Our (personal) stroller went missing today

[epsmith921]

So terribly sorry this happened. Please know that there are good people out there, and they really do outnumber the bad. Also, karma sucks!

Best of luck, and be sure not to let it ruin your trip! There are options and you will still have a wonderful time!!

 

[SA mom]

Ugh! So sorry. I heard some similar stories on the Disneyland edition podcast. People would "borrow" strollers and leave them at the end of their day. So selfish.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm sorry this happened to you. This is why, though, we will always rent a stroller (w/insurance) from one of the offsite companies in Orlando. If someone does take it, it's not my stroller, and the insurance covers me from having to pay the company the cost of the stroller.

 

[Crl1817]

Cast members move strollers regularly so they cannot be locked.

 

[gibsontrio]

So I called today ( on hold for 30 min) no stroller or backpack turned in. I am trying not to let it get to me or ruin our trip, but I'll admit I am just sad about the whole thing. Counting my blessings: I have my wallet, car keys, camera , and kids!! I need to work on letting it go

 

[Burnedout]

So I called today ( on hold for 30 min) no stroller or backpack turned in. I am trying not to let it get to me or ruin our trip, but I'll admit I am just sad about the whole thing. Counting my blessings: I have my wallet, car keys, camera , and kids!! I need to work on letting it go

So easily said and so hard to do. Good wishes that you manage it.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

I am sorry that somebody took something so personal as a child's stroller. The part of me that always wants to give the benefit of the doubt until I have facts wants to tell you that perhaps somebody was mentally disabled or it was a mistake. I hope you are able to recover your stroller.

 

[Momof2Singers]

So I called today ( on hold for 30 min) no stroller or backpack turned in. I am trying not to let it get to me or ruin our trip, but I'll admit I am just sad about the whole thing. Counting my blessings: I have my wallet, car keys, camera , and kids!! I need to work on letting it go

I so understand, having been in your shoes, but our cameras were stolen and all our video and pictures for the whole trip. So yes, as hard as it is, LET IT GO, ....but I would keep checking with lost and found.

Good luck and hope you have a wonderful time anyway.

Here's some pixie dust

 

[nkereina]

Since you checked with CMs, this is unlikely but Disney is famous for moving strollers. You leave it in a designated space at the start of an attraction, then come back and it's been moved to the end, or somewhere other then where you left it. Why, I'm not sure.

Someone could have accidentally grabbed it, thinking it was their personal stroller, then left it when they discovered it. (Hope so!)

Someone could have purposely grabbed it, then left it at the park gates.

I second the thought to bring a cheap stroller - and the Unofficial Guide used to recommend (and we would do so) putting a cloth diaper, lightly dipped in a cola beverage, then encased in a baggie, and affixing it to the stroller handle. Harmless, offensive looking but not really gross, and believe me, no one will touch your stroller.

I was kind of thinking the same as well. If it was the only stroller around with no one by it, perhaps a CM moved it to the nearest attraction if they thought it was abandoned in the wrong spot? Just trying to think positive!

 

[mummabear]

That sucks!
I would make a police report then contact my insurance company.
You can keep on checking with lost and found but you will want some sort of replacement in the mean time and insurance will need a police report to pay out.

 

[GeorgeG]

I'm sorry you had to experience that. I like the suggestion about the bike lock.

We've been going to WDW for close to 30 years and in the past 10 have seen a serious decline in the class of people. Yes, I realize that comes off sounding like a snob, but it's true. Disney used to be, and should still be, a place where you feel safe. I'm afraid that old Disney may be gone forever. One reason, as already mentioned, is there are just too many people, even during what used to be the "slow" seasons. That's not going to change because Disney likes it that way. It's to the point we're actually debating on whether or not to renew our annual passes.

Besides the bike lock, I would suggest avoid leaving personal stuff and purchases in you stroller or scooter while unattended.

 

[disnut8]

I'm sorry you had to experience that. I like the suggestion about the bike lock.

As long as a Cast Member can physically move the stroller, a bike lock across the back wheels shouldn't be a problem. However, you cannot lock a stroller to anything so it absolutely cannot be moved. There are many strollers outside any Disney attraction and lots of them are left my adults who are interested in one thing - getting their child(ren) onto the attraction. Cast Members will go through and "clean up" the strollers to a more orderly fashion so the other guests can easily access that same attraction.

In a perfect world, adults would park the strollers in a neat and orderly fashion and no one would steal a stroller. But none of us live in a perfect world. To term it loosely, *stuff* happens and we all have to deal with it.

 

[DebbieB]

That sucks!
I would make a police report then contact my insurance company.
You can keep on checking with lost and found but you will want some sort of replacement in the mean time and insurance will need a police report to pay out.

The insurance deductible is likely to be more than the value of the stroller and contents.

 

[ruthies12]

It was stories like these that made me lock my stroller while I was there. I put a small cable lock through one back wheel so it wouldn't turn. CM's were still able to move it easily by lifting up the back slightly but it would have been impossible to have it roll with a child in it. So sorry this happened to you!

 

[Gracie09]

Apparently the fake messy diaper wasn't the author's idea; a reader of an earlier edition of the book submitted it.

It may be a joke idea, but I do think it would deter any potential stroller thieves. Nobody's going to want to check to make sure.

OP, sorry your stroller was swiped. Hopefully it turns up at Lost and Found.

If I was a stroller thief that is the stroller I would take. First because they think I'm stupid and second because they must have something valuable in there.

OP sorry this happened to you.

 

[staceyrhood]

My friend is a manager at Epcot, she said this happens all the time. When I had my son she told me to never take my good stroller to the parks, always bring a cheap umbrella stroller, and when parking it for a ride or restaurant always take out anything you want to keep. Very sad that this happens so often.

 

[Delirium]

If it happens as often as is indicated in the thread, Disney Security should set up a sting operation. Leave a stroller out with something enticing to a thief. Nothing will deter a stroller thief like the threat of getting arrested in front of your children while on vacation. Word gets out that could happen and the number of thefts would go down.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I'm so disheartened by our Epcot visit today. While we parked our stroller in the designated stroller area in canada today , a total of 15 min while we got our passport stamps, it went missing. I'm about 99% it was stroller as it was not a common stroller and there was only 1 stroller parked there. We were told to wait , then told to go to guest relations. The security guard scribbled ( literally) some of our info down and that's it. I'm not hopeful. Luckily I know better than to leave anything high value in there, but we did loose a high end backpack and our souvineers. Is there anything we can do besides cross our fingers? We leave on Friday !! What is wrong with people that they would take someone's stroller!

This happened to us once before also in 2010 (stolen from the beach at the Beach Club Hotel). We were VERY disappointed, but it was never found. We've been going 1-2 times a year since and it's never happened again though.

 

[lizzyb]

I'm sorry. Hope it turns up.

 

[HM]

I know how you feel. My DD and I left something on a tram by mistake. We checked with L&F right away and then a bunch of times for the last two days of our trip hoping someone would turn it in, but it never showed up. I hate people that steal.

Also, even worse was when a camera that was borrowed for a trip to Europe was stolen (sitting right next to me) at the Vatican. Lost half my trip photos and someone else's camera.