concerns about staying offsite....

[Macgyver91]

We are planning a trip in June to Disney and Universal. We are staying onsite at Disney and Universal but between the 2 we are staying offsite for about 4 or 5 days. I had no problem staying offsite until a friend of mine mentioned something about breakins to the hotels while the vacationers are gone to parks. Is this true and if so where should we avoid? Thanks for the help...

 

[Brian Noble]

Don't worry about it. While bad things can happen (even at Disney or Universal) they are rare. Be smart---don't leave valuables out in the open in your room or your car, pay attention to your surroundings, and do this *everywhere* you go, not just "offsite".

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Let me guess your friend thinks these things NEVER happen on Disney. Well she is wrong. There have been breakins there too.

As the earlier poster says, use common sense and don't leave valuables laying around. You will be fine. You are really NO safer at Disney then anyplace else. Pixie Dust does not put a "theft free" force field around those resorts.

 

[Macgyver91]

Thanks for the help!! We have visited Orlando several times and hadn't heard about this, but thought I might ask. I think we will be fine... If nothing else, you helped ease my mind! (and it needs all the help it can get! )

 

[WDWisTheBest]

Thanks for the help!! We have visited Orlando several times and hadn't heard about this, but thought I might ask. I think we will be fine... If nothing else, you helped ease my mind! (and it needs all the help it can get! )

As others have said, caution is always necessary no matter if it is Orlando or anywhere else. There hasn't been any unusual reporting of break ins at hotels anywhere in Olando on any of the major media outlets.

 

[crusoe2]

Just to reiterate that onsite isn't really any safer - the last time we stayed at a Disney resort, we came back from the parks one day to find our room door partially open. Apparently the housekeeper had not made sure she closed it all the way when she was done. DH's laptop and the kid's DS games and such were all there for the taking but amazingly nothing was stolen. We were incredibly lucky. Now we actually feel much safer staying offsite in self-catering condos or villas where we don't have anyone else going in and out while we're gone.

 

[bankr63]

I feel safer at our offsite resort than a Disney resort. There are a lot of different ways to access a Disney resort, and they are more tolerant of walk through people. Vistana and many others are gated, and only allow access to those carrying room keys. Not 100% safe, bad elements can still sneak in I'm sure, but it isn't easy.

 

[GingerJay]

Just use your common sense when traveling anywhere- even to Disney. Don't take a lot of valuables and use the hotel safe. It isn't any more dangerous offsite than it is onsite

 

[A Mickeyfan]

A little thing I do is to leave my TV on and use the do not disturb sign (that is when all of us are leaving the room).. While there are times that I don't catch the maid and get maid service but I would rather go without that than have my items taken. By leaving the TV on, the drapes closed tight & the do not disturb sign up.. no one will know if you are or aren't in there...

Oh, I do this for off site as well as "on site" too.. there is no difference, but a false sense of security when you are on site at either Disney or Universal.