Tipping Mousekeeping?

[autigger]

I have not been to WDW since I was in middle school and I have not stayed on site since I was even younger. I am taking my family (wife and two small children) in September and I have read in a couple of places about tipping the mouse keeping service.

Is this necessary, and, if so, what amount is appropriate? Does this help the likelihood of receiving "towel animals" or are towel animals usually just for deluxe resorts? We are staying at All-Star Music.

 

[tigsmom]

I am curious about the towel animals. During past visits, we would get a different towel animal or our stuffed animals arranged in the windows every day. When we were there this past Dec., there was not a single one during the entire trip. I know its silly, but it was something we always looked forward to seeing. We like to see the displays in room windows. It was a little disappointing. It doesn't ruin the trip at all, but I feel like its part of the Disney magic. Is it something they do not do anymore?

I never thought to take the animals home. We just set it aside. Has anyone who has been this year gotten this?

We tip housekeeping when they do a good job and go above and beyond, like towel animals and creative displays. Otherwise, its like going to any other hotel.

Towel animals and plush animal displays are individual to the mousekeeper...if the have the knowledge, time and inclination you will get them. We have had towel animals waiting for us upon check in and other times never got any, its really hit and miss and has nothing to do with tipping.

We don't take them home either because the towels belong to WDW not us.

 

[Kadee]

I'm just like you. I put most stuff away so the mousekeeper won't have to trip over it or deal with our "personal" stuff.

I'm another one that does that. It drives my DH and DD crazy!!!!:lol:

 

[crazygirley]

We used to tip, but we don't anymore...

A few years ago while staying at AKL during a two-week long trip, we had a wonderful Mousekeeper, Hermosifina. She made up our room beautifully every day, sprayed it with a wonderful scented air freshner, and made towel animals everyday. We tipped her a few dollars every other day.

Throughout the first week, we had been having problems with elevator noise in our room. We tolerated it, but decided that for our last week, we didn't want to "tolerate" it anymore. A manager came up to our room to investiage the noise. While she was there, she noticed the many towel animals in the room. We commented on how nice the Hermosafina was, how much we appreciated her, and knew her by name.

We never saw Hermosafina again.

From what we were told from another Mousekeeper, supposedly they are questioned about tips, and are not allowed to accept them, and are supposed to put whatever tips they get in a bank to later be given to charity. The other Mousekeeper we had spoken to said she had never heard anything about Hermosafina, but guessed that she was probably fired for accepting the tips we left her. Apparently, Disney is very strict on tips, and it is not tolerated to accept a gift of any kind from a guest, and tips are not to be accepted if a tip is not part of your salary. And tips are not part of a Mousekeepers salary. The other Mousekeeper said that she is often left tips, but never accepts them and immediately puts them in with the other tips for charity.

We never minded tipping, but don't do it anymore for fear of being the cause of another lost job. I don't know how true this is, but we aren't taking any chances.

 

[Anthony95]

wow... what a post crazygirley... that is so sad.

 

[Kadee]

wow... what a post crazygirley... that is so sad.

That is sad! Can anyone confirm this? I would really hate to cost someone their job. And, I know this probably sounds bad, but if I am going to donate to a charity, I want the write-off....I pay too much in taxes already. ( I know...It probably wouldn't even make a difference.....)

 

[crazygirley]

That is sad! Can anyone confirm this? I would really hate to cost someone their job. And, I know this probably sounds bad, but if I am going to donate to a charity, I want the write-off....I pay too much in taxes already. ( I know...It probably wouldn't even make a difference.....)

I mostly just posted it to get a confirmation, and because it was so disturbing... that manager was a real you-know-what to begin with... I got a weird vibe from her. I always wondered if it was a case of a mean manager, an angsty, jealous Mousekeeper, or if it was in fact the truth. Anyone here a CM who knows the policy?

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

ME is run by Mears.

I generally tip $2.00 per person if there's no luggage, more if there is. Tipping is never an obligation. Give them what you feel it was worth to you. I figure with ME nowadays I save a lot of money, so a couple of bucks is worth it to me.

You're right - I paid over $50 plus tips for two round trips with Mears on my last trip. I can afford to slip five bucks to the guy who's delivering me to a week of fun with the Mouse!!

 

[shaelyn]

he other Mousekeeper we had spoken to said she had never heard anything about Hermosafina, but guessed that she was probably fired for accepting the tips we left her. Apparently, Disney is very strict on tips, and it is not tolerated to accept a gift of any kind from a guest, and tips are not to be accepted if a tip is not part of your salary. And tips are not part of a Mousekeepers salary. The other Mousekeeper said that she is often left tips, but never accepts them and immediately puts them in with the other tips for charity.

That's interesting. When we were just down, we left 2 dollars under the housekeeping placard on the vanity every morning, and it was never touched. And our room was pretty clean, so it's not like it wasn't noticed. I wondered about it.

That story is really sad, I hope it's not the case.

 

[Raven66]

We leave 3 dollars each morning with a little note expressing our gratitude and the money is always gone when we get back.

 

[S & C]

Tipping Mousekeeping

Hi, everyone,

This is my first post, so I'm a little nervous! :wave:I have a question about tipping, not only Mousekeeping (I see from this thread that they are not allowed to keep it, but must put it in to some sort of donation?) What about the guys that deliver and pick up your luggage from check-in? Are they allowed to keep tips, or is it also a donation?

 

[crazygirley]

What about the guys that deliver and pick up your luggage from check-in? Are they allowed to keep tips, or is it also a donation?

THEY are allowed to keep it, from what I was told.

 

[Kadee]

Hi, everyone,

This is my first post, so I'm a little nervous! :wave:I have a question about tipping, not only Mousekeeping (I see from this thread that they are not allowed to keep it, but must put it in to some sort of donation?) What about the guys that deliver and pick up your luggage from check-in? Are they allowed to keep tips, or is it also a donation?

Hi S & C!!:wave: Welcome to the boards!!! Nothing to be nervous about. We are all mostly friendly:lookaroun :lol:

I'm still wondering about the "mousekeeping can not accept tips" thing. Any CMs out there who know for sure?

 

[Dwarful]

I sent an email to disney asking about tipping procedures at WDW. Of course I haven't heard back yet. I know as a former letter carrier, that USPS employees are not allowed to accept cash gifts/tips even during the holiday season. They can accept chocolates, candies, cookies etc with values under $10. People did of course give cash and as long as it was a small amount no one ever really said anything.

Does anyone know what Disney pays their food service workers? Do they pay them the same as other restaurants or do they pay a more reasonable wage.

 

[celticdog]

Hi, everyone,

This is my first post, so I'm a little nervous! :wave:I have a question about tipping, not only Mousekeeping (I see from this thread that they are not allowed to keep it, but must put it in to some sort of donation?) What about the guys that deliver and pick up your luggage from check-in? Are they allowed to keep tips, or is it also a donation?

Welcome!!

I never had a CM refuse a tip. They all seem real happy to get them. The bellhops seemed to be very grateful. For mousekeeping, I create my own envelopes and usually leave at least $2 per person per day. If we get exceptional service (i.e. a boatload of shampoos, soaps, coasters, etc) I will leave more. I leave tips out everyday, I have noticed that the staff will often change during our stay. For the bellhops, I give $2 per bag. Restuarants, it's the typical 15-20%. Bartenders get $1 per drink.

 

[Dwarful]

Got a response to my email. Basically I was informed that
1). all staff receive appropriate salaries but tips are appreciated in the "hospitality industry"
2). all service industry staff are allowed to receive tips, they are grateful for those tips and they keep them for themselves, they do not pool their tips and share, nor are they forced to give any of their tips to any charitable organizations.

 

[yazmin182]

Got a response to my email. Basically I was informed that
1). all staff receive appropriate salaries but tips are appreciated in the "hospitality industry"
2). all service industry staff are allowed to receive tips, they are grateful for those tips and they keep them for themselves, they do not pool their tips and share, nor are they forced to give any of their tips to any charitable organizations.

Thanks so much for investigating, this info really helps!

Yaz

 

[Kadee]

Got a response to my email. Basically I was informed that
1). all staff receive appropriate salaries but tips are appreciated in the "hospitality industry"
2). all service industry staff are allowed to receive tips, they are grateful for those tips and they keep them for themselves, they do not pool their tips and share, nor are they forced to give any of their tips to any charitable organizations.

Thanks!!:wave: Good to know!

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Thanks for "squashing" the pooling rumor!! :sohappy:

~~92 Days

 

[mrerk]

I am curious, with meals tips are generally increased by the size of the bill, do most people increase their room tips for more expensive rooms? value resorts get $1 but a suite at a deluxe would get $5? just curious as to what most people now consider the norm.

We tipped $5 a night on our honeymoon. We stayed in one of the Turret Honeymoon Suites at the Grand Floridian. This was in 1998.

Forgot to mention: I don't know if this is the norm for a deluxe, but we got turndown service every night and if any towels had been used they were replaced, trash was emptied etc. So basically they were servicing the room twice a day.

 

[mrerk]

Welcome!!

I never had a CM refuse a tip. They all seem real happy to get them. The bellhops seemed to be very grateful. For mousekeeping, I create my own envelopes and usually leave at least $2 per person per day. If we get exceptional service (i.e. a boatload of shampoos, soaps, coasters, etc) I will leave more. I leave tips out everyday, I have noticed that the staff will often change during our stay. For the bellhops, I give $2 per bag. Restuarants, it's the typical 15-20%. Bartenders get $1 per drink.

The only tips I have had refused were the concierge at the GF on our honeymoon trip and the Breathless driver (Captain?, Pilot?) on our engagement trip.