Leaving your strollers behind

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

I know when you go on a ride or whatever, you have to leave your stroller behind. Has anyone had any problems with people messing with your stuff?

Also, when you go to a restaurant, is there a place to leave your stroller?

What places don't allow strollers? Where can you bring your stroller if you fold it up? Ours is a small umbrella stroller.

Thanks!

 

[Rella Bella]

There is stroller parking outside most of the attractions and restaurants. Sometimes the Cast Members have to move them around, so be sure to label or distinguish it in some way so you can find it easily. You can, and must fold the stroller for most transportation, not sure about attractions but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone bring one in. And yes, unfortunately, they occasionally get stolen from, (happened to my best friend), so never leave anything valuable with your stroller. But this is the exception, not the rule. There are hundreds of strollers at WDW… most of the time there’s no problem.

 

[tjmw2727]

Don't worry stroller parking is everywhere around the rides as well as the restaurants. The CM's will often move things around in the area to neaten up and make more room so don't panic if you don't see yours right away. I always brought along some wacky bandana's to tie on the handle, they help identify the stroller and come in handy for various other things.

I never left anything valuable in the stroller and I would pack things in small backpacks. One would be diapers, change of clothing and snacks et always left in the bottom basket. The other would be a small backpack with camera or camcorder and that would hang on the back and be carried with us when we left the stroller. This also makes folding/unfolding easier, grab two backpacks and fold!

I can't think of anywhere you can't bring a stroller open that would allow it folded except maybe the MK train. I know the Land Pavillion dosen't allow strollers at all so if your child is young consider a snugli or sling. (This is great in lines for babies/toddlers as well.).

TJ

 

[PrincessV]

When my DS was an infant, there were many occasions when CM's would tell me to just leave him in the stroller at various restaurants and attractions, even though you were clearly meant to leave the stroller outside. (The Land pavilion comes to mind, as does Rainforest Cafe.) I think they go out of their way to be accomodating whenever possible and where it won't be a safety risk.

Now that he's a "big" 4yo, the stroller gets parked. Knock on wood, I've never had a problem. As others have posted, I never leave anything in it I can't live without... which still leaves a LOT of stuff in and on it! Half empty cups/bottles, wadded up paper towels, half-eaten snacks, iffy-looking plastic bags stufed in the cargo net (containing clean extra clothes, but you'd never guess) - in short, it's a mess and I suspect a total turn-off for anyone looking to make off with a new stroller. Honestly, I can always find mine right away as it's one of only a few that looks that messy and over-burdened

 

[lovesdumbo]

I've never had any problems with strollers and I've brought expensive an Peg Perego and double & single MacLarens but I never leave anything in them except some diaper stuff and that is in a clear plastic bag. I think leaving something tempting looking in the stroller might increase the chance that someone might take the stroller for whats in it-or might be in it if they see a bag in it.

I do tie a ribbon or something on the stroller to make it easier to find. On our last trip, using a tip I read about here, I used a kitchen towel that can hang on a fridge door or stove handle. It was actually very hard to find one of these but I finally found one at Kohl's. It was nice and easy to spot the stroller with that on it and then we had a towel if we needed one.

The only time I've been allowed to take a stroller into a restaurant was when the child was asleep.

 

[llqool]

the only problem we've had (so far) was with the CMs moving them around while we were in the attraction. On one occasion, someone had a Graco exactly like ours and I couldn't find ours at first, and thought that somehow they had perhaps accidently switched strollers w/us (which wasn't the case!). SO after that I put a bright neon velcro tag on the handle, the kind that is supposed to wrap around a suitcase handle.

The other thing that happened was we had parked our stroller under cover and then a CM shifted them down and it was exposed to the elements during one of the inevitable FL afternoon rainshowers. So from now on, I always drape a poncho or put the plastic cover over our stroller when we go into a building. It has saved my daughters from an icky wet stroller many times!

We have also taken our stroller into CS places (and one TS place) when we've had a sleeping baby in it with no problems. But they wouldn't let us take it in line to attractions or anything like that, even with a sleeping infant. then you just have to make the choice, and usually I let sleeping babies lie and check out that attraction another time!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

I'm sorry, I didn't quite understand ... you can or you can NOT fold up your stroller and take it on the MK train?

Thanks for the tips, everyone!

 

[beattyfamily]

I'm sorry, I didn't quite understand ... you can or you can NOT fold up your stroller and take it on the MK train?

Thanks for the tips, everyone!

Yes, you can fold up your stroller and bring it on the MK train.

 

[scanne]

Please do NOT leave anything in your stroller. We were quite naive and left our video camera and a 35 mm point and shoot camera in the basket of our stroller while we saw FOTLK at AK. Everything was covered up with bags/towels/extra clothes. There was a ton of junk in the stroller. But I think there are "professional theives" that kick around the baskets and know what kick sounds like what item they're looking for. We didn't realize they were gone until much later when we were leaving AK. I did notice that our stroller had been moved from where I had parked it, but I thought that was the norm - CM's do that.

Anyway, we ended up taking 2 hours out of our vacation to go to the Wal Mart in Kissimmee to buy a new camcorder.

An expensive lesson to learn. People are scum, even at WDW.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you take your stroller on the train, it must be folded. You will have to close up your stroller on all buses. You probably will be able to leave your stroller open on the boats. You may or may not have to close up your stroller on the monorail.

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

Well, I think we will just carry a backpack that we can take with us on all the rides that way we don't leave behind any valuables. We will probably be bringing a travel potty for our dd 2, which has its own bag. Maybe so no one thinks it is anything valuable I should put a sign on it that says "Please don't steal my potty. I'm only 2!"

 

[tjmw2727]

If you take your stroller on the train, it must be folded. You will have to close up your stroller on all buses. You probably will be able to leave your stroller open on the boats. You may or may not have to close up your stroller on the monorail.

Yes, this was our experience as well. Just wanted to add that while on the boats while you can leave the stroller open they may ask you to remove the child and hold them rather than keep them in the stroller.

Also while my experience with strollers in restaurants was simliar to a PP in that a sleeping child was allowed to remain in the stroller this was not the case at the Land. Better to be prepared to leave your stroller behind at the Land pavillion as they were not allowing any strollers whatsoever during our Oct and April trips.

TJ

 

[ThriftyMomOfTwins]

We had a backpack and when we left the stroller we put our camera and camcorder in it and left ponchos and drinks. We waited until end of day for sovuiners so we didn't have to lug them around. I have a double side by side stroller and I bought a shower curtain at the Dollar Store and draped it over the stroller when we left it. Worked like a charm. We also got our poncho's at the dollar store.

 

[AWilliams]

Do strollers have to be folded on the monorail? It would be great if DD was sleeping to be able to keep her in it.

Thanks!!! Amy

 

[greeneyedchic75]

We went last month we rented a stroller everyday. We had no problems until the last night we were there, someone stole our stroller from the parking area for its a small world ride. The area they park the strollers for that ride is kind of off by itself and there was no cm standing by that area. Luckily we carry a backpack with all of our valuables . Having to walk back to the front of the park to reposrt the stroller stolen and getting another was a hassle especially since my 4 year old was exhausted and she had to walk instead of being sitting in her stroller. I do recommend if you rent do like other people suggest and tie things to make your stroller stand out, I had read that on these boards before I went but forgot to bring anything. I know better for next time.
I didnt bring my own stroller but I can tell you a few things I noticed, we were at Disney for the tropical storm alberto and we had flooding rains one day and I was glad I did not being my own stroller because people were having to leave theirs outside and I mean everything was completely drenched. You should be able to get on the monorail fine, plenty of room for strollers, the tram is another story. When we were leaving magic kingdom and catching the tram to the parking lot there was a family with two kids each in stroller. The tram guy was awful to this family he was rushing them and it was bad that only the husband and one of the children and stroller were able to get on, he was rushing them because they were having to get the strollers closed and get the kids on. It was so upsetting to see this family get treated that way and the wife and other small child being left behind to stand by themselves to wait for another ride even though there was alot of room on the tram. The buses back to teh hotels or to other theme parks can get quite crowded and it can be a pain to get on and off with a stroller but it can be done and you should be fine. Just alot of times theres no seats and everyone is standing but I would think there would still be room for the stroller. And dont leave anything in your stroller, I just wouldnt chance it, Disney is a wonderful place but not all the people that visit disney are as wonderful.
Hope you have a wonderful trip and good luck