Tipping Guidelines

Have you ever been confused about tipping? Who should you tip? And just how much should you tip them? Sometimes we forget that people working in the service industry are among the hardest working people we will ever meet. Quite often they are not paid a very high hourly wage, therefore they rely on their tips to make a living. Remember, tipping is a gesture to show you are pleased with a service. This page is designed as a guide to help you while on your Disney vacation.

Bell Services/Porter:
The bellman should normally be tipped $2-3 per bag when delivering your bags to your room. It's customary to tip on arrival and departure.

If you are using a porter service at the airlines the normal tip is also $2-3 per bag.

Maid Service/Housekeeping:
Many people staying at a Disney resort question whether or not you should tip maid service, often referred to as mousekeeping. ome feel that after paying the cost per night for the room this extra "bonus" isn't necessary. Although tipping housekeeping is not required, it's always nice to leave a little something to let them know you appreciate them for cleaning up your mess, making your bed, and supplying you with a fresh stock of towels every day. 

The general rule of thumb is to tip $1 per person, per day. Keeping in mind that you may not have the same person cleaning your room each day, there is the chance that someone may not be included if you opt to tip at the end of your stay instead of daily. Make sure it is obvious that the money is for them. A great way to do this is to take along daily tip envelopes.

Restaurants/Buffets/Lounges:
One of the most important things to remember when dining is that the tip is based on the service, not the quality of the food. The standard tip in a full-service restaurant is 15%-20% of the total bill. If you are using a coupon, or other discount, the tip should be based on the full price before the discount is applied. If you've had exceptional service a great way to show it is to leave a bigger tip than normal. Along those same lines, if the service is below par you can make a statement by leaving a much lesser tip. Depending on how badly it is you can leave 25¢ to 10% to show that the tip was not forgotten.

Dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet can sometimes be confusing. Do you tip or not? Generally a 15% tip is warranted. The server is bringing you your refreshments and cleaning the table off afterwards.

If you have a pre-dinner drink, or enjoy a relaxing sit-down at one of Disney's lounges, it is customary to leave the server a small tip. Depending on the service, it should be 10% or more of the total bill.

Make sure to examine your check carefully before paying, especially for larger groups! In some cases your gratuity may automatically be tacked onto your bill, in which case you will be doubling a tip for routine service.

Taxi/Towncar Service/Valet Parking:
Taxi drivers should be tipped 15% of the total fare or 25¢ a minute, whichever is higher.

If you are using a Towncar service to get to and from the airport it's customary to tip 10-15% each way. There is the possibility you will have a different driver on your return trip.

If you are using valet parking it is customary to tip $1-2 for both arrival and departure.

STANDARD TIPPING GUIDELINES

RESTAURANT TIP TABLE

Last Updated: May 9, 2009