Stroller black market?

[MarcyMouse]

I just read about how people will try to "buy" a rental stroller that someone else is returning.. is this true? Is it common? What's the going rate? I suggested this to my DH and he refused, thinking it's morally wrong or illegal or something. What are your thoughts? This could save us a ton of money, since we have a 5 yr old and are on the fence about a stroller. If we can get one for just the afternoon/evening time, it would be perfect.

 

[sydneysmom]

if you have an inexpensive umbrella stroller, I would totally recommend you bring it with you. We were going to "wing it " with a stroller and at the last minute we brought ours. (our DD was 4 1/2) We used that stroller ALOT. (and she hasn't been in a stroller since she was 2 1/2)

It's alot of walking for little legs and during the day it was great to manuever to the monorail and bus and at night it helped alot going back to the room... it would have been very hard to carry her back. Just a thought ....

 

[Costino1]

Are you saying that if a customer is done for the day at a park and is about to return their stroller, you will give them some money to keep it for your time at the park?

If yes, that won't work. I believe the original renter has to leave some sort of ID or information. If you tried returning it and the original renter was not present, i believe the original person would be charged an additional penalty.

Sorry if this isn't what you were asking...but in that scenario it would be impossible.

 

[mom2rtk]

Are you saying that if a customer is done for the day at a park and is about to return their stroller, you will give them some money to keep it for your time at the park?

If yes, that won't work. I believe the original renter has to leave some sort of ID or information. If you tried returning it and the original renter was not present, i believe the original person would be charged an additional penalty.

Sorry if this isn't what you were asking...but in that scenario it would be impossible.

Nah...... no id or deposit is required. If you meet up with someone and work out a deal, that's your business.

 

[Robo]

Nah...... no id or deposit is required. If you meet up with someone and work out a deal, that's your business.

Unless you rent from Disney at DTD.

$100 deposit.

 

[delmar411]

Nah...... no id or deposit is required. If you meet up with someone and work out a deal, that's your business.

We've only had to do this 2x ever and the person just 'gave' us the stroller to use. No money required.

As the evening wears on, many strollers are simply abandoned in the stroller parking areas. I've never taken one but I have heard advice to do so if the name tag and everything has been removed from the stroller.

We ended up buying one of those red umbrella strollers that Disney sells on our last trip. A good thing too since it disappeared in less than an hour and a manager was easily able to replace it.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've never taken one but I have heard advice to do so if the name tag and everything has been removed from the stroller.

I'm glad you didn't take that advice. It seems pretty presumptuous.

 

[rileyroosmom]

One night leaving Fantasmic the CMs were encouraging guests to take strollers that were along the curb. I happily did since my youngest was cranky and tired. Pushed her right to the front and returned it to the stroller return.

I don't think it's presumptuous to take a stroller with no belongings or personal belongings at the end of the night.

 

[MScott1851]

One night leaving Fantasmic the CMs were encouraging guests to take strollers that were along the curb. I happily did since my youngest was cranky and tired. Pushed her right to the front and returned it to the stroller return.

I don't think it's presumptuous to take a stroller with no belongings or personal belongings at the end of the night.

Me, either. They are abandoned EVERYWHERE in the evenings. I think kids must fall asleep in moms lap during shows and just get carried out. My DD kept trying to play with one outside Space Mountain late one night, and the CM said it had been sitting there empty for over an hour, to just let her ride in it.

 

[mom2rtk]

I missed the "end of the night" thing. That seems pretty reasonable.

 

[wtccheermom]

We use to always just give ours to someone in line on our way out the park.

 

[defendthehill]

I gave our umbrella stroller to a family that was entering the park as we were leaving to go home! Kind of fun to watch their reaction

 

[Schmeck]

We use to always just give ours to someone in line on our way out the park.

I would think that if a CM saw you do this, you'd be at risk of being removed from WDW property. You don't own that rental stroller, and you have no right to give it to someone else.

Of course, you all think - hey, it's my stroller, hey I paid a lot to rent it, it isn't hurting anyone - but now think about how and why strollers cost so much to rent.

 

[umichigan10]

All I can think of this thread because of the title, is a dark, rainy, abandoned alley where you go up to a door with an eye slot, and a shady guy behind the door whispers, "so, you want a stroller. Double or single?"

 

[Carriemel]

never mind...

 

[sassyredhead]

All I can think of this thread because of the title, is a dark, rainy, abandoned alley where you go up to a door with an eye slot, and a shady guy behind the door whispers, "so, you want a stroller. Double or single?"

Lol! The seedy underside of stroller rentals . . .

 

[LBIJim]

I don't see anything wrong with it. As for the going rate, I'll just relate something a co-worker told me. She offered $5 to someone who was leaving the park about 3pm and the returning woman was surprised and happy to "sell" it. I believe the official charge is much higher than that.

Jim

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would think that if a CM saw you do this, you'd be at risk of being removed from WDW property. You don't own that rental stroller, and you have no right to give it to someone else.

Of course, you all think - hey, it's my stroller, hey I paid a lot to rent it, it isn't hurting anyone - but now think about how and why strollers cost so much to rent.

I respectfully disagree. I would think it's presumed that any stroller is rented and therefore unavailable for rental to anyone else from the start of the rental through the end of the business day, whether that's 5 PM at Animal Kingdom in January or 3 AM on an EMH at the Magic Kingdom during peak season. WDW expects to get a number, but not all, of them back throughout the day to rerent.

Especially knowing that CMs sometimes encourage guests to take seemingly abandoned strollers (and that missing strollers can be easily replaced), I think it's fine with Disney World when guests pass off strollers.

 

[Schmeck]

Taking an abandoned stroller at the end of the night (hey, you just made it easier on the CM, one less stroller to take to the front of the park!) is completely different than accepting money for a stroller you don't own. That stroller could be rented at full price again by WDW, so they are out that money if you hand yours over to someone else. Hence, Disney jacks up the prices in order to make a profit.

I know people will still do this, and since my kids aren't anywhere near stroller age it makes no difference to me, but the rationalization behind all of this is pretty sad, IMO.

 

[laughinplace199]

All I can think of this thread because of the title, is a dark, rainy, abandoned alley where you go up to a door with an eye slot, and a shady guy behind the door whispers, "so, you want a stroller. Double or single?"