Anybody ever ask housekeeping . . .

[Janmac]

how many rooms they have to do each day?

This last trip at the Poly DH chatted with a housekeeper who said they had 16 rooms per day to do. She said the problems really occurred when they were pulled away from their regular 16 rooms for something else.

That reminded me of our trip when some of our extended family stayed at Fort Wilderness in one of the Wilderness Homes. Housekeeping was very late one day - after 3 pm. She apologized profusely for not getting to them sooner. She said she had been called away on a rush cleaning job in another WH.

Decades ago I worked in housekeeping in a luxury resort with a lot of conventions. Regular days we had 14 rooms, and on check-in days we had 11 rooms to do. Based on my experience with 14 rooms, I'm not sure how Disney expects guests to have magical rooms when housekeeping has 16 to do in a day.

Anyone going to WDW soon? Perhaps you can ask someone in housekeeping how many rooms they have to do in a day.

Jan

[CAS]

I don't see that as being too much. A half hour per room seems plenty unless they're checking out/in. You don't have to change the bedding, you can barely vacuum since people like to lay everything on the floor, you can't clean the sink area too much since people like to lay everything out on the sink, etc. You pretty much just disinfect the bathroom/shower, and make the beds and stock the toiletries. The towel creatures are pre-made.

I agree...not very magical but can you imagine the fuss people would put up if you moved their stuff around? It would probably open up some sort of legal liability as well.

[SBETigg]

Some of the towel animals are premade. We had two tiny rabbits that were hot-glued with plastic eyes, ribbons, and everything. Some are spontaneously created, and those have become more rare, understandably so.

Sixteen rooms seems like a lot to me, but I don't know much about it. I do know that I always tip. We've always had great housekeeping, and I hate cleaning so I assume that it is hard work and not all that rewarding.

[Janmac]

This is what DH was saying too - 16 rooms per day is 30 minutes per room but it doesn't work out that way since there is getting the cart out of the storeroom, stocking the cart, either at the end of the day or in the morning, and various other things that take up some time.

When I was doing housekeeping it was drilled into us NOT to touch the personal belongings, so yes, there's not a lot of cleaning that can be done in the bathroom outside of the shower, sink basin, toilet and mirrors - which should not be streaky.

We were also changing sheets every day, and vacuuming, as well as dusting, restocking soaps, etc. Not changing the sheets every day would really shorten the time needed in a room.

I am wondering how many checking out/in rooms are assigned as the cleaning then would be much more involved. Or should be.

Jan

[TheRustyScupper]

Officially:

Disney's All-Star Resorts - 18
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge- 16
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn - 16
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort - 17
Disney's Contemporary Resort - 16
Disney’s Coronado Springs - 17
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort - 10
Disney's Grand Floridian Beach Resort - 14
Disney's Polynesian Resort - 16
Disney's Port Orleans Resort (Riverside & French Quarters) - 17 *
Disney's Wilderness Lodge - 17
Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort - 16
Disney’s Pop Century Resort - 18
Disney Vacation Club - 420 points **

* 16 rooms when there are trundle beds
** Points are different for size and cleaning functions and stairs, etc


NOTE:
. . . linens are delivered to the area by others, usually by 6:00am
. . . they also get incentives to finish their rooms early

[RockChalkKimball]

Wow! I think 16 is alot. I worked in a hotel one summer cleaning rooms and days when we were full, we had 10 rooms each. You would not believe how gross some of them were. And even though we are a pretty tidy, after a week at Disney, our room is pretty yucky. I have always been a tipper, but I think I will up it next time!

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Also, you guys are not calculating in their hour lunch, check in and check out time. Plus, most housekeeping shifts are done between 3 and 4 pm. So it's really 16 rooms in 7 hours, which is a bit different.

[Janmac]

Thanks Rusty for the info. I figured the Values would have more rooms assigned. Still wondering about the number of rooms at check-in/out.

Interesting about the point system at the DVC. Before switching to the Poly this visit we were at OKW for a week. Our mid-week housekeeping visit was odd but then we weren't sure what to expect.

You're right, Jessica, there are many things that take up the 8 hour day, besides cleaning the rooms. It's been a long long time but if memory serves, I calculated once that with 14 rooms, we had 20 minutes actually in each room. 16 rooms seems too much for a deluxe resort, unless one is not changing sheets. I note that the GF requires fewer rooms per person.

Jan

[LauraleeH]

They always organize our stuff for us. Fold up any clothes left out and put on top of our suitcases...put the bags and stuff together...make everything nice and neat. Personally, I don't care if they pick up my stuff or not, but it does seem like they have way too many rooms to handle on their own. Maybe the rooms would have less dust/spiderwebs/sticky substances if they had more time to clean it...after seeing this thread, I don't blame mousekeeping like I did before.

Edit: Guess what I just got in the mail?! Something from the Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge asking me to do a survey on my recent stay! Maybe I will mention something about the mousekeeping having too many rooms..,

[Tinkerfreak]

That does sound like alot of rooms.
We always make our beds and tidy up our stuff before we leave the room. I am like that at home also, I just can't leave home or my room if the bed is unmade, it really bugs me. I just feel better if we organize everything before we leave so that we don't return to a mess. I bet mousekeeping loves us.

[disneygeek84]

I think that this last trip we must have been one of the first rooms of the day to be cleaned. We returned around 1:30pm one afternoon and our room was already cleaned. I'm one that can't leave stuff out in the bathroom when I'm at home, and I really like my sink to be clean, so I made sure that every morning before my DH and I left that everything was put back where it belonged and stuff was picked up off the floor so that if they needed to vacuum, they could. Our sheets were changed in the middle of our stay, but otherwise they didn't change them every day. They did a great job at the AsMu this trip, and I have no complaints with them. I couldn't possibly imagine how hard that job is sometimes...cleaning 17 rooms in one day? That's tough.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . So it's really 16 rooms in 7 hours, which is a bit different . . .

1) The shift is eight hours, minus lunch & breaks, as Jessica said.
2) However, they can go home early when done.
3) So, they are able to leave up to 45-minutes early and get paid for it.
4) Plus, there is hourly incentive pay and daily flex pay
. . . Flex-pay for non-DVC = $1.00/hr
. . . Flex-pay for DVC & FW = $1.50
. . . Incentive-pay for non-DVC completion up to $22.00
. . . Incentive-pay for DVC completion up to $35.00

NOTE: Maids at WDW get paid pretty well. Sure, maid work is tough, but the pay is really good, plus there is good flex and incentive pay. Contrary to public opinion, there is no "minimum wage maid pay" at WDW.

[pixiesmimi]

If they get paid this well, do they really need our tips? This board is the first time I have ever heard of tipping the housekeeping. I have always considered it their job and that they should do it well, regardless. I guess people tip them at WDW for the little extras they do (towel animals, etc.) but if they are doing as bad a job as I have been hearing, then they really don't deserve the tips.

Most resorts, hotels, they start cleaning about 8:00 a.m. I don't like someone coming in my room or knocking on the door that early so I usually put out the Do Not Disturb sign and figure they can come back later. Does this interrupt their schedule when someone does this and do they indeed come back? Does anyone else here do this and expect them to come back later? I never really thought about how many rooms they were expected to clean in a day.

[McGoofy]

Most resorts, hotels, they start cleaning about 8:00 a.m. I don't like someone coming in my room or knocking on the door that early so I usually put out the Do Not Disturb sign and figure they can come back later. Does this interrupt their schedule when someone does this and do they indeed come back? Does anyone else here do this and expect them to come back later? I never really thought about how many rooms they were expected to clean in a day.

Yes, we are a family that does that. If there are EMH's offered until 2am, you can believe that we will sleep in until 10am or so. The do not disturb sign goes up. I guess they can start with other rooms where people are checking out. I hate to hold them up, but they can't expect the park to offer hours that keep you out late and then have you turn around and be out of your room by 8am.

These CM's work really hard. I'm glad that they get paid well. I don't enjoy cleaning my 2 bathrooms in my own home. (However, just for the record, I do!) I can't imagine doing 16(or more) every day!!

[Disney Doll]

If they get paid this well, do they really need our tips? This board is the first time I have ever heard of tipping the housekeeping. I have always considered it their job and that they should do it well, regardless. I guess people tip them at WDW for the little extras they do (towel animals, etc.) but if they are doing as bad a job as I have been hearing, then they really don't deserve the tips.

I don't tip because I necessarily think they need the money. I just do it to be nice. I don't like cleaning and I would hate to clean up after strangers so it's not my idea of a fabulous job. I just want them to know I appreciate what they do. I have always received pretty good housekeeping service at WDW.

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . I guess people tip them at WDW for the little extras they do (towel animals, etc.) . . .

1) Actually, towel animals are part of their job.
2) Tipping should not influence towel animals.
3) Per the contract . . .

"The Company may require the Housekeepers to set up “special touches” in Resort guest rooms within their daily sections. Special touches include, but are not limited to, the arranging of plush characters, small towel folds, toys, and toothbrush holders."

[divinedi]

Awwww, and here I thought they just did it because they wanted to! I love the extra touches, and I try and keep my room as neat as possible. Having problem skin, I have a lot of skin products, and hate to leave it all over the sink to get in the way of the mousekeepers, so I borrow a tray from the food court, put it on the luggage rack (Assports) and put all my toiletries on it, so it leaves the sink uncluttered, but I still have my stuff out and ready to use. At CBR they have the shelves under the hanging rack, and I put it on there. Just helps keep things neat.

[FiggyFan]

I worked my way through school in a job where tips were a significant part of my income. Believe me - they are appreciated!

My philosophy is that when I am on a resort vacation, anyone who does physical labor to make my stay nicer is worthy of a tip - as long as they have a good attitude and make a sincere effort.

[pixiesmimi]

Awwww, and here I thought they just did it because they wanted to! I love the extra touches, and I try and keep my room as neat as possible. Having problem skin, I have a lot of skin products, and hate to leave it all over the sink to get in the way of the mousekeepers, so I borrow a tray from the food court, put it on the luggage rack (Assports) and put all my toiletries on it, so it leaves the sink uncluttered, but I still have my stuff out and ready to use. At CBR they have the shelves under the hanging rack, and I put it on there. Just helps keep things neat.

Buy an inexpensive clear plastic shoe holder and hang it on the bathroom door to put your toiletries in. You can see what is in each pocket and it keeps your vanity clean. I learned this from a Disney tip book and do this every time now.

I left tips every day for Mousekeeping the last time when we stayed at CBR (had never heard of it before) but didn't have outstanding service or anything special. Some days it didn't look like they did anything except bring towels. That is why I questioned if it was even necessary or expected. I wondered if you got worse service if a tip was not left (kind of like at a restaurant). Do they expect it or is it just a pleasant surprise? Anyone who has done this job before have an opinion?

[Puppy Mom]

1) The shift is eight hours, minus lunch & breaks, as Jessica said.
2) However, they can go home early when done.
3) So, they are able to leave up to 45-minutes early and get paid for it.
4) Plus, there is hourly incentive pay and daily flex pay
. . . Flex-pay for non-DVC = $1.00/hr
. . . Flex-pay for DVC & FW = $1.50
. . . Incentive-pay for non-DVC completion up to $22.00
. . . Incentive-pay for DVC completion up to $35.00

NOTE: Maids at WDW get paid pretty well. Sure, maid work is tough, but the pay is really good, plus there is good flex and incentive pay. Contrary to public opinion, there is no "minimum wage maid pay" at WDW.

Excuse my being dense, but you lost me on the pay. What is the average base pay per hour? what is flex pay for and what is incentive pay for? Is it an extra amount for the day for finishing early?