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View Full Version : Tipping Mousekeeping..daily or per stay?



mrmcgiv
12-02-2008, 12:37 AM
Just curious how most of you do this? Do you leave a tip each day or do you tip at the end of the stay?

What is the standard tip per day? We will have 2 adult sand 2 kids at CSR for 8 days?

THX

CaptainJessicaSparrow
12-02-2008, 12:48 AM
Per day.

You won't always have the same Mousekeeper every day.

I would say $2-3 per person, per day would be ideal. But I am a high tipper person.

lighteningqueen
12-02-2008, 01:22 AM
One dollar per day per person is plenty. They do get a paycheck you know. We do not leave things torn up so they don't have to work too hard daily in our room and it is 4 adults and one child in a suite. She did an excellant job on that amount per day. We left 5 per day so I would think 4 per day is plenty for the 4 of you. Money is scarce so I wouldn't overdo it there.

illini
12-02-2008, 02:04 AM
Daily for sure, since your mousekeeper can change.

I agree, $1/pp/day is *plenty*. I can't imagine leaving $15/day for our family of 5. We're not that messy, and I don't need to more than double someone's hourly pay.

bicker
12-02-2008, 06:17 AM
They do get a paycheck you know.One note about this; at some hotels in the United States, the housekeepers are actually paid a lower wage, based on the expectation that guests will provide gratuities. That isn't the case at Disney hotels -- they get a normal wage -- but at some hotels in the United States that is the case. I've found that the easiest way to tell the difference between the hotels at which no gratuity is necessary (like Disney) and those where a gratuity is expected is to see if the hotel itself provides envelopes (with the hotel logo) for tips.

SurferStitch
12-02-2008, 06:47 AM
We had two different mousekeepers during our 13 day stay in October at the Grand Flo, so daily tipping is essential.

We tipped $4 in the morning for the two of us, then left another $2 per night at turn down. The one night we didn't need turn down, and my DH felt bad that she wouldn't get a tip, so he walked out into the hallway and gave her $5 anyway. We actually did this two different nights, and she was so grateful that she gave us a handful of chocolates and extra goodies in return both times (and man, those chocolates are GOOD).

If we are staying at a mod or value (no turndown), we just tip $5 each morning.

We keep a pretty tidy room, but I still feel that the mousekeepers deserve a nice tip. It's the smallest cost associated with our WDW vacations, so saving even half of the cost by cutting down the tip only saves a very small amount of money for us.

DizneyRox
12-02-2008, 07:28 AM
... That isn't the case at Disney hotels -- they get a normal wage -- but at some htels in the United States that is the case. ...
Correct... Mousekeeping at WDW is a NON-TIPPED position. Which is exactly what I leave, makes the math easier.

mouseketeer mom
12-02-2008, 08:34 AM
We are 5 in a room. I prepare envelopes ahead of time that my kids decorate for Mousekeeping. We put a $5.00 bill inside each one and we leave it daily. We also pick up our room before we leave for the day, its not a total mess when we leave. I appreciate the work they do, and we are happy to leave the tip.

BMan62
12-02-2008, 08:48 AM
DW and I leave $5 per day for Mousekeeping. Not knowing if the same crew will be working our entire stay, this makes it easy and fair to all who work our room.

Whether or not we leave the room a mess, we don't, doesn't matter, they are providing a much appreciated service and deserve the token of our appreciation.

Mickey'sGirl
12-02-2008, 08:49 AM
We are 5 in a room. I prepare envelopes ahead of time that my kids decorate for Mousekeeping. We put a $5.00 bill inside each one and we leave it daily. We also pick up our room before we leave for the day, its not a total mess when we leave. I appreciate the work they do, and we are happy to leave the tip.
Ditto.

We will tip another $5 in the evening if there is turn-down service.

We are up and out early every day, and often will return to our resort shortly after lunch for a swim break etc. We have ALWAYS come back to a made up room, regardless of hotel category. I don't know if the regular decent tipping has an impact, but we think it might.

Goes4FastPass
12-02-2008, 10:01 AM
Per day.

You won't always have the same Mousekeeper every day.

I would say $2-3 per person, per day would be ideal. But I am a high tipper person.
For a family of 4 that's $8-$12 per day which is very high. Consider how many rooms per hour a housekeeper covers.

merlinmagic4
12-02-2008, 02:20 PM
That isn't the case at Disney hotels -- they get a normal wage -- but at some hotels in the United States that is the case. I'

I'm just curious........what is a "normal" wage for a Disney housekeeper?

Granny Jill A
12-02-2008, 03:02 PM
Correct... Mousekeeping at WDW is a NON-TIPPED position. Which is exactly what I leave, makes the math easier.

Really? I didn't know that. I always leave $1.00 per person per day in case I need some extra towels.

kemps@wdw
12-02-2008, 11:25 PM
I realize that mousekeeping is a non-tip postion. But we still leave $5 in the AM for them before we leave. Have NEVER been disappointed upon our return to a clean and tidy room. We do not require fresh sheets each day of our stay, but have gotten them none the less. Floors vaccumed, bathrooms wiped down, (believe me..I know), beds made, (complete w/towel animals), and ALWAYS, clean towels. It's worth the tip!:thumbsup:

mrmcgiv
12-03-2008, 11:17 AM
We stayed at CBR last time and got one washcloth towel animal. Maybe b/c we tipped at the end of stay...oops.

jillluvsdisney
12-03-2008, 07:43 PM
We tip daily. I'm a very neat person but I still leave 3 bucks a day. My mom and dad are NOT neat people, they leave about 5 bucks a day.
We have had seperate rooms for the past 5 trips.

TheRustyScupper
12-04-2008, 12:36 AM
I appreciate the work they do, and we are happy to leave the tip.


they are providing a much appreciated service and deserve the token of our appreciation.

1) What about
. . . the people manning the rides?
. . . the park janitors and toilet cleaners?
. . . the fast food counter people?
. . . the park bus drivers?
. . . the concierge and Front Desk personnel?
. . . the ticket sellers and vacation planners?
. . . the pool guards?
2) How do you determine who should get a tip and who should not? *
3) WDW maids can
. . . make up to $12.54 per hour
. . . earn additional incentive pay
. . . leave early and get paid for it

* I exclude "tipped" positions such as bellmen, servers, bartenders, etc.

SurferStitch
12-04-2008, 07:00 AM
1) What about
. . . the people manning the rides?
. . . the park janitors and toilet cleaners?
. . . the fast food counter people?
. . . the park bus drivers?
. . . the concierge and Front Desk personnel?
. . . the ticket sellers and vacation planners?
. . . the pool guards?
2) How do you determine who should get a tip and who should not? *
3) WDW maids can
. . . make up to $12.54 per hour
. . . earn additional incentive pay
. . . leave early and get paid for it

* I exclude "tipped" positions such as bellmen, servers, bartenders, etc.

Because many of us go by what is customarily a tipped position (servers, housekeeping, etc.). The other positions have never been considered a tipped position (except for concierge at many hotels we've stayed at), so it doesn't make sense to even list them above. Tipping housekeeping is nothing new or foreign in the world of travel...just do a quick Google search.

Just because you appreciate the job someone does, doesn't mean it's a tipped position. Plenty of people appreciate the work I do, but it doesn't mean I should get a tip (we chemical engineers don't normally get tips).

I wanted to tip Robert in Sugar Loaf concierge, but after quite a bit of internet research on WDW concierge, I found out they are not allowed to accept cash tips, and can only take small tokens of gratitude in gift form. So, we just gave him a very nice card with a written thank you note, and gave him a very nice pin. He was very surprised, and thanked us several times. We did the same for Suzanne who was in charge of the concierge lounge staff.

I really don't think anyone here has to defend their reasons for tipping housekeeping and not tipping any other normally non-tipped jobs. That argument just doesn't have any relevance. There are positions that customarily get tipped, and many others that don't. Simple etiquette.

But, I digress. I'm sorry.

Tip daily, tip nicely. And, go all-out with decorated envelopes. I always print mine with Disney characters and themes before we leave home. I did Christmas themes in December, Halloween in October, etc.

brian2000boston
12-04-2008, 02:34 PM
I am so middle road on this topic. I feel like when you pay for a hotel, certain services should be provided by the hotel with the fee, and having someone clean should be a part of this. I can see both sides and I do think it should be clear on check-in whether a position is paid or a tip is necessary. I felt several times that people had their hand out and it was completely uncomfortable and I would admit that one time I tipped and the other I didn’t.

warning I am on a tangent at this point :blush:

When the Magical Express dropped us off and we had to lug three carry-on bags, wife’s pocket book, two laptop bags, a car seat, a 3 year old, and nobody offered to assist, then out of the blue a (greeter??)guy at the door says hello to me, opens door, cracks a joke and then comes over to chat with us (for 10 minutes) and then stands there waiting for a tip, (this was obvious as he wasn’t leaving and it had the uncomfortable feel) was obnoxious. I did not tip as not only was he not helpful about anything but was annoying.

I guess my point is they should make it clear on who has a tipped position and who does not, kind of like a cruise ship. I think that if they are paid what people say they are, the quality of their work should not be based on if a room leaves them $5, rather it should be consistent across the board for everyone making the quality of stay good for all. The services industry is so dated and needs to just pay everyone well and make service good across the board and stop with the individual feelings guests and service workers have with tipping. And in case you were curious the person I did tip was the luggage guy who dropped our bags off.

wire0monkey
12-04-2008, 03:56 PM
I'm not sure when you tip makes that much difference on the quality of service.
I've never had a reason to complain about Mousekeeping, regardless of when I tip. The best Mousekeeping I've ever had was at a value resort. I tipped her at the end of the stay ($20 for 4 people/5 days). I had good Mousekeeping at AKL, but not as good as the Mousekeeping at All Star Movies, and I tipped her every day ($5 per day).

I tip Mousekeeping because I want to tip them. I appreciate what they do. I feel that their services are a little more personal (making my bed, wiping out my bathtub), so I give them a tip.

I'm glad to hear that Disney pays its housekeepers a living wage. It makes me feel good about paying money to the Mouse.

DizneyRox
12-04-2008, 04:18 PM
I'm not sure when you tip makes that much difference on the quality of service.The only problem I have with this is that mousekeeping staff can change from day to day. The person working that last day will get the entire amount, they don't know if you've left that same amount all the other days or not, and probably don't know who else serviced your room during whatever length of stay you had.

Tips for mousekeeping (if you really feel they are necessary) should be left daily.

dtootsie42
12-04-2008, 05:49 PM
We tip daily and leave $5.00 each morning and then for turn down service we leave $3.00. We are a family of 5 so a dollar person and then for turn down service 2 beds plus the daybed. I know it may seem like a lot to some but for us it is a small sum for great service.

Dec. 1997---Contemporary
Dec. 1999--Poly
June 2000--Disneyland
Dec. 2001---Poly Concierge
Dec. 2003---Poly Concierge
Dec. 2005---Poly Concierge
Nov. 2007---Poly Concierge
Oct. 2008--DisneyLand

mom2morgan
12-05-2008, 10:08 AM
Per day.

You won't always have the same Mousekeeper every day.

I would say $2-3 per person, per day would be ideal. But I am a high tipper person.

ps - Jessica - I'm going to be in Disney from the 10th - 19th. Where are you currently at if I want to meet you in person? ;-)

SurferStitch
12-05-2008, 10:09 AM
I'm a little confused by the "per person". How many mousekeepers usually are there each day - is it two?

She means per person staying in the room. So, if there are two guests, then $2-$3 per guest, or $4-$6 total. That's what DH and I do, too. :thumbsup:

mom2morgan
12-05-2008, 10:11 AM
She means per person staying in the room. So, if there are two guests, then $2-$3 per guest, or $4-$6 total. That's what DH and I do, too. :thumbsup:

dang- I figured out my own dumb error and corrected it almost immediately - but you were faster! LOL

SurferStitch
12-05-2008, 12:53 PM
dang- I figured out my own dumb error and corrected it almost immediately - but you were faster! LOL

Eh....I just got lucky. I'm not usually that quick! ;)

bicker
12-06-2008, 06:12 AM
I'm just curious........what is a "normal" wage for a Disney housekeeper?The last time I saw this information was posted it was 2005. The housekeepers in grouped together with the custodians in the theme parks (you know -- those folks who clean up other people's poo in the hot and sticky Florida summer -- yuck!), and several other employee categories. They all started at roughly minimum wage and went up from there.

bicker
12-06-2008, 06:16 AM
Because many of us go by what is customarily a tipped position (servers, housekeeping, etc.). Unlike servers, valets and bell staff, housekeepers are only customarily a tipped position in part of the country. It's unfortunate, but there's nothing we can do about the East Coast/West Coast disparity now.


I really don't think anyone here has to defend their reasons for tipping housekeeping and not tipping any other normally non-tipped jobs.I agree completely, just like no one needs to defend their reason for not tipping housekeeping, since it is also a non-tipped job. I believe that is the only point the PP was making. Guests shouldn't be made to feel that they should tip housekeeping. They surely can if they want, and no one should tell them they can't.

bicker
12-06-2008, 06:18 AM
I'm not sure when you tip makes that much difference on the quality of service. Given that we have gotten equally great service pretty consistently, both before we learned that the housekeepers were non-tipped position (i.e., while we still tipped daily) and after we learned that the housekeepers were non-tipped position (i.e., only tipping for special services), you can assume that tipping will have no impact on the quality or quantity of service you receive. Think of it as a gift, not a bribe.

cindchan
12-06-2008, 08:33 PM
A tip is merely a gift of appreciation. I leave a neat room, but I tip $1 a day, per bed used. I spent 6 1/2 years cleaning rooms, and I know what people are like. Try scraping food out of the carpet, having to change and make two beds, plus a rollaway, cleaning up broken glass (that's always fun), and other fun things. In my hotel (no, not a WDW hotel) we only had 20 mins per room. We had to clean 17 rooms a day, and if we had less rooms and left early, well we only got paid for the hours we worked.

So I know what it's like to be on the other side, and I know what people are like ("underside of humanity" was my usual term). If you don't tip, fine, but at least don't leave the room a pig sty. And if you do, please leave some kind of appreciation. Even a dollar is appreciated after having to spend 5 minutes vacuuming up crushed cereal.