Disney, DSLR, and theft.

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

OK, I finally got me a nice DSLR (Red Pentax K-X) and a bag of lenses. We are considering an upcoming trip. But in the past, I have always brought my little Olympus Stylus, and it fit easily in my pocket. Obviously i'll have a bigger one to carry now, but my concern is for when we DONT carry it into the parks. I planned to leave it in the room on a couple of the days. I have had theft problems on our many trips to Cancun, but I have never had any issues in Disney. Of course I'm one of those people who stuffs the room safe so full that it nearly explodes when you open it. We always managed to get all our electronics in the safe.
OK, the questions begin!!!

• So what does all the people with DSLR cameras do?
• Do you just leave it in the room?
• It gets awfully hot in the parking lot, and I'm not sure I'd trust it in the van with the windows up.
• Will Disney hold more expensive items up front?
• Do you rent a locker?
• How much does it cost to rent a locker?
• Is there another option I'm missing?
• Have you ever had anything expensive stolen from your room?
• Is it covered on any kind of Insurance if it DID get stolen from the room?
• Are there any precautions you can do ahead of time or once there?

 

[RBennett]

I have a better question.... why WOULD you leave it anywhere other than on your person?? In all seriousness, that's the main reason I got my Pentax K100D back in the day was because I wanted a camera with me that could capture those shots. Now having said that, I do utilize the in room safe for like my external hard drive and I put my laptop out of site the best I can. But I'm like you; don't leave anything in the vehicle normally and I try to carry what I can. I have a sling bag that fits on every ride I've been on and we usually leave the tripod at the front until nightfall.

 

[GrillMouster]

For valuables I'll use room safe. I always leave the "do not disturb" outside my door during my stay. I don't want housekeeping my room until I check out. If I need towels, etc., I just ask for it. I never leave anything out, especially laptop or other electronics that don't fit in the room safe. I'll lock them in my luggage, lock the luggage, and put it in the closet or somewhere out of sight. The biggest scam resulting in hotel room theft isn't the houskeepers, but, thieves who pass through the halls when housekeepers are cleaning. If they pass by the open door and see a laptop or something they'll pop in, act like it's their room and they forgot something, grab the laptop and be gone before the housekeeper can say anything. Real smooth.

I've used lockers at the parks for tripods (more for convenience than security).

I've never had a problem with my cameras in my hot car (and you know how hot it gets in Central FL), but I always keep them out of site and try to be inconspicuous even as I put stuff in the trunk of the car. I'm actually thinking of getting an insulated cooler to keep my camera gear in (along with dessicant gel packs) the car..just in case.

 

[PixieDust32]

A lot of hotels have safety deposit boxes free of charge for guest at the front Desk. I don't have DSLR (YET ) but when we had carried cash and Disney Dollars in the past so we just went to the front desk and got a box, they have different sizes for bigger items.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

Great responses! Keem them coming!

 

[mom2rtk]

I honestly can't think of being in Disney without my DSLR. I figure as soon as I leave it behind,THAT will be when I see the most amazing photo-ops...

I vote for just take it with you all the time!

 

[C&B Young]

I never leave anything out, especially laptop or other electronics that don't fit in the room safe. I'll lock them in my luggage, lock the luggage, and put it in the closet or somewhere out of sight.

This is what I do too. If you have to leave equipment in the room, lock the luggage - you can also use a laptop lock to attach the luggage itself to something in the room so the luggage can't "walk away".

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I put valuables in the safe when possible. When it isn't, I either leave them with the front desk or hidden in my room. In a drawer under soiled underwear is always a good place. I also keep a do-no-disturb sign on my door. Rather than rely on housekeeping, I bring my wife.

If my camera gear is stolen (again - it happened in Oklahoma), I'll call my insurance agent. I have a separate rider on my camera gear. If you don't, you can usually claim based on your auto insurance (if it was stolen from your car) or your home owners or renters insurance (if it was stolen from your room). Check with your agent to be sure.

I leave camera gear in my car from time to time in the Houston area. The climate is similar to Orlando. As long as it is out of direct sunlight, I don't think that the heat will hurt it. I've never seen any related problems. I should add, however, that I always drive white cars for thermal reasons. If you leave it on your dash or rear shelf where direct sunlight will hit it, all bets are off. I lost a box of crayons. They became one big, multicolored crayon. I lost a plastic chess set. The chessman (or is that chesspersons?) got really droopy. I sort of lost a tub of gummi worms. They melted into a large brown gummy slag. It tasted the same, so I ate much of it anyway. I think I lost the slag at a friends house during a poker game.

If you really want to keep your camera gear safe in Orlando, hire Disney's top security official - Disney Don. Nobody gets by him. Well, maybe if they show him some ID, but what crook is going to do that?

Once you get back, be sure to keep your photos off of FlickR. If you post them there, they are sure to get stolen and wind up on some Brazilian role player's cell phone. That's what I do with the shots that Jeff posts there.

 

[Frantasmic]

Regarding locker rental at the parks.

You pay 12 bucks. Get a receipt. Unlimited open and closing. When you turn in your key at the end of the day, you get 5 bucks back.

I just wish the lockers were more centrally located.

 

[GrillMouster]

Regarding locker rental at the parks.

You pay 12 bucks. Get a receipt. Unlimited open and closing. When you turn in your key at the end of the day, you get 5 bucks back.

I just wish the lockers were more centrally located.

And like parking and stroller rental, if you park hop and show your receipt at the other park(s), you'll get another one there at no additional charge.

 

[GrillMouster]

...Rather than rely on housekeeping, I bring my wife...

It's funny cause it's true.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

In a drawer under soiled underwear is always a good place.

I gotta laugh for 2 reasons:

1) I do that too!!!!!!!!
2) You'd feel awfully funny if you logged on tomorrow and the tag fairy had placed those words under your user ID....

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Whenever I've filled the safe I try not to hide whatever of value is there. I'll leav it in the open with a note and take a photo. We've never lost anything or had anything get removed from our room. We used to do the dirty underwear routine but it always freaked me out whenever I had to use whatever was buried under our soiled undergarments

 

[mom2rtk]

Rather than rely on housekeeping, I bring my wife.

Man, sounds like I need a WIFE before my next trip! Cuz I'm pretty sure my husband isn't going to clean the room when we get back at night!

Heck, for me, coming back to a clean room is ALMOST as much fun as being in the parks!

Regarding locker rental at the parks.

You pay 12 bucks. Get a receipt. Unlimited open and closing. When you turn in your key at the end of the day, you get 5 bucks back.

I just wish the lockers were more centrally located.

Me too! I don't like running back and forth to the front of the park. But then with my son on the track team this year, he sounds qualified to now make all the fastpass and locker runs!

 

[mom2rtk]

Whenever I've filled the safe I try not to hide whatever of value is there. I'll leav it in the open with a note and take a photo. We've never lost anything or had anything get removed from our room. We used to do the dirty underwear routine but it always freaked me out whenever I had to use whatever was buried under our soiled undergarments

NOTE to self: When ransacking someone's hotel room, don't forget to check the dirty laundry........... I wonder how many members of Mousekeeping read the DIS??? I'm gonna check the laundry next time I leave the room and see if it's been disturbed when I get back..... I guess I wouldn't MIND..... as long as they washed it all for me!

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Sadly I do a couple loads of laundry every vacation to help get some quiet time... er I mean to help DW enjoy one on one time with the children...

 

[Chikabowa]

I put valuables in the safe when possible. When it isn't, I either leave them with the front desk or hidden in my room. In a drawer under soiled underwear is always a good place. I also keep a do-no-disturb sign on my door. Rather than rely on housekeeping, I bring my wife.

If my camera gear is stolen (again - it happened in Oklahoma), I'll call my insurance agent. I have a separate rider on my camera gear. If you don't, you can usually claim based on your auto insurance (if it was stolen from your car) or your home owners or renters insurance (if it was stolen from your room). Check with your agent to be sure.

I leave camera gear in my car from time to time in the Houston area. The climate is similar to Orlando. As long as it is out of direct sunlight, I don't think that the heat will hurt it. I've never seen any related problems. I should add, however, that I always drive white cars for thermal reasons. If you leave it on your dash or rear shelf where direct sunlight will hit it, all bets are off. I lost a box of crayons. They became one big, multicolored crayon. I lost a plastic chess set. The chessman (or is that chesspersons?) got really droopy. I sort of lost a tub of gummi worms. They melted into a large brown gummy slag. It tasted the same, so I ate much of it anyway. I think I lost the slag at a friends house during a poker game.

If you really want to keep your camera gear safe in Orlando, hire Disney's top security official - Disney Don. Nobody gets by him. Well, maybe if they show him some ID, but what crook is going to do that?

Once you get back, be sure to keep your photos off of FlickR. If you post them there, they are sure to get stolen and wind up on some Brazilian role player's cell phone. That's what I do with the shots that Jeff posts there.

I had a really crappy photography related afternoon. This made me laugh - a lot. THANK YOU!

 

[photo_chick]

I too use dirty laundry to hide things in. Seriously... if they're gonna dare to dig in my son's dirty underwear then they gotta really want what I've got bad.

 

[SelfEmployedDebtFree]

All these posts about hiding things in dirty underwear reminds me of the episode of Spongebob where Mr Crabs tells spongebob and squidward that he has the secret formula hidden somewhere no one will ever find it. Squidwars says "Let me guess, under your mattress"
The maids probably know this trick in the first 2 days of employment, not that they are going to take anything. I've left stuff out before, but i've never had any issues. I'm still hesitant to leave my DSLR out though. I like the lock the luggage then lock it down trick best.
When we were going to Cancun regularly there were stories of people stealing the safes out of the walls. They say they aren't in all that well, and apparently they would get into the room and pry the sheet rock loose and pull the whole safe out with a prybar.

 

[DebºoºS]

Another dirty clothes gear stasher here. The room safe is barely big enough for passports, airlines tickets and cash. Not even a fifty will fit.