Do You Ever Worry About Getting Robbed in the Parks?

[GovieMom]

The thief turned in the phone when he was done with it?

 

[RoosMama]

I like carrying a backpack also, so what I do to prevent robbery is attach my wallet to the backpack inside. If your wallet has a strap on it (I have Vera Bradley, and they usually have a wrist strap) you can hook it onto a loop inside your backpack. If a thief was able to get your backpack open without you or anyone else noticing, they are not going to be able to get your wallet unhooked without you noticing.

 

[PeterPanic]

Closest I come to that is when my kids beg for overpriced souvenirs. In all seriousness, I have never had a concern about getting robbed.

Yea, I was going to say that by the time Disney is done cleaning you out, there isn't much left to steal.

I have always been cautious when in any large crowd. Especially in a place like Disney where it is so easy to get distracted. In the 80's we all used Travelers Checks. I counted how many pockets were available between my wife and myself and divided them up, equal numbers for each available pocket. My reasoning was if some one did try and pick my pocket, they would have to have a lot of hands to get them all and at least I would have something left.

Over the years, my paranoia declined, but I still am cautious. Of course, no one uses TC's anymore and the need for cash is minimal. I just make sure that whatever I have of value is in a pocket that has a button. I have never, that I know of, needed to take the precautions, but it's not that big a deal to do and I won't have to kick myself later for being a little too trusting.

I use a small Digital Camera (Casio) smaller then a pack of cigarettes, that has a small carrier that loops in my belt loop. I don't worry about that much because what good is a camera if you don't have the charger, etc.

Leaving stuff in an unattended stroller is just begging for it to come up missing. If you are going to buy things, wait until you are on the way out or if you are staying onsite they will put it aside for you until later or send it to your resort. I've seen people leave expensive stuff in strollers and how it is still there when they return is a mystery to me and a tribute to the honesty of most people.

 

[AmyB2006]

I don't "worry" about it per se, but I also don't make myself a victim.

We never leave valuables parked with our stroller. They're always on me. I'm always aware of my surroundings. It'd be pretty hard for someone to be that close to me trying to unzipper or get something out of my backpack while it's on me. Plus, there are six of us, my DH is a police officer, so we're always aware of surroundings.

So I guess what I'm saying is, we don't really worry about it, because I don't leave myself open to that opportunity. If I left my backpack with my camera and credit cards in it on my stroller while we went on a ride... Yes, I would be worried someone would take it.

IMO, if I were a thief, Disney would be the prime place to steal something. People let their guard down, and when it's crowded people "bumping" into each other is the prime opportunity too.

So don't worry, just be smart. The people who think "that won't happen to me" are usually the first ones it happens to, because they let their guard down.

 

[Dan Murphy]

No.

 

[joshsmom]

I wouldn't say we worry, but we are smart about it. Typically I wear shorts with zippered pockets in the front. I carry anything worth stealing, room keys, credit card, money etc. the rest of the family typically don't carry anything of value on them in the parks. I am a large intimidating looking person. Most thieves will most likely pick an easier target. You would have to be one heck of a pick pocket to unzip my front pocket, steal something without me noticing, and get away without me breaking your arm. But, seriously it's a pick pockets smorgasbord at WDW so they will pick the easy targets. With that many people they don't have to risk trying to steal from people who are prepared for it. We also leave any purchases for the way out of the park so we don't have to carry it around all day.

Perhaps I can hire you to walk around with me, my mom and DS when we go!! I love the "intimidating looking person" part!!

In all seriousness, I keep all my valuables in my front pockets. I carry very little cash and everything (room keys, cc, cash) goes in a little wrtistlet that I carry. It measures 5"x4" so it fits in a the smallest pocket. This year I will have a bigger phone than ever before. I've always just had a small, non-smart phone. So I will have to adjust to carrying that. My mom usually carries a very small bag that zips. We only carry snacks, ponchos, and other non-essentials in it. I think a thief would be very disappointed to dig in there.

 

[CentralFloridian99]

With the amount of CMs and security I'm not that worried.

 

[RHMH]

Closest I come to that is when my kids beg for overpriced souvenirs. In all seriousness, I have never had a concern about getting robbed.

I really like this one and I agree..

 

[disneydad78]

Guess I live in la la land. I always thought this could never happen at WDW because everyone is at the Happiest Place on Earth! mood.


Now back here on earth. IM sure it happens all the time and people chalk it up to loosing, misplacing something other than it being stolen.

Reminds me of the movie "National Lampoons European Vacation" where Clark ask the guy to take their picture and he asks them to get into the fountain. Bye bye camera.

So moral of the story, dont ask anyone to take your picture infront of Cinderella's Castle.

 

[BillyBuckner]

It was a flip phone and the thief realized it wasn't worth anything .

Seriously though I have to ask my wife to recall how it was found.

What I do remember is this; the day it was stolen was our last day in parks before driving home. We reported it stolen in the early afternoon (security took a report) we continues touring the parks for the rest of night till closing (or close) it had not been found. While driving home the next day my wife called and it had been found at TTC. Disney sent it to our house by FedEx.

 

[BillyBuckner]

It was a flip phone and the thief realized it wasn't worth anything .

Seriously though I have to ask my wife to recall how it was found.

What I do remember is this; the day it was stolen was our last day in parks before driving home. We reported it stolen in the early afternoon (security took a report) we continues touring the parks for the rest of night till closing (or close) it had not been found. While driving home the next day my wife called and it had been found at TTC. Disney sent it to our house by FedEx.

Forgot to add... No it wasn't found by GPS. But if we lost one today that's a tool we would have available

 

[chartle]

It was a flip phone and the thief realized it wasn't worth anything .

Seriously though I have to ask my wife to recall how it was found.

What I do remember is this; the day it was stolen was our last day in parks before driving home. We reported it stolen in the early afternoon (security took a report) we continues touring the parks for the rest of night till closing (or close) it had not been found. While driving home the next day my wife called and it had been found at TTC. Disney sent it to our house by FedEx.

It is also possible that you just lost it, it was found and turned in. It was at the TTC because thats where central lost and found is.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I generally feel very safe at Disney, but I keep my bag where I can see it in crowds, usually in front of me with my hand on it. I don't flash my money around in public even at WDW. I watch my surroundings. Same stuff I do at home without thinking about it-but I agree that it's easier at WDW or DL to let your guard down.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I worry more about losing stuff. Like a few years ago I lost an iPhone in TSMM, either in the ride or in line. It never got turned in to Lost and Found. Now I'm super paranoid about making sure my phone, camera, or whatever is still with me, but more about me losing it than it being stolen.

There is one thing I never worried about before but had to worry out last trip. We had to leave all our luggage in the back of our SUV while we were in DHS. We had just got off a cruise and were trying to get to DHS ASAP for SWW. We were staying offsite at Bonnet Creek and I don't know if we could've dropped our luggage off or not, but really we didn't have time because we wanted to get there before it got too crowded. I was worried our luggage being in the back where it could be seen would make us a target. But it was fine in the end.

That's me.

We rode the raft ride from Tom Sawyer's Island back to the main park. I had a fanny pack (I know, not En Vogue but I like being hands free). Anyway, the bad thing was I packed that thing tight. I had to take out stuff to get to the stuff I needed.

I was forever taking out the camera and putting it back. Well, I did it after we got off and left my camera on top of a barrel. I walked a few steps away and had that, "Am I forgetting something?", feeling and I saw it sitting on the barrel where I left it. I also saw a guy sitting beside the barrel. He looked me in the eye kind of sheepishly, like he saw it and was disappointed I came back. I don't know if he was tempted, hoping I wouldn't come back, or what. But it was a strange look. It would've totally been my fault for forgetting it. I thank my lucky stars that it was there. But I switched to a backpack with lots of inside pockets after that. Haven't had any troubles getting to stuff since then.

I highly recommend doing a scan of the areas as you leave! Sometimes we get distracted and are hasty. Not a good combination!

ETA- I just try to be careful like I do everywhere I go. I put things of importance closer to me.

 

[Magpie]

It was a flip phone and the thief realized it wasn't worth anything .

Seriously though I have to ask my wife to recall how it was found.

What I do remember is this; the day it was stolen was our last day in parks before driving home. We reported it stolen in the early afternoon (security took a report) we continues touring the parks for the rest of night till closing (or close) it had not been found. While driving home the next day my wife called and it had been found at TTC. Disney sent it to our house by FedEx.

It seems... very unusual that the thief would go to the trouble of turning it in to lost and found. More likely he'd have tossed it in the garbage if he truly thought he couldn't sell it for anything.

On the other hand, it's SO true that anything can happen. We have a family friend whose severely disabled daughter is actually one heck of a little pickpocket. She's got unusually long slim fingers, and she doesn't move quickly, but she loves pockets and fishing things out of them. She's done it to me! You never want her standing behind you in the supermarket checkout line, and it's really awkward for her father when he tries to return her ill gotten goods, because no one ever believes the disabled girl who's bent over and drooling is actually a master thief. What they don't realize is that finding out what's in its pocketses is one of the joys of her life.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I like carrying a backpack also, so what I do to prevent robbery is attach my wallet to the backpack inside. If your wallet has a strap on it (I have Vera Bradley, and they usually have a wrist strap) you can hook it onto a loop inside your backpack. If a thief was able to get your backpack open without you or anyone else noticing, they are not going to be able to get your wallet unhooked without you noticing.

I like that! I just got a wallet and change purse from them! Nice tip.

 

[rustyanchor]

No, I don't worry about it any more than I do when I'm at home.

 

[torinsmom]

I take a sling pack and carry it like a cross body bag on my side. It has the clip inside one of the pockets and I cilp my wallet to it. Not only does it make it harder for someone to steal it, but I don't have to worry about me losing it, as I don't unclip it to get money/cards out.

 

[VMKYouAreMissed]

If you are wearing a bag and somebody tugs on the zipper, you would know. People do get robbed in Disney, but it is usually the items left in strollers and bags hanging from wheelchairs, strollers and ECVs. It also happens in the rooms.

 

[TheHundredth]

A good solution would be to find a backpack that has flaps that fold over or hide the zippers or to put a small key lock through the zippers. The latter of the two might be a tad of a hassle though.

But in any circumstance, the idea of being robbed on vacation is very off setting. But I have faith that you'll be a-ok!