No more towel characters

[rteetz]

You can say that again.

I got a few "washcloth" animals at POFQ, and the "mickey head towels"...but nothing like what I've seen in pictures from what they used to do in the mid-2000s. That's far closer to what DCL does...EVERY DAY...

I just don't get it. If it's a cost issue, fine. If Disney Mousekeeping treated me the same way the DCL Room Stewards did (instead of treating me the same...or in some cases worse...than a normal hotel housekeeping does), then I'd tip, and tip well.

Heck, I'd be fine with a "recommended tip" the way the DCL does it, at least at the moderates and deluxe, if it was reasonable.

Coming back to a fresh room, a nice towel animal, a navigator and other notices laid neatly on my bed, and my ice bucket full of fresh ice every evening...

Man, DCL will SPOIL you!

As for what they did in the early 2000s. We stayed at the Pop the year it opened and they made all sorts of little towel animals with sticker eyes and such. We still have them somewhere.

 

[englanddg]

A lot of people have said they took the towels...I wonder if that is part of it.

I never have taken home a towel "origami" animal, and wouldn't think to do so. Yes, the towels can be re-used.

Perhaps this plays into why they don't wish to do it anymore?

 

[rteetz]

A lot of people have said they took the towels...I wonder if that is part of it.

I never have taken home a towel "origami" animal, and wouldn't think to do so. Yes, the towels can be re-used.

Perhaps this plays into why they don't wish to do it anymore?

This was discussed in another thread. Many asked before they took I was too young to remember those details. In pretty much all cases mousekeeping or the front desk said they are yours to take.

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

A lot of people have said they took the towels...I wonder if that is part of it.

I never have taken home a towel "origami" animal, and wouldn't think to do so. Yes, the towels can be re-used.

Perhaps this plays into why they don't wish to do it anymore?

If you mean origami where it's simply specially-folded towels, you are correct; those could be re-used.

However, my understanding is the towel animals people are referring to were made from towels that were being retired from use due to wear and tear. Rather than dispose of these towels, Disney had staff turn them into animals with glue and decorations. They were not intended to be used again and if a towel animal was left behind it probably ended up in the trash.

 

[englanddg]

If you mean origami where it's simply specially-folded towels, you are correct; those could be re-used.

However, my understanding is the towel animals people are referring to were made from towels that were being retired from use due to wear and tear. Rather than dispose of these towels, Disney had staff turn them into animals with glue and decorations. They were not intended to be used again and if a towel animal was left behind it probably ended up in the trash.

That's...rather nasty to think about.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Of course. And even if they do ban the making of towel animals I bet the rooms won't be any cleaner because they will just add more rooms to each housekeeper's list instead. It will just be cost cutting in the end.

Absolutely!!! That's the story right there!!

 

[Lee Matthews]

Id much rather have a cleaner room than an animal but like has been mentioned, mousekeeprs will probably just be allocated more rooms to clean instead

 

[BagOLaughs]

Hold the phone, we can't have a fun experience and a clean environment at the same time?...

Isn't that supposed to be the CORE of Disney? A place where you can let your inhibitions go and everyone (no matter what age or background) can enjoy "magic" while knowing you don't have to worry about cleanliness (or lack there of)?

It seems having to choose between having a super clean room or a bit of extra "magic" seems a bit sad.

But to put it into perspective its not then end of the world. Just a little disappointing.

 

[EmilyS90]

This just seems far fetched to me? There has to be more to the story.

Like towel animals are THE ONE THING keeping rooms from being cleaner? Come on.

We got towel animals on our trip, and had a spotless room.

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

That's...rather nasty to think about.

Why, exactly? As long as they pulled towels for retirement AFTER washing them and would have disposed of any towel animals left behind assuming they couldn't be washed, I don't see anything more "nasty" than a plain old hotel towel.

 

[dbramer]

Kind of saddens me.We still have the elephant they left for my DS's birthday and first trip. I was hoping for one for my DD's birthday and first trip coming up.

 

[ArwenMarie]

This just seems far fetched to me? There has to be more to the story.

Like towel animals are THE ONE THING keeping rooms from being cleaner? Come on.

We got towel animals on our trip, and had a spotless room.

It's not that you can't have both. Of course you can if the housekeepers are given enough time. My opinion is that the housekeepers already aren't given enough time in between guests to really clean the rooms. The bathrooms and sheets of course are usually clean, but they seem to be skimping on the other detailing. IME.

Anyway, I think people were just speculating and wondering what is behind this move if it is true.

The way WDW has been going after pennies lately, I wouldn't be surprised, personally, if they made some calculation that if they cancel all towel animals, they could increase each housekeeper's load and reduce labor costs.

 

[Lisaloo]

I never really cared about the towels and they didn't have a "wow factor" for my kids either, so we won't miss them.

 

[myminnieme]

Just received word from housekeeping and front desk management that their will no longer be anymore towel animals made in the disney world resort properties. Management said a focus survey stated guest would rather have cleaner rooms then towel characters. I'm lost on this but I just checked out of the cabins in Fort wilderness and saw supervision tell a 27 year employed housekeeper she would be reprimanded if she made any characters. Oh how the times have changed.

Am I the only one that doesn't think the absence of towel animals will make a room cleaner? I'm kind of scratching my head on this one.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

The funny thing is very few of these were made in the rooms. On one of our trips last year we saw a cart of preformed washcloth animals waiting to be put in the rooms. It could be that there were a couple people who folded all the towels and by stopping it they could either be reassigned or relieved of their position.

At Pop I would be happy if they would spend a little more time cleaning the buildings. In March the stairwells were full of trash and spider webs. When we said something to one of the people at the desk they told us that housekeeping and maintainence rarely take the stairs so that's why they probably missed that.

 

[BagOLaughs]

Am I the only one that doesn't think the absence of towel animals will make a room cleaner? I'm kind of scratching my head on this one.

Its because mousekeeping will spend more time cleaning and less time doing towel origami, meaning that the rooms will be cleaner and (maybe) the cleaners can get more rooms done during their shift, meaning less staff overall, meaning less costs.

Its not because the towel animals are being super naughty and were making a mess in the room while no one was watching (Toy story style)

 

[Thom72]

Just received word from housekeeping and front desk management that their will no longer be anymore towel animals made in the disney world resort properties. Management said a focus survey stated guest would rather have cleaner rooms then towel characters. I'm lost on this but I just checked out of the cabins in Fort wilderness and saw supervision tell a 27 year employed housekeeper she would be reprimanded if she made any characters. Oh how the times have changed.

The housekeeper is a 27 year cast member. I was shocked and went to see the front desk to complain. They had no idea, the manager came out and stated it's all because of a survey on the Internet. When do kids do surveys? It's the parents ruining it for the children.

 

[hollygolitely93]

hmm...

The type of towel animals we've gotten looked like they took maybe 90 seconds to put together...if that...mostly we had a towel wrapped up to look like mickey ears. 1-2 times they did something cute with washcloths that was not elaborate at all.

if 90 seconds per room is causing uncleanliness...good grief! How many rooms does the average mousekeeper clean a day? 40? and they don't do an animal in each room so probably 10% of those get an animal each day...4? for that is 6 minutes a day devoted to towel creations. Really? This doesn't seem like a feasible story to me...what am I not getting?

 

[pandabean]

Wow...Really sad, Disney. That is hard for me to say , too...I am a Disney all the way girl!! It takes what, maybe 2 minutes to do a little towel animal? We have had some really great housekeepers and our rooms have always been nice...The kids love going back into the room after a long day in the park to find a little prize just for them on the bed.

 

[pandabean]

I see "magic" slowing disappearing.