Taking the laptop and worried about theft

[gottaluvPluto]

We are taking our laptop with us on vacation at BW. What do you do with the laptop when you are not in the room? I'm trying to figure out how to lock it up so no one takes it.

 

[DebbieB]

I have a cable lock. You can get it at Best Buy for about $35.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1051384145329&skuId=3738245&type=product

Tie it around something solid like the bedframe. We stay in a 1 bedroom, I tie it around the living room end table leg, above the bar.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

Thank you! I didn't know you could buy a cable for the laptop and I love Best Buy.

 

[Martha7]

We usually just put the laptop, along with any video game consoles and games in a large locked suitcase. Any cash, jewelry, etc. goes into the room safe. We've never had a problem so far, but the cable lock idea seems like a good solution too.

 

[vacationwoman]

I travel for business all the time with frequent trips to WDW and my laptop goes everywhere with me. I have never locked or "hidden" my laptop in any hotel and have never had a problem. Never had anything "missing" in any hotel. All hotel employees are bonded.

 

[micmacmissy]

My suggestion would be to leave the laptop home--it's VACATION, after all!!!

 

[sunkissed212]

We took our laptop to POR last september and just left it in the room, in the laptop bag in the corner and it was fine.

 

[Amy&Dan]

It's not the hotel employees who steal. But one scenario that seems to be happening is that the housekeeping staff will leave your door propped open while they come in and out. So if somebody walking by happens to see in your room and like what they see, while the maid is in another room or getting towels, they can pop in and steal it! The harder you make it for them to steal and the longer they have to spend in your room stealing, the less likely they are to try it. We take our laptop to download our pictures (and watch DVD's) and always keep it in a suitcase that is locked. I like that cable lock idea better though. Also keep your medicine's locked up, saw a thread recently of somebody having their prescription meds stolen

 

[ducklite]

We leave ours unlocked and somewhat in the open. Usually pushed under the bedskirt, or in a nightstand drawer. Never right out in the open where someone happening by could notice and quickly walk off with it.

Anne

 

[dreamflight99]

I take ours everywhere, and always leave it on the desk in the room/suite. I have never locked it, or tied it down, and never experienced any problems (to date, knock on wood...) I try to remember to close it before leaving, so it is less noticible, but other than that...I take no special measures. I have separate insurance for such items, so if anything ever happens~I always know it's covered.

I am never worried about the housekeepers, as most have been in these resorts for years. I am worried a bit about the scenario posted by Amy&Dan. I have heard/read about this type of incident. So, perhaps on this future visit, I'll "wrap" the cord a few times around the leg of the desk. It certainly never hurts to be cautious. I always LOCK my purse into shopping carts, by placing the child's safety belt through the handles. If a thief attempted to "grab" the bag, he would have to take the cart with him! It's definitely true, as posted by Amy&Dan: "The harder you make it for them to steal and the longer they have to spend in your room stealing, the less likely they are to try it." Great ideas on this thread, thank you!

 

[DisneyResortsFreak]

It's not the hotel employees who steal. But one scenario that seems to be happening is that the housekeeping staff will leave your door propped open while they come in and out. So if somebody walking by happens to see in your room and like what they see, while the maid is in another room or getting towels, they can pop in and steal it! The harder you make it for them to steal and the longer they have to spend in your room stealing, the less likely they are to try it. We take our laptop to download our pictures (and watch DVD's) and always keep it in a suitcase that is locked. I like that cable lock idea better though. Also keep your medicine's locked up, saw a thread recently of somebody having their prescription meds stolen

Very True-
Another thing is that maids sometimes keep your door open. We were in Disneyland and the door to our Marriott suite was open! Nothing was missing. We usually carry a digital camera, and some disposable ones. The disposables we keep anywheres, and the digital we put in the suitcase, but we usually take all valuables incase of a major accident to the hotel (fire, flood, ect.) Hide it Good!

 

[DisneyResortsFreak]

I forgot to add that a major hotel robbery took place at the WL, I am not sure if this is what happened, but-
-A man said he had locked himself out of his room to the manager of the hotel
-Manager Gave him the room keys
-Man did not visit there-he was a robber!!!
-Man was soposevly watching a indian family, and knew they were gone
-Man walks into their room with the keys
-Man takes cash, plane tickets, and travelers checks

Can someone tell me what really happened, as I heard this on the DIS boards, and police were still investigating....

 

[dreamflight99]

Very True-
Another thing is that maids sometimes keep your door open. We were in Disneyland and the door to our Marriott suite was open! Nothing was missing. We usually carry a digital camera, and some disposable ones. The disposables we keep anywheres, and the digital we put in the suitcase, but we usually take all valuables incase of a major accident to the hotel (fire, flood, ect.) Hide it Good!

In reading your post... I was reminded of two separate incidents where we returned to our room to discover the door "ajar" and no one around!?! It was late in the eve, and housekeeping was long-gone! We called the desk, and security arrived to "check-out" the room, etc. It was unsettling, to say the least. Yet, these housekeepers are only human, and do make such mistakes. Apparently, (security surmised), the housekeeper left the room intending to return, but forgot. Nothing was missing, at least nothing important/vital. So, it can and does happen, on rare occasions. I will take a few more precautions in the future, keeping this in mind.

 

[KilleriMac17]

My suggestion would be to leave the laptop home--it's VACATION, after all!!!

naah! I bring my laptop with me, then I download all my digital pics to it, and then upload them to the web so people can see my daily pics(and I can rub it in to people that arent there)

 

[gottaluvPluto]

naah! I bring my laptop with me, then I download all my digital pics to it, and then upload them to the web so people can see my daily pics(and I can rub it in to people that arent there)

I take the laptop to download pictures to it and that way I can take lots of pictures. I don't put them on a Web page, but that is a good idea. THe kids also use the laptop to watch movies on our drive down.

 

[totalia]

I work in hotels.

My suggestions...

1. Don't bring it.

2. Don't leave it in your room. Oddly, it would be safer to leave it locked in your trunk.

3. Leave it at the front desk to lock in their safe.

My biggest suggestion is that you just leave it at home. Your on vacation after all. It's not a business trip.

 

[nwdisgal]

Isn't the in room safe usually large enough to hold a lap top? I'd put it in there.

 

[ducklite]

I work in hotels.

My suggestions...

1. Don't bring it.

2. Don't leave it in your room. Oddly, it would be safer to leave it locked in your trunk.

3. Leave it at the front desk to lock in their safe.

My biggest suggestion is that you just leave it at home. Your on vacation after all. It's not a business trip.

Some of us have to take care of business even when we are on vacation. Others need to d/l photo's from a digital camera onto the hard drive.

Regretfully locking it with the front desk isn't an option for me...at WDW it could take half an hour to get it back with the lines. And when I need it for work, I need it NOW...otherwise some of the execs will do the perp walk--I handle SEC related issues.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

Isn't the in room safe usually large enough to hold a lap top? I'd put it in there.

Most WDW safes are not large enough to accomodate most laptops.

Anne

 

[magicmouse2]

My laptop would not fit in a WDW safe.. i would buy a good lock and put it in the suitcase if you are worried. We have a very expensive camera and have left it in the room without hiding it many times..It has always been ok.