Do strollers ever get stolen?

[KrazeeK120]

I just saw Disney came out with a summer resort offer and now I'm doing some thinking. I'm not sure if we'll go yet. But I thought this might be worth asking as I'm sure we'll be using a stroller the first time we go, regardless if it's this year or in 2 years.

Do strollers ever get stolen? We have a fairly nice stroller. I wouldn't say it's "deluxe." It's a Graco stroller that fits with the click connect system. If we go in the summer, I'd like to bring it (vs. buying a cheapie umbrella stroller) because of the canopy to give my DS some shade.

I tend to be a worrier...do I need to be concerned that if I park my stroller somewhere to go on a ride, it won't be there when I come back? I would take personal belongings out, of course.

We would be driving, so no concerns about gate checking.

I've been to Disney so many times, but this suddenly feels like a whole new ballgame with the addition of a child. Any advice would be appreciated!!!

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Just make sure you take out anything you'd miss if it "walked away" and mark the stroller clearly (with a balloon or a sign/ribbons/etc.) so it's easier for you to find it in case it gets moved.

I think the only reason someone would walk away with a run of the mill stroller (like a Graco or Chicco) in Disney would be if there was something IN it they wanted... and they'd just ditch the stroller later.

Gate checking is the worst, so it's great that you don't have to worry about that. American Air totally jacked up my Phil & Teds stroller... luckily it was on the way home since it wasn't able to be used after. Grrrrrrrrr.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

It's possible but not likely. I know I have seen reports of strollers being stolen on this board before, but they have been few and far between. Keeping your important items with you is a good strategy.

 

[CAS239]

it's not uncommon for strollers to be stolen. But way more likely for stuff off the stroller to be stolen. Disney does a good job with working to get everything back. So I wouldn't worry too much, but it is definitely possible

 

[Dreamin192]

We went last year and brought our Britax B Agile Double stroller for our twins. Strollers at Disney are great but you are limited on where you can take them. DH and I ended up having our twins, 11 months at the time, in baby carriers for most of the day since strollers can't be taken in lines or attractions. Our Britax spent a good amount of time parked and nobody ever bothered it. I realize it's also not a top of the line stroller but it's also not cheap and I too was worried something would happen to it.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I'm sure it's probably happened but far more likely and common is that the stroller parking attendant will move it, so don't panic when it's not where you left it. They move the strollers around ALL THE TIME to make more room.

 

[Dreamin192]

I'm sure it's probably happened but far more likely and common is that the stroller parking attendant will move it, so don't panic when it's not where you left it. They move the strollers around ALL THE TIME to make more room.

Yes, they get moved all the time! Also, I thought for sure our stroller would be great because it's blue. Well I wasn't the only one with a blue double Britax stroller and several times I had to double check what was in the basket, cup holders, etc. to make sure it was actually our stroller.

 

[Grand Admiral]

Yes, they get moved all the time! Also, I thought for sure our stroller would be great because it's blue. Well I wasn't the only one with a blue double Britax stroller and several times I had to double check what was in the basket, cup holders, etc. to make sure it was actually our stroller.

That's why it's helpful to tie a ribbon or brightly colored scarf on the handle.

 

[sretav]

As others have stated, I wouldn't worry about your stroller being stolen. Of course, you can never say never but strollers are so common place at the Disney parks that the only reason someone might take it is if they saw you putting your deluxe SLR in it and then walking away or some such scenario.

We have been twice, once with one child in 2011 and then with 4 children in 2014. In 2014, we had a back to back double stroller and a single plus sit stroller and they were left unattended sometimes for an hour or more. We bring along big blue beach towels to cover them and to make them easier to spot. In most of the stroller Parking Lots, CMs will move your stroller to condense the parking to make more efficient use of the space so, on your return, it is not at all unlikely to find your stroller 20 or 30 feet from where it started.

We are going back in May but only taking the back to back double. We're reasonably confidant only the youngest (4 yrs old) will need it but it is hard to give up the convenience of a rolling "extra clothes, snacks, autograph books, hats, sunblock, wipes, etc, etc" storage vehicle. I've joked about bringing it once the DD4 outgrows it. We'll see.

One fun story when we parked the stroller to eat at one of the restaurants in Italy at Epcot ... we overheard a couple talking about how they couldn't believe people would leave strollers unattended. Wouldn't they get stolen? We chuckled. It was not something we ever worried about.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

It's very unlikely. Strollers aren't worth much resale and would be a pain to steal very many. I can't imagine paying the prices to get into the Disney Parks in order to steal a stroller. I guess if you brought a pickup you might be able to steal more than a couple but I still can't imagine it being worth the time and effort. I would hope someone would be stopped by security if they were trying to leave the park with 5 empty strollers! I have to believe that the few instances of strollers being stolen are due to things like the thief wanting something left in the stroller, mistaken stroller identity, being moved by CMs, people deciding they want a stroller but didn't bring one and they just help themselves, etc. Sometimes you hear of people getting their stroller back after they report it missing and it's found wherever it was moved to or abandoned. I can't believe how many strollers we saw just like ours (we left the gate check tag on it that had our last name to help us locate ours). My dad grabbed the wrong one once but as soon as he brought it over I realized it wasn't ours and we took it back and found ours. Those people might have been momentarily looking and not finding theirs.

 

[AngiTN]

It happens but it is so not at all common. It's very rare.
We never had a thing bothered when we used a stroller and we left all sorts of things in it. Including camera equipment.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm sure it's probably happened but far more likely and common is that the stroller parking attendant will move it, so don't panic when it's not where you left it. They move the strollers around ALL THE TIME to make more room.

So true. I think it would be more rare to return and find your stroller was NOT moved than it is to return and find it moved.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

The most common type of stroller thief:

Secure your snacks!

 

[KrazeeK120]

Thanks for the insight, everyone. I guess it probably doesn't make sense to pay $100 to steal a stroller...

 

[dancin Disney style]

I remember a great tip for strollers. Take a diaper and soak it in cola. Then put it in a clear bag and tie to the handle. No ones touching that!

 

[kpearl]

It can happen anywhere but I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

When I went with my Mom, Aunt, and cousin back in 2014 my aunt brought down a inexpensive Snow White umbrella stroller to be fitting with our theme and what not. Well her and 1,000 other families thought the same thing. We'd go to the stroller parking and have to weed through 10+ Snow White umbrella strollers. Eventually we took a sharpie marker to the back of it and wrote the last name on it. No more confusion after that!

Make a sign and have it hang between the handles, tie a big bundle of ribbons around one of the handles, attach something that you can knot quite a few times and be difficult to remove quickly or at all. You'll be good to go!

 

[kpearl]

I remember a great tip for strollers. Take a diaper and soak it in cola. Then put it in a clear bag and tie to the handle. No ones touching that!

I cracked up at work reading that. Best idea ever. Hahahaha!

 

[HM2012Butler]

Once in a while someone reports something stolen (to me). But it doesn't happen as often as I would think. A lot more is probably reported to security. People do take the wrong stroller though. I've seen some very creative ways to identify your stroller

 

[linzbear]

No one is going to steal a Graco. Maybe an UppaBaby, but a Graco is worth nothing to resell whereas an Uppa on resale is still $600. Put your name & number on it somewhere anyway in case it gets misplaced.

 

[AngiTN]

Make a sign and have it hang between the handles, tie a big bundle of ribbons around one of the handles, attach something that you can knot quite a few times and be difficult to remove quickly or at all. You'll be good to go!

There are some fabulous Dis'ers who can make one of these for you. Check out the Creative Disigns board for idea.