How secure are the safes?

[amystevekai&bump]

Hi - we are staying at both BLT and AKV and were just wondering how safe the safes are??!!

We are travelling for 4 weeks and I will be using credit cards too, but we like to try and budget by taking cash and dividing it into days - it worked well last year. As BLT and AKV are our first two 'stops', we will still have most of the money and I had planned to keep it in the room safes and just take a small amount out each day.

Is this a bad idea??

 

[mastermind307]

We kept our wallets in the safe while we were in the parks. The safe had a key and we took the key with us. We didn't have any issues.

 

[noahdove]

I too put my money in daily envelopes and put them in the safe as well as my extra memory card and all my meds Not a problem. I take a big safety pin and pin the key inside my bag

 

[trac96]

we use the safe every visit and have never had a problem. my son is planning on taking his ipad this time and putting it in there so hopefully there will be nothing to worry about. the first year we did this my husband suggested next year we do something to make sure they aren't in it like taking tape and taping it in a certain manor to see if anyone has moved the tape. we have never done this because i always forget the tape but i'm sure you could come up with something.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

thanks everyone for your reassurances!! - We will carry on with the current plan of daily money envelopes - I really enjoyed our last vacation doing it that way and not coming home to a huge visa bill!!!

 

[Sphyrna]

I like your idea of budgeting so much per day and putting it in envelopes. I'm just not a big fan of cash, too bulky. Here's an idea to modernize your idea. Instead of envelopes of cash for your daily budget, you could get Disney Gift Cards and use those. You could get one for each day with your budgeted amount on it. Only downside to this is if you end up under budget you'll have $ left on the gift card at the end of your vacation.

 

[carrie1626]

I always use the safe:
Money, plane tix home, any vouchers for ME or rental car agreements.....

I would suggest only ONE person in charge of the KEY to open and lock and be respondsible for its keep.
And make sure to leave the key back in the lock when you checkout
maybe it's just me but I've almost forgotten to do that!

 

[DanceRC28]

My husband and I always use the in room safes and have never had a problem with anything being stolen. I think they are pretty safe. Have a great trip!

 

[dmccarty]

We use the safes at AKL every visit to store valuables that will fit. Which is not many since the safe is so small. But what we can fit into the safe goes into the safe.

Having said that it would be very easy to get into the safe in one wanted too. The safe is there to keep people honest.

Cash stays with me and any extra cash gets hidden. But no "system" is perfect. We do not use much cash at WDW and put everything possible on the room charge. We know how much we will spend at WDW and we have that in the budget. Plus we get 1% back on all credit card charges. 1% adds up.

Later,
Dan

 

[winterman]

We always use the safe with no problem. I'm quite sure that I read on these boards that someone had lost the key to the safe and maintenance had to drill out the lock.

 

[LilGMom]

The safes in AKV Kidani are large enough for an iPad and some extras. You set the four digit code the first time you use it so there is no key to keep up with.

 

[mickeyfreak13]

The safes are...well safe to use.
We have been there several times and have had no problem.

The idea of only one person in charge of the key is a good one. That way when it gets lost you know who to blame when it gets lost .
<ehem> that person was me.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I think I would worry more about having issues getting the cash safely through the airport or having to keep it on you the day you move between AKV & BLT when you won't have a room for much of the day.

 

[Straitlover]

Just don't do like me and forget to lock the safe back! One morning, I got money out and apparently left the thing wide open w/ the key in the door. I had a very honest mousekeeper that day as all the money was still there (over $200!).

 

[Redbudlover]

Those safes are safe only becaue the people at WDW can be trusted not to steal from you. They are easily broken into. If someone wanted to steal from you it is the first place they would look. Put your cash in the main hotel safe, not in the room safe. Seriously, those safes are flimsy! That said I leave my laptop out and my electronics out all the time. WDW is a place you can feel comfortable about housekeeping. but I would never leave a bunch of cash in my room. Never.

 

[Kathy Z]

Just don't do like me and forget to lock the safe back! One morning, I got money out and apparently left the thing wide open w/ the key in the door. I had a very honest mousekeeper that day as all the money was still there (over $200!).

I did the exact same thing when we stayed at BWI last year. I realized as we exited the bus at MK what I had done. My big dilemma was whether to go back to the room and miss our ADR at Kona Cafe or just go on with the day and pray for an honest mousekeeper. Our wallets with credit cards, plane tickets etc. were in there. Thankfully, everything was safe and sound that evening when we returned. I liked it better at the Polynesian because our room there had a set your own combination lock. I've never messed up with them.

What type of locks do the safes at AKL Jambo rooms have?

 

[amystevekai&bump]

thank you everyone so much for all of your help and advice. I feel so much happier about using the safes now, so now I just need to concentrate on keeping the cash safe on the journey from the UK and between hotel changes - there is always something to think about isn't there!!!!

 

[chimo2u]

I'm a little concerned about this because I will be travelling with a large amount of cash....probably around $2,000.00 for spending money and our transfer to Universal studios portion of our trip (I will have to pay the room for 2 more nights, plus our food money/transportation/spending money/tips, etc.

That makes me feel nervous hearing that room safes are not really "Safe". What I usually do is put our money on our room key when I check into club level (at AKL we did it both trips) then I use my room key as a "debit card" of sorts....charge most things to it. and pay the tab from the credit balance that I have left on the card.

Any left over I get at the end of my stay in cash. I think I might keep a small amount of cash in the room for tips/or incidental money when we want/need cash available to us. I wonder if it would be safer locked in my suitcase now rather than in the room safe?? We are staying at the POLY, but I have been saddened to read some threads about not very honest staff taking guest property lately....I really never thought I'd have to worry about that at Disney World I guess you can never be 100% safe and sure anymore.

 

[Straitlover]

I'm a little concerned about this because I will be travelling with a large amount of cash....probably around $2,000.00 for spending money and our transfer to Universal studios portion of our trip (I will have to pay the room for 2 more nights, plus our food money/transportation/spending money/tips, etc.

That makes me feel nervous hearing that room safes are not really "Safe". What I usually do is put our money on our room key when I check into club level (at AKL we did it both trips) then I use my room key as a "debit card" of sorts....charge most things to it. and pay the tab from the credit balance that I have left on the card.

Any left over I get at the end of my stay in cash. I think I might keep a small amount of cash in the room for tips/or incidental money when we want/need cash available to us. I wonder if it would be safer locked in my suitcase now rather than in the room safe?? We are staying at the POLY, but I have been saddened to read some threads about not very honest staff taking guest property lately....I really never thought I'd have to worry about that at Disney World I guess you can never be 100% safe and sure anymore.

I believe the front desk also has a safe. You could leave it there.

 

[skipperkim]

I've never had an issue with the safe and I've left lots of things in it. While I might take my health and car insurance on vacation, I take them out of my wallet and leave it in the safe. I've never worried about my meds since I only take what I need and then add a few just in case we end up getting stuck there for some reason. I too usually leave the maid tip envelopes there too. I don't carry cash, just my debit card and money I've loaded onto a Disney gift card.