parking lot safety

[hmtsai]

I'm wondering if it's safe to put our luggage in the rental car. Since we will change hotels during our visit to WDW, we might check out in the morning and visit one park, and then check in later in the day. Are there any security in the parking lots of the theme parks? We will not leave any valuables in the car; mostly will be only clothes in the luggage. But I'm afraid maybe our luggage cannot all fit in the truck, then we might need to put some in the back seat. Will it be unsafe in the parking lot?

 

[Alesia]

I wouldn't put it in the back seat. Thefts do happen, even in Disney world.

Are both hotels onsite?

 

[Allison]

No way would I put it in the back seat.

 

[ols386]

No way would I put it in the back seat.

Me neither.

 

[Aimeedyan]

There might be security, but I have not seen any before. If they are there, they haven't been very visible.

I would not leave it in the backseat. Your best bet is to check in at your new hotel and just have them hold your bags until your room is ready.

 

[scrapquitler]

I'm wondering if it's safe to put our luggage in the rental car. Since we will change hotels during our visit to WDW, we might check out in the morning and visit one park, and then check in later in the day. Are there any security in the parking lots of the theme parks? We will not leave any valuables in the car; mostly will be only clothes in the luggage. But I'm afraid maybe our luggage cannot all fit in the truck, then we might need to put some in the back seat. Will it be unsafe in the parking lot?

If you are moving from one Disney resort to another, Bell Services will transfer your luggage for you. No need to leave it in your hot car all day.

 

[hmtsai]

Thank you all for your responses. I am moving from on-site resort to off-site, so don't want to spend time travelling outside Disney then come back. Looks like leaving the luggage in the backseat is not a good idea. Guess I have to bring less stuff to the vacation.

 

[JacknSally]

Thank you all for your responses. I am moving from on-site resort to off-site, so don't want to spend time travelling outside Disney then come back. Looks like leaving the luggage in the backseat is not a good idea. Guess I have to bring less stuff to the vacation.

The hotel will hold your bags for you. Just pack up, check out, drop off your bags. Then go to the park, and swing back by the hotel to get your bags before going to the new hotel.

 

[BigredNole]

If you are switching Disney resorts, just have them move the luggage for you. We did switch offsite resorts this Summer and left the luggage in our SUV. There were no issues, just make sure the doors are locked.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yep, just leave it with Bell
Services on checkout day! The. When you’re done for the day, Head back to that resort, get it out from BS, load up and be on your way. Easy.

 

[Tomh]

As others have suggested, pack up in the morning, and call bell services. They will get your bags, and hold them for you. When you leave the park in the evening, stop by your resort, and bell services will retrieve your bags for you, then off to the new hotel. It is a bit more complicated, but a MUCH better option than leaving your stuff in the car.

 

[cgattis]

We've done this before on checkout days, etc. and had no issues. Of course, on any given day, that might not work out. But as long as you're not losing anything valuable if it does happen, all you're risking is time, hassle, and a couple hundred bucks for damage. To me, there have been times it was worth it to save that transfer time.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Another vote for this option:

You can leave it with your Disney hotel’s bell services on the morning you check out and then pick it up after your park time and then head to your offsite hotel. Easy peasy!

 

[EdmondD]

The odds are miniscule, and not worth inconveniencing yourself over. My opinion. But it seems folks on here are a very risk averse audience, on any topic.

Put a piece of paper over your luggage, very visible, that reads something like, "Nothing but dirty clothes here!"

 

[richmo]

There is security and I've never heard of cars being broken into in the theme park lots, but I suppose it could happen.

I like the earlier posts suggesting leaving your luggage with bell services at your departing hotel and picking them up later. Not only for security purposes, but during a good part of the year, locked cars get very hot inside and I wouldn't necessarily want the contents of my luggage getting that hot.

 

[BeachPrincess]

Our vehicle was broken into on the TTC parking lot about 6 years ago, so it happens and you can't be too careful. With that being said, even though I'm still a bit paranoid, on check out day we always drive to the park (rather than taking the bus) and have our luggage in the back (we have an SUV). The interior is black and I always cover our stuff with a black towel (and the windows are tinted). You can't tell from the outside that there is anything inside. I'm sure the first time was a bit of a fluke and we have not had any issues since. Also, we have noticed a lot more security on bikes patrolling the parking lots in recent years, which is comforting. So if I were you, I would try to put as much in the trunk as possible then put smaller items in the floors of the back seat and cover.

 

[bumbershoot]

There is security and I've never heard of cars being broken into in the theme park lots, but I suppose it could happen.

It has.

At some point after we started going to Wdw (started late 2010) they discovered a ring of thieves that were actually connected to the security in the lots.

So that’s fun.

 

[gap2368]

I'm wondering if it's safe to put our luggage in the rental car. Since we will change hotels during our visit to WDW, we might check out in the morning and visit one park, and then check in later in the day. Are there any security in the parking lots of the theme parks? We will not leave any valuables in the car; mostly will be only clothes in the luggage. But I'm afraid maybe our luggage cannot all fit in the truck, then we might need to put some in the back seat. Will it be unsafe in the parking lot?

They do have secerity both people that drive around in cars and ( I do not know what they care called but they go inside something and it liftes them up in the air where they can see the lot) with this siad the lots are huge and it would take 3 seconds to pop the lock on your car ( happend to my parents they poped the lock to the door out never know untill my dad put the key in and the lock fell out) So if somene did this they might be able to get away with it. ( yes there are call alrms now but who really looks into them. I owuld put everything in the trunk or leav it at the hotel bell service and go back to pick it up.

 

[CAS239]

There's always security driving around the parking lot.

I'd opt to leave at a hotel but I wouldn't be worried putting as much as I could in the trunk then a few pieces in the backseat.

 

[Klayfish]

The odds are miniscule, and not worth inconveniencing yourself over. My opinion. But it seems folks on here are a very risk averse audience, on any topic.

Put a piece of paper over your luggage, very visible, that reads something like, "Nothing but dirty clothes here!"

Yep, I'm with you on this one. Sure, it can happen, but it's unlikely. We have done it, and in fact did it just 3 days ago. We're here now. We drove down Saturday afternoon, arriving at 6pm. Instead of driving to our rental house, we opted to go straight to MK. We have a minivan, so there is no "trunk". Luggage is in our suitcase, in the cargo area (though the windows are tinted). If someone really wants our clothes, well...I hope they like our taste in shirts. No, I wouldn't leave a diamond ring sitting on the dashboard with a big neon sign saying "Valuables in here". But for things like clothes, etc..., it wouldn't bother me one bit.