Our (personal) stroller went missing today

[mom2rtk]

Why not slap a MB on it and allow the RFID system to track its every move!

Makes complete sense to me!

 

[Glenn]

Seems from a number of posts that theft is not all that uncommon in the parks. I wouldnt worry about the disney rented strollers since they will be replaced with a hassle. Most probably taken by someone to cheap to rent. What matters is when people steal your personal stroller and or stuff. I would encourage the poster & anyone that has stuff stolen (not stuff lost & not turned int) to call & file an actual police report I doubt disney sends any reports to police about things stolen. Police reports might get a little more attention from disney and the public should be aware of the extent of any problems for their own information.
Glad they found your back pack at least. Maybe the stroller will show up. Keep checking.

 

[Gracie09]

Sorry, I just have to laugh at this. I've sold used strollers for HUNDREDS on craigslist. Do you know how much nice strollers cost these days? A $500 new stroller is not unusual, and some are over $1,000. Granted, the OPs stroller doesn't seem to fit into this category but maybe the thief doesn't know the difference.

OP, glad it worked out for you!

I agree. Just last month I sold my five year old uppa baby vista that retailed around $700 with the accessories for $350. I have a double city elite that may make one last trip if dh has his way, I want to rent, I can easily get $250-300 for that one. I also sold a cheapish jogger for $40 which is great considering i paid $40 for it three years ago.

 

[Delirium]

I'm willing to bet that the majority of thefts are not by parents there with their kids. I am willing to bet that there are locals with an AP who troll the parks looking for items to steal. They know people leave valuables in strollers. Then they can take the valuables to the local pawn shop, resell, etc. The parks are an easy target since there is so many people and cast members do not know who owns which stroller so someone walking off with one is not a red flag. Husbands typically go get the stroller while the wife and kids are sitting on a bench, etc. so even a man alone is not a red flag. Disney doesn't have any responsibility over items left unattended so setting up a sting operation isn't an interest to them.

It really doesn't matter WHO is stealing them or WHY. It seems to be a problem and Disney should have the best interest of their customers who aren't thieves in mind, not stroller thieves.

If it is as bad as indicated in this thread, they should definitely do a sting over the course of a week and highly pubilcize the results. That would absolutely be a deterrent. Who should they be concerned about losing as a customer? A family with an infant that may make future trips, or a stroller thief looking to score some electronics? It's a no-brainer.

 

[staceyeileen]

The strollers that people take to Disney are 99% of the under $75 Graco variety.

I must go to a different Disney than you.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

It really doesn't matter WHO is stealing them or WHY. It seems to be a problem and Disney should have the best interest of their customers who aren't thieves in mind, not stroller thieves.

If it is as bad as indicated in this thread, they should definitely do a sting over the course of a week and highly pubilcize the results. That would absolutely be a deterrent. Who should they be concerned about losing as a customer? A family with an infant that may make future trips, or a stroller thief looking to score some electronics? It's a no-brainer.

I'm not sure I would call an occasional theft a problem worthy of a police sting. Certainly you've been to Disney and seen the 1000s of strollers that are used in the parks every day. I'd guess that true stroller theft is very rare. If you look in this thread, most people reported that the Disney park strollers that they rented were taken. I would think that's the most common type of "theft"...either from clueless people who think they're free, or people who take the stroller knowing that Disney will replace it for the legitimate renter for free. At the end of the night, though, all of those clunky park strollers are going to wind up back with their rightful owner (Disney) because no one is going to be able to leave the park with one. So, they're not really stolen...more like borrowed without permission.

 

[M5ward]

When we go to WDW with our younger grandchildren, we usually have one double and maybe a single. I bought two extendable locks. The first gets put through the rear wheels and is locked so they won't turn. The second locks the two strollers together. If someone wants to steal them, they will look pretty silly trying to wheel them out of the park.

 

[TDS533]

Well this explains something my husband and I could never figure out. I am a former castmember and there is a location on property that sells unclaimed lost and found items, after a very significant amount of time. We expected to see lots of sunglasses and cameras, which we did, but you would not believe the amount of unclaimed strollers that were there. And I am not talking the cheap umbrella ones. I have had very good luck with lost and found in the past, so keep checking and even check after you get home, you never know it may show up. Hoping the best for you.

 

[bethbuchall]

I'm really sorry this happened to you and it's a wakeup call for my upcoming trip in August. We will definitely exercise more caution with leaving stuff behind in the stroller than we have in the past. On a more positive note, on our last trip 2 years ago, we misplaced our camera while in MK. Our son was only 9 months old and it was his first trip to WDW, so you could imagine how upset we were that all our memories of our son's 1st trip were gone. We were told by castmembers to try the Lost & Found. We had very little hope someone had turned it in, but to our surprise our camera was waiting for us in the Lost & Found. Thankfully our camera did not fall into the wrong hands and someone was kind enough to do the right thing.

Years ago I found a camera in the shop at the end of the Pooh ride and turned it in. I still think about it occasionally and hope that it found it's way back to its owner. I am glad that yours was turned in, too.

 

[china mom]

In 2007, our stroller disappeared at AK. I filed a lost and found report and then asked guest relations to comp us a stroller for the day, which they did. They continued to comp us a stroller for the remainder of our trip even though as each day passed, they seemed less enthusiastic about it. We also called L&F daily with no luck. Several days after we returned home, we received a call from L&F stating that they had found our stroller.

Luckily, we were headed back the next week so we had them hold onto it until we could claim it in person.

We go to WDW several times a year and this was our only stroller mishap.

One thing I do now it write my cell phone number on the stroller with a sharpie. Not only will this identify it is I see someone walking around with it but it makes it easy for L&F to find me. Sometimes I write my cell phone number on my child for the same reason

 

[Angel Ariel]

For all those that say to get a cheap stroller for disney....

The reason why some people spend good money on a stroller (i spent over $1000) was so that my daughter is super comfortable in it, it handles everything i need and is super easy to navigate.

Most people use their stroller sparingly while at home, but in Disney, you're using it a lot more.

If people talk about being comfortable (clothes, shoes, hats, etc) why wouldn't you want your little one to be the most comfortable possible for a day that will be draining to them?!?!?

With all the technological advances from disney, plus them manning a person for stroller parking...why not have a stroller check?

That's why the stroller rental companies exist. So you can have a nice, comfortable stroller - without putting your personal stroller at risk.

Are they $1000 strollers? No...but I wouldn't bring anything worth $1000 to Disney and then leave it unattended somewhere. That is an unnecessary risk, IMO.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Sorry, but you aren't going to find enough of those at WDW to make a theft ring worthwhile. Those high end strollers are easy to describe and spot. Police would have no trouble tracking them down on the secondary market. That is, assuming the thief even getgs out of the park with one. The strollers that people take to Disney are 99% of the under $75 Graco variety.

Now this I would debate...City Minis (and similar style strollers) are very popular strollers for Disney - specifically because of how easy they are to fold, and that they recline virtually flat for naps (whereas cheap umbrella strollers rarely recline). Those strollers are easily $250-$400 retail.

These are also the strollers that the rental companies use, which is why I'll never bring my personal City Mini to Disney. No sense in putting mine at risk when I can use a rental that's the same thing.

 

[jaykorf001]

I agree. Just last month I sold my five year old uppa baby vista that retailed around $700 with the accessories for $350. I have a double city elite that may make one last trip if dh has his way, I want to rent, I can easily get $250-300 for that one. I also sold a cheapish jogger for $40 which is great considering i paid $40 for it three years ago.

Now I'm figuring out how I can sell my $400 Bob jogging stroller! Maybe Craigslist.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Beer Me]

Most people tend to get lax about security while on vacation especially at Disney World. Think about it. If you were anywhere else but DW would you even think about leaving your expensive stroller or other belongings unattended while you went to a store or restaurant?

We always left the good stroller at home and rented one at the parks. I remember once leaving a bag with the stroller by accident. It got moved and there were a few moments of panic until we figured it out. Our mistake. Don't leave anything valuable unattended.

Anyway, I'm glad OP found some of their stuff and hopefully the stroller will turn up.

 

[Beer Me]

Sorry. Disboard duplicate post glitch.

 

[OasterP]

I think I'm going to try the lock thing. We go to Hershey Park often as we have season passes, and we always leave our stroller - I've worried about people stealing it but we've been lucky. I also never leave anything valuable in it just in case.

It's ridiculous what some people will do - I can't believe how some people think. If it's not your stuff - you don't touch it!! Blows my mind.

That said - I think I'll still bring my own City Micro with me rather than rent. I was looking at the prices from the company off site, and for the number of days we'll be there it will cost me almost as much as buying a new one!

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

I must go to a different Disney than you.

I agree, H is so annoyed by my constant "OMG that's a $1200 Donkey! Look at that special edition Maclaren!" but then again, I have a slight stroller obsession I don't think the general public knows the retail value of high end strollers... until like 3 years ago the most expensive stroller you could get at Babies R Us was one of those awful travel systems.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

We have local family in the Orlando area (aunts, uncles, first cousins) and they have warned us numerous times about the stroller theft rings that hit the theme parks. You steal a couple of high dollar strollers a day and sell them for $100 each and that annual pass pays for itself pretty quick.

I don't think it's offense to locals. It is what it is. There is crime in all areas and theme parks are a prime location for theft.

I agree. Most crime is local.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Also was thinking about the cost of strollers on the bus home from MK a few nights ago. I am not quite 10 years out of a stroller and all of the ones on the bus were like mini-SUV's! Probably cost more than my first car.

Oh. I sound like my mother!