Things taken from your room at WDW

[Dizduke]

I recently returned from a Disney Cruise and WDW vacation to discover that my family was missing items from our room at the Polynesian we received/purchased on the Disney Cruise Ship. We didn't realize until we got home that the items were taken from our room amidst all the chaos of packing up and leaving with a toddler in tow. Since we are diligent about sweeping the room before we leave, for personal belongings, we can only assume that it was taken early on in our trip and it simply slipped our minds about whether the items were still in our bags or not at the Polynesian. I called the lost and found at the Polynesian several times with no luck of our items turning up. It made me pretty mad, but fortunately the DCL helped out in a big way by allowing us to get a replacement for one of the items we lost. Still...
This made me think back to our last trip to the Polynesian 2 yrs ago when my mother in law "lost" her diamond ring in the resort room. Not sure if this is an issue with the Polynesian specifically, but got me wondering if other people have had things "removed" from their room at WDW. If you have had anything "removed" from your room at WDW what was it and what did you do when you noticed it missing?

 

[scoobydooby]

In 115 nights in WDW hotels we have only had one thing go missing. It was a teddy. I rang housekeeping and they found it. It had got wrapped up in a sheet.

 

[illinidp]

Housekeeping personnel do occasionally take valuables. It's rare but it does happen. It's best to make as best use of the in-room safe as possible.

About all you can do is file a report with Disney and file a police report. If you contact Disney security while you're there they can check to se who has accessed your room besides you. I've never heard of anybody getting anything back. If you're not willing to return to Florida to testify (possibly multiple times on short notice) the police won't press charges.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I don't know you're really relying alot on assumptions rather than proof that it was in one area and you came back and it wasn't. It's not possible you dropped or left your items somewhere since you yourself said you were "chaos of packing"?

 

[artemis908]

I would understand jewelry or money being stolen, but souvenirs from the cruise line? Been to WDW about 15 times and on the DCL twice, never had anything stolen. Actually come to think about it I don't think I've ever had any valuables stolen on ANY trip, period and I've been all over Europe. Closest was leaving a pair of boots in Paris and when I called up they said they couldn't find them.

Anyway, I tend to leave anything valuable in the safe and souvenirs usually go straight to the luggage so that I won't forget them. We always sweep the room, remove blankets from the bed, etc. but sometimes we misplace something. Case in point, our last WDW trip we had a VERY early flight and stayed at a "Park. Sleep. Fly." hotel. Woke up at around 4am, but my husband tried to squeeze an extra 20-30 minutes of sleep and so was rushing around the room trying to get ready. Suddenly he realizes he doesn't know where his phone is tears the room apart. Long story short I accidentally packed it in the luggage with his power cord. What a way to start a trip!

 

[rwdavis2]

After having a bag of prescription and OTC meds stolen form our bathroom at the Contemporary some years ago we make sure all valuables are either in the safe or a locked suit case. The management at the time could not have cared less. If the meds were controlled substances and we had called the police I'm sure their reaction would have been different.

One theory was that the bathroom was visible from the doorway and if the housekeeper was not paying attention anyone could have ducked in an taken it.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Hundreds of nights in WDW resort rooms and thousands of nights in hotels around the world and never had anything stolen. I know that it happens, but it is rare.

 

[aVASTGrl]

I've never had anything taken from a WDW room...misplaced yes, because I'm kind of an airhead But I always put anything valuable, like tablets, GPS, etc., in the safe any time I'm not in the room. I guess you can't put large souvenir packages in there, though, and I take it that's what was missing? I usually keep packages and bags zipped up in my suitcase until I'm ready to go home. I think this year I might add a suitcase lock.

 

[whatname]

I had forgotten about this until reading this thread... We went on a Disney cruise for our honeymoon 15 + years ago. When we were settling into the room, I opened a drawer or cupboard or something and found a ring in a ring box. I remember it had a very large stone in it. Unfortunately, it was not from my husband to me. I guess the previous occupants left it. I don't know if housekeeping found it and left it or what. We turned it in, but now I wonder if it ever got to its owner.

 

[disnut8]

We've never had anything taken at a Disney World resort but as other PPs have pointed out, put anything you feel is valuable and can't be replaced into the safe or have a lock for your luggage and store things in there.

Years ago, at a non Disney hotel, we had a very clever thief. My husband was busy at his business stuff and my son and I went to the pool for a break. We locked our room and came back without issue. Nothing was bothered or so we thought. Two weeks later, my husband was going through the back account and asked why I wrote out a check for $X to a vendor. I said I didn't. But it was in the bank register at the bank but not in our personal register at home. We and the bank investigated and found three checks were missing from our checkbook. Not the top three checks but three checks from various parts of the book. One about ten in, one further back and then one from the very back of the book. While we applauded the thieves for their unusual method, all funds were given back to us and the thieves were caught but we had to drive over an hour and back to be present at their trial.

 

[minnie mum]

What kind of souvenirs would be worth stealing? And are you sure they even made it to the Poly and weren't left on the ship or misplaced en route to the resort?

 

[maxiesmom]

And are you sure they even made it to the Poly and weren't left on the ship or misplaced en route to the resort?

That is what I was wondering.

 

[scoobydooby]

I think the sensible thing to do in hotel rooms is to leave them tidy when you leave the room. I always think the housekeepers job is to make your bed, Hoover, dust and clean the bathroom. But then again I was a housekeeper as a student and loathed 'scutty room stayers'.... For sure people left an astonishing array of valuables on show that I could have stolen were I a thief. I wasn't. For us it's valuables in the safe. Souvenirs and valuables that won't fit in the safe in a locked suitcase. And we stay tidy. Outside of a Disney hotel back in the UK we once lost 73 Playmobil people. That was our mistake as we left them on a shelf. I was irritated beyond belief because we never got them back and my DD had named and loved them all (!!!!) but ultimately I suppose it was my fault. We didn't pack them.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I don't know you're really relying alot on assumptions rather than proof that it was in one area and you came back and it wasn't. It's not possible you dropped or left your items somewhere since you yourself said you were "chaos of packing"?

Let's face it. Theft does happen rarely. It appears by your post that you have no idea when this took place. Which puts in suspect that these things ever got back from the cruise or were left somewhere outside the room. Are you sure they weren't left on the ship?

 

[Dizduke]

We are 100% positive the items were in the room since we placed them in a very specific location. In the chaos of packing up we assumed we had already packed them, but by the time we got the airport we realized they were not where they should have been since it was in plain site with our other bags. I realize many people have stayed hundreds of times in hotels without having anything taken. I too have stayed in hundreds of hotels without issue. My main point was that we have unfortunately lost important items at the Polynesian more than once and that seemed strange.

 

[Richi3]

thats cray cray in a bad way

 

[Jadyreen1282]

We only allow the maids in twice per nine day stay. This eliminates this possibility. We also lock everything in suitcases that's of any value or stick them in the safe. You don't know these cleaners. How often does your maid clean at home....

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I'm not saying that they didn't take it - I'm just saying that it would be crazy for someone to risk their job and Disneys reputation over Disney Cruise Line merchandise/Cruise items. Hey anything is possible.

Next time, if there is one, report it ASAP instead of leaving!

 

[MillauFr]

I'm not saying that they didn't take it - I'm just saying that it would be crazy for someone to risk their job and Disneys reputation over Disney Cruise Line merchandise/Cruise items. Hey anything is possible.

Next time, if there is one, report it ASAP instead of leaving!

Agreed. I do not believe someone would risk their job at Disney to steal a some souvenirs that they could buy for a few hundred dollars. More likely that another guest helped themselves.

 

[elsbit]

I spent ten years working with criminals in my field of work. You would be surprised at the petty stuff a thief might steal. So yes, it is very possible that someone would jeopardize their job at the almighty Disney to steal some souvenirs. The thrill, they saw something they liked, they knew someone who would want it.... A thief is not going to care about Disney's "reputation", clearly they are already a self-centered person. I suspect that Disney is the one who cares about their reputation and does the hush-hush to cover stuff up for appearances sake.

OP, if you have not already, I would still write a letter to bring the issue to the management's attention. If it was a housekeeping employee, there may be a pattern of complaints that they will be able to see. Hopefully your complaint can help prevent another person from misfortune.