Take a little travel advice from me…
You are looking at the entrance at the World Showcase in China of Epcot International in Orlando, Florida. I wasn’t going to post anymore on this trip, but I felt there was something else I really needed to share with you. But first, I have to show you a few more beautiful photos…
The Hubster…loves a good back rub! Panda Bear was more than willing to comply.
Here’s a great idea for those of us that don’t always have a green thumb☺ Just plant blown glass flowers in your garden.
In Mexico…where they were serenading us.
The whole experience of Disney has been marred a little for my family. Let me tell you why. While we had a great time for first half of the day,there was a tragedy that did happen.
My wallet was stolen mid-day and needless to say the vacation was done! Drivers license, credit cards, medical card etc.
So if you will allow me, I would like to give you some advice when traveling to Disney or any other big arena where thousands of people will be at attendance.
- Women, don’t travel with all your personal belongings! Only the very essentials. Drivers license, one credit card and your medical card…that is it.
- Disney will make you show your drivers license, which I think is ridiculous! This is just an accident waiting to happen with tens of thousands of people at their parks and identify theft running so rampant nowadays. You are very excited going into the park and the mass of people is on top of you. It gives you no time to slow down and take care of things properly.
- They also now fingerprint you…yes, you heard me right. So just when you get your Disney card put away, now you have to dig into your purse again…among the crowds and dig this out…along with getting in another line to be finger printed. This is only an amusement park folks…not the Pentagon!
Put the three items I shared in item one…in a small security neck pouch that has a thin cord to go around your neck. Tuck this pouch inside of the front of your shirt and keep it there at all times! I say a thin cord, because if it is any thicker it will start being a burden to you. I feel if we had done this…this tragedy wouldn’t of happened to us. You can click on the image and it will take you to an example of the pouch I am referring.- Last, but not least, if you are traveling with your partner have them have a copy of everything you are carrying in that small pouch. Traveling alone, then have all information on your iPhone. (Have your lock on the phone at all times.) This way you will immediately be able to start calling the credit card companies etc. to put a stop on these important documents.
Nobody is paying me or asking for a reference! This is out of my love for this community, that I am baring my soul and hopefully stop this from happening to YOU!
We will go back to Disney and be their guest…but we will be playing smarter the next time.
So how was YOUR weekend?
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Laurie
XXOO
If you like this, you will love: Epcots Flower & Garden Show
Pride in Photos 
Oh my goodness, what a mess! I have never had my wallet stolen, but I know when I am in big crowds, I am paranoid and am constantly checking to make sure I have it still. Those pick-pockets are very sneaky and good at what they do. These pictures are great! I love that panda bush! My husband and I would love to visit Florida, (he lived there for a few years before we were married), but we have our eye on Universal Studios and Harry Potter World!
Thanks so much for linking up to Photog Show and Tell, I hope you more with us!
Your piece of art is just fantastic!! Keep going;) paulina
Sorry to hear about your wallet 😦 Lovely photos though and I particularly like the glass flowers. I have a friend who blows glass so I think I might get her to have a go …. 🙂
I’ve been to Disney many. many times and always felt very safe. I think any location you go to can have some characters that have evilness to them. I always keep those 3 items you emntioned in a bag that hugs my bogy. Of course, as a former new Yorker now living in Florida for 22 years, I tend to hang on to those keep -myself-safe behavior. It is ingrained. Hope you go to Disney again and have a better experience.
Very sorry your wallet was stolen! That is absolutely horrible!
Hello! I have nominated you for a Best Moment Award. Follow the link at http://helpwithyourlife.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/best-moment-award/
With appreciation,
Cathie
Cathie & WordPress Community…this is the BEST decision I have done in a long time is joining this tribe. Thank you!
Oh, I am sorry for your lost belongings, very personal ones at that. I hope that no serious damage had been done. Losing things (and to a thief) at that is truly a downer.
Oh dear, so sorry to hear about your theft. Sad that it marred your wonderful time there. But your photos capture the good parts.
That was unfortunate, I have been to Disney dozen of times and never ever had that happen to none of us….that is sad
Laurie, your images are always spectacular! I hope to be as proficient with a camera someday.I’m so sorry to hear about the theft 😦 Your tips will surely help another tourist but I’m most flabbergasted that Disney is fingerprinting!
Love Epcot but so sorry to hear about the loss of your wallet. While traveling Mexico I learned to take as little with me as possible, not even wearing a wedding ring or much in the way of jewelry.
Thanks for the tour. Your photos are amazing.
My entries:
Liz (mcn)
Liz (mot)
Love the glass flowers and the buildings. So sorry your wallet was stolen.
Oh, Laurie!!! That is awful! I am so sorry you had to learn this hard lesson. Thank you for sharing your tips with us. Your pictures are wonderful! We have the Chihuly glass exhibit here in Seattle (my company did the landscape design). Half of the exhibit is inside and the other is outside in the garden. The glass looks so lovely next to the plants. I am really into Asian architecture (well, any ancient architecture). Thanks for sharing at Photog Show and Tell link party!
I love all the photos! I can’t wait until my little one is old enough to enjoy Disney World!
So sorry to read about your wallet being stolen! That is a painful experience to have happen. Thank you for sharing your safety tips, and reminding us of the reality that this does happen and how to protect ourselves!
Disney World is a favorite of mine. Sorry your trip took a negative turn. Very good advice and beautiful photos!
So sorry to hear about your negative experience. We were robbed on the tube in Rome and it was one of the most frightening things ever for me. Whatever I have is in a little white bag with a snap that hook to my bra strap. Heaven help anyone to try to get it. Your pictures are beautiful. What is happening to our world? So much dishonesty and terror these days. genie
Absolutely stunning photos. Bad what happened, as you say you learn from it. Thanks for all the tips.
The picture really are beautiful.
But! I’m so so so sorry to hear your wallet was stolen!!! It really was super nice of you to post about the pouch. I always take everything, and in a tote purse w/not zipper to boot, and I always think I’m pushing my luck. Your post snapped me into reality that just because it hasn’t happened (a theft) doesn’t mean it won’t happen. I hope everything gets straightened out for you quickly!
that looks great
great tips and wonderful pictures!
Also save your scans to a cloud-based program so that you can access them from any computer if you need to. Good travel advice.
I so LOVE visiting your blog, Laurie, but every time I want to jump in the car and head down there! 🙂 So much fun!
It leaves you shaking and shaken doesn’t it Laurie .. 😦 hope you managed to get cards and duplicates sorted afterwards .
I am more careful now after a purse theft on a bus in Sicily … cleverly hustled as I got on and then the guy pushed through and got off out thro’ the other door before I quite realised what had happened . I had to call daughter in UK for the emergency bank number Lol
I’m so so sorry to hear that your wallet got stolen. That would definitely put a damper on any vacation. I hope you’ll have everything replaced with minimal hassle. *hugs*
On a more positive note, LOVELY photos!!
That is just TERRIBLE, I am so sorry…I am shocked to hear this and now after Boston I’m sure everything will get worse. When I flew recently I felt like I was a criminal being processed into the system. My husband and I vowed not to fly again except for emergencies…it is so sad our country has come to this, our grandchildren will never experience the sense of freedom we had.
Jenna
Thank you for the advice! What a terrible blemish on your weekend! :o(
I’m so sorry about this, Laurie — how awful! I don’t know how these people that do this can sleep at night. 😦
I love the photos. I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m not sure if your grandson is traveling with you but one thing we did while at Disney was take a picture every morning of the kids and keep it on our phone. That way, if we were separated, we had a current picture, including their clothing, which would hopefully make it easier to find them. All the best as you go through the process of getting things replaced.
Wonderful photos, excellent captured… 🙂
oh no that’s awful! So sorry it happened to you. The one thing my husband and I did was take a picture of our id which we have stored on our locked phones!
Caroline, that too is an excellent idea!
Beautiful pictures…. and I am sorry to hear about your troubles… it is ashame there are ppl who steal and do not care about ppl.
So sorry! I have nightmares (literally) about this happening. Thank you for finding something positive to do with your experience — sharing it with all of us. Hope you get everything straightened out soon!
Oh Laurie, this is awful, and I am so sorry!
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful images here, and for the words of advice.
Things we wish we did not have to think about, but most definitely do.
Beautiful photos!
Disney do “fingerprint”? I am wondering they are afraid of terrorists.
Beautiful photos! Sorry to hear of your ordeal….that’s really awful! Finger printing is new to me….I’m not sure I like that idea very much. Why?
Great tips, btw!
I hate that this happened on your vacation. I hope lots of people learn from your experience. I know I will be more careful next time I’m traveling.
If you knew how my eyes delight seeing your photos! Thank you.
Oh I was so enjoying your photos of your trip to Disney and then I read about your sad ordeal. How awful, would stop me dead in my tracks too. And thanks for sharing all your recommendations on traveling and security.
I’m sorry for your incident. Thanks for the reminder to be careful in crowds.
Laurie, you are so kind and generous to share this story and advice with us. Thank you! Your pictures are wonderful.
Blessings ~ Wendy
Awwww Laurie what a total bummer 😦 So sorry you were the victim of this crime 😦 Thank you for sharing such great info though about what we should have on our person or not..I probably would not have thought about it.
Blessings!
Lovely photos, Laurie. But I am so sorry to hear that you had to go through that experience. I can only imagine the horror and the hassle.
Oh gosh – so sorry to hear this! What a shock.
Your photos are lovely but the memories must be scarred. Hope you managed to block all your cards.
Hello! I have experienced before having my things stolen when travelling. So your advice for fellow travellers were great! We learned a lesson on this accident.
Wow so sorry to hear that! What – when did they start finger printing, we haven’t been since 2008 and it wasn’t being done then but more importantly – how do you take such GORGEOUS pictures????
well thank you girlfriend…just taking lots and lots of pics and making lots and lots of mistakes!
You…mistakes…never, your photos are Oscar worthy! Which types of cameras do you use?
I use a Canon. I started small with the point and shoot and kept moving up the ladder with the camera bodies. The lens are your trick, once you have mastered the basics.
Thank you, I am still a Canon Point and Shoot – hope to grow up and be just like you!
Disney isn’t paying you? Drat those mega corporate um…mouseketeers. I am SO sorry to hear about this! I think we all can relate to that horrible, sinking feeling of at least losing a wallet–but to out and out have it stolen! And yet you posted such a lovely pictorial even thereafter. Kudoz to you, Laurie, for taking the high road, here, and cancel everything!!
These pictures sure made my money-free day, too, aka April 15!!
First, dang that really sucks…I’m sorry to hear you had this happen. All good tips, and since we’re traveling soon I will be extra mindful. I can’t even believe you are fingerprinted? Is that for missing children or something? If its for a good reason, I could get on board but wow, that’s something and somewhat of a personal thing. Lastly, your photo’s are awesome as usual Laurie, thanks for sharing those.
Oh my, Laurie, I am so very sorry to hear about your wallet!! That would have totally marred anyone’s vacation, for sure!! I pray you’re able to get all of it straightened out without too much of a problem! I was also wondering about the fingerprinting … how odd! Wonder if they’ll start doing that at all large venues, as well … and maybe even sports events!
Thank you for this travel advice … I’m taking note … it’s wise to be safe any time we leave home! And your images here are simply gorgeous!! I’m loving all the colors! I also wanted to thank you for your sweet comment on my other site … it was so good to hear from you again! 🙂
Wow, so sorry to hear that. It’s been so long since I’ve been to Disney, it’s a shame that so much security is needed now a days.
I must say I am surprised at the security – are they afraid of terrorists?
That is a good question!
That is devastating! So sorry to hear that… Thank you so much for the tips. http://pacsafe.com has some well designed travel safe belt bags and backpacks.
Oh no! I’m so sorry that happened to you. You do have to be vigilant. We have never had a problem, but this is good advice. On a happier note, I love the China part of Epcot. Did you get the opportunity to see the acrobats? They are incredible.
Oh no!!! That is horrible!! I alawys just bring the essential!
Exquisite captures – but so sorry to hear about your losses. Happened to my parents there, too, some years ago.
Visiting from Macro Monday
Crap! Why do the bad guys have to ruin it for the rest of us :-(. Thanks for the tips. Bummer
Lovely photos. Disney is such a great place. Funny to have that happen in an environ that feels so “wholesome”. Fingerprinting, license? Do they even tell you what that’s about? Might be more tolerated if it was understood. Thanks for the travel tips. They’re good for anyplace.
That is sad story, Laurie! All of your lovely pictures are faded after reading about an incident. Unfortunately, it is happen everywhere in the world at the most famous turist’s places. Recently, for example, Louvre employees in Paris took a day stike against massive thieves in that most visited place in the world. We have to be prepared. Sorry for your loss and broken visit.
Lautal…thank you for your kind words…really!
Your photos are beautiful but I’m so sorry to hear about your wallet and belongings! That would be so upsetting!
Hey Laurie! I am so sorry to hear that you had your wallet stolen while on vacation. That has to be the most horrible thing ever. You feel so violated and want to scream at the top of your lungs, but it won’t change the fact that all of your valuable information is now gone. Trying to reconstruct what’s in your wallet will take some time. I agree with you, in these days, you need to think ahead of the “what if’s” scenarios just in case something like this happens. Hugs!
What a downer for you and a definite turn off for the rest of us who consider taking our grandchildren there. We carry a medical bag and this certainly makes me think about how safe that would be. The loss of it would not only be medically challenging but extremely costly. Your experience sure has me thinking. Thank you for sharing and I hope you have since replaced things and haven’t been financially impacted by the loss.
I am sorry this happened to you Laurie. So far from home too. I will never understand the criminal mind and how these creeps rationalize the things they do. Get away with it here and now yes, after this life – there will be a payment due.