Do you leave things in your stroller at DLR?

[keptwoman]

America has some sick sick people, and I put nothing past them...I think that living in other, more civilized countries, people don't think of it...

Nah sick pervy drink spikers are in clubs all around the world sadly. But I think spiking a drink in a club is different to a place like Disney, I just can't work out what it would acheive.

remember the tylonol scare? yeah folks died. ever hear of people getting there drinks spiked? why take a chance with anyone in your party ? There is a lot of freaks out there destined to do harm. and why would anyone steal a stroller of packages? BECAUSE THEY CAN AND WANT TO!

No, I didn't. Because we live in Australia where it wouldn't have made news. That's why I asked if there was actually proven reports rather than urban myths. So someone spiked something with Tylenol at Disneyland?

Yeah there are freaks everywhere, but my chances of being the victim are miniscule so I choose not to live in fear. I realise I'm odd, there are just as many people here paranoid about all the bad guys as there are in the USA.


As for the stealing, yep. Not saying it doesn't happen, it's a calculated risk isn't it. That's why you don't leave stuff you'd be devastated to loose.

I think the thing that made our stroller less likely to be stolen was it's utter uniqueness, it couldn't be passed off as "oops I thought it was mine" because it was completely different from anything in the US. I think if you wanted to take your own stroller, I'd attach something very firmly to it or decorate it in someway that made it unmistakeably yours.

My aim is to hide whatever I leave in it, and don't leave things that I would be sad to loose. Actually I'm going to miss our stroller this time, I really found it incredibly useful last time as the family pack horse LOL. I refuse to take it's place in that regard that's for sure, the kids will be carrying their own crap!

 

[LuLusApple]

And on this trip, DS was given a simple and free balloon that he wanted to take into the parks on our second day. So we did. And I was informed that balloons (even small ones whose helium was leaking out) aren't allowed on the rides, and I would need to leave it on the stroller. So I did, and haflway into the day, we came back to the stroller to find it,
too, was gone. It hadn't come untied, rather, someone took the tied balloon off of the plastic balloon holder thing...plastic and
ribbon tie thing still on the stroller, balloon GONE. I don't leave anything anymore, and won't be
BUYING any balloons either, if a simple free one can't last on a stroller.

Wow this happened to us too. I bought a 7/8$ mickey head balloon and tied it tight onto the stroller and someone yanked it off the stroller leaving half the ribbon and the big plastic weight tied to the stroller. Then we went on another ride and someone stole the dang plastic weight. I will never buy another balloon to take around the park. I'll buy it on the last day if I ever do again. It's disgusting what people do and how low they are to steal another childs balloon. I never had problems with anything being stollen in years past. I have even accidentaly left an expensive digital camera on top of a stroller years ago and no one touched it. Now I Can't even leave a balloon. I won't take a nice stroller anymore either, I take a 35$ collapsable, if they are that hard up, take it

 

[fairycat]

Nah sick pervy drink spikers are in clubs all around the world sadly. But I think spiking a drink in a club is different to a place like Disney, I just can't work out what it would acheive.


No, I didn't. Because we live in Australia where it wouldn't have made news. That's why I asked if there was actually proven reports rather than urban myths. So someone spiked something with Tylenol at Disneyland?

Yeah there are freaks everywhere, but my chances of being the victim are miniscule so I choose not to live in fear. I realise I'm odd, there are just as many people here paranoid about all the bad guys as there are in the USA.


As for the stealing, yep. Not saying it doesn't happen, it's a calculated risk isn't it. That's why you don't leave stuff you'd be devastated to loose.

I think the thing that made our stroller less likely to be stolen was it's utter uniqueness, it couldn't be passed off as "oops I thought it was mine" because it was completely different from anything in the US. I think if you wanted to take your own stroller, I'd attach something very firmly to it or decorate it in someway that made it unmistakeably yours.

My aim is to hide whatever I leave in it, and don't leave things that I would be sad to loose. Actually I'm going to miss our stroller this time, I really found it incredibly useful last time as the family pack horse LOL. I refuse to take it's place in that regard that's for sure, the kids will be carrying their own crap!

Actually the tylenol scare she is most likely talking about had nothing to do with Disneyland it happpened in Chicago in 1982 and involved some one tampering with tylenol capsules contaminating them with cynaide. 7 people died. I have heard of no poisioning cases at the parks. And have to agree its a pretty much a long shot of that happening.


I haven't had to deal with a stroller yet since I don't have the baby out quite yet But was wondering what kind of luck people have had with making their strollers look more "unique" and noticeable in a crowd?

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

We're literally in the parks every two weeks and we haven't had anything taken in 4 years. I would say more crime comes from rentals, but we have a really bright colored lime green Quinny, a red Volo, a Mod aqua and brown Duo Quatro and a red Jane Double and none have ever fallen victim to anything malicioius. We leave replaceable objects in them all the time. I think the more obvious your stroller is the better.

We've never had an issue with the Minnie breakfast balloons tied on the stroller, either. We don't splurge on the large balloons, but I see what makes them a target. I also make sure to lock my stroller wheels - with the brake only, to make it more difficult for a quick push. I also will look for a space that is a little deeper in the stroller crowd, and not on the edge of it.

I will also sometimes cover over my stroller, as you would when a child is sleeping. I wonder if sometimes the CMs come over to check and make sure it's not an abandoned child. I'd worry about that more than I would someone trying to drug my family. Abandoment has actually happened in Disney theme parks and people have been arrested for it. They leave a baby in a stroller and go on the ride. Not what we're used to, is it!

 

[the donut]

The thing about snacks, sippy cups, and water bottles is that they are open. Can you guarantee that no one will tamper with them while you are apart from the stroller. There are some sick people out there, and yes, they do go to DL, too. I would not leave anything on it other than the rootbeer soaked diaper in the ziplock that people recommend to stop people from swiping your stroller. Just my opinion. DH carries a backpack with what is needed. Everything else stays at the hotel or in a locker.

For less sinister reason not to leave snacks on the stroller, once my husband and I went to fetch our stroller from the stroller area and saw birds picking at someone else's stroller that had food in the front tray. We waited for a moment or two hoping the owner would come to claim the stroller, and we could tell them that the snacks had been touched by the birds, but they didn't show in that time. After we left we decided we should probably have knocked the food off onto the ground. I wouldn't want my kids eating bird touched foods.

 

[SoCalKDG]

Been about 100 times with a our personal stroller and a Disney rental with our now 7 and 3 year old girls. Nothing goes into the Disney rental except a cheap jacket. Never had it taken.

Everything goes into our other stroller, never had a single item taken. We don't keep loose food in sight, and the most valuable thing we have is a camera which sometimes stays in the stroller, but is covered by a jacket.

Bottom line keep stuff there, but make sure its worth less than $100. Don't leave food accessable to people or animals. You should be fine.

Remember that a Disney stroller can get replaced for free if you keep your receipt.

 

[bumbershoot]

Wow this happened to us too. I bought a 7/8$ mickey head balloon and tied it tight onto the stroller and someone yanked it off the stroller leaving half the ribbon and the big plastic weight tied to the stroller. Then we went on another ride and someone stole the dang plastic weight.

I bet the weight-theft was when they would replace fly-away balloons as long as you had the weight. According to Albort, several months ago they won't do that anymore (not even if the balloon flies away in sight of the CM), but they used to.



FWIW, I don't live in fear, but we've now lost THREE things to theft, and I'm sick of it. I didn't like the feeling of having had a free balloon taken from our stroller, so for me it's not the replaceability or the inexpensive nature of something...it's the feeling of something being taken *from me*.

Even if I have a couple waters that have been in the heat all day, that I'm not going to drink (I don't do this with park-purchased waters, but if we bring cheapie water in, or refill a water bottle), if those are taken, it makes me feel BAD. I don't like that feeling, so I'm not leaving things in the stroller.


But anyone reading, when you go to the parks, yiou're going to see hundreds of dollars worth of stuff on strollers, you're going to see expensive bags, expensive blankets, full merchandise bags, etc etc etc, and you're going to wonder "why am I worrying when there's all this LOOT that no one's bothering?" You'll find that answer if you have the bad luck that we've had, and feeling the bad feelings that even having a free balloon taken *can* cause.

 

[Zeebs]

We just got back and took our own McLaren and rented one and never had any issues. We always took our camera (which I did leave on the monorail yikes but got back as we realised straight away and the driver picked it up for us) money and tickets with us but left drink, food, jumpers and a backpack with nappies etc in it for Seth on the stroller.

While I was in lost property filing a report on my lost mobile phone - fell out of back pocket I am not normally so rubbish with my stuff. A women was in there here stroller had been stolen, they had left everything in it, cameras, phones, money!!!!!! Obviously very upset but blimey thats a bit crazy leaving all that stuff.

With regards to stuff going missing sometimes I think it might be kids, we just caught our smallest son 19 months, swiping something off someones pram, if we hadn't seen him have it in his hand we wouldn't have known which pram to put it back onto.

Kirsten

 

[bumbershoot]

With regards to stuff going missing sometimes I think it might be kids, we just caught our smallest son 19 months, swiping something off someones pram, if we hadn't seen him have it in his hand we wouldn't have known which pram to put it back onto.

Kirsten

Definitely a possibility.

Of course, if you hadn't figured it out, you would have taken it to Lost and Found, and the people could have gotten it back. But if it never shows up at L&F, that means the adults just absorbed the mysterious item into their belongings, and that's where the theft comes in.

We've said a few times...wonder where the parents thought that pirate hat, or that build your own lightsaber came from?


I can't imagine leaving money in a stroller/pram! What were they thinking? Wow.

 

[goofswife]

Our stroller was taken from outside Pixie Hollow last month. Yes, Disney did replace the stroller with no problems, but we still felt we lost some time tracking down a location for another stroller during a very crowded day. We'd left nothing of value in the stroller, but we did have a red ribbon tied on the stroller plus our name in the "pocket". Whoever took the stoller definitely "stole" it and didn't take it by mistake.

 

[aprincess@mail.com]

how funny, my friend just asked me this question the other day.
and my answer was "no, im not worried about leaving stuff in the stroller, its disneyland" LOL
you guys have some good sad stories. sorry your stuff was stolen.
I have never been scared about leaving my stuff in the stroller, and we leave all of our stuff! haha...
guess were just lucky too.
once my dh left our digi camera hanging on the stroller too. I was pretty pissed about that one tho.
i guess there are thiefs everywhere...

 

[JoRo]

We have been to DL and WDW with our stroller over the last 2 years (since kids) and have another trip planned in Oct - I have to say I just assumed the honor system was there because we never had any issues. Now we dont leave cameras in the stroller and keep sweatshirts, jeans extra waters in a locker until night. But if someone took our Peg Pergo stroller (about $350) with the baby blankets, binkies and bottles in it would ruin our trip!

So I will try to learn from others - turn the stroller around, keep the brakes on, bet a brake lock, make a big sign - I like all the ideas.

We usually have a mesh bag on the bag of the stroller for little pillows and a neet sheet for the parades. We are into as much comfort as we can when waiting for the parades we want front row now that we have kids. With out the kids we just jump in where ever HAHAH.

thanks for the tips

 

[Mugglemama]

as i said, we don't use a stroller anymore, but i wonder if it wouldn't help to take a cheapie combination chain lock into the parks to weave through a couple wheels of the stroller? it would take an extra minute to deal with the chain when leaving and picking up the stroller, but like the past poster said...losing a $350 stroller with all the blankets and pacifiers in it could really ruin a trip. (my youngest daughter was a serious "blankie-baby"...we had to take her blankie everywhere, including DLR. all hell would have broken loose if somebody had stolen it, YIKES!)

our last stroller had holes through the rims of the wheels, and we could have locked it up through that. it would also work on the rentals, right?...don't they have spokes?

 

[Gisele]

I feel sorry for those of you that have had personal property stolen from your strollers. I don't have any babies, or toddlers, so I do not have to worry about that. I have seen many strollers loaded down with all sorts of things, and have thought to myself, I hope their property is still there when the ride is over.
How can some one be so ridiculous and immature so as to steal a child's balloon? Sorry for that Molly! I hope that you were able to have it replaced. And I know what you mean by something not having a large monetary value, for that is not the point, I agree. It is a matter of X item, belonging to you, not the thief. It is a kind of personal violation. I do not like unfair things happening to me, nor to you or anyone else for that matter. What is just is just that, what is not is not.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Mugglemama]

as i said, we don't use a stroller anymore, but i wonder if it wouldn't help to take a cheapie combination chain lock into the parks to weave through a couple wheels of the stroller? it would take an extra minute to deal with the chain when leaving and picking up the stroller, but like the past poster said...losing a $350 stroller with all the blankets and pacifiers in it could really ruin a trip. (my youngest daughter was a serious "blankie-baby"...we had to take her blankie everywhere, including DLR. all hell would have broken loose if somebody had stolen it, YIKES!)

our last stroller had holes through the rims of the wheels, and we could have locked it up through that. it would also work on the rentals, right?...don't they have spokes?

i just thought of this....if you REALLY need a place to stow stuff while you ride (and let's face it, you really do if you have to carry diapers, etc.), you could bring a backpack or diaper bag that has straps sewn on both ends (typical backpack straps wouldn't work because they can be pulled apart at the buckle), and actually lock it to the stroller. additionally, just about all bags these days come with dual zippers...you could purchase a very small lock and lock the zippers the way you do on luggage.

a lot of hassle, but in the long run, for people who really must bring a stroller and be able to stow stuff in it while they ride (like we have always had to), it's a viable solution. it also makes it possible to store sippy cups and baggies of kid snacks without having to worry that somebody tampered with any of it.