[Sungold]

Hi all, I'll be going solo to the Caribbean Beach Resort in December and I have some questions. I'd like to bring my laptop, and I haven't done this before. First, I have read that the Wi-Fi access in the rooms is $9.95 per day. Is that correct? That's pretty steep. Are there discounts for multi-day usage? Also, I'm wondering how best to keep my laptop secure when I am not in the room. Usually I have a car when I travel, and I keep the laptop in the trunk when I'm out of the room. I won't have a car at Disney, so what do you suggest I do with it when I'm out? I suppose locking it in my suitcase would be possible. I'm just interested in hearing how some of you handle your Internet use & equipment when at the World. Thank you!

~Pam

[nubeanie]

We were just at carribean beach and brought our laptop. The safe was too small so we just left it on the table and didn't have an issue. But it is risky. There is a few places you can hide it, but locking it up in your luggage is your best bet. Internet is 9.95 per 24 hour period with no discounts :( but I did see that you can hook up to wifi for 4.49 I think an hour, not sure. Suppodedly at any resort restaraunt or business office. I tried to get on in shutters one morning but it didn't work:( I should have asked a cm but it wasn't that big a deal at the time. I hope this helps! Have fun!

[DisneyTeacher]

We always take one of our laptops with us. We've taken two of our mini laptops and my DH's full size laptop on different trips and have never had an issue. We usually just leave it out on the table when we're in the parks for the day. It's always been fine but I know it's a risk leaving it out. Since the safe is too small your suitcase sounds like the best idea.

[Soundgod]

I usually take my laptop.
However, I don't connect to the Internet every single day.
If you play around a little, on longer stays you don't need to.
You are charged for 24 contiguous hours, which means a 24 hour period.
What I do is use for 24 hours, skip one day, and then don't log back in until 25 hours has passed.
By the way, they charge for Wi Fi as well and that's also $9.95 for 24 hours.
As for the safety of my laptop, I leave it out and usually booted up.
Between the cameras, the laptop, and whatever other toys I've got with me, I can't allow myself to spaz out with concern that something is going to be stolen, and so far nothing has.
(Excepting on the last stay at the Contemporary, my wife's tin of Smartee's and her cheapie reading glasses. The glasses are gone but oddly she saw her tin on the mousekeeping cart. What was that about? Guess who didn't get a tip.)

Originally Posted by nubeanie

The safe was too small so we just left it on the table and didn't have an issue.

Now here's a joke: my first Dell had a 14 inch screen and fit into the safes at Portofino Bay and Hard Rock.

[Sungold]

Thanks for your responses so far! I am a little surprised at your willingness to leave your laptops out on a table. Maybe I am a bit paranoid. I like the suggestion of using the Internet maybe every other day to save a little money. The $9.95 a day sounds like a lot, but I have also used Internet Cafe's on cruise ships, and those are REALLY expensive. But I think I can keep the cost down by not using it every day...and probably keeping it in my suitcase. (Who am I kidding, I'll probably use it every day!) By the way, Soundgod, if your wife saw her Smartees tin on the mousekeeping cart, I hope she stole it back!

~Pam

[timsha]

We take the laptop every trip. We keep it in the case with the luggage when it is not in use (out of sight, out of mind). We have never had an issue at any resort with it. The $9.95, is for 24 hours. It is a bit steep, but if you time it right, it is worth while (IMO). We do E-mail, check stocks, and other things. We average about an hour and a half a day.

[WEDINDISNEY]

This past trip was the first time that I used a laptop while on vacation. I was lucky cause there is no charge for DVC members so I could go on it all the time, and there was WI-FI in the main lobby and in the library.
I kept mine out on the desk in our bedroom and had no problems at all, then again we don't get everyday housekeeping service so there would be no one in our room while we arent there....

[Dana]

I don't know about the WI-FI use since I always had my air card when bringing my laptop to WDW, but I do know that it's perfectly safe leaving it in the room while you are not there. I have never had anything stolen from my room and I have brought my laptop on three seperate trips as do many who post here. The housekeepers are assigned to certain rooms...it really wouldn't be hard to discover who took it if it went missing. To be honest with you, I have left money out and that has gone untouched...seriously if there is any where in the world that you can leave a laptop, it's a WDW resort room.

[Soundgod]

Originally Posted by Sungold

By the way, Soundgod, if your wife saw her Smartees tin on the mousekeeping cart, I hope she stole it back!

She did. Funny thing is, I never even bothered to complain.
And theft is theft.

[monrailrider]

I would agree that leaving electronics in the room your pretty safe at a Disney Resort. Our kids leave their nintendo ds out all the time and we never had a problem. The only issue we have had was the cleaning lady eating some(3) of my DD7 happy birthday plate of cookies we got for August trip at the GF. We were able to confirm the missing cookies since we had taken a picture of the plate with a white chocolate Mickey on it the night before. LOL.

[Dana]

Originally Posted by monrailrider

I would agree that leaving electronics in the room your pretty safe at a Disney Resort. Our kids leave their nintendo ds out all the time and we never had a problem. The only issue we have had was the cleaning lady eating some(3) of my DD7 happy birthday plate of cookies we got for August trip at the GF. We were able to confirm the missing cookies since we had taken a picture of the plate with a white chocolate Mickey on it the night before. LOL.

LOL...not funny I know, but the confimation of the theft via picture is a bit LOL. Can't believe he/she ate them...maybe he/she didn't get a lunch break? I know..it's not funny.

[nubeanie]

So we're all in agreement... Expensive electronics are ok to leave out, food needs to get locked up! Lol
We did have nina's chocolate birthday cake that had maybe a slice taken out of it and nina's finger prints sitting out for 7 days. We were too scared to see if any of it was missing lol!

[Sungold]

Thanks, everyone...you have made me feel a lot better about bringing it! Creative use of the 24-hour Internet charge is a great idea, also. And the Magic continues! Thanks again.

~Pam

[Soundgod]

In October 2005, I absolutely needed my laptop in order to get the most current info on Hurricane Wilma and then after it hit my home, to try and get up to the minute reporting from South Florida that we couldn't get in Orlando.
Again this past June, it was invaluable to have my laptop.
It saved me twice from driving out to Cocoa Beach to watch a space shuttle launch that was scrubbed.
(Thank you NASA for having up to the minute information on your website!)

[5Demons4Cookie]

I brought mine last trip. I didn't use it, but it was nice to have. Oh and the snack bandit struck our room too. Fruit Roll Up's and granola bars came up short by day 3.