Safety of visible luggage in the Epcot parking lot

[bobbyshawatl]

On my upcoming trip, my last day, I plan on staying at Epcot most of the day to enjoy the first day of the Food and Wine festival. I have a 4 door pickup truck. All of my luggage that last day will be in the back seat (visible).

How much do I have to worry about break-ins in the Disney/Epcot parking lot? I know there's never a 0% chance, and anything can happen, but how much will I have to worry about this? Any other options?

 

[BBandDisney]

4%

 

[Reddog1134]

I don't think there's a proper answer to this. Yes, your car could get broken into and your luggage stolen. You run the risk of this any where you park whether your luggage is visible or not. The luggage being visible makes it a more desirable target though.

 

[BLTLDZ]

I think you will be fine.
Don't stress..
If you are really that concerned, maybe bring along a large blanket to throw over the luggage??

Just my opinion, but I highly doubt a criminal will be scouting the parking lot at Epcot? I mean, yes, I'm sure it COULD happen, but I wouldn't be inclined to think so ? Seems like too much trouble .

 

[Saylan]

Is it possible to have them store your luggage at bell services while you're at the park? We were able to store ours after check out (11 am) until about 3:30 when we had to leave. We were able to enjoy DTD unencumbered.

It might mean leaving Epcot early to get it but it would also be less of a worry I suspect.

 

[DCTooTall]

Kinda with others here. Best option would be see if you can leave stuff with the bell station at the hotel.....


But if that's not an option, I would think you are probably safer at the EPCOT lot then you'd be at someplace like a mall parking lot. Since you have to pay to enter the parking lot and then are directed where to park, I would think regular thieves would be discouraged from entering the parking lot. Even then, the sheer number of vehicles would make it needle and a haystack that they stumble upon you.

That being said, the concern is simply one of opportunity. as long as the luggage isn't blatantly obvious your odds drop. trucks are usually taller so it's harder to see down, so as long as the bags are below the window line I'd assume you'd be relatively safe.

 

[puffkin]

We do this almost every trip on check in and check out day (and sometimes another day during the week if we are switching resorts). It can be a huge time waster to run all the way back to a resort and then wait for bell services to retrieve your luggage.

I think the chances are pretty slim. I mean, most luggage is dirty clothes and toiletries, who would want that. We try to keep things like souvenir bags, laptop bags, etc hidden from view though since those would be more desirable than a suitcase of our dirty clothes.

Not saying it can't happen, but at least to us it just seems to be a reasonable risk to take given how much time we save.

 

[BlueChariot]

Anytime we leave luggage in our vehicle, we try to make it as least conspicuous as possible. We usually put in on the floor with a blanket or towel crumpled over the top of it... good luck.

 

[winterman]

I think you will be fine.
Don't stress..
If you are really that concerned, maybe bring along a large blanket to throw over the luggage??

Just my opinion, but I highly doubt a criminal will be scouting the parking lot at Epcot? I mean, yes, I'm sure it COULD happen, but I wouldn't be inclined to think so ? Seems like too much trouble .

I agree.

 

[stargazertechie]

I have quite a bit of high-end car electronics (radar detector, charging station, aftermarket stereo system, GPS, etc) that probably amount to $800-$1000 that are usually visible from my windows.


Nothing has ever been stolen from me in Disney.

 

[TDC Nala]

It's comomon sense to never leave anything in plain sight in your car that you care about losing. Whether you're at Disney World or not. If it were mine I would throw a blanket over it.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Like PP we've left our luggage in the car (a RAV4) on arrival and departure days on many trips with no problem. Your call but it's something we don't even worry about anymore.

 

[Wadecool]

The way to keep your luggage from being stolen is to hang a plastic bag containing a diaper filled with Coca Cola on the door handle.

It works with strollers, right?

 

[UltimateWDWFan]

I wouldn't worry about it a bit. Common sense is the key; don't leave a purse or computer bag on the very top, but in general you should worry more about things toasting in closed-up car in the hot Florida sun for several hours than about someone breaking in. (I found out the hard way that a 12-pack of Coke can overheat to the point of exploding.)

 

[POOHsie]

If you have valuables in your luggage that would be devastating to lose, why not consider getting a locker at the entrance gates. From the two links I posted, there seems to be luggage lockers outside the entrance gates at Epcot near the bus facility (behind the Bus Information Booth). I don't know exactly where the bus information booth is, but the bus facility is to the right of the front gates. Inside the gates, the lockers to the right of Spaceship Earth are attended. That may give you peace of mind. However, those lockers are smaller.

Here's some info on theme park lockers, pertinent to Epcot:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/tips_for_touring/Lockers.htm
http://www.themouseforless.com/tripplanning/wdwparks/epcot.shtml

At the four Theme Parks, the policy is:
Large Locker: $9.00 per day plus a $5.00 key deposit which is refunded when the key is returned.
Small Locker: $7.00 per day plus a $5.00 key deposit which is refunded when the key is returned.
Key must be turned in within an hour of the park closing.
Key operated lockers can be accessed as often as you like.

When visiting more than one theme park on the same day:
Return the key for the $5.00 deposit and get a receipt.
Take the receipt to the next theme park.
Present the receipt, pay the $5.00 key deposit and you'll have a locker for the remainder of the day.

Locker Locations - Epcot -
To the right of the base of Spaceship Earth, near the restrooms
Small locker - 11"H x 9"W x 16" Deep, Large Locker - 17"H x 12"W x 22" Deep
International Gateway Stroller rental - Small locker - 11"H x 9"W x 16" Deep
Behind Bus Information booth - Luggage lockers - 23"H x 16"W x 29" Deep (Coin operated - $1.00 - 4 quarters)

 

[DVC-Don]

I have a customer who lost ALL their luggage from their rental mini van in the parking lot at POR. They were inside registering for their stay.

 

[Polydweller]

I see a few comments along the line of criminals not being in the Epcot parking lot. As I tell hotel guests here, criminals take vacations too. Since most thefts from cars are opportunistic they can be at Epcot and it can happen, and it only takes seconds to break in grab and leave.

The biggest surprise would be if it had never happened in the Epcot parking lot. Even on vacation you should not let your guard down and don't leave things out in open view.

 

[DCTooTall]

I see a few comments along the line of criminals not being in the Epcot parking lot. As I tell hotel guests here, criminals take vacations too. Since most thefts from cars are opportunistic they can be at Epcot and it can happen, and it only takes seconds to break in grab and leave.

The biggest surprise would be if it had never happened in the Epcot parking lot. Even on vacation you should not let your guard down and don't leave things out in open view.

Absolutely. My comment was more along the lines of unlike a mall parking lot, where you may have local criminals going thru the parking lot trying to find something worth grabbing, the Disney Park parking lots you are more likely to run into the opportunistic "oooo! I see something great in this car parked not too far from my own.".

 

[Schmeck]

I've heard of thefts in the parking lots, and there were some threads on here a few years back about a rash of vehicle break-ins at the parks. Disney even had some PR stuff in the check-in packages about not leaving valuables in view in your car.

 

[perfectparanoia]

If you are staying at a Disney resort, I have to plug Bell Services. They are fast and very friendly.

I would personally be comfortable leaving my stuff in the car but if you aren't, that's what they are there for.