Keep luggage in car?

[mxylplik2]

I have a 4pm check in at the house we rented and I get into airport at 11:30am.

So I figure I rent a car by 12pm - drive to get some lunch (finish 1:30) and then the trip is 50 minutes to the house (2:20pm) . If the house is not ready (there is a 4pm check in). We can go to Publix to pick up stuff. So my question is whether you guys think the parking at Downtown Disney is reasonably safe to take a chance at leaving all our luggage in the car while we waste time/have lunch.

They don't want us to drop the luggage at the house as the cleaning crew doesn't want to take responsibility.

Same thing going home - I've got some time to burn before we get to the airport.

Any restaurants that come to mind that has parking in view from the dining area?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Are you getting a car, with a trunk? In that case, no problem. Put the luggage in the trunk and nobody will see it. As for restaurants from which you can watch your car, not at Downtown Disney - but PLENTY of places offsite should meet your needs.

 

[mxylplik2]

Actually, lots of luggage in one minivan (5 adults/ 2 kids). Not sure if the minivan has tinted windows in the 2nd and 3rd row or if we have to keep the luggage purely in the trunk section. But if no tinted windows, I think I can't rely on the car being able to mask what luggage I have stored in there.

 

[NotUrsula]

You could try going to an offsite hotel and telling a bellman that you would like to store your bags, the worst they can do is say no. Lots of bell desks don't even ask whether or not you are a guest. You tip nicely, and that is that. Usually the larger the hotel is, the easier it is to do.

I often do this when visiting big cities on business, if my hotel is rather far from the train station or from wherever my last-day meeting is. I take the bags to a closer-in hotel and store them there. If there is an extra fee I pay it happily.

 

[dcgrumpy]

We leave our luggage in the minivan while we spend our last day DTD all the time. We've never had a problem.

 

[sammi]

Last month we flew in at 10:30 AM and our villa rental wasn't ready for us until 5PM that day so we picked up our park tickets at Ticketmania and then had a nice lunch then decided to wander through downtown Disney after which we went to get groceries and then headed to our villa. We had all of our luggage in the trunk and not a problem with the parking lot. Security always seems to be around there so I think you'll be safe.

 

[keishashadow]

Not to hijack thread but, anyone leave their luggage in car/SUV overnight (on-site or off)?

DH & I go round & round on this one. He like to pack up the rental the night before w/the big stuff so we just need to drag a carry-on out in the a.m.

I always have a hard time sleeping thinking we'll go out & luggage won't be there.

This year we're staying offsite the 1st night & he wants to do it again!!!!
Even though the hotel seems nice (BW Lakeside), I really think it's tempting fate.

Any experiences.

 

[sammi]

Hmmmm I'd be pretty hesitant to keep my luggage in the car overnight.

 

[makinorlando]

Last month we flew in at 10:30 AM and our villa rental wasn't ready for us until 5PM that day so we picked up our park tickets at Ticketmania and then had a nice lunch then decided to wander through downtown Disney after which we went to get groceries and then headed to our villa. We had all of our luggage in the trunk and not a problem with the parking lot. Security always seems to be around there so I think you'll be safe.

I was going to say the same thing - Security is very visible at DTD, and the lots are so busy, especially in day light hours, I would have to think that car break ins at DTD are minimal. I could be wrong, don't have facts to back it up - but it is a BUSY BUSY place!

 

[dawnball]

We leave the majority of our luggage overnight in the car with reasonable frequency. When we're driving to our vacation and have an overnight stop for example - we bring in the valuables and leave the rest.

Yes, someone could break in and steal my clean underwear - but it's underwear, it has no resale value. The most valuable thing in my car (after the cost to replace the window) is the car radio, and I don't take that out with me.

Now if I had jewlery, or cash, or a laptop or something - I'd be pretty unwilling to leave that overnight. Dirty laundry and a cooler full of junk food - yeah, I'd leave that.

I'll admit that I used to have trouble sleeping, since I was worried that someone would break in, but it's never happened - even when we stayed at less savory places during our drive cross-country.

 

[NotUrsula]

I was going to say the same thing - Security is very visible at DTD, and the lots are so busy, especially in day light hours, I would have to think that car break ins at DTD are minimal.

Security is so visible precisely because car break-ins have been a problem in the past. About 3 yrs ago I read an article in the Sentinel that said that there was a situation where a group was using a universal-code remote to pop the hatches on large vehicles that had remote keyless entry. The thieves would drive through the lot running the codes until they got a hit, then an accomplice would walk to the vehicle carrying a WOD shopping bag, open the hatch, rifle through looking for valuables (especially electronics like cameras and laptops), then close the hatch and walk away with the good stuff. Nothing at all suspicious-looking, but your laptop has walked.

Apparently, using Bluetooth to ping laptops is popular now among thieves; it is a fairly effective way to discover if a laptop is in the vehicle before breaking in to get it.

UPDATE:
OK, I'm going to take that last paragraph back. I had heard this from a few sources, but when I went digging to confirm it, it looks like it is mostly police speculation, and unproven. The speculation was apparently fueled by experiments that have proven that bluetooth enabled cell phones can be discovered by other bluetooth users in close proximity. However, cell phones are usually kept turned on even while stored, while laptops are not, so it appears that the danger is, at very least, exaggerated, and probably not present at all. Sorry about the misinformation.

 

[mxylplik2]

Thanks everyone. I'm really leaning on leaving the luggage in there as long as everyone else is. I will take out valuables but I can go to DTD for some lunch and some browsing around. Maybe I'll buy my tickets to the park here so that I don't have to wait on line the next morning for AK (someone in my party isn't coming next year and we only plan on doing 2 parks this trip).

Leaving this Saturday!

 

[dj2]

Apparently, using Bluetooth to ping laptops is popular now among thieves; it is a fairly effective way to discover if a laptop is in the vehicle before breaking in to get it.

Would you please tell us more about what this means?