Stroller lock?

[slzer0]

I'm thinking of bringing a small wheel lock to place on a front wheel during rides. This way CMs can tilt back and move if needed but it'll deter theft. Thoughts?

Also what about backpacks/diaper bags? I wouldn't leave valuables in it but we have a handy cooler-backpack combo I love and id hate to see it walk off. I was thinking of another small lock to attach this to the stroller so we can leave it?
I already do this at our local water park.

It's quick and I like the peace of mind. Theft would really ruin our trip.
Thoughts? Tips? Anyone else do this? I've been to parks plenty but never with a child under 6.

 

[worm761]

I personalized my stroller making it a lot less likely to be taken and much much easier to spot in the sea of strollers. My plan when we went was to pop off one of the wheels and toss it in the bag. I never did and it was fine. Stroller theft isn't as big as one might think.

As for leaving the cooler bag, If you want it to still be there then the lock is a good idea. But anyone can open it and 1) steal the food or 2) (my fear) tamper with it. I would not leave food I intended for me or my family unattended anywhere.

 

[puffkin]

There isn't really much stroller theft at Disney. I honestly wouldn't worry. Not saying it can't happen, but chances are pretty slim. We don't leave valuables in the stroller on purpose, but a few times I have forgotten my bag (with wallet) or left the cell phone in the cup holder or the camera hanging from the handles. We have left theme park purchases too. Never had anything taken (we have 20 week long trips with stollers under our belts). Again we don't do it on purpose, but we have done it quite a few times by accident. I would never bother taking my diaper bag or soft sided cooler I bring out of the stroller. Again, yes, it could happen but it is highly unlikely anyone will mess with your stuff.

I am not a naive or overly trusting person. I am just practical. It just isn't worth my time and effort on vacation to get overly worried about this type of stuff.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

There isn't really much stroller theft at Disney. I honestly wouldn't worry. Not saying it can't happen, but chances are pretty slim.....

I'm curious; can you supply any statistics to back up this claim?

 

[puffkin]

I'm curious; can you supply any statistics to back up this claim?

No. But common sense does prevail

1. We are on a Disney message board
2. The vast majority of people on these boards travel with kids or have travelled with kids in the past
3. It is common knowledge that most people post about negative experiences/issues way more than positive ones
4. I have been around these boards 10+ years and can only remember a handful of posts about strollers being stollen

So if stroller theft was a rampant problem at Disney, I think we would hear about it, especially in this day and age. I may not be a statistician, but I think it is a pretty educated and valid assumption

 

[ZeroMyHero]

Disney doesn't want to release any information about how many thefts occur within their parks, so I think hard stats would be difficult to find. The only article I was able to find with any sort of stats was this one: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/strollers-518083-disney-stroller.html

It's a year old and it talks about Disneyland, not Disney World, but it does say that once or twice a week, visitors file police reports about items stolen from strollers or the theft of a stroller, and that adds up (according to the article) to about 50 thefts a year, maybe because some people find their strollers later parked in a different location or at the lost and found. That number is beyond tiny considering over 16 million people visited Disneyland in 2013 (according to their Wikipedia page - take that for what it's worth). I would think that the number of theft reports would be higher at Disney World because it is so much larger, but I couldn't find any data to support that theory. Puffkin said it best though: common sense does prevail.

 

[slzer0]

I think the food would be ok, it's just going to be a few bottles of water and some squeeze fruit packs. All sealed stuff.

Interesting notes on theft.
Popping a wheel off seems like a clever idea.