Pickpockets in the parks??

[foxxxy83]

OK, probably stupidest question EVER but, as our hol gets ever nearer, am getting more nervous and just wondered if the parks had much bother with pickpockets?? Being a tourist trap, I would've thought pickpockets were highly likely same as any other tourist place but then on the other hand, am thinking Florida theme parks are known for being THE biggest tourist attraction in the world so they will probably go all out to make sure it doesn't happen esp Disney. Am I right?? Also, would it be more advisable to take a rucksack or a bumbag for a day in the parks?? Am only planning on carrying usual camera, tickets and small amount of spending money. Also, can you take bags on rides? Sorry if this all sounds a bit demented but I just want to make sure I know as much as poss before we touch down in Florida as it's our first trip. Thanks!

 

[Magic Megadegs]

I've not heard of any? Would be pretty wealthy pickpocketers to pay the ticket cost to get in. You see many Americans with 'fanny packs' (bum bags but I still snicker like a child when I hear the name). You also see them walking round with lanyards with clear wallets hanging off them with their dollars, iPhones and credit cards right there on display on their chests. We took small rucksacks for all the water and ponchos etc.

 

[Magic Megadegs]

Yes you can take them on rides. There us either a pouch for them or you put them by your feet x

 

[Clare D]

We've never had a problem and in the past left the nappy bag on the pushchair. Loads of people leave things on their pushchairs outside the rides too.

At universal you can't take your bags on some rides (men in Black and Harry Potter) but you can put them in the lockers nearby for free.

 

[fizz13]

a few years ago I wouldn't have hesitated to leave my bag on my pushchair, then last year I had my pushchair stolen at Disneyland Paris, luckily I did have my bag with me, I agree totally different to Florida! however it made me think twice about my own security. so now I take a padlock for my pushchair & carry my bag with me at all times, chances are no one will touch your things but I will always have a nagging doubt now & will empty all the important stuff to take with me ok the rides

 

[wayneg]

Crime is not a massive problem for UK travellers but incidents do happen, I have heard of pushchairs going missing and know 3 families who have had villas broken into, lastest was relatives who had £2,000 in cash taken plus lots of other stuff. Over the years I have seen pics of smashed hotel safes, forced doors etc.
Saying all that the incidents are few and far between, very very rare we hear about them. I wouldn't want anyone to go thinking its the safest, most crime free place in the world, Just be careful as you would in any public area in the UK.

 

[Elise79]

Crime is low but not non-existent - I generally carry a small handbag style back pack if anything otherwise we use just pockets. I have a wristlet style phone case that I put cards and my phone in when I don't take a bag and carry it.

I only carry what I actually need though - all other cards etc are put in the safe.

As for strollers in Disney most aren't actually stolen - there are so many the same someone has usually just walked off with the wrong one. Just make sure you tag your so its oblivious.

 

[princess_ariel_85]

Crime is low but not non-existent

Sad to say it's true, even in Disney. We've never had a problem, nor have we heard of anyone who has but I still like to keep an eye on my belongings. I'd hate for it to happen to me and sour what is a brilliant holiday.

 

[chmurf]

last december, someone I know felt someone go through her backpack as she was going down the peoplemover exit moving walkway. When she checked her backpack had been unzipped open.

Last october, I "lost" a tripod strapped to my camera backpak. To this day I don't know if I lost it or if it was stolen (there is no way it could have slipped out without "outside help"

Crime is not rampant, but you should be aware that you are in a place where people get carefree. And such places draw pickpockets and thieves of all kind.
And even if Disney has security, this doesn't mean that you should make it easy for thieves to get to you.

Bottomline is : don't do in Disney what you wouldn't do at home or in a large city. It's a happy place, but it's also a place full of people of all kind. And you'll see so many people just "showing off" their belongings, iphones and wallets sticking halfway out of back pockets, ipads carelessly left on the corner of a table, cameras left on the seat of a stroller parked in front of an attraction ... this gives you a false sense of security, you'd think that "locals know best", if they do this, then it's a safe place ... well, just keep your stuff where it's safe and you should be ok.

And theft probably isn't the biggest issue, but losing stuff is.

Did you know that every year, Lost&Found recovers 3.500 digital cameras at DisneyWorld, as well as 6.000 cell phones ...
as said above, keep your stuff where it's safe, and that does not always mean safe from thieves, but safe from loss.

 

[wayneg]

Did you know that every year, Lost&Found recovers 3.500 digital cameras at DisneyWorld, as well as 6.000 cell phones ...
as said above, keep your stuff where it's safe, and that does not always mean safe from thieves, but safe from loss.

We tried to use their lost & found this year, not a great system. Lost a childs hat on Goofy's Barnstormer, obviously they needed time to recover it so next day went to City hall, told they only keep them same day (yet at the ride they said next day) so off to L&F, told them exact day, time & ride where it was lost, even have photos of hat one second and gone the next but they still couldn't trace it.

 

[joolz1910]

When we had a pushchair (an old Maclaren) we would leave our stuff in a bag shoved under the seat. I used to think that at least they would have to rummage to get it out, rather than the easy access of having it hanging off the handle, or placed on the seat.

Another tip is not to buy souvenirs until you are ready to leave the park, or have them delivered to your hotel if you a staying onsite. I have read of people having their Disney goodies swiped. I have even read about people having their Disney balloons taken from their pushchirs This was at DLP, not WDW.

 

[chmurf]

We tried to use their lost & found this year, not a great system.

agreed.
we had to deal with them on a few occasions, and I don't mean no offense, but the CMs we met there were not the sharpest tools in the shed ... even looked like one of them would have been unable to find even one grain of sand in the sahara desert ...

I have even read about people having their Disney balloons taken from their pushchirs This was at DLP, not WDW.

DLP is a zoo.
Maybe some here have experienced it, but there are people outside of the parks, starting in the middle of the afternoon who ask for used tickets (usually young kids or teenagers who claim they can't afford a ticket, and if you leave could you please give them your ticket so they can enjoy the magic) ... but many of those use those tickets to either sell them to other guests (scam) or to get inside the parks in order to steal from the shops or from guests.
So if you go to DLP, beware of people who ask for your ticket. Don't fall for that, even if you want to please a kid by giving the ticket you'll no longer use when you exit the park mid-afternoon. Most of the time, your ticket will be used towards illegal acts

 

[pampat]

Yes, we experienced that this year, young girls asking for our tickets when we left! Needless to say, we didn't hand them over, but I wonder how many people do? Enough must do it to make it worth their while. DLP is the only Disney park where I've had things taken: when daughter was tiny we hired a pushchair, left it outside a ride, came back and it was gone. We went to get another, went to another ride, same thing again. Not to be deterred, we got a third pushchair and I tied my large scarf to the handle (it was winter time). We came out of the ride and the buggy was gone, but they had take my scarf off it first and tied it to the railings!!! How rude!!!!

Pam

 

[mclaren]

The one thing I have noticed myself, is there's folk who leave expensive items on the strollers and go on a ride. Example was this woman who left a purse, containing her phone in it. Now, she was brave and her stuff was still there on the way out but had that been stolen, it would have been her own fault.

Don't be a victim, so don't take valuables with you unless you can hold on to them.

 

[maria & rossi]

A couple of years ago around city walks there was a group of kids/teens doing street dancing with a group of people (incl our family) watching, when security came and moved them on. At the time we thought it a shame as they were really good and everyone was enjoying watching them. Once security disappeared they started dancing again and we gathered to watch them. People were taking photos including our dd. while she was taking photos someone tried to take her purse from bag both myself and dd felt them tugging at it but it was so busy we didn't see who it was, but her bag was open and I'm sure her purse would have gone if it hadn't been so tight in her bag. We wondered if that's why security moved them on.

On a better note, last year ddbf lost his wallet at Busch gardens, it had his driving licence, credit and debit cards and Disney hotel key and $300. We didnt realise until we were having dinner in Tampa. We rang bush gardens and someone had handed it into security and they'd rang Disney to try and trace us. We really didn't expect to get it back but there are some good people out there.

 

[joolz1910]

On a better note, last year ddbf lost his wallet at Busch gardens, it had his driving licence, credit and debit cards and Disney hotel key and $300. We didnt realise until we were having dinner in Tampa. We rang bush gardens and someone had handed it into security and they'd rang Disney to try and trace us. We really didn't expect to get it back but there are some good people out there.

We had a similarly positive experience. We took a group of students to DLP for a school trip and one of the girls lost her purse. It had lots of personal stuff in it plus around 100 euros. She checked with Lost Property and someone had handed it in, with everything still in it. There are some very good, honest people in the parks.

 

[wilma-bride]

I would imagine that, like pretty much anywhere in the (real) World, there is crime of some kind at Disney. If you practice common sense (i.e. don't flash too much cash, keep your purse/wallet somewhere safe, don't leave stuff on a buggy when it's unattended etc.) then you will be fine, I'm sure.

 

[pandv_2000]

We had a really good experience with lost and found. Dh left his camera bag on a resort bus full of lenses but he had the camera with him. We called list and found the next morning and they had it and we just had to call in to collect it. There was well over £1000 of equipment in the bag so we were very relieved to get it back

 

[foxxxy83]

Thanks for this everyone! It's good to know this stuff and taken a weight off my mind. To everyone who's just returned/returning from their hol, hope you had a GREAT time and to those who are nearly there, have a FAB 1! I'm sure we will now!

 

[JintyB]

We saw a squirrel rifling through the basket on the bottom of a pushchair at Hollywood studios last week - he scored some kind of edible treasure!

My DH got off of Expedition Everest and found he no longer had his iPhone, but the cast members at the ride had it

Sadly the hat he lost at Turtle Talk with Crush (seriously!!) never turned up and we checked at the TTC a couple of times with pictures etc. Same experience for our friends who lost a camera case and their DS Mickey Mouse...