Scared to go back to WDW?? :(

[mmafan]

Sorry you had items stolen, OP. Even if they were items you could afford to lose, that doesn't mean you wanted to lose them. I agree with the pp in that I have seen people leave things on strollers like purses and cameras, and I wonder "What are they thinking?". Just like the pizza flyer scammers that troll the resorts, I'm sure there are theme park thieves looking to make a quick buck by taking your stuff. I don't even carry a bag with me these days - everything goes in pockets. But I do the same thing if I go to the grocery store or mall - it's not just a WDW thing.

As far as illness goes, I haven't gotten ill at Disney since I started carrying the individually wrapped Wet Ones towellettes and using one before I eat ANYTHING at the parks or resorts. Even if you stop in the rest room to wash before going to the restaurant, you will touch things other people have touched (when was the last time that paper menu was cleaned, hmmmm?). I don't touch any silverware or anything until I'm ready to eat and once I have my food ready, I wash and I eat. I also never touch my face when out in public, because it's easy to catch an illness that way. I also try to allow a few feet between myself and the person in front of me in line whenever possible, so I have some room to move if the person behind me starts sneezing and coughing. Other than that, I don't worry about what I touch, or who might have touched it before me.

I don't feel I'm any more likely to get sick at WDW than anywhere else. In fact, I feel I'm less likely to get sick at WDW than I am at work, because at work we all work very closely in one room with a secured door that stays closed - so if someone comes in to work sick, it's really hard not to catch it (and a lot of them come in hoping they will be sent home so they don't have to bring a doctor note for the time off). A couple weeks before my January trip, there was just me and one other person in the office - everyone else was out sick! I use way more hand sanitizer and Lysol at work than I would ever use at WDW.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^IT REALLY IS THIS SIMPLE

 

[Chellymouse]

Understand why you'd be nervous, but unfortunately, crummy things happen at the Most Magical Place on Earth too. Make sure to either take your valuable items with you or place them in a locker. However, if that is a hassle, friends of ours took a clean diaper and made it look "dirty" by placing it in a plastic bag and adding some realistic effects. Strategically placed on the stroller kept the stroller and their belongings intact. As for getting a bug that can happen anytime. Make sure you practice good handwashing!

 

[SamSam]

I don't know if it's because we always sandwich AK in the middle of the week for some downtime, but both prior trips my children were monsters on AK day. To the point of almost leaving and going back to our hotel.

We were the awful parents in the front of the park putting our kids in time out on a bench .. in the happiest place on earth. I had another parent mad at me at Yak and Yeti bc my oldest (7 at the time) was crying (just being dramatic bc she was in trouble. We weren't yelling at her. In fact, I was ignoring her completely). This other parent approached my daughter, asked if everything was alright, gave me evil looks, asked her if she needed to "tell her anything". It was awful.

Other parents are thanking you for being a good parent and teaching your children how to behave. Bless you.

 

[bigsteve83]

Please don't bike lock your stroller and then park it outside of the designated stroller parking area. And definitely don't bike lock it to part of the scenery or you may find yourself with a cut lock. Although the person who locked their stroller to a (moveable) stanchion kind of made my day.

Given this, I do want to clarify my previous post to say that I put the lock through the rear wheels. That allows CMs to still move it if they need to. But, if someone else mistakes it for their own, they'll quickly realize their error. Most "stolen" strollers I do believe are cases of mistaken identity. For the rest, the thieves don't want the stroller, they want the contents. They'll take it somewhere inconspicuous and empty it out.

 

[larryz]

-It was the coldest winter in Florida in 25 years. There were highs in the 30's and lows in the LOW 20's. We were in tents. Could not find another room.

We were there at the same time. We watched Fantasmic! wrapped in blankets on those aluminum heat sinks they call "seats" and nearly froze our ratatouilles off. It was miserable.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Understand why you'd be nervous, but unfortunately, crummy things happen at the Most Magical Place on Earth too. Make sure to either take your valuable items with you or place them in a locker. However, if that is a hassle, friends of ours took a clean diaper and made it look "dirty" by placing it in a plastic bag and adding some realistic effects. Strategically placed on the stroller kept the stroller and their belongings intact. As for getting a bug that can happen anytime. Make sure you practice good handwashing!

That's an old trick that is well known. If someone wanted to steal the stroller or stuff in it, they could toss the "soiled" diaper away.

 

[Violet Parr]

Given this, I do want to clarify my previous post to say that I put the lock through the rear wheels. That allows CMs to still move it if they need to. But, if someone else mistakes it for their own, they'll quickly realize their error. Most "stolen" strollers I do believe are cases of mistaken identity. For the rest, the thieves don't want the stroller, they want the contents. They'll take it somewhere inconspicuous and empty it out.

I disagree. Our stroller was stolen when it was completely empty. We saw it on Ebay 3 days later. We could tell it was ours by markings in the ebay listing, and it was being sold from 15 min away from WDW.

VP

 

[Fantasyland Mom]

I COMPLETELY understand where you're coming from! In 2011, we had a rough trip, to say the least (read the "Twirling Through the World" TR in my signature if you want, but I'll sum it up--ALL SIX of us on that trip caught the worst stomach bug EVER, almost ruining the trip I'd planned more for than any other). When 2012 came around, I was hesitant. We were going the same time of year; would we be sick again? I didn't book us a MNSSHP experiece because of bad memories, and we also skipped water parks for that same reason. We were definitely cautious.
BUT, we had an AMAZING time, with only one little headache hiccup. I've started a TR for that trip, but just watch the video to see how a trip without problems can completely make up for a past rough trip!
We will NEVER, EVER forget that problem trip, ever. But I assure you that it is kind of like the "lightning doesn't strike the same place twice" thing. It's almost completely certain that you'll have a magical, wonderful trip. And I certainly hope you do !

 

[CandleontheWater]

I'm sorry to hear that your stuff was stolen, but I'm happy that you were able to recover your stroller, that would have been really bad!

To anyone reading this that might be in the same postition- I agree with the others that advocate getting a stroller lock and locking the back wheels of the stroller. If it is difficult to roll out of the park, a thief will go for an easier target. If you are going to leave a bag in the stroller of non-valuables, I also advocate putting the strap of the bag through the stroller lock, that way it can't be easily grabbed out of the stroller.

Most theft in WDW are crimes of opportunity, if you make it harder for the thief by adding the impediment of a lock, then the thief will move on to easier targets.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

You know what? There is nothing more to fear in life than fear itself. Nothing will ruin experiences and even life more than fear of what might be, might not be, might happen, might not happen.

If it does happen; you will not only deal with that but also have lost hours, days, months or even years beforehand negatively influenced by worrying about it beforehand. If it does not happen; those times spend worrying will also have been wasted.

The human mind is a very strong power. By worrying you are using that power in a negative influence on yourself and with that, it can also influence those around you. Great thing though; you can also use that power in a way that builds you up. Actively re-adress your thinking pattern when you catch yourself worrying. Odds are very low anything negative will happen. Thus huge odd they will NOT happen. OK, it's not near great when one gets sick on vacation, let alone while travelling. But; when it does happen one is glad to have seen Mickey instead of being sick in bed at home. Give yourself time and attention to smell the roses instead of constantly sniffing around until you can proof to yourself there is a nasty odor somewhere around. (cause I can promis you; if you focus hard enough and are consistent enough, you will always find something smelling nasty).



Your opening question? NO problem whatsoever with it! Yet every trip has been........ not fairytale. Last one ended up with me having a stroke, ending up in ICU, having my life being saved by some amazing CM's and medical professionals. No less on my birthday. It was scheduled to be an almost month long solo trip, but with this happening at the beginning left me stranded in my hotel room, not being medically cleared to fly the transatlantic flight home earlier than scheduled. God, how horrible was that call I had to make from the ICU to my parents. It was hardly the best trip ever on one hand. On the other? It was the best. Sometimes things happen. That is life. Yet because that happened, I got to meet some amazing people. Because of it happening where it did, the outcome was so positive as it was. (turned out had had 2 at home already, which were misdiagnosed) Because of it happening, I could pre-actively cancel my planned 2013 trip that would've lead me to places where I would have all odds against me in case of a repeat (high odds, given my medical history). Because of it happening other amazing moments happened. I could make the call to my parents and do my best to ease their worries instead of a stranger making a much worse call to them. It has resulted in me now going back this year instead of last year being planned to be the last WDW-trip ever. And the list goes on and on. I'ld obviously rather have it not happen, but it did. From that point on, it was up to me how go on from there.

One can not chance what happens or has happened. That can sometimes be a very negative thing. One however does have the power over how they let what happened influence themselves and how they live their life. It's up to you if you let it influence you negatively or positively. There is nothing weird or unhealthy about having emotions about things. Worry, cry, whatever. But sometimes our emotions can become a bit of a prison instead of freeing. You've gotten at such a point where worry has become a prison over the next trip instead of ridding you. Give yourself a huge gift and free yourself from that unneeded prison. If things happen, they happen. Until then; give yourself more time to start smell some roses.

 

[antree]

I am so sorry this happened. We were there the same time and 5 of the 20 did get that stomach virus. I also hate going that time because of the flu season. I only did it because our whole family was going, but never again...
April is a nice time to go, we went once the week after Easter and I loved it. Starting 2014 our trip will start the week after Easter every year.
You should have no worries about illness at that time, which is a good thing.
Now, about the stealing, I can't believe it. In the 14 yrs I have been going we never seen or had a problem with our stuff in the strollers. I know from reading and researching the busier it is the higher chance there is to have that happen. You get a lot more rude people(sorry to say) the busier it is. April is a nice weather time so you won't have a lot of extra clothing to carry. But here is what we started to do after I read about stealing going on. After the diaper bag stage we went to a back pack and carried extra clothing or items bought in that. When we went on a ride we took the backpack out of the stroller and took it with us.
You can also have your packages sent back to your room so you don't have to carry them.
Please don't let this experience stop you from going. You can will have a great time next time. Yes, things have changed over the years in Disney, we just have to change too. We use to trust our stuff in the stroller and never had an issue, but times have changed and we can't do that anymore. Yes it's sad, but it is what it is. So just carry the backpack and keep you belongings with you. My children are 10 and 18 now and we still carry a backpack, you get use to it.

Have a wonderful time

 

[labfan]

Definitely go back and enjoy yourselves. As others have suggested, skip the stroller if possible and just carry a backpack or a crossbody bag if needed.
I also bring medicine with us (just in case) since it's usually alot more expensive at vacation resorts. I also wash my hands more often and try not to touch railings too much. I also carry hand sanitizer and use it quite often.