeping at Disney is excellent. Last month we stayed at two very popular hotel chains (not in Disney, because we hadnt arrived yet) and they were disgusting.both rooms were dirty and ironically we found cockroaches in both rooms. This made me never want to stay anywhere else buit in disney. we happen to be right outside of Orlando visiting relatives and I told my hubby next weather we go to the parks or visit family we are staying on disney property! I would rather take a 30 minute ride to see his sister than sleeping with the roaches and possibly bring them home with us. Disney sets a standard and its no wonder why they have such loyal fans who keep going back every year. besides the kindness and Magic it is probably the CLEANEST place to vacation. Both my hubby and I feel that Disney has spoiled us. we realized this also when we went to six flags in jersey. Had we never been to disney, this park may have been alright but we spent the whole day noticing how dirty and unfreindly the place was. We found ourselves saying "youd never see that is WDW" all day long. Since both those experience it has made me realize you get what you pay for and I dont mind paying high prices for things nor do I mind tipping. I know I have piece of mind and the place is really clean. Just BEWARE... you dont tip twice in the resturants. Sometimes they will add gratuity weather it be becuase you have large party or just because that particlar place practices this method. Personaly, I think if the gratuity is added it should be cirlced and noticable. That had heppened to a few times and tipping is my dutty as the waitress of the family! TIP AWAY PEOPLE ..... its well worth it! :sohappy:

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well, it always comes down to a personal choice. Some feel that they get better service if they tip. Others think that since its suck a S job in teh first place, that they deserve a little more than what the Mousekeepers get from the company. Some do it just to be nice and others think that such customs arent necessary.

I guess i fall somewhere in the middle; if i recieve above average service, i'll show my appreciation likewise. Perhaps its just a way of being nice and spreading the magic a lil bit.

 

[RickEff]

Originally posted by PhotoDave219
Perhaps its just a way of being nice and spreading the magic a lil bit.

Well said!

 

[scottsalisbury]

Where do you lieave tip?

If you are tipping a mousekeeper in your room .... where do you leave the tip?

 

[beast]

Place to leave tips for mousekeepers

Leaving the money on the bed or pillow works.

 

[Bagheera]

We usually tip around 20% in restaurants. I figure, an extra $1 or $2 means a lot more to them that it does to me. Why not make someone happy? (Of course, if I get lousy service, it could be 10% or 5%.)

Mousekeeping is kinda iffy for us, since we're DVC members, and we supposedly pay mousekeeping fees as part of our maintenance, as I understand it.

 

[RickEff]

Originally posted by Bagheera
Mousekeeping is kinda iffy for us, since we're DVC members, and we supposedly pay mousekeeping fees as part of our maintenance, as I understand it.

As DVC members, you don't get mousekeeping every day, do you? I'm not sure how that works.

I suppose, it can also be said, that we all pay housekeeping fees when we pay to stay at a resort, though.

How long have you been DVC members? I've been thinking about it for years...if I'd have put my money there instead of the resorts over the last few years, I bet I could have paid for it!

:hammer:

Rick

 

[tigsmom]

Re: Where do you lieave tip?

Originally posted by scottsalisbury
If you are tipping a mousekeeper in your room .... where do you leave the tip?

Since we rarely stay more than 3 days we tip at the end. Usually the mousekeepers leave a card with their name on it. I keep them. Rarely have we had more than 1 or 2 different people. I leave an envelope with a note and tip labled with a name .

 

[careship]

I always leave it on the table with a note that says thank you.

 

[Speedo Bob]

I really do not belive in tipping, I am one cheap man.

 

[Bagheera]

Originally posted by RickEff As DVC members, you don't get mousekeeping every day, do you? I'm not sure how that works.

I suppose, it can also be said, that we all pay housekeeping fees when we pay to stay at a resort, though.

How long have you been DVC members? I've been thinking about it for years...if I'd have put my money there instead of the resorts over the last few years, I bet I could have paid for it!

:hammer:

Rick

We get service every four days. If we're there for less than 8 days, we get a trash and towel service on day 4. If we're there 8 or more days, we get a full clean on day 4, trash and towel on day 8, and it continues in that pattern for stays of 12 or more days.

We've been members since 1995. It's given us a lot of flexibility. We banked our first year's points and stayed in a 1BR at Old Key West for 15 nights over the actual 25th Anniversary festivities in 1996. We were unable to travel during the time before my son's birth and the first year afterward due to his medical problems, so we had banked that year. On his first birthday (right before the free length-of-stay passes deal expired), we got 1 3BR and 3 2BRs for five weeknights and brought a group of 23 of us down. In October, we complete a 3-trips-in-12-months stretch where we had all three sets of grandparents get a chance to visit WDW with our son. (Yes, step-parents were involved for those who think I can't count.) Anyway, we love it, and if you'd like a referral, I can have my DVC Rep contact you. Always glad to push the Club!

 

[nikechic]

HEy rick

If you are thinking about DVC...I say do it. My parents says it is the best investment ever. We have been members since 1992 and haven't been able to say one bad thing about it.
Not only have we taken numerous trips to disney, we have also traveled to California, Utah, Arizona, Utah, Virginia, Hilton Head. ALl because of Disney.

Laurel
OKW in 28 day