Housekeeping theft at Saratoga Springs

[Sammie]

I am sorry this happened to the OP but before anyone rushes to judgement this is one side of the story.

We have stayed at SSR, many times, left our laptop on the dining room table and never had any problems.

This is not to say it can't happen, or didn't happen, but you can't paint all the staff with the same brush and say it will happen to everyone else as it doesn't.

Orlando police do not investigate at Disney, the sheriff's office does, and unless they or Disney confirmed it was employee from housekeeping, then we truly do not know that. Many have keys to the rooms and even nonemployees can get in, if they truly want to.

Which is why it amazes me at the number of people who sleep and shower without the deadbolt and latch on their door.

 

[Allison]

What ever happened to Police Reports, the best way to resolve theft problems is to get the Police involved. I worked for many years as a Police Officer and I can tell you most departments like to clear cases. I would have called the local Law Enforcement and got them involved.

They did. The police came and took a report.

 

[cristbaby]

So sorry to hear that this happened to you. It is a great reminder to all of us as to how important it is to put things of value in the safe.

 

[bsusanmb]

Oh, boy. I have always been too trustworthy and left my lap top and cameras out on the desk at SSR and anywhere else for that matter.

How do you lock the lap top? I wouldn't know what to do with all my stuff!

 

[IAMaGR8DISMOM]

What are cable locks? How do they work?

 

[CarolA]

What are cable locks? How do they work?

http://www.amazon.com/Targus-PA410U-DEFCON-Notebook-Computer/dp/B000031XCM

Somewhere on every laptop is a small little slot. You wrap this cable around something big and hard to move. (Like the Desk, dining room table center at SSR etc) stick the lock thur the loop and attach the lock to the laptop in the little slot.

Don't lose the key you have to destroy the stupid laptop to get it off. That's why I use the "combination types" as opposed to the key types.

 

[jeal]

I am sorry this happened to you.
My husband is in law enforcement and has said for years that hotel crime getting worse each year. Although it is a real pain sometimes, he refuses to allow anything to be left out in a hotel room that has any value including our cell phone charger. We lock everything we can in the safe and, if it doesn't fit, such as a laptop we contact the front desk to see if they have the ability to store it. If the front desk doesn't have any way to store the stuff for us, we leave it a locked car. Of course, this necessitates moving the car once you put the stuff in it because (according to him) theives also watch cars to see what is being left in them.
As I said, all of this is one big pain so...................we rarely bring anything of value with us when we are traveling.

 

[klj27]

Sorry this happened to you.

 

[minnie61650]

OP, I am so sorry this happened to you.
I hope Disney is able to find out who entered your room and repay you for your losses.

HORRIBLE!
.....Recently, a family member of mine was in Vegas, left an IPOD in a beach bag covered with towels, book etc and was gone for bite to eat, came back and the room was cleaned and the IPOD missing! You'd think that would be easy to solve, right, two girls said wherer it was and when it was placed and left.
Front desk was called, then security came thru, said "hotel not responsible" after their evaluation, despite that, Police Report filed. Their "evaluation" was to ask the housekeeping staff if they took anything, CAN YOU IMAGINE, I mean if they were brazen enough to steal, did they really think they'd fess up???
Anyway, lost the Ipod, no compensation and TOTALLY annoyed with handling but did receive a letter from Las VegaS Police Dept, saying they could do nothing as hotel thefts are handled by the hotels, a joke but a lesson learned by my niece, LOCK UP YOUR STUFF AND TRUST NO ONE!!
Hope it works out better for you!

Yes, lock your valuables up.

Sometimes it is easy to point fingers when it may be really an outsider who
creates the theft.

Sorry long story:

About 15 years we were staying on the 8 floor of an oceanfront suite which had an angled ocean front suite next door.

When we were unloading the car after checking in I thought I saw someone's foot hanging from above our balcony. I could hear a couple of teen boys so I just thought they were sitting on the balcony above.

I went back to the car for another load. When I got to our room I saw a couple of teen boys at the door next door and then the door opened and two more teens came with a green garbage bag. Well, I did not give it a second thought until the next day the next door neighbor told me that housekeeping had robbed them and to keep my valuables safe. She asked if saw housekeeping come out of their room with a green garbage bag.
Well, that's when I put 2+2 together. To make a long story shorter ...The teen boys had climbed down from a higher balcony and opened the patio door of their room and then stole the items.

I learned 2 lessons.. lock up my valuables and I try not to jump to conclusions. It is too easy just to blame housekeeping.

Just my 2 cents

 

[my2princessgirls]

Forewarning to anyone staying at Saratoga Springs Resort: Beware of housekeeping staff as we were robbed of 2 laptops, 1 digital camera, and 1 cell phone charger the day after we had our 2 bedroom villa cleaned during our stay. We were only gone from our room for about 4-5 hours that evening and someone entered our room with a room key and stole our things. Prior to leaving for the evening, my husband and I separately received calls to our room phone during the day where nobody was as the other end??? We believe they were checking to see if we had left our room yet so they could come in. Security came and took a report, Orlando Police also came and took a report and although Disney Security assured us that they could tell who entered our room (cause each room key has a specific number assigned to it) we were never given any information regarding who was responsible. Therefore we could never press charges and possibly get our things back. We have been DVC members since 1998 and never had a problem like this, but we also never stayed at Saratoga Springs until this year. We were disappointed with the way Disney handled our theft as we were constantly calling Security and Management at the resort to get updated on what was discovered. They handled the case poorly and the only compensation given to us was $500.00 (that is REQUIRED BY FLORIDA LAW to cover any theft liability by housekeeping staff), and that was after many phone calls to Disney inquiring about our case and what they may or maynot have found out. Our Disney memories have been sadly ruined by this theft and we will never feel "safe at home" as we once did.

I am so sorry that this happened to you. A similar thing happened to us in May at the Contemporary. Our lugage was being transfered to the BWV and everything made it except our laptop backpack. We had around $2500 worth of stuff in that bag (laptop, camera equipment, etc., not to mention the bag itself which was brand new and cost $250). We also had BOTH sets of keys to our minivan in that bag. Our van was parked at a hotel close to the airport (which was 3 hours from our home), and we had to have a locksmith come and break into it for us when we got there after our vacation. Thankfully we remembered that our valet key was hidden in the van, so we were able to get home. Those keys were very expensive to get replaced!


I agree with you about the hassle with trying to take care of the situation. We were on the phone MANY times each day with people from both the CR and BWV, plus Disney Security and the police. We lost lots of precious vacation time taking care of the mess. We did online banking from that laptop, so we had to immediately change lots of passwords, as well as contact the credit companies to make sure that no one tried to open any accounts in our names. I was physically sick aobut the whole thiing (though I guess that the bright side is that I lost 2 pounds while on vacation!!).

Have you already accepted the $500 from Disney? I ask because we pushed it and got $1000 from them - they say it was the most that they could do without going to court. We also put a claim into our homeowners insurance and recieved about $1100 from them after our deductable. If you haven't accepted the $500 be sure to keep pushing it, they CAN give more than that if you push them for it.

Again I am so sorry that this happened to you, and good luck getting it all squared away!

 

[BabyFu18]

Supposedly the safes at Disney are big enough for a laptop (I've never tried, but that's what I was told when I inquired about how many items the safe would hold). So whenever I'm at a hotel (Disney or otherwise) I always put anything important in the safe, even if I'm just leaving the room to go for a swim or something where I'll be back in a short time.

Everything from cameras, cell phones/chargers, ipod, meds, wallets, purses, etc. go in the safe and stay there until they need to come out for use.

I'm so sorry that you had belongs taken from you, but hopefully something more can be done for you. It just really goes to show, you can never be to safe, even at the happiest place on earth things can go wrong quickly.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Supposedly the safes at Disney are big enough for a laptop (I've never tried, but that's what I was told when I inquired about how many items the safe would hold). So whenever I'm at a hotel (Disney or otherwise) I always put anything important in the safe, even if I'm just leaving the room to go for a swim or something where I'll be back in a short time.

Everything from cameras, cell phones/chargers, ipod, meds, wallets, purses, etc. go in the safe and stay there until they need to come out for use.

I'm so sorry that you had belongs taken from you, but hopefully something more can be done for you. It just really goes to show, you can never be to safe, even at the happiest place on earth things can go wrong quickly.

The safes are not big enough for a laptop, or a large camera. They are not very deep or big. Keys wallets, gameboy's/ds, meds. Not a laptop, no way.

 

[BabyFu18]

I was for sure able to fit a normal sized digital camera in the safe, but not a huge one (not sure what consist as a huge camera really). Still I was told that the safes would hold a laptop (told this at the PC) when I was being shown a room. Personally I don't travel with a laptop but maybe a smaller one would fit, I don't know I'm only relaying what I was told by a CM (who may have had the wrong info, I don't know).

At SOG though, the safes are bigger (and not made into the wall) and will hold more. Though the safe we had a CR held a good amount aswell, atleast for what I travel with.

They should have made bigger safes, I'm sure they know most people do travel with laptops and would want to lock them up. Personally if I couldn't fit it in the safe I wouldn't bring it with me, but I know not everyone has that option.

 

[minnie61650]

The safes are not big enough for a laptop, or a large camera. They are not very deep or big. Keys wallets, gameboy's/ds, meds. Not a laptop, no way.

I agree. Here is the photo of the wall safe at All star Music:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/minnie61650/ASMUwallsafe.jpg

Just enough room for a few small items.

 

[Colleen27]

Supposedly the safes at Disney are big enough for a laptop (I've never tried, but that's what I was told when I inquired about how many items the safe would hold). So whenever I'm at a hotel (Disney or otherwise) I always put anything important in the safe, even if I'm just leaving the room to go for a swim or something where I'll be back in a short time.

There is no way the safes we've had at Disney (POR) were large enough for a laptop. I think even a bulkier camera might be pushing it, but I couldn't say for sure because I didn't take my SLR on our last trip and my everyday camera is pocket-sized. I'm reluctant to travel with my laptop for just that reason - I don't really need it at Disney, since I bought a photobank (that does fit in the safe!) for unloading the cameras, and I'd rather not chance it disappearing.

 

[Dis Ohana]

I realize now how naive and lucky we've been. I always travel with my laptop and cameras and whatever else left out in open and plain view . I've never really bothered to lock away or hide anything. I've never even bothered to lock up our travel documents. Never again! I'm investing in one of those cable locks too.

I'm so sorry that you had to deal with this on your vacation. It's awful to have anything taken from you, but to have it done while on a trip makes even worse.

 

[fla4fun]

The safes are not big enough for a laptop, or a large camera. They are not very deep or big. Keys wallets, gameboy's/ds, meds. Not a laptop, no way.

It depends on which resort you are in. My laptop fit in the safe at BCV just fine with room to spare (and in it's padded case), both in the studio and one bedroom. I have a medium size camera (Canon S1 IS) and it fits in the DVC safes easily as well. However, the safes at BC and WL are very small, and once I get the camera and my car keys and spare cash in there, it's pretty much full (I have to be careful where I place the camera in those, because the locking mechanism takes up so much space). I never leave any valuables out when I'm not in the room. I also don't take any expensive jewelry or any credit cards I won't need. One of my co-workers was staying at the YC with friends and a friend had jewelry stolen while they were at the pool. It wasn't in the safe either. I hope the OP filed a police report in addition to talking to Disney security.

BTW - it's not always fair to accuse housekeeping right off the bat. Don't forget there are maintenance people with key access as well who come in when you're out of the room. When housekeeping does the room, they report anything they find that needs fixed (like burned out bulbs, etc.) and then later a maintenance person comes around to do it. If Disney is like other hotels, there are also certain management staff who will have key access to rooms. So it's not always a sticky fingered Mousekeeper that's to blame. Disney should be able to tell by the key used who accessed the room at what time.

 

[jcanary]

We were over in France this past spring and we were in a Marriott timeshare that had 2 levels. While we slept someone broke into our villa along with 5 others and stole everything. Unfortuantely, but fortunately, we were sleeping upstairs so since we were in the villa then Marriott was completely responsible for everything that was taken. We were told that if we were not in the room at the time of the robbery, then the hotel was not responsible for the items taken. It was a horrible feeling to have had this happen so believe me I sympathize with you. You do have the option of sending and reporting the claim to your home owners. We did but since Marriott's insurance company covered everything we did not have to make a formal claim. Atleast you can replace those things, we lost all of our pictures that were taken on our 10 day tour of 5 countries that we won't ever be able to recreate, but we have our memories and none of us were hurt.
Also by the way - the Marriott was absolutely terrible with helping us. They did not go out of their way to assist us in any way. Thank goodness we had a friend in the government law enforcement there in Paris who helped us. And Yep this was suppose to be our days in Disneyland Paris but didn't get to spend more than 5 hours in the parks.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I am really sorry this happened to the OP.

When I used to travel for business, we got it DRILLED into us to lock up our laptops with either a cable lock or put it in a safe. Our office would have laptops stolen simply because they were left out and unsecured. I've had the 'security talk' with the kids about our next trip and they know EVERYTHING of value goes into the safe. We don't leave the room until everything is secured: cash, laptops, digital cameras, video camera, iPods, Nintendo DSs and PSP.

Now at WDW, I know for sure that the Polynesian and POP have safes that can hold laptops because I've stayed in both hotels and have seen it with my own eyes.

FYI, you can get cable locks (with both keys or a combination) at Best Buy, Circuit City, Target and the like.

 

[kapoof]

when we go to disney dh always leaves his laptop at home and i never bring with anything of real value (nice jewerly etc) we do bring cell phones and i always seem to forget that it is left charging in the room...when we come back from the parks it is always in the same place i left it. we never use the safes and probably never will...

i hope we hear from the op again...some of the other posters have asked some good questions.