Towel animals and such from housekeeping

[rickdrat]

I'm not exactly a Disney expert on these matters so I'm just curious;

We recently spent a week with a school group at All Star Movies. When we checked in we were greeted by a towel Mickey head on our bed. During the course of our stay we observed little bunnies, photos, even princess costumes displayed in the windows of several other rooms. However, our room was never given this "special" treatment again.

We've had similar experiences on cruises. My wife and I assumed this had something to do with leaving a gratuity for the housekeeper on a daily basis. My practice has always been to tip at the end of my stay, not day by day.

Either way, I'm not upset or disappointed with anyone. Just wondering what others have encountered and is there some secret/luck to getting those decorations?

 

[Vader2112]

Under trip reports...

Even thought it was from last October?

 

[eroyee]

Even thought it was from last October?

I guess its up to you. I enjoy reading all trip reports, no matter when...

 

[redsfan4life]

Glad a few have mentioned tipping every morning . I also always tipped at the end but now realize the error of my ways . Thanks for all that made me think of the fact that different mousekeeper everyday

 

[ScoutN]

When we were younger and had stuffed animals with us the housekeepers would ALWAYS leave entire "towel scenes" by the window for us everyday. They would range from pools, to beds with the stuffed tucked in etc. Since we outgrew those we have always gotten various animals built and placed in random areas of the room.

 

[Vader2112]

I guess its up to you. I enjoy reading all trip reports, no matter when...

Up for all to read.. Thanks for the tip!

 

[rickdrat]

By the way, OP, if you are tipping at the end of your stay, please stop. You might have had a different person clean the room each day. :wave:

Again, using the cruise model, I just assumed that there was just one or two people assigned to a particular set of rooms. My mistake. Having said that, I do feel that it's a bit backwards to tip before a service is performed. I've always considered tipping a reward, not an incentive, if that makes any sense, and I've worked in the restaurant biz so I understand the importance of tips. After reading some of this though, I'll definitely reevaluate my practice in hotels.

However, before this turns into a tipping debate...:zipit: it looks like it's more about getting the right person than anything else.

 

[Lynne M]

The towel animals were always intended to be a random, 'pixie dust' thing, just a fun little occasional surprise from the housekeeping staff. They're not a resort amenity, they're not something you ask for or pay for. Not every room gets one. It has nothing to do with whether you tip or not.

If the housekeeper knows how to make them, has the time to do it, and happens to be so inclined, you *might* get one.

I've always found that the best way to get more of them is to play along. If your child brought stuffed animals, arrange them in a funny scene. Try to make a towel animal yourself and leave it for the housekeeper. That sort of thing.

Since so many people tip housekeeping at any hotel they visit, the Disney housekeeper is not going to assume that you want a towel animal just because you left a tip.

 

[murphysmom]

That was the same for me when i was down there in Oct/Nov i never got towel animals at all and I was there on my honeymoon and I tipped the ,maid 5.00 every other day. I was there for 3 weeks. Never once got a towel animal. My mom told me she has written notes before asking to make them with like 5 bucks underneath, but I was there in Sept 2010 and had a towel animal on my bed every day same resort, I think it depends on if you get a lazy maid or not

A maid's job is to clean your room, not to make up towel animals. It has nothing to do with them being "lazy".:fork: Sometimes they simply don't have time to make them, or maybe you had maids that didn't know how. They are not a required part of the job, they are something extra.

 

[Vader2112]

 

[G00fyDad]

Again, using the cruise model, I just assumed that there was just one or two people assigned to a particular set of rooms. My mistake. Having said that, I do feel that it's a bit backwards to tip before a service is performed. I've always considered tipping a reward, not an incentive, if that makes any sense, and I've worked in the restaurant biz so I understand the importance of tips. After reading some of this though, I'll definitely reevaluate my practice in hotels.

However, before this turns into a tipping debate...:zipit: it looks like it's more about getting the right person than anything else.

Oh, I understand. I feel odd about it sometimes too. But, if we come back to a messy room, and I can tell if the Mousekeeper has been there, I will be calling the front desk and asking that he/she be switched.

And God no, I don't want a tipping/no tipping war going on here either.

 

[G00fyDad]

The towel animals were always intended to be a random, 'pixie dust' thing, just a fun little occasional surprise from the housekeeping staff. They're not a resort amenity, they're not something you ask for or pay for. Not every room gets one. It has nothing to do with whether you tip or not.

If the housekeeper knows how to make them, has the time to do it, and happens to be so inclined, you *might* get one.

I've always found that the best way to get more of them is to play along. If your child brought stuffed animals, arrange them in a funny scene. Try to make a towel animal yourself and leave it for the housekeeper. That sort of thing.

Since so many people tip housekeeping at any hotel they visit, the Disney housekeeper is not going to assume that you want a towel animal just because you left a tip.

A maid's job is to clean your room, not to make up towel animals. It has nothing to do with them being "lazy". Sometimes they simply don't have time to make them, or maybe you had maids that didn't know how. They are not a required part of the job, they are something extra.

^^ This. :wave:

 

[Annielkd]

The towel animals were always intended to be a random, 'pixie dust' thing, just a fun little occasional surprise from the housekeeping staff. They're not a resort amenity, they're not something you ask for or pay for. Not every room gets one. It has nothing to do with whether you tip or not.

If the housekeeper knows how to make them, has the time to do it, and happens to be so inclined, you *might* get one.

I've always found that the best way to get more of them is to play along. If your child brought stuffed animals, arrange them in a funny scene. Try to make a towel animal yourself and leave it for the housekeeper. That sort of thing.

Since so many people tip housekeeping at any hotel they visit, the Disney housekeeper is not going to assume that you want a towel animal just because you left a tip.

That's not correct. They have to pick them up and bring them with them. They have them somewhere like where they get their supplies. I asked a housekeeping staff about them. She said, oh, you would like them? I'll get some and bring them the next time I clean the room. (No, it wasn't the next day as they do rotate hours and rooms) but, she did bring them. I talked to her about it and she said that they have people who make them, but the housekeepers don't make them.... they just put them on their cart at times. So, it depends on if they pick them up ahead of time.

 

[dreamfinder]

Every trip we have gotten the Mickey head on the bed. Most trips we have gotten the little mouse in the bathroom. We only had one trip when we got an actual towel animal, and that was the same trip when we bought a stuffed Nala and left it in the room. Now it may just be coincidence, but I definitely seem to hear more reports of towel animals when it would appear that there are children in the room, instead of just adults. I do like seeing them, and hope to be at a resort when they have one of the classes on how to make them.

 

[G00fyDad]

I forget what year it was that we got this, but one time we got a nice, large, towel "candy basket". It had one large towel formed ot make the basket, a mid sized towel to make the handle across the top, and a bunch of washcloths to make the individually wrapped candies (like a Tootsie Roll). The thing had colorful pipe cleaners all over it. We were very impressed. :sohappy:

 

[copcarguyp71]

We have been three times over the past six years staying twice at deluxe resorts (once at beach club concierge level) and once at POFQ. We have never gotten and towel animals so I have no clue how to get them. Kinda dissapointing when all of their online room pics show them but you never actually get one :-(