Have you ever had anything stolen at Disney World?

[Laketravis]

Last year we had an iPad go missing in our room at CSR. We reported it to CSR management with the assumption that DS left it in the bed and it got removed with a sheet change.

Housekeeping called us almost every day updating us as to whether or not it was found in the laundry loads since they couldn't trace loads back to individual rooms. On the last day before we checked out, they called us and asked us what it was worth. We told them probably $250, they said they could offer us a credit of up to $200 and we accepted that.

Of course, that was last year. We just got back from another two-week stay and I sensed a definite change in the attitudes of resort staff, they weren't as customer service oriented as we've found them to be in the past.

 

[sukhakuli]

We've never had anything stolen at any of the Disney Parks, including our credit cards.

 

[disney is my life]

Yes and No. We still aren't 100% sure it was stolen but we're almost certain though it was our fault. My dd17 lost her phone at Disney in November of last year on her 16th birthday. She is almost certain that it fell under the table at CRT. It's either still underneath the table or someone else got a new phone. Since it's been over a year now and it still hasn't been found I'm assuming someone else has it but we're still secretly hoping that when CRT undergoes refurbishment in January that they might find it.

 

[plumsiren]

We had the opposite too, thank goodness! When we went (when I was a kid) my dad lost his wallet. We realized when we got back to the hotel and he immediately started calling the cc companies to cancel the cards. Then we started thinking about where/how he could have lost it and the most likely place was when we were on BTMRR (he sometimes carried it in his top shirt pocket so we thought it flew out during the ride). We went back to MK (I don't remember if we called them, they called us, or we just showed up) and it was at lost & found - a CM had turned it in, and everything was in it including the cash.

 

[MyOtherSS]

My sobriety went missing at the world showcase but it turned up the next morning... All joking aside, it's a real bummer to hear that people have had things taken by cast members. Disney is the one place where I always felt like my belongings were safe in the room. My Mother and sisters had a bag stolen when they were at Rainforest Café in DTD.

 

[happymommy]

Several years ago, I went to Disney with my kids. Right after we returned, my credit card number had been stolen. I didn't leave Disney the whole time, so my guess is someone (wait staff) had probably taken a photo of my card and kept it, then tried to use it later.

I've heard it's not a good idea to let wait staff walk away with your credit card, as this can happen anywhere.

 

[ellone]

Awhile back a front desk CM at Saratoga Springs was arrested for taking part in a credit card "skimming" ring. So it could be anybody you hand your card over to. Even at Disney World. Although unless you are willing to pay cash for everything, it's kind of difficult to get through without letting someone see your credit card.

My last trip I checked in online and added a credit card at that time. At check in I was just asked if I wanted my charges on that card. Since I did the check in person didn't need to see my card. Maybe they are doing that to cut down on opportunities for skimming.

 

[maxiesmom]

Last year we had an iPad go missing in our room at CSR. We reported it to CSR management with the assumption that DS left it in the bed and it got removed with a sheet change.

Housekeeping called us almost every day updating us as to whether or not it was found in the laundry loads since they couldn't trace loads back to individual rooms. On the last day before we checked out, they called us and asked us what it was worth. We told them probably $250, they said they could offer us a credit of up to $200 and we accepted that.

Of course, that was last year. We just got back from another two-week stay and I sensed a definite change in the attitudes of resort staff, they weren't as customer service oriented as we've found them to be in the past.

Given that you have had 2 bad experiences in a row, do you think you will ever go back to CSR? I asked one of my family members where they would like to stay next time, and they said CSR. My nephew brings his lap top along, and much to my horror, won't lock it up.

 

[fairytalelover]

An iphone.
Disney could care less and told us there was nothing they could do. They asked housecleaning and they didn't have the phone.
So....
I used findmyphone app to track it down then I used google maps to give me and address.
Got the address and searched the counties appraisal district for the owner of the address.
Got her name.
Ran her through facebook and what a coincidence, she worked for Disney in housekeeping.

I then contact the police and the officer when and chatted with the lady. He then left and called me and I described her to him (from photos on FB) and described her perfectly. He made sure I was going to press charges then went back up to the door and at that time she gave it up.. claimed she was turning it in on her next shift.

PD shipped the phone to me. They were awesome.. Disney Co. sucked.

How does the find my phone app work?

 

[Brian Noble]

Have you ever had anything stolen at Disney World?

Nope. Not once.

As for credit card numbers: any place at which you've ever used that card could well be the point of compromise. Lunch at the airport, rental car counter, gas station, etc. etc. Most numbers are stolen by a compromised card reader that "skims" all the cards swiped through it. Then, at some point---it could be weeks or even months later---someone collects those card numbers and sells them in an underground market, often in bulk.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ard-numbers-cost-5-times-as-much-as-u-s-ones/
http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/introduction-business-stolen-card-data/

I average about one compromised credit card every year or so, but I travel frequently both domestically and abroad. It's only a matter of time before we adopt chip-and-pin cards and infrastructure here in the US---that will make it much harder to skim card numbers.

How does the find my phone app work?

http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201472

 

[fairytalelover]

No, and we never lock anything up in the room and we have always left lots of things, even a camera bag with spare lenses, in the stroller. We bring lots of electronics with us too, couple lap tops, iPads, etc.
This last trip in Aug, DH left his phone laying on the ground near the FP kiosks in Frontier Land. It was turned in to a CM, who answered it when I called and directed us to him. We are still working under the wonderful Disney bubble

We had a false sense of security under the "wonderful Disney bubble" and used to leave our backpacks full of all of our stuff (except money thank God) under our son's stroller when we went on rides and we did this for years until one day the stroller was stolen at Disneyland with the backpack of course. I was so freaked our because on top of everything else our son's diabetes kit was in there and we did not have any backup meds at the hotel. They finally found the stroller with the backpack but you can tell somebody had gone through the backpack and had opened up the diabetes bag, probably looking for money or credit cards. Since then we no longer have a false sense of security. The CMs said there had been a lot of stroller thefts lately.

 

[Laketravis]

Given that you have had 2 bad experiences in a row, do you think you will ever go back to CSR? I asked one of my family members where they would like to stay next time, and they said CSR. My nephew brings his lap top along, and much to my horror, won't lock it up.

I didn't consider the iPad incident to be a negative experience on their part - we figured DS left it in the bed and it got taken out with the sheets. Mistakes happen and we were just as culpable in the loss; the way they responded to that situation was unexpectedly positive (we only asked that they check the laundry, didn't expect remuneration but they offered), unlike their response to the recent experience.

Will we go back? I honestly can't say. If we don't, it's entirely because of our last experience and that had nothing to do with anything being stolen but how they reacted to their mistake.

 

[fairytalelover]

So wouldnt using the magic bands now prevent the theft of credit cards and skimming etc...?

 

[toodycat]

We've never had anything stolen and we do travel with s lot of electronics. We've actually had really good luck and pixie dust. I left my wallet with $700 and a bunch of credit cards on the table at the Kona Cafe. Our waiter found it and returned it.

On the Disney Magic, DH accidentally left his wedding band, which is gorgeous and thick, in the safe. He realized he didn't have it when we arrived home. We called DCL and they said that they would look for it when the ship turned over the following Saturday. They didn't contact us the next week, so we thought it was gone for good. A week later, it arrived FedEx! What a relief!

 

[jon18uk]

Yes...happened at one of the Disney waterparks in January 2006. We went to the counter-service for lunch and were only gone about 15 minutes but while we were gone someone stole DS's water goggles, my disposable water camera, & DS's brand new Star Wars toy he'd gotten the night before from Hollywood Studios out of our beach bag.

We reported it & Disney was great. They gave DS'S new goggles & had a replacement Star Wars toy sent to our resort from HS. Security also told us that we were not the only people hit in the park that day.

Ever since then, we ALWAYS rent a locker at the waterparks.

I've always found it strange that people don't rent lockers. I don't like leaving things unattended next to the resort pool, let alone the waterpark pool!

 

[darrengs]

My favorite "Disney Thief" story:

http://www.davelongstrethmusic.com/archives/231

 

[fairytalelover]

My favorite "Disney Thief" story:

http://www.davelongstrethmusic.com/archives/231

Wow! That was an incredible story!

 

[Liz]

On November 15th we were leaving Epcot after Illuminations and near the Christmas tree we found an I-phone on the ground. We figured the best place to take it was Guest Services so we kept going that way. The "Find my I-phone" thing started going off but the phone was password protected so we couldn't even answer it. I wondered if the owner could see his/her phone moving towards the exit (I don't know how it works and don't even own a smart phone!) The phone was beeping and I kept thinking someone was going to come running up and accuse me of stealing their phone so I held it out in plain sight. We turned it in at Guest Services and the people behind us were there to see if their I-phone had been turned in (the one we found wasn't it.)

I guess this doesn't really qualify since the thread is about things being stolen not just lost. Sorry, off topic. Time to go home!

 

[Lehuaann]

My favorite "Disney Thief" story:

http://www.davelongstrethmusic.com/archives/231

Yep, one of mine, too. I have used it several times to stress the importance of downloading the "Find My iPhone" app.

 

[Lehuaann]

Oops, sorry for the dup post.