Dishonest mousekeepers??

[DizzDoll]

I'm really sorry this happened to your step mom. That really stinks. However, I have left cash in the room safe (always taking the key with me) and counting it each night when we got back. Never have I had a problem. I've also left loose change on the table and at an eye-glance it was always all there. Left cameras, cellies, laptops, iPods and iPads in the room with never a problem. And the resort of our choice is always Pop. I don't always tip Mousekeepers, either, nor am I well off. Please go and have a good time. Don't start festering over a situation that in all likelihood will not happen.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . If you dont' want to store valuable items in the room, then the resort may have a safe at the front desk (which you then also have to trust the cast members for.) . . .

1) Not so.
2) They are true safe-deposit boxes with two keys, just like a bank.
. . . one for hotel
. . . one for guest
. . . and, there are no spare guest-keys
3) The OP "presumes" the housekeeper took the cash.
4) But, as mentioned, there is no proof and no attempt to contact police/sheriff.
5) Remember, NO HOTEL assumes liability for valuables left in rooms.
6) This is why they have the secure safes.

NOTE: After working Concierge for years, I have seen lots of people
claim loses due to maids. When asked if they wish to file a police report,
only a few have agreed. I many cases, the items were missing due to
fault-carelessness-etc of the guest. I AM NOT IGNORING THE WORDS
OR VORACITY OF THE MOTHER. I am just making an observation.

 

[Peter Panic Attack]

My wife stuck a cup of coffee in a hotel safe once.....because she thought it was a microwave.

Later that day, it was gone.

 

[Missymouse18]

We always use the safe. DH always brings his wallet into the parks. I leave my wallet in the safe but put my cash, Disney gift cards and debit cards in DH's wallet. However, I DO leave all of my jewelry that I'm not wearing for the day in the safe. Sometimes the camera as well since our phones actually are more convenient. And as a PP said, we leave things lying about the room... Knock on wood we have never experienced a problem.

 

[rwdavis2]

In 1998 we some OTC and prescription meds take from our room and the management at the Contemporary could not have cared less.

 

[tndisneyfan]

We've never had anything taken from our room. I don't know that I've worried about it but it has crossed my mind. We usually don't take too much cash, couple of hundred tops, but it would ruin my trip if it got stolen.

My experience has been that Mousekeeping is generally honest, but that doesn't mean that there's not that 1 in a thousand or 1 in whatever that's not. We leave ipods, ipads, iphones, computers, and who knows what else out in the open. We do not try to hide it. As far as I know none of it has ever been touched. We do lock most of our cash in the safe, but we do leave some small cash in a container type thing on the table. Once again, never been touched. OP, I really think you will be fine.

I also wanted to add, on the safes I thouoght there was one key that opened all the safes. Like a passkey that someone has. I would find it hard to believe there's not one.

 

[SuperRob]

I've never had an issue with Mousekeeping, even when valuables (like electronics) have been left in plain sight. That said, I would never leave cash, because while my electronics can all be traced, cash is untraceable. In fact, I rarely take cash on a trip, credit cards are more convenient and have fraud protection.

 

[LucyBC80]

We never leave valuables in the safe, we store them in our luggage and keep them locked the whole trip.

 

[katt789]

I personally have never had a problem leaving things laying around the room at Disney, and I've stayed all the way from All Stars to the Poly!

I naturally of course, will ALWAYS make sure my Ipod is in a safe spot in my luggage, and I'll usually put my laptop in the beside table drawer, or into my suitcase before we leave for the day. The ipod simply because I sleep with it in and if I left it in the bed, it could actually just go missing when they change the sheets!

I feel a little safer when things are out of sight, and not laying out in the open begging to be touched/tampered with/taken.

I don't travel with large amounts of cash, but the bff just left them hidden in her luggage. Or maybe if that's your concern, buy a luggage lock for your valuables and keep everything in the suitcase during the day?

I also will leave the do not disturb sign pretty much all week to keep the foot traffic in and out of the room minimal.

 

[SillySallySews]

We never leave valuables in the safe, we store them in our luggage and keep them locked the whole trip.

This! We do the same with jewelry, cameras, laptop, iPad, etc.

When I was a kid we went to the Jersey shore every year. Back then I don't think debit cards existed and my parents didn't have credit cards, so they only traveled with cash. My Dad used to have a small fire proof gun case with a lock that he would put all the extra cash in. He always kept the case in the refrigerator in the hotel room. It was easily hidden behind snacks and drinks. I guess his theory was that no one would ever think to look for your extra cash in the fridge and even if they saw it, it was locked.

 

[tuckerkeys]

10 years ago, My husband and I stayed at POR. Under the iron, in the iron holder in the room closet area was a safe key that opened the room safe! There was also the key in the safe. We did not use the safe, and I can't remember what we did w/ the extra key ( throw it out?)

We now always used the room safes ( but i do look under the irons! ) and never had an issue…..I think that if I found this now, I'd go to the front desk & report it. We were too pressed for time & didn't want to make an issue out of it then - just used it as a learning exp…..

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I am sorry that this happened to your family, but I would consider the likelihood of it occurring again before becoming too concerned about future trips.

Has there been theft at WDW resorts? Yes
Could your items be stolen while on vacation? Yes
How likely is it to happen to anyone while you are there? Very unlikely.
How likely is it to happen TO YOU while you are there? Very, very unlikely.

We are probably too trusting when it comes to things like this, but we like to believe that honest people will remain honest even in the face of temptation. It takes a thief at heart to break into a safe. Someone who is not taking advantage of an opportunity, but someone who went to work at Disney just for access to things worth stealing. The odds of running across someone like that are so remote that they aren't even worth considering, IMO.

Lock your things in the safe and relax.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Something I can't get out of my head (I've tried for so long) is something that happened during our last time at WDW in 2006. My "step mom to be" found she was missing $300 our of her wallet that she kept in the safe. Disney didn't do much more than offer her kids like $20 in disney dollars but my dad is my type of person who would rather accept what happened and move on than fight tooth and nail for what he considered a small amount of money.
Next week my bf, son and I are going back. I am not as "well off" as my father and if that happened to just us, it would have ruined the vacation so I am trying to think ahead. I want to take advantage of the magic bands bc who wouldn't want to be wallet-less in a sea full of strangers!? We will have the usual valuables with us (cc, cash, etc) but I also have a strong feeling there will be an engagement ring he will be storing as well...
Do those who've traveled since then feel the room is typically a safe place? Bc this happened, idk where to put everything...

Before I get the criticism, I understand that disney wouldn't be able to take everyone's word of "omg your employees stole $____ from me, now pay me back"...but we know what happened and while it may have been maintenance and not mousekeepers, it was someone from disney who didn't work for it. And bc it did actually happen, I was hoping disney would have been a little more alarmed and willing to do something to alieviate the situation, than throw the kids 1/15th of what was actually missing... but that's another story for another day..

Shouldnt this thread be in the "resorts" area?

 

[Amanda999]

FYI just so OP knows, you can lock up anything you want in safe deposit type boxes at the front desk of onsite Disney resorts. It's very secure. You get a key, Disney resort person has the other. It's exactly like a bank safe deposit system. Convenient too - if you go stand where the entry is to the hall with the safe deposit box room (which is locked and you wait for a cm to let you in) they won't make you want in the front desk line. Someone will see you and wave pretty quickly. And it's free.

I wouldn't keep an item in the room safe that would ruin my vacation if it was lost (since that incident of last August). That said, I've never had a problem in many trips.

 

[rapunzels]

Stealing can happen at any hotel, in any city, in any country. You really just need to use common sense, use the safe if available, and hope for the best.
Don't leave valuables in plain sight, lock and shut your doors/windows, and go about your vacation.

Unfortunately, notifying the front desk and calling the police really does nothing. 4 years ago at Sheraton Vistana Resort, I had a pair of diamond earrings stolen... (I forgot them on the nightstand - so I left my common sense at home clearly )The front desk said they were sorry, they couldn't prove it (nor could I in their eyes), even though housekeeping was in our room that day, and the police did nothing, they had no proof. It turns into a he said/she said thing. We were leaving our vacation the next day, and nothing ever came of it..

Sometimes crummy things happen to good people, and you just have to accept it, and move on. Best of luck on your trip. Hopefully you will not cross paths with a crook on this vacation. Maybe leave a note in your safe with your valuables that says "Bad Joo Joo to anybody that steals the contents of this safe..."

 

[TDC Nala]

Unfortunately, notifying the front desk and calling the police really does nothing.

It won't get your stuff back, nor will it get you compensation in many cases. It WILL alert the hotel and the cops that there might be a problem if they get enough reports. Had nobody reported thefts in the previously cited case, that housekeeper who was caught would have gone right on stealing.

 

[AliceandAriel]

Something I can't get out of my head (I've tried for so long) is something that happened during our last time at WDW in 2006. My "step mom to be" found she was missing $300 our of her wallet that she kept in the safe. Disney didn't do much more than offer her kids like $20 in disney dollars but my dad is my type of person who would rather accept what happened and move on than fight tooth and nail for what he considered a small amount of money.
Next week my bf, son and I are going back. I am not as "well off" as my father and if that happened to just us, it would have ruined the vacation so I am trying to think ahead. I want to take advantage of the magic bands bc who wouldn't want to be wallet-less in a sea full of strangers!? We will have the usual valuables with us (cc, cash, etc) but I also have a strong feeling there will be an engagement ring he will be storing as well...
Do those who've traveled since then feel the room is typically a safe place? Bc this happened, idk where to put everything...

Before I get the criticism, I understand that disney wouldn't be able to take everyone's word of "omg your employees stole $____ from me, now pay me back"...but we know what happened and while it may have been maintenance and not mousekeepers, it was someone from disney who didn't work for it. And bc it did actually happen, I was hoping disney would have been a little more alarmed and willing to do something to alieviate the situation, than throw the kids 1/15th of what was actually missing... but that's another story for another day..

Sadly, unless you're willing to plant a camera to record what goes on in your room while you're out, and then watch it back once you return after a taxing day at the pool/parks/downtown/etc., you'll never be able to prove if anyone actually took something from you. It sucks, but that's the way things are.

I believe there are ways you can insure items during vacation, be it insurance on the item entirely, or added into travel insurance, but it's your call. Unless you ever were to have definitive proof that someone who worked for Disney stole items from you, nothing will go past them saying, "We have no hand in this."

 

[JanaDee]

I always assume there is a master key or master code (if electronic) for any type of safe in a hotel room.

 

[TimothyG]

Unfortunately, it happens. I do believe that Disney World does their due diligence in hiring (background checks, etc.), they also employ over 60,000 people and there are some "not so magical" people in that bunch. Plus, I'm sure there have been a ton of cases of pick pocketing at theme parks. People engaging in that behavior is going to happen at any destination with tens of thousands of people.

Personally, I would not carry a large amount of cash like that on vacation. Cash is too easy to be stolen by anyone.

I put everything on my room credit at Disney so it's itemized and requires my PIN. Elsewhere, everything goes on my American Express card because I know that they will back me up if I have any issues (they've overnighted me a replacement card for no charge before).

The good news is it's a pretty rare issue and I do think WDW has a lot less of this behavior than other vacation destinations.

 

[rapunzels]

It won't get your stuff back, nor will it get you compensation in many cases. It WILL alert the hotel and the cops that there might be a problem if they get enough reports. Had nobody reported thefts in the previously cited case, that housekeeper who was caught would have gone right on stealing.

Yes in that case the housekeeper was caught... Which is fantastic! ... But in most cases the crook is not caught and the victim certainly never gets their stuff back..