For some guests at Walt Disney World, the real-world stress of a missing suitcase can outweigh the escapism of a theme park vacation—no matter how much you’ve paid for it.
Deluxe Resorts are billed as the pinnacle of Disney hospitality. With views of giraffes, luxurious restaurants, and easy park access, these hotels come with nightly rates that can potentially cross the $1,000 mark. They’re designed for comfort and reliability. Yet, for at least one guest this week, the experience was anything but magical.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village, known for its savanna views and serene atmosphere, became the backdrop for an incident that now involves both resort security and law enforcement.
Disney Deluxe Guest Experiences Frustrating Loss
The guest checked in on the morning of June 1, having arrived at Walt Disney World Resort with a larger group from Orlando Sanford International Airport. With their room not yet ready, they followed standard procedure and dropped their luggage with bell services before heading to the pool.
An hour later, they briefly retrieved a swimsuit from one bag, then returned it. Several hours after that, they returned again to add more bags to the tag. When they finally got the notification that their room was ready, one of the most important items was missing.
“I waited for them to check the back and check with other bell service clerks,” the guest wrote on Reddit. “No one could find the bag.”
The missing suitcase prompted hotel management to take things seriously. The guest was encouraged to file a security report and a police report. A lost and found report was also filed. But as of their last update, the suitcase hadn’t turned up.
“So far, they have offered to get me what I need from the gift shop, but I will have to pay for it myself,” the guest added. “I was given free tickets to the parks for my whole family, but we have already paid for all of our days, so that doesn’t change much.”
Other Incidents
Although rare, this isn’t the first time issues have emerged at Disney resorts—Deluxe or otherwise.
Earlier this year, one guest at Disney’s Pop Century Resort found that all of their belongings had been removed by cast members after the app automatically checked them out on departure day. While the items were eventually returned, several things reportedly remained missing.
In a separate 2024 incident, guests alleged that their car was broken into at a Disney hotel and cash was stolen. And back in January, another visitor at Animal Kingdom Lodge claimed a $5,000 designer purse vanished from their hotel room.
None of these accounts are common enough to suggest a widespread problem. Still, the appearance of multiple luggage- or theft-related reports in a single year is unusual for a brand known for its obsessive attention to guest experience.
The missing suitcase at Kidani Village may yet reappear. But for now, it raises questions about whether paying top-tier prices at Disney guarantees top-tier protection—or just a few gift shop vouchers and a complicated vacation memory.
Have you ever experienced a similar incident at a Disney hotel?
