Tip for bags! How much?

I tip one dollar per bag.

Eeyore, we usually tip $1 per bag. If you know how much you want to give the bellman, make up a Mickey envelope, put the money in it, seal it and say here, give this to the bellman! Problem solved. Bell service is provided regardless of wether you tip or not. Those people work for those tips, it's the way they make there living, they are not getting payed a fortune just because they "work for Disney" like some people think. ( I know you don't think that, I'm just ranting, sorry)

Eeyore, I usually give the delivery guy 5 or 10 bucks for our 2 suitcases. As mrhub said, they work hard for their tips. I tend to be very generous with tipping in general while at WDW since I know the pay isn't great for most CMs. Also, be sure to plan for the trip home too. Bell services is not automatic for the check out process and must be arranged individually. You may already know this but thought it worth mentioning.

BTW, that's a very thoughtful thing you're doing!

I'm also very generous on tipping. Regardless, I usually give our bellman $20, but we usually have enough bags to fill the luggage carts, and I do mean fill! You saw the picture of our trunk, that was for 4 people, that's a Ford Taurus, it got a huge trunk. Well me & scrappy can have the same amount for just 2 of us. When we go to the Poly, we fill one of those golf carts with the flat bed on the back.

Like Ken said, that is very generous of you to do such a thing and shows your not just thinking about you dad, but also the CM's.

I have always had the bags in the room when we arrive at POFQ. The only time I have ever seen a bellhop is when we leave. I pay them 5.00 for 2 bags.

For traveling in general, the standard is $1-2 a bag for anyone that handles your luggage.

I usually make my tip envelopes ahead of time in $5/10 though so I take a guess on how many bags I'll have and round up.

This is a great thread. I have a follow up question. If you use Magical Express - do you tip the driver? If so, do you also tip for bag delivery to your room? And, finally, if you tip for bag delivery, how do you do it (leave envelope at front desk, ie)? It'll be our first time using ME, so I'm not sure of the protocal. I am sure that we probably won't be present when they drop our bags, though.
I guess same questions apply for the return trip to the airport.

Yes - it is appropriate to tip the ME driver, though many people don't. I tip $5 per 2 people and if I have an odd number I round up. They handle the bags and drive me around - they get a tip.

If I'm in the room I will tip for ME baggage delivery, if I'm not in the room I don't worry about it.

We have never not been in the room when our room when bags were delivered because we drive. If the room is not ready, they keeps luggage at bell services until we get a call the room is ready. Once we get back to the room, we call for it to be brought to the room. Thats when I tip.

I would imagine if your not in room and your luggage is delivered, you wouldn't have to worry about it, but I'm sure they have record at the desk who took what luggage to what room, so you could leave something at bell services desk if you wanted.

I usually tip the Magical Express driver because, in addition to driving, they also load and unload the bus by themselves. I've watched them slug really heavy bags and a boat load of strollers on and off the bus in very hot/humid conditions. That's a lot of luggage, especially on the return to the airport. When unloading, they are under pressure with all the disembarking guests impatiently waiting for their bag. It amazes me how much luggage is loaded onto the bus when they offer the free luggage handling service.

Plus, we've had some drivers that are absolutely hilarious.

Some just drive the bus and don't say much, but others are really entertaining. Obviously going above and beyond the normal. One driver we had told everyone to get their cameras ready. He then slowed down on an overpass that was about 30 feet high and said "Welcome to the highest point in Florida folks!". Everyone laughed. Really cool driver.

I tried tipping the Disney bus drivers several times last year when I was in the ECV and required their assistance to get on the bus. Most of them would not take it, and one driver appeared offended that we tried!! I do tip ME, but I see a lot of people who don't. I tip them not b/c they drive me around but b/c they are heaving my luggage in and out of that bus. And trust me, I don't pack light, especially on the way home!!

What do you all tip for buffets?? Do you give 20%? As Eeyore states, I'm doing most of the work myself (they are bringing me drinks, and clearing plates, but otherwise, I'm on my own). We actually had this discussion at brunch this past weekend, but it will be handy for Disney too!

Speaking of tipping in general at WDW...

I was at the Boardwalk Joe's margarita stand and after ordering a drink, I attempted to tip the server a dollar. She immediately refused it and said they were not allowed to take tips. I could tell she was obviously nervous about the fact I tried to tip her. I was utterly confused.

I can walk 10 paces in either direction and offer a tip and it's taken (the restaurants). At DTD, they readily accept tips. I have no idea what happened at that stand.

Is there a rule book on this somewhere?

Ken I've ran across the same thing at time, you just have to play it by ear. One of the places I got a beer once said the same thing. I just pocket it and save it for the next person. You don't have to worry about it though. oh and as far as I know, there is no rule book, but if you find one, let me know please.

Haha! Yeah, it just threw me for a loop because I got the sense she would be in trouble if she accepted the tip.

I'll let you know for sure if I find the elusive rule book.

There are only certain roles (eg. Restaurant server) where CM are allowed to accept tips. Other CM are trained at orientation that they cannot accept tips. It makes sense if you think about it. When I worked on the seating podium at the Rose and Crown, a few guests tried to "tip" me ($20) while asking for an illuminations view table. Basically a bribe or people with money thinking they can buy an advantage over a regular guest. I of course would politely decline the money and say I was not able to accept tips. I vaguely remember that if you refused a tip three times and then the guest still insisted you take it then you could accept it. Not sure if that is still the case?

That's a common rule in a lot of places Miss Mikki, not just Disney. Yes usually if you are performing some sort of service, waitress/waiter, valet, bellman, taxi driver, barber, ect..... , they get tipped. The one thing I never understand are the counter service places at Dunkin or Manhattan Bagel that have a tip jar on the counter. They are no different then McDonalds, or such, and I will not leave tips there, sorry. They are not doing anything that deserves a tip.

I completely agree! I've never understood the tip jar at those places either. Which reminds me of a funny story that happened a couple of years ago...

I was getting my morning coffee at Second Cup (coffee place near my office) and I thought I had more change in my pocket than I did. I was 5 cents short.

So, on the counter in front of me was a tray with mostly pennies and nickels in it. I absolutely thought it was a "give a penny, take a penny" tray so I grabbed a nickel from it. The cashier took my payment but gave me the look of death. It was only then that I realized it was a TIP tray! LOL.

So, I apologized and he said don't worry about it. But once I realized it was a tip tray, I wondered... what for? All they do is pour the coffee in a cup. They don't even put cream or sugar in it, that's left to you!

Ha! I did the same thing a long time ago at Manhattan Bagel and the kid was gonna give me attitude. I told him to give me my money back and I left. I forgot all about that.

Thank you for the great advice about tipping the ME driver, hadn't thought about it but I am still feeling guilty over not tipping the luggage people from last year. My DH has suggested we go and leave them a tip this year! We are normally good tippers but if the service is bad I won't tip or will leave 1c as I think that is a bigger insult.

we usually do $5 a bag both ways we do ME so we are not usually there when they are dropped so I give the envelope to bell services when we check in, and then we pay the bell hop when he picks the bags up on the last day

Miss Mikki is right. Table service, pool bars, housekeeping, luggage and such are tipped. Custodial, front desk and maybe bus drivers are not tipped roles. If you try to tip a cm in a non-tipped role, they must refuse the tip. I think if the person won't take their money back or practically puts it in your pocket, then you can take it but I think they are technically supposed to hand it over to the managers. If you do try to tip someone and they refuse it, you can go to front desk or guest relations and fill out a card for them. That's what I was trained to do. I believe the parks have applause-o-grams that can be filled out at guest relations and four keys basic cards which also can be filled out at guest relations or front desk (for the resorts).

Thanks Mandy for shedding some more light on this. We'll know and understand for our next trip (which is in 10 days!!!)

You're welcome. I think front desk isn't tipped because when I checked into the Boardwalk a while ago, a lady was trying to tip the front desk cm, they said no and the lady just threw it over the counter and walked away.

HAHA!!! I just hate it when people throw money at me!

They can throw some my way.

I'm guessing that when you say "Disney bus drivers", you are referring to the drivers of the on-site Disney buses that take you between parks and resorts? From my understanding, those drivers aren't allowed to accept tips.

The DME drivers are not Disney employees, they are Mears. And they are allowed to accept tips since, as everyone has noted, they often unload luggage, etc.

Zz.

I wasn't thinking that Eeyore!

Everyone has different tipping practices. What I find awkward is when I travel to a different country (I mean actual countries, not World Showcase ) and have no idea what the "normal" tipping is. I find the travel books don't really have it right most of the times too. But after settling in for a few days, it usually becomes second nature.