In room safe- how safe?

[mousefan73]

We will most likely be traveling with a significant amount of cash. I once had a bad trip where my CC was not working ( had a security block due to overseas travel). So we are now paranoid and will be bringiing our spending money cash. Gift cards, not an option as we are coming from Europe.

Anyways..how safe are the in-room safes?
Has anyone experienced or heard or anyone who had money or things stolen from the safe???

We want to avoid carrying large amounts of cash in the parks.

 

[gwynne]

Mousefan,
Is it possible for you to just call your credit card company, and give them dates/location for your travel? We do this when we are going on a trip. That way the CC company knows and expects some unusual activity on our card.
I think the safes are relatively ok for ordinary use. That said, I would never bring or try to secure loads of cash. I think that would be far too much worry for me.

 

[BearcatsFan]

We used our safe last time around. It has a key you take with you. I didn't worry about it and everything was fine. Nothing was ever missing.

 

[zelasko]

If you are concerned with your CC and your past experience you may want to consider Travelers checks. American Express is good. You may want to get some with various people signatures in your party who might need them, thus you would not to always have to be personally present when the need arises.

We have done this at times and get them in larger $100.00 denominations, and then use them as payment for meals and the like and you get the change back in dollars. Ultra safe as it it takes a matching signature to redeem and in most cases you can get replacements if you lose one or have some stolen easily and promptly with AE. Just be sure to keep the register of the check number and where you spend them seperate from the checks so you don't lose everything at one go and have the necessary list of anything that is missing for your claim

Plus it serves as a budgeting tool and if you don't spend all of them you have them for future travel or can redeem them at your bank or AE office when you get home.

Obviously the exchange rate and fee will reduce what total you have to use vs. cash, but you probably have to do that anyway to get US $'s.

Good luck and enjoy your trip......

 

[francie57]

Agree with pp - travelers checks. We leave next week and I just went and got mine today. We use them for just about everything. We do take cash to cover tips and small items. When we get back I use some of the extra traveler checks to pay for the kennel to get out the pup and then put the rest back in the bank. We use the safe every trip and have never had a problem with anything being missing.

 

[Sue M]

I think the safes are good. Haven't heard of break ins. We come from Canada so can't get gift cards here either, but we do buy them once we arrive. One of the first things we do after check in, is go down to the resort gift shop at put some cash on GCs. I calculate how much I think I'm going to spend on dining, and put that amount on one GC, then I have another GC for suvies.

 

[Suzy8383]

Have you considered buying a prepaid Visa? Instead of using your personal CC you could always use your cash to buy a prepaid Visa card and then just carry that with you.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Traveler's checks seem like a rip off to me. If you are getting American $, you are likley also paying a significant fee. That's one of the best reason's to use a cc - you get teh transfer ate the bank uses- solong as they don't charge any extra fees. In the USA, you're best deal is often to go through a credit Union, or a cc that's got minimal fees for such transactions.

The room safes as I recall, do not have a key. I don't ever recall seeing a key. How they work is that you set the password yourself, (I think) every time you lock it.

We've never had any problems, but then, I don't recall having anything stolen from our room - even stuff that wasn't in a safe. (though I know that's pure anecdote.) My thought though is that there MUST be a way for WDW to open them in the event someone forgets a password.

The only thefts I've heard about, minimally on the DIS, are stroller thefts in the parks. Like someone stealing or accidentally walking of with the wrong stroller. (often tehre are many stroller taht look nearly identical) Or staff moving them and guests not being able to find them. I've heard about the potential of items being taken from the stroller basket.

I agree with calling your cc company. Another option is using your bank card. Ther are lots of ATM's at WDW. Just check with your bank. Tell them what you plan and pick one that has low international fees. Again, this is likely a safer option than carrying lots of cash, and you'll get the best rates.

Also, my habit for travel is to make sure we have TWO credit cards when we travel. I rarely use one of the cc, but it's a travel back up.

Beyond that, a family member once had trouble witha cc. It was a major card, and the company offered to overnight her a card to her WDW room. She didn't need it that urgently, so she just had them send it to her home intead, but if you have a major cc it can be done.

Last, for the cash you do carry, a family member of mine came up with a neat idea. He hated the moeny belts, etc. he was also unableto find travel pants he liked witha built in pocket. So he took one of his favorite pairs of pants to tailor - and had the tailor add custom 'hidden pocket' inside his pants. Just don't use it for anything that airport security won't like!

 

[diskids2]

We just returned from the BC and there was a key to our safe. We kept cash in it and had no problems, but if you are worried about that I would do one of the options already mentioned. My favorite is buying some disney gift cards and using them for the whole trip. You could also give cash at check in and then charge back to your room using your KTTW. I'm just not sure how you get the cash back that is not spent....meaning is it cash or a check. I've never had anything left

 

[mousefan73]

We just returned from the BC and there was a key to our safe. We kept cash in it and had no problems, but if you are worried about that I would do one of the options already mentioned. My favorite is buying some disney gift cards and using them for the whole trip. You could also give cash at check in and then charge back to your room using your KTTW. I'm just not sure how you get the cash back that is not spent....meaning is it cash or a check. I've never had anything left

I like the idea of paying cash on the KTTW account at checkin. We do have our cc on file for this when we booked. But we prefer paying cash in the end.

Can one "prepay" with cash for kTTW charges??? Might be a good idea to put a couple hundred on the room, this way this cant be lost. And we will spend it.

 

[darkwing818]

We've given them cash & gift cards at check-in, to put on our KTTW card.

 

[kddisney502]

Just a thought... Are you going to have problems getting your big wad of cash through customs?

Last time you traveled did you call your cc company before hand and tell them your travel dates and location? I've always done this before traveling internationally and never had a problem.

 

[mousefan73]

You can bring in 10 grand with no issues. Though we can only afford less than tenth of that!!

I will call cc card company, but we are still bringing some cash. We just dont want to risk losing it at some park. So some will be in safe and or prepaid. Nice that sofar none have hadv things stolen. M

 

[Sue M]

You can bring in 10 grand with no issues. Though we can only afford less than tenth of that!!

I will call cc card company, but we are still bringing some cash. We just dont want to risk losing it at some park. So some will be in safe and or prepaid. Nice that sofar none have hadv things stolen. M

This is the main reason I buy gift cards on arrival, so I don't run the risk of loosing my credit card . You can put money down on your acct at the hotel, but for me, I find it's easier to keep track of my spending using gift cards. Every time I make a purchase you get a print out of the balance, so I always know how much I have left in card.

 

[mommycrawford]

Do you have an American Express card? I have gotten Amex travellers checks with no fee because of my card....Perhaps there is something like this that you can do before you leave home? Just a thought. Or, can you purchase Disney gift cards? Those could be used at Disney Owned venues.

 

[purple figment]

Something to keep in mind with regard to gift cards: if you have money left on them at the end of your trip you will not be able to convert it back to cash. On the other hand you'll have starter money for your next Disney trip. Also, anything you purchase with a gift card that you return, will go back on the gift card.

I've never used it, but there is a safe/safety deposit box in the check in/guest services office. We've always just put things in the in-room safe and never had a problem.

 

[shine87]

I also have not had anything stolen from the safe. My last few trips I have kept my cash and Ipod touch in there. I just put the key in my bag and have never had a problem with it.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

But isn't a cc much safer than a gift card? I always figured if a gc was lost, stolen, or you dispute a charge you are out of luck. With a cc, if it's lost or stolen- so long as you report it right away, you are covered for losses above $50. Bank cards are kind of in between.

Also a cc gives you better protection in case you are unhappy with a product. They will go to bat for you if you buy a faulty product and the store won't give you a refund, or the store double charges. They also give you insurance on (domestic) car rentals.

Now as far as Disney goes- I HAVE experienced those kind of problems: Incorrect charges and double charges to our room. Disney was good about correcting them, but I was able to call my cc as well. They put a hold on the charge right away. We've had several misplaced charges show up on our KTTW card/cc. One mistake was over $1000! Luckily we caught it, and found out who to call at Disney, and they reversed the charges.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

We always keep things in the safe and have never had a problem (I hope I didn't just jinx myself since we'll be there in 2 days!) We keep cash, our IPod touches and other assorted small valuable items in them. We've used them in both moderates and deluxes. Have a great trip!