Another driving question?

[cottontail]

Hello everyone:

When we are stopping at night in our motel on the drive down, I have heard people say that they take one bag into the motel, with everyones immediate neccessities, and leave all the other bags in their car overnight. That saves carrying all of the bags in just for a nights sleep.

My hubby is leary about doing this, as he thinks someone might come and smash our mini van windows and steel our stuff. Then we will have to waste valuable disney time buying clothes. What do others do in this situation? Thanks,

Deb.

 

[DisFan2]

I think it only appears to be saving time by leaving things in the van. However, when you consider how much time will be wasted having to replace things, fill out a police report, getting the van repaired, and the feelings of anger (and maybe some fear too) about the loss... we just gut it out and drag it all in. The problem is is that the whole theft thing is very abstract, until it happens. The nuisance of carting all the stuff in is not. To make it easier, just grab one of the luggage dollies and load it up - all our stuff usually takes two trips at most. Leaving things in a car/van just seems to be too tempting (as an insurance adjuster who has seen too many of these type of claims, I speak from some experience).

Have a great trip!!

 

[cottontail]

Hi DisFan2, thanks for your reply.

Dear hubby agrees with you, and says with a limited time a vacation can be ruined if everything went missing. I guess not too many people drive to wdw, most must fly judging by the number of people who responded. Thanks, again

Deb.

 

[DSNY FN]

We have not had a problem either time we stopped for the night once in Atlanta and the other time in Valdosta most hotels have security patrolled lots so the fear of being broken into is negligable in our opinion. So we always just leave the stuff in the car.
Darren & Lisa

 

[TimNDansMom]

We have never had a problem either (knock on wood). DH leaves his golf clubs in the van too! It has a security feature so that may help deter break-ins.

 

[DisFan2]

Why take the chance for 10 minutes of inconvenience? I guess my perspective is somewhat "jaded" as I see these kind of claims all too often. I'm often left wondering why anyone would leave things like camcorders, jewellery, cash (!!!!) in vehicles, relatively unprotected. I agree there are "safer" lots than others, but still.... Having also been the victim of a theft from my home I guess I'm also a little paranoid!!!

 

[DSNY FN]

You are not paranoid just a little more cautious. We had our house broken into a year ago thanksgiving weekend and my motorcycle was stolen on Dec 5th the day before we left for WDW. I have an alarm on the house and the car and will be putting one on my new motorcycle but beyond that if someone wants your stuff bad enough they will take it hey isn't that why we pay these crazy insurance premiums for our protection. I still say unless you are staying in a really seedy area you will not have a problem.Oh yes and prior to the car alarm my car was broken into and my stero equipment was stolen about 5000.00 dollars worth
Darren

 

[Emmyfaye]

Although our family probably qualifies as The Canadian Family taking along the most luggage for a family of four, we still drag it all into the motels we stay in on our long drive from Atlantic Canada (we're two nights on the road at least).

Besides much luggage per person, we also take coolers, food, small Christmas tree, ornaments, bags of books, games, Christmas presents, beach towels, etc. (Actually, it is embarrassing to have a stranger see what is stogged into our vehicle, when we travel). But I agree that pretty nearly everything should be taken into the motel, even if it is late at night (with the possible exception of the fake tree and ornaments- who would ever want to take that?).

On the other hand, we only unpack our "travelling" bags - we three girls (DM, two DD's) share one bag, DH has a smaller one all to himself - and our "Florida" bags remain packed until we actually settle in, in Florida.

 

[cottontail]

Emmyfaye:

Wow, two nights on the road. We are about a 22 to 24 hour drive from ontario. Isn't it alot of work to get ready for a trip, and usually its the woman's job to remember everything. I am getting tired thinking about our long drive. Hubby says we have to leave around 4.00a.m. the first day "to get a good push". Yea okay.

Now I have to make sure we take some sort of insect repellant for the akl, for some little bugs that bite at night. I had forgot about insects, being winter here.

Deb.

 

[Emmyfaye]

Cottontail - the drive is awful, but the reward at the end of the drive is wonderful.

It's almost 2,000 miles from where we live to Orlando - I suppose we could drive right through, but I think we might all collapse if we did that. We usually leave home late in the afternoon, overnight in Bangor, ME, then stop somewhere along the I-95 on the second night - depends on how long DH feels like driving (last trip, we were in Virginia when we stopped for the night). And on the third day (usually late) we arrive in Orlando.

Of course we'd prefer to fly - but from Atlantic Canada, in December (which is when we usually travel), the airfare would be $2,000 or so for the four of us.