Taking your Laptop to the World

[bishdom]

Hey all,

Rare post for me but here goes. I'm considering taking my laptop so that my wife can try out the video features of her new digital camera and we can just dump the data onto the notebook (not to mention watching a DVD or playing Rome: Total War in flight to keep myself occupied is pulling at me too ) I'm sure some of you have taken your laptop in the past... would you do it again? Also, what did you do with it while you were at the parks? Just keep it in the trunk of the rental car? I'd hate to see a 1300 dollar laptop come up missing. Thanks!

 

[Snowgod]

Always take my laptop. Use it to do photos and such. You can go to staples and get a laptop lock. I do not keep it in the car due to the heat.

 

[Brian Noble]

I travel with my laptop constantly, and don't worry about it all that much. If the room has an in-room safe, I'll make use of it. If not, I'll often stuff it in a backpack or something so it isn't just out on a desk, but otherwise I don't worry much. And truthfully, I often just leave it on the desk, but I've becomea bit complacent.

This is particularly true in hotels with "modern" electronic locks---I believe the lock codes change with each new occupant, so last week's occupant doesn't have entry even if they kept the key.

 

[scroot]

I took mine in May. I thought I was going to need to send and receive email about a realestate transaction. I ended up doing it all by fax.

I ended up not even turning it on but might have for the reasons you have listed if they applied to me. I was too tired in the evenings to do much with it and too busy in the mornings to bother. All in all it was wasted weight for me.

I left my computer in our hotel room at the contemporary with no problems. I did keep it in the case and in my luggage so it wasn't just sitting out. If you are really worried you could store it at a desk safe or with a bellhop for a few $$.

 

[Dawnflower]

because of my husbands business, we are never without a laptop. He took it on the plane this past May and put on a pair of the huge Mickey Mouse gloves and pretended to work!! It cracked the kids and adults around him up!! As far as leaving it in the trunk, we have left ours out on a table in the room and never had a problem. I guess it is up to your own comfort level, you may be able to leave it in the lock box at the front desk.

Have a great trip!!

 

[bishdom]

Wow... That was quick! I'm staying at OKW in a studio so I'm not sure if they have a safe or not. Probably ok to just push it to the bottom of my luggage then.

 

[safetymom]

Get a laptop lock. I use my laptop for business so it wouldn't be good to lose it and have to try and replace all that info.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I always bring my laptop so I can DIS while DD sleeps...I have it in a backpack and usually stick it in the bottom drawer of the dresser...or the closet behind my luggage

 

[Jen D]

We brought ours and liked having it-- we have a small lightweight laptop with a small screen so packing it was no hardship. We have really gotten into digital photography so we got into the habit of dumping our photos onto the laptop every night and doing some editing and deleting. Also, dd used it to watch a movie on the plane. Yes, we did e-mail and it was nice being able to DIS when were were stuck inside for the hurricane.

Honestly, we didn't do too much about securing it. We would just slip it in the bedside table and close the drawer. Sometimes the cords were still snaking out of it!

 

[DebbieB]

I have a cable lock from Best Buy. I only take in on my DVC trips, I loop the cable around the leg of the end table in the living room (above the crossbar). I like to check my mail and surf after coming in at night.

 

[harlock_jds]

i took mine (primarly for downloading pictures at the end of the day) and just left it in the room without a problem.

 

[macnodos]

took laptop when there over easter for reason of emptying memory card every day and also checking email. left it on table the entire eight days and never had problem. that was at cbr.

 

[Slapster]

My laptop goes pretty much wherever I do. I've almost always got to be in contact with work, even when I'm on vacation.

I would strongly advise not to leave it in the trunk of your car as the heat will shorten the life of the sensitive electronics inside. I don't ever bother with hiding it in the hotel room - it stays on a desk. I've never had a problem, although I'm probably asking for one.

 

[safetymom]

Lot's of trusting people at WDW with their laptops. I would really have problems if my laptop was taken. It is so easy to secure it and then I wouldn't have problems making a claim with my insurance company.

Insurance companies want to know that you made a reasonable effort to protect your laptop. Just leaving it on a desk isn't good enough.

 

[RebelHawk]

We have had up to 3 laptops sitting in our hotel room in the past and have never attempted to conceal or hide them in any way and never had a problem. I will take my laptop again this January and go to the parks with no fear leaving it in the room.

 

[Aimeedyan]

My laptop goes everywhere with me, and I've never had a problem leaving it in the room. I feel safer burying it in my suitcase, locking it in the room safe, or what have you then sticking it in my car truck. Heat is dangerous for it, too.

You can buy a lock if you're uncertain as well.

 

[oogieboogie]

Stuck it in the nightstand drawer every single time.

 

[Maryjane1]

We put ours in our luggage and lock it when we leave for the day just something we always have done. We would never lock it in the car the heat would damage it.

 

[SuperDuperBounce]

If your room has a small safe, pull the hard drive and lock it up when not in use. The data on the laptop is usually far more valuable than the laptop itself (and what good is a laptop without a hard drive).

 

[MichaelH]

I would say that the best thing would be to put it in your luggage or in the room safe (if one is available). I always just put mine out of sight and have not had a problem. Out of sight out of mind.

I got one of those cable locks when I got mine and I don't trust that at all. It might keep some from taking it, but a pair of wire cutters will take care of the cable. Removing the HD would be good, if someone did take the laptop, you would still have your data.