Stroller Theft

[larry's girl]

A co-worker of mine approached me today with a question about WDW that I couldn't answer. Her son and his family recently returned from a trip to WDW over Thanksgiving. While they were eating at the new T-Rex restaurant in DTD, someone stole their $400 double stroller from outside the building (since strollers are not allowed in the restaurant, they have to be left outside). My co-worker's son complained to the manager of the restaurant, the DTD security guards and the front desk CM's at their resort, but no one had any concrete suggestions on what to do or seemed particularly concerned about the theft. My co-worker asked who they should contact by mail to voice their complaint concerning the theft itself and the lack of help they received in addressing it at the time it happened.

I know the restaurant is owned by Landry's Restaurants, but that was about as much information as I had to offer. Can anyone here help with names/addresses of Landry's Restaurant representatives and/or WDW representatives who would be the appropriate people to contact?

Thanks in advance!

Susan

 

[TDC Nala]

Trying to figure out why they didn't call the police and report a $400 stroller stolen. That's enough money worth of stroller to warrant a police report, I'd think.

I would google Landry's Restaurants and see if they have a corporate webpage. They do have web pages for their restaurants. That may be a good place to look for contact information.

 

[snow.white]

http://www.landrysrestaurants.com/

 

[disnut8]

I'm not sure what can be done now. A police report should have been filed when the theft actually happened. Unless there are eye witnesses that saw the theft actually occur, I can see how the stroller is going to be returned.

Your co-worker might want to check with her homeowner's insurance policy. Sometimes there is a clause there about theft of personal property. Also, if she had trip insurance, that might cover it.

Sorry this happened. I'd say 99% of the time, strollers are fine to be left on their own in Disney parks. This was Downtown Disney that doesn't have the same security measures in place as the parks.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Could it have been mistaken for OP stroller? Not saying that theft couldn't happen, but with a sea of strollers...and if it didn't have a name/address/distinguishing feature on it others could have mistaken it for theirs.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I too am a little shocked that they wouldn't call the police with the theft of a possession worth that much money. I'm also a little surprised that people take expensive strollers on vacation. When our little bambino comes along, we will definitely be renting. Then there's no worries if your stroller disappears.

I hate to be so pessimistic but I highly doubt there's anything that can be done at this point.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Wouldnt this be more of a Disney issue than the resturant itself? Doesn't the company rent the building on Disney property for the resturant? So if the theft occurred outside the resturant it would be Disney's responsibility? then again I do not know how far the "border" of the rental extends beyond the building itself.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Wouldnt this be more of a Disney issue than the resturant itself? Doesn't the company rent the building on Disney property for the resturant? So if the theft occurred outside the resturant it would be Disney's responsibility? then again I do not know how far the "border" of the rental extends beyond the building itself.

Either way, the theft is NOT Disney's responsibility. Like any other company, they are not responsible for lost or stolen goods. It's up to us to protect our property. If we choose to leave $400 of merchandise lying around, we assume the risk. This is a criminal matter that should have been dealt with through the local police department. You would think, though, that Disney would have suggested this.

 

[larry's girl]

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

The impression I got from talking with my co-worker again today is not that they expect or are looking to receive anything tangible from making a complaint. I think they were just somewhat taken aback by the lack of empathy from the workers at the restaurant/Downtown Disney area and felt that someone should have been concerned enough to at least attempt to help them figure out what the best course of action would be. I did point out that, at least in the beginning of the situation, it was quite possible the workers assumed that their stroller had just been moved and would turn up. That would explain why they would not be too concerned about it being msising. However, when it became obvious the stroller had been stolen and wasn't coming back, the attitude did not change and that's the crux of the problem in the eyes of my co-worker's son and his wife (at least the way I am interpreting what she told me). As to why they chose to take an expensive stroller on vacation rather than renting one and didn't file a police report when it was stolen, I have no idea what their thought processes were. I have never had to deal with a stroller at WDW, so I don't know why they brought their own - maybe they felt their children would be more comfortable in a stroller they were accustomed to? I have no clue - that's just a guess.

Anyway, I will pass on the suggestions - thanks again, everyone!

Susan

 

[Cool-Beans]

If you leave your stuff unattended, someone might steal it. That's life. It sucks, but it's life.

It isn't the restaurant's fault that your friends' stroller was taken any more than it would be the Olive Garden's fault if your car were stolen.

I'm sorry for them that their stroller was taken and hope they can either afford to replace it or live with a stroller that didn't cost $400.

 

[sixcats]

I had a stroller go missing from World Showcase in Epcot. I contacted Disney security and they took a report. They directed me to an area where I could get a free rental stroller. Before I could get there, the security person called my cell phone. He had found my stroller a few countries over. A bag of purchases was missing but my daughter's fanny pack was still there.

As annoying as it was to have happen, I thought Disney was very helpful.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Either way, the theft is NOT Disney's responsibility. Like any other company, they are not responsible for lost or stolen goods. It's up to us to protect our property. If we choose to leave $400 of merchandise lying around, we assume the risk. This is a criminal matter that should have been dealt with through the local police department. You would think, though, that Disney would have suggested this.

I would think that they would have a designated (roped off?) area for strollers with a cm standing by.

 

[larryz]

So much for eating at that restaurant.

 

[robinb]

I've heard that DTD is especially bad for stroller theft as you don't need a pass to get in and it's easy to take the stroller back to the car.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would think that they would have a designated (roped off?) area for strollers with a cm standing by.

Why? I can't think of a single restaurant that has that.

 

[Tink888]

I'm sorry for your friend's son. That really stinks, but it happens.

I think a lot of times we associate Disney with being the most magical place to vacation and it gives us a false sense of security. We forget that under all that magic, it's still just a public place full of everyday people, including some of who aren't above stealing if the opportunity is there. It stings even more when it's something expensive that gets taken.

Your post is an unfortunate, but good reminder to all of us not to leave anything unattended, anywhere, including Disney, that we aren't willing to part with.

 

[Salukfan]

I would think that they would have a designated (roped off?) area for strollers with a cm standing by.

Actually, CM's don't watch the parked strollers. We park the strollers, but beyond that, we don't watch them at all. Besides, with the tons of strollers we see in a given day, it would be near impossible to keep track of what stroller belong to what guest, even if the stroller is different than the common cheap strollers or the rented Disney ones.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I would think that they would have a designated (roped off?) area for strollers with a cm standing by.

Actually, CM's don't watch the parked strollers. We park the strollers, but beyond that, we don't watch them at all. Besides, with the tons of strollers we see in a given day, it would be near impossible to keep track of what stroller belong to what guest, even if the stroller is different than the common cheap strollers or the rented Disney ones.

Exactly! Anyone could walk up and take a stroller? Even if there was a CM standing there, how would he/she know that the stroller didn't belong to the person pushing it away?

 

[VeroBeachGirl]

I am hesitant to leave my stroller unattended at DD. I figure the admission price is more of a deterrent at the parks so there is less of a chance that your stroller will get stolen.

 

[canda]

I feel really bad about them losing that stroller, but CM's are really bad about moving stroller around, even when you park a stroller in the stoller parking, it will not be in the same place when you get off. I thought my double stroller was stolen at LaughFloor but the CM had moved the stoller all they way over to the lunching pad stoller parking. the laughfloor area was full. Then I spent 20 mins looking for the stroller at night after Peter Pan. the CM had moved it to the other side close to the Phil. side of the lot.