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I'm not surprised that there are boxes hidden at Disney. I'm just surprised that they have any longevity at all! Knowing that they are verboten, and how well manicured that place is, I am amazed that a letterbox would last more than a few days there. Funhog

Ditto! I have tried planting a few dummy boxes (i.e. containers only) at Disneyland to see how well they fare and so far, only one has survived (although I haven't checked it recently). If that one box is still there after 6 months, I will consider it a good spot and go ahead and put a stamp in it.

I haven't seen National Treasure yet. But I hear that it appeals to the letterboxing spirit.
I need to check out the web site.

The only stamps we've found at Disney have been store bought <sigh> So I am excited to get my hand carved Pirate Treasure planted. <grin>

Letterbox hunting at Disney definately has a different feel to it.
We (the Elf Trio) always go as a group.
We went sneaking through a Disney hotel lobby at midnight a few weeks ago. We were giggling like a bunch of girls going to raid a cookie jar.
We scored another last night. It was crowded and dark. It was easy to go unnoticed. There is a truck in a display. The box was hidden under the driver's seat. An easy reach through the window with your buddies keeping watch.
Remember too that Disney has a lot of details. Tucking something behind one of those details is not really that hard.

I still see myself at the security office one day. ;-)
"A good friend posts your bail. A great friend sits beside you and says 'Wow, that was fun'"

~~Dawn the OKW

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I have tried planting a few dummy boxes (i.e. containers only) at Disneyland to see how well they fare and so far, only one has survived (although I haven't checked it recently).

Man, that's what I call some long-term planning! I bet you would have made a great band robber in a former life. ;o)

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I still see myself at the security office one day. ;-)

We'll be looking for reports on the news about a suspected terrorist planting 'unidentified devices' at Disney World.

I'll pass hiding boxes in theme parks. Too great a possibility of them going missing, and also a good possibility it could cause a bomb scare.

-- Ryan

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I still see myself at the security office one day. ;-)

I have been informed in no uncertain terms by my wife that if I am arrested while letterboxing or benchmark hunting that I should not waste my one phone call on her. ;)

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We'll be looking for reports on the news about a suspected terrorist planting 'unidentified devices' at Disney World.

I'll pass hiding boxes in theme parks. Too great a possibility of them going missing, and also a good possibility it could cause a bomb scare.

Disneyland had one of those last year with a geocache. It was one that had been in place for two years before a gardener discovered it.

Actually, this is intriguing! We always like the boxes that are in those beautiful, out of the way woodland hideaways, but there's something really tantalizing about the "Mission Impossible" boxes. We love all the cloak and dagger involved in trying to nab a box like that (for example, all the NY State Thruway boxes!), so it ends up being just as much fun as the quiet leisurely walks in the woods.

Heck, man, we're all for ANY boxes...who're WE kiddin'?! :-)

The (little bit citified) Sprite & the (little bit country boy) Highlander

All this talk has gotten me a little nervous about our trip down in a couple weeks. I would be the one to get caught "planting a device" as my two kids kept guard. Well, the little one usually does the sneaky stuff =) That could be even worse!! Throw in some child abuse as well. We will have to carefully consider the boxing part. Definitely will have to carve a "family stamp" before the trip. It takes FOREVER to stamp in 4 times.

bzmom

bz
where is your sense of adventure? Didn't yall learn anything from my trip to GA.;)

Boxdn

BZ-have fun and do it all! You can be discreet and do okay. Just make sure it is a really good spot before leaving something if you plant. You can do a family stamp, but I think a good rule of thumb anytime is to take the box a little bit away, usually where I can still see the original site, and stamp up there. It's more discreet that way and you don't have to worry about being spotted, you're just "journaling" or "keeping the kids occupied for a break."

ps. I remember reading about the geocache the gardner. There was debate about if it was a geocache or an LB. It definitely reminds us about choosing places wisely, although the spot can't have been bad if it lasted for two years in somewhere as manicured as Disney.

Ha! I don't need your kind of adventure =) I'll have my children with me =) Besides, with a 4 year old, every day is an adventure!

bz

I actually found several places that I thought would make great hiding places while we were there last week. Unfortunately I had heard it was impossible to hide a box at Disneyland so I didn't even take my supplies with me. If I'd had a microbox with me, Tom Sawyers Island would have had one before I left :)

Maiden

You'd be surprised how hard it is to plant one there that stays. The Disney sweepers are legendary for finding every scrap of trash. They go through all the bushes, trees, holes in the ground, cracks in the rocks, crannies in buildings, etc. to find it.

There was one trial plant I made behind a bridge railing. I checked that it could no be seen from either direction while crossing the bridge. The first time, I wedged it into a joint between a brace and the handrail. It disappeared within a few days. My second attempt was using velcro in the middle of a span, not near any joints where someone might wedge trash. It was pretty far back (the handrail is about 4" thick) so there was no way you could accidentally bump it. You had to reach for it. This one ALSO disappeared within a week.

Those guys are GOOD! The only reason I persist in trying is that I know that some hidden things have survived there for over 2 years.

BTW: A hint for a container might be to use something that wouldn't be out of place if it were inadvertantly discovered such as a film cannister. I'm sure the sweepers pick up a ton of those every day and finding another one wedged behind a rock wouldn't raise any alarm bells the way a tupperware box painted black might. :)

I still can't help but try.
Somebody did find my Dead Men Tell No Tales box. But she's a local, my letterboxing buddy. =0) We're two of the "Elf Trio". And her daughter suggested the spot.
I'm looking forward to my first 'out of towner'.
I don't get to the parks often. So I decided against a dummy box. It is small. A ring box actually. So being in a gift shop corner, it may be over looked.
I think these boxes should be special anyway. I don't want to just plant Tupperware in Disney ;-)
I do agree that Disney custodial does an outstanding job. But it doen't look like this display has been touched in ages. It's one of those with everything nailed down.
I plan on another Disney box soon. BOLO for the clues!

~~Dawn the OKW

I plan on another Disney box soon. BOLO for the clues!<i/>

Keep up the good work Dawn! We'll be there in April and plan to hunt your Disney boxes! I know that bzmom is heading down there in the next few weeks and she's sure to give you a report if she finds it!

--Amyrica (in Georgia)

Thanks <blush>

Being a newbie, I'm a little anxious to hear what others think about my stamps and boxes.
Have fun at Disney. Maybe we could meet for an exchange.
(Cool trail name, btw)

Dawn ~~The OKW

I know that bzmom is heading down there in the next few weeks and she's sure to give you a report if she finds it!

I, in fact, will be heading down next week!! We arrive on Wed. and will leave on Mon. We are very excited and yes I do plan on searching out any boxes I can. My kids are very excited about the pirate box! They are crazy but very useful in retrieving things out of tight spot and great for a diversion!

Have you had any luck with the Wilderness Lodge box?

bzmom

As far as I know the Wilderness Lodge box is still missing. I didn't get the owners name. But the way the clues read, a new box could be planted by the end of Feb.
There are quite a few boxes around Disney now.

I have my Leif Ericson stamp ready, I have a box. I just need to get a log book for it. And Epcot will have a new box =0)
I have plans for a China stamp too.

Keep in touch, maybe we could get together for an exchange.

Dawn The OKW

Hi Dawn, Kayaklil here. Pati and I letterboxed all the way back to VB. Enjoyed meeting you in Orlando. I think your box is terrific! I hope the cleaning crew doesn't find it. I too think not all boxes need to be Tupperware. I have started camo-ing my boxes with gun tape. I had to go to a gun shop to buy it. It's like duct tape only not shiny and has a dark leaf print on it. You might like that if you plant any boxes in dark places outside. Micro boxes are ok, but will need to be refreshed often because the journals have to be so small. Happy hunting! Kayaklil

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I have started camo-ing my boxes with gun tape.

I've done this to a couple of my boxes. I find that over time it gets dry and brittle and starts to come away from the box.

DebBee

Hi Kayaklil,

It was really nice meeting you too. I don't have the opportunity to travel much. So getting to meet fellow boxers is especially nice for me.
I am looking forward to seeing who all looks for my boxes.
I had to pull my very first box but not before it was stamped by someone from CT. I was thrilled!
I hope to go to my first gathering soon. And that my scedule allows me.
Tell Star Polisher I said hello. I should write to her soon.
And I am glad that you two had a good, safe, and fun boxing trip back

~~Dawn the OKW

Oops...I forgot to change the "Subject"

The previous message is for you, Kayaklil =0)

~~The OKW

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I hope to go to my first gathering soon.

Oooh! Like next month, maybe??????

DebBee

There is Camouflage Duct Tape available.
Here is a website:

http://www.duct-tape.com/camouflage_ducttape.html

And Don might know where to get some, I think he has every color of Duct Tape known to man!

-Amanda from Seattle

Galyan's and Dick's Sporting Goods both carry camo tape.
Artdog

DebBee

Yeah... I really hope so. Gotta covince hubby how nice it will be to spend a week-end in Davie, FL.
I imagine a hotel stay...we'll be driving in from Orlando.

I need to get my personal traveler carved..."but Honey, I need to go.. to show it off"

~~Dawn the OKW

I'll keep the duct tape in mind....but I had a strange notion to glue bits of twig to a box.
...or is that going too far? Where is my glue gun? Do I really miss Martha Stewart that much?

Dawn the OKW...who happens to be good at brain storming

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And Don might know where to get some, I think he has every color of Duct Tape known to man!

-Amanda from Seattle

I only use black, brown or the basic silver. The silver is really good for use in cemented areas. The shine leaves the tape fairly quickly and it becomes a dull grey, and blends in to the color of cement. Camo tape is pricey and can be found in a Cabelas catalog. Other colors can be found at most Ace Hardware stores.

Don

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Gotta covince hubby how nice it will be to spend a week-end in Davie, FL.

If you need help, let me know. I'll see if I can come up with some creative reasons. (Would he go for "We have to go, so DebBee's not sitting all by herself in the park, crying into her Tupperware?")

Better yet, I'll put my husband on it. He comes up with some amazing reasons I should NOT go to my karate class. It wouldn't be that much of a stretch for him to start thinking of reasons TO do something.

And on the other subject, I got my cammo tape at Outdoor World.

Oh yeah, and in the interest of keeping this on topic, Ryan, I'm looking forward to seeing the Valentine motif. Any idea why I almost always click on "cancel" after I type my whole message in, when I mean to hit "submit"? No, I didn't really think you would.

DebBee

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Any idea why I almost always click on "cancel" after I type my whole message in, when I mean to hit "submit"? No, I didn't really think you would.

No, can't say I know why you'd do that. Is this a problem for others? Should I switch the buttons around? I'm not married to the buttons being layed out in any specific manner. Or maybe I can make the Submit button stand out more from the other two buttons. Make the text in it bold or enlarge the button a bit?

-- Ryan

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maybe I can make the Submit button stand out more from the other two buttons. Make the text in it bold or enlarge the button a bit?

Hey, that'd be great for me. Maybe big, huge arrows bright red and blinking, pointing to the right button! I'm not sure if anyone else has the same mental block I do. You'd think, since I'm a relatively intelligent adult human female, that after the first time or two I watched my carefully chosen words disappear into the ether, I'd have learned, but NO, apparently this is beyond my capacity.

But on the upside, at least I seem to have gotten the hang of the quote thing.

DebBee

I have found boxes that had twigs glued to them--also a particularly awesome box in California has fake ivy glued to it to blend in with the real ivy where it is hidden.

-Amanda from Seattle