Tipping

[chimera]

OK, so I know I project a wordly sophistication, but tipping the valets and bellhops still has me a bit mystified. When I was a kid, staying at the Days Inn was a rare luxury and neither DH nor myself are well-versed in how to properly tip these folks. We usually hustle all the bags and stuff ourselves, but staying at VWL, the rooms are pretty far from the parking lot, so we've been taking advantage of the free valet and using Bell services. I know the rule of thumb is $1 per bag, but who do you tip and when?

We stayed at VWL this weekend and let the valet park the car and collect the luggage. They hold your stuff until you get checked in, then you call for them to bring it up. But who gets the $1 per bag? The CM that unloaded your stuff and parked the car? Or the one that brings it up to the room? Or both get something? I think we overdid it this time, since DH gave the guy that took the car and unloaded $20 and I gave the guy that brought the stuff up another $15 since I didn't know DH had tipped them downstairs.

When we checked out, one CM loaded our stuff, took it downstairs then loaded it into the car. But a separate CM went to get the car because they had gotten confused when we called down and couldn't find our ticket. Tip both CM's?

TIA for the help!

[Rozzie]

I know it gets mind boggling. I tip $1 per bag to hold the luggage. I tip $1 per bag whoever releases it to us. Then it usually is always someone different who takes us to the room, and I tip $1 per bag, plus extra, to whoever rides us and shows us to the room. (maybe $10 extra for him?) I always wonder if I tip enough. TownCar service, we always give him $20. He is practically part of the family, and we always request him. Everyone always stares at us in baggage claim as there are always hugs and kisses exchanged when we see our darling Marcus!

[Stimpy]

We do the same as Rozzie. If we don't have any luggage to unload, we tip the valet $5 when we drop off the car and $5 when we pick it back up.

[cobbler]

I know it gets mind boggling. I tip $1 per bag to hold the luggage. I tip $1 per bag whoever releases it to us. Then it usually is always someone different who takes us to the room, and I tip $1 per bag, plus extra, to whoever rides us and shows us to the room. (maybe $10 extra for him?) I always wonder if I tip enough. TownCar service, we always give him $20. He is practically part of the family, and we always request him. Everyone always stares at us in baggage claim as there are always hugs and kisses exchanged when we see our darling Marcus!

Ok, this mystifies me too. So lets say you have 4 bags. You end up tipping $12 because of the various people?

$4 for the guy who takes it out of your car - yes?
$4 for the guy who takes it up to your room - yes?
But what is the holding guy??

[JimC]

Here are some standard guidelines for tipping with our adjustments:

- Skycap: $1/carry-on bag; $2 for anything larger or heavy; more if they assist you through the airport or provide any special services.

- Airport Parking Shuttle/Shuttle Van/Bus: $1/bag if they assist with luggage.

- Town Car Driver: Tip about 20% total if not already in fare. If you book a roundtrip car service, tip half (10%) each way in case you get a different return driver. If driver carries your luggage from baggage claim add $1/bag.

- Taxi: 15% of fare, more if they provide extra service.

- Valet Parking: $2 when your car is delivered, more if they assist further with luggage, groceries, wheelchair, etc. I will often double the tip in bad weather. The recognized standard is tipping only upon delivery of the vehicle.

- Bell Services: $1/carry-on bag; $2 for anything larger or heavy; the greater of $5 or $1/bag for groceries. We tip when the luggage is delivered to the room. For departure we tip the person who picks up luggage at room to take to storage. When we leave we tip half if they only run it out on the cart; the full amount if they load the car. If we are switching resorts we tip full amount upon pick up at room and full amount upon delivery to new room in new resort. Note that we do not tip bell services if we drop off the luggage for them, but will tip upon their taking it out to the car for us.

- Housekeeping: Disney does not consider housekeeping a tipped position, but we do it anyway. The norm elsewhere is $1/person/night in less expensive hotels and $2/person/night in upscale hotels. For DVC we generally leave $5 for trash/towel; double for full cleaning in one bedroom size villas. Tips should be left in your room on a daily basis. Different housekeepers may attend your room each day. Leave your tip so that it is obvious to the housekeeper of its purpose.

- Room Service: 15% of food bill unless a service charge/gratuity is automatically included.

- Concierge: $2-10 depending on the service provided.

- Counter-Service Eatery and Food Courts: Nothing.

- Buffet Eatery (not Food Courts): 10% if there is limited table service by wait staff. Tip on the pre-discount, pre-tax amount of bill and remember you are rewarding service not food quality.

- Full-Service Restaurant: 15% for moderate full service restaurants and 20% for premium full service restaurants. Tip on the pre-discount, pre-tax amount of bill and remember you are rewarding service not food quality.

- Wine Steward: 10% of the pre-tax cost of the wine; 15% for special attention.

- Bartender/Lounge Server: 15% of pre-tax bar bill.

To learn more about tipping, visit The Original Tipping Page at: http://www.tipping.org or the ASTA Travel Sense tipping page at http://www.travelsense.org/tips/tipping.asp

[Stimpy]

Thanks JimC. I printed that out for my own reference too.

[JimC]

Updated my previous thread.

[cobbler]

Jim C-
So the person who takes your car at valet you don't tip? Or the reconginized standard is not to tip and you just tip when they bring it back to you correct?
Just want to make sure I am reading that properly.

We have never used bell services before and quite honestly there are parts I am not sure how it works so if you could let me know some things I would appreciate. I promise I am really not :hammer:

We drive up, someone takes our luggage to wherever, we don't tip him correct? Ok, now how do they know where to bring it once we find out our room? Do we go back out and tell them or what?
So they bring it up to our room and that is the person we tip??

And for returning, tip the person who picks it up and puts wherever, and also tip the person who brings it out to the car correct??

Thanks for this. New ammenities we haven't delt with before :)

[JimC]

Jim C-
So the person who takes your car at valet you don't tip? Or the reconginized standard is not to tip and you just tip when they bring it back to you correct?
Just want to make sure I am reading that properly.

We have never used bell services before and quite honestly there are parts I am not sure how it works so if you could let me know some things I would appreciate. I promise I am really not :hammer:

We drive up, someone takes our luggage to wherever, we don't tip him correct? Ok, now how do they know where to bring it once we find out our room? Do we go back out and tell them or what?
So they bring it up to our room and that is the person we tip??

And for returning, tip the person who picks it up and puts wherever, and also tip the person who brings it out to the car correct??

Thanks for this. New ammenities we haven't delt with before :)

The standard for valet is to tip when they return the car to you. I tip using that standard.

When we leave the resort we call bell services the night before and say we would like our luggage picked up at 8:00 am. They always have arrived promptly (and I do mean promptly); we tip them when they leave with our luggage if it is going into storage or if we are switching resorts. If we are walking down with them to leave we will also have called down for our car to be brought around. Then we wait and tip the valet and bell services when they have our car loaded up.

Simple arrival example: You drive up and they load two carry on and two checked luggage on a cart and give you a receipt. The valet hands you a receipt and drives off with the car. No tips yet. You go in and register. If your room is ready you can have them bring your luggage to your room with you or you can go to your room and call to have it brought up or you can go have fun and return later and call for your luggage to be brought up. Tip when the luggage shows up. Tip the valet when you request your car to go out.

Now let me confuse you with an extreme exception: If I drive up with four pieces huge heavy luggage, the wheelchair (unassembled), grocery bags, winter coats, camera bag and carryons (you get the picture) and the valet and bell services unload the car, get the wheechair out and set up, take the groceries to the cold storage, help my wife get out and then get her personal stuff out of the car -- I will tip them both right on the spot because they did far more than is customary. And I always pass the money quietly but look them in the eye and say thank you.

Did that help? Although there are accepted customs, there are exceptions. Just remember that a tip is a thank you for extending a courtesy or service - the more unexpected the gesture the more one should tip. And it need not be always dollars. I have hand written a personal thank you note to a staff member who went out of their way to help me when I was having a crisis (and a copy went to their manager). I have sent a large basket of fruit and candy to someone who went way beyond the call of duty to fix something very dumb that I did. We need not go in to the details.

There is also a web site with What Would Walt Do (http://www.whatwouldwaltdo.com/index.shtml) pins that you can present to a CM who is truly delivering Magic. The WWWD folks have had some hard times and I don't believe they are fully back in operation yet but you should check them out.

[PoohsPal]

Wow. Thanks Jim! I grew up knowing a lot of this as mom and dad took us out for special occasions, but not often. However, never knew how much was tipped or exactly when. DH is terrorized by being inplaces where tips are expected. Btwn the 2 of us, we probably come off as a couple of bumpkins. Add that I grew up in an era where I don't need any help from a boy and you get the picture...

NOw we just have to remeber to have cash before we leave on vacation! ;) Think they'll be abe to just swipe your room key in the near future? :p

[JimC]

Wow. Thanks Jim! I grew up knowing a lot of this as mom and dad took us out for special occasions, but not often. However, never knew how much was tipped or exactly when. DH is terrorized by being inplaces where tips are expected. Btwn the 2 of us, we probably come off as a couple of bumpkins. Add that I grew up in an era where I don't need any help from a boy and you get the picture...

NOw we just have to remeber to have cash before we leave on vacation! ;) Think they'll be abe to just swipe your room key in the near future? :p

I make it a habit to estimate cash tips (skycaps and bell services are examples) and tolls then get about 120% of that in ones at the bank before we go. Tips and tolls are generally the only cash we spend. I would not put it past them to eventually go with one of the new technologies being deployed (flash credit cards built off of the Mobil gas cards or the thumb scans - not finger print but a new type of biometric scan that fixes individual specific identity markers on the thumb). I am not yet sure just how comfortable I am with that idea.

[cobbler]

Jim that really helps a lot. Thanks!!

We may come off as bumpkins too, I don't know. We have just never used these ammenities before and since we do get some free perks of valet parking at DVC resorts and such it would be nice to take advantage of them.

I also am getting pretty tired of hauling our luggage (even though it isn't that much) to our room. It would be nice to not have to worry about it.

Thanks for the help!!

[Rozzie]

another thank you Jim! I am reviewing how/what we tip by your guidelines.

[PoohsPal]

I'm gonna' have to try your method, but I'm usually in a last minute scramble with no time for anything before I go. Thansk again!

[chimera]

JimC, you're a lifesaver! What great guidelines!

Add us to the bumpkin list, too. The first (and only) time I was in Chicago, I walked around staring up at the skyscrapers with my mouth open :hammer:

[nono]

Another thing I bring cash for is tipping waiters/waitresses for good service. If I want to tip ~25% for good service, I don't want it to show up on their credit card receipts, because it can be used against the server to overreport his/her estimated tips to the govt. Kinda like a good deed gone bad! :crymeariv

[PolyColleen]

I also take a bunch of $1s and $5s when we travel, so I am ready for tips. And when I get nervous about tipping, I remember that I am certainly not the ONLY bumpkin at WDW... Most of us are! Further, I have to believe that a sincere "thank you" accompanying the tip goes a long way. I know I appreciate the work the staff does.

[Leftcoaster]

The tipping list is very nice to have as it explains and simplifies the process.
When I stayed at the Boardwalk, I had planned on using the valet. However, all the snobby Boardwalk people were lined up with their limousines and it would've taken me way too long. So, I had to schlep my luggage up from self parking. And, I am only joking about 'snobby Boardwalk people'. There really was a HUGE line of over a dozen limousines but, it was ESPN weekend.

[JimC]

The tipping list is very nice to have as it explains and simplifies the process.
When I stayed at the Boardwalk, I had planned on using the valet. However, all the snobby Boardwalk people were lined up with their limousines and it would've taken me way too long. So, I had to schlep my luggage up from self parking. And, I am only joking about 'snobby Boardwalk people'. There really was a HUGE line of over a dozen limousines but, it was ESPN weekend.

That and the convention business they do.

[jdvm]

One of the reason's we like Old Key West is that we can park in front of our door and not have to deal with the multiple tips for getting in and out of the resort. It can be complicated, confusing and expensive. I'm generally a big tipper but I've always dreaded the check-in/check-out multi-tip routine. Great post, by the way, JimC