Anyone had own stroller "stolen"?

[LuvAllPrincesses]

So, when you love your Maclaren stroller and paid close to $100 for it and want to take it to Disney but know that it is at your own risk to leave it outside of rides...have any of you ever really had your stroller taken never to be recovered again?

[ljv1975]

We didn't have any problems with our own stroller. Some of the stroller parking areas are pretty big and once we thought someone had taken ours by mistake. There was a very similar stroller near where we had originally parked ours. After looking around we found our stroller a few feet away. The CM's will re-arrange the strollers to maximize the space and keep everything nice and neat, so always look around!

Some people would leave camera bags and backpacks and all sorts of personal belongings in their strollers, but I couldn't bring myself to leave our stuff in the stroller when we parked it. I do like to think the best of people, and of course I want to believe that no one in WDW would steal something, but you just never know.

You could always tie something unique to the handlebar so someone doesn't think it's theirs by accident and you can easily find it in a crowd of parked strollers!

[crazypoohbear]

I have read where some people will take a new diaper, pour some rootbeer on it, place it in a plastic bag and tie this to the stroller, no one will touch it then :D

[Taja]

I'm not sure what kind of stroller we had in December, but it was expensive. My friend's DD purchased it second-hand for $50, but I think it was closer to $200 originally.

I did make a laminated name tag (black ink on white paper on red paper--two-sided) and attached it with a cable tie. Just to be safe!

We didn't leave anything in the stroller most of the time. The mom did leave the diaper bag a couple of time, but she removed her wallet and camera first. The only thing stolen was her first-timer's button, and that was easily replaced.

[thumperbug]

I've never had my personal stroller stolen. To make it easy to identify we have bright green tags and handles so it is easy to find. I use the handles you can get to put on luggage (goes on with velcro) and put one or two on the handles. The only thing I might leave in the stroller when I park it is rain ponchos which I store underneath where no one would really see it. Everything else comes in the attraction with us.

[Disney Doll]

Nope never had. I also recommend some kind of personalized label. In addition, I like glow sticks so you can find your stroller easily even if it's dark. I also recommend that you be careful about what you leave in the stroller. I have seen really nice video cameras and even wallets unattended in a strollers. That's just not smart.

[prprincess]

I know a few people who have had theirs stolen from DL, but not at WDW...even though I'm sure that it probably happens there as well.

I too tie things to my strollers that allow me to find them quickly in a crowd--our bright yellow stuffed monkey, Orlando, is one of those things. ;)

The "dirty diaper" idea is great. I'm going to have to try that one!

[KylesMom]

We used to tie a Chicago White Sox banner onto the handlebars of our stroller, and it was never bothered. The basket on the bottom was a must have when DS was younger.

I would recommend purchasing a stroller cover - for two reasons:
1) Rain
2) Birds - they always seemed to "hit" our stroller!

[Jasper]

We used to always take ours and never had any problems. As others have said it is a big help to attach something to make it easier to find in a crowd. We actually did the "dirty diaper" thing about 15 years ago and never had anyone take it. Of course they never took it when we didn't do the dirty diaper thing either.

I would imagine that with the thousands or maybe even millions of strollers that get brought into the parks in a year's time that there are probably a few that go missing. However since you so rarely hear from anyone who did not recover theirs it has to be rare. Let's face it, unless you have a kid why would you want to snatch someone else's stroller?

This is purely a guess, but I would be willing to bet that of the ones that do get reported stolen each year that most are taken by accident rather than on purpose.

[Sean Riley Taylor's Mom]

We have taken our Peg Perego P3(Over $250 when we bought it) stroller to WDW the past three years.

We have never had a problem. We have a WDW luggage tag attached to the handle bar.

[swampfox28]

We were going to do the "dirty diaper" thing but never bothered.

Our stroller isn't way cute, but it is a Peg Perego and worth about $250 (we did NOT pay anywhere near that, tho!)

I did find that occasionaly to "tidy up" the CM's did move strollers sometimes so DON'T FREAK OUT if it's not exactly where you left it (esp. in AK for some reason).

I tied a funky/wierd ribbon to the handle so it was easily identifiable in a crowd which DID help!

No one even touched it (other than CM's) and I LOVED having our own stroller. TOTALLY worth it IMO!


=Sarah

[KylesMom]

After reading about the price increase in stroller rentals in another forum, I have to reiterate that I'd bring your own. It's so convenient to gate check at the airport, and with the rates you're going to pay for a rented stroller, it would just be sensible to bring your own.

[magicofdisney]

I hope the rate increase in stroller rentals doesn't make it more enticing to "borrow" someone else's personal stroller.

BTW, we've been taking our own stroller for several years. The only time it went missing was when a dutiful CM moved it from the no parking zone to the parking area.

[biodtl]

We used to tie a Chicago White Sox banner onto the handlebars of our stroller, and it was never bothered.

We always used a ribbon or bandanna, but now that I read this, I think I'll switch to a Pittsburgh Pirates banner - they way they have looked these past few season, no one will want it! :silly:

(don't get mad, Pirates fans - I love my Bucs regardless)

[princessjojo]

We never really gave it a second thought. But this year we're taking a stroller along with us for my nephew. It was his 1 demand item and he's 6. We always allow the kids 1 item they can demand we bring along. But rather than taking the good stroller, we're going to a 2nd hand store and purchase one for a few bucks. And if it gets taken then oh well. But if not, we'll take it back and resell it when we're through or pass it along to someone else who may need it.

[DisneyDog]

My DS is 5, and I wish he would demand a stroller. But, alas, he is simply too tall for one anymore. He already surpasses the height requirements for almost every ride. And, he hates to walk. Luckily, my mom will be renting a scooter, so he can ride with her so we don't hear him complaining the entire trip.

[Von-Drake]

Like others have posted we have never had a problem, other then it occasionally being moved by a CM. We usually do not leave anything of any real value in the Stroller.

[laward32]

We had our own stroller stolen on our trip in Dec of 06. Luckily it wasn't an expensive stroller. It was a 10.00 umbrella stroller. We even had our name on it. It was a Winnie the Pooh stroller, but I think someone took it by mistake. There was another identical Winnie the Pooh stroller with our group of strollers outside the ride. I don't think they took it on purpose. When we got another one we took a bunji cord and tied the two strollers together when we left them to ride a ride.:mickey:

[princessbellemom]

Yes in December 2006. We had just gotten it that very morning at the local Target and took it over to MGM our first park to visit and after we came out of Voyage of the Little Mermaid we couldn't find it. It totally ruined our day. My daughter had just turned two and we really needed to have a stroller for her.

Fortunately, since we got park security involved they took us to Guest Relations :number1: in the park and they gave us coupons for stoller rental the remainder of our visit (10 days). We never gave up that it would be found at the lost and found and we called daily to see if it was found but it never was.

If you have a stroller that you really like I would suggest bringing a bike lock with you and securing the stroller to something so that people can't just walk away with it.

[KylesMom]

If you have a stroller that you really like I would suggest bringing a bike lock with you and securing the stroller to something so that people can't just walk away with it.
This probably would not be the best way to handle the situation, as CMs are constantly relocating the strollers outside of attractions. I suppose you could lock the wheels together so that they could not easily roll, but I would not plan on being able to chain the stroller to a stationary railing or pillar so that it is immovable.

[Janmac]

On our last trip we took a McLaren for our grandniece as she will NOT sit in an umbrella stroller (even the nice Pooh one that she picked out herself).

Our trip was in December so we had Christmas lights (battery operated) and ornaments and ribbon all over the stroller.

We also might leave ponchos, sweaters, hats, or water bottles in the stroller but not wallets or cameras.

Jan

[mickey&missy]

If you have a stroller that you really like I would suggest bringing a bike lock with you and securing the stroller to something so that people can't just walk away with it.

I remember a discussion at one point on the board about this same topic and someone suggested a bike lock. I believe it was determined that bike locking your stroller is "against the rules."

The CM's move the strollers to make the parking areas more efficient. It's annoying sometimes, especially when they move your stroller clear across the parking area from where you left it like happened it us in Tomorrowland, but they do it for a reason.

We took a double umbrella stroller for our kids in 05 and a very nice graco, complete with clock and thermometer, this past trip and had no trouble at all.

A lot of people leave a lot of stuff in their strollers as well, I don't think is any kind of theft problem in the parks.

[kakn7294]

We always used a ribbon or bandanna, but now that I read this, I think I'll switch to a Pittsburgh Pirates banner - they way they have looked these past few season, no one will want it! :silly:

(don't get mad, Pirates fans - I love my Bucs regardless)Hey, that's a great idea! I love the Pirates too but I have to admit that they really stink and I agree that not too many people would want their stuff.

Last time we took a stroller, it was a nice umbrella stroller and I attached a homemade Steeler bag to the back - extra storage and identification all in one! I also always attached a luggage tag too.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I agree with NOT locking the stroller to anything but rather locking the wheels together. That way the CM's can still drag/lift it to another location but anyone else wouldn't be able to use it.
We had our ponchos in a Disney store bag hanging from the stroller and someone took those but they did leave the stroller.

[FortheloveofStitch]

We will be on our 5th stroller trip in 6 days, and we have never had a problem. I am not surprised that there are not that many people talking of problems. I would think that like someone else said, that if they are taken it is by mistake. My biggest reason for bringing our own... the walk and wait to the bus after fireworks/parade!

[#1donaldfan]

The dirty diaper is a horribly great idea......

..stroller bandit's would pass that one for sure.....

YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!:ack:

[MickeyChick]

We bought a new Joovy Caboose Sit and Stand stroller for our trip this past January. We decorated it with embroidered Minnie and Mickey stickers from Michaels and attached a BRIGHT AQUA Mickey Mouse Clubhouse backpack to it for hauling stuff.

We never had a problem. We even left camera bags and stuff in it.

We also always parked our stroller in a designated "stroller parking" area.

[Sam&Alex&Josh'sMOM]

Mickey Chick... how did the sit/stand stroller work for you? We ordered one (a Baby trend sit/stand) the other day... I am curious how your older one did with the standing and only haveing the bench to sit on?