Stroller Theft?

[babiesX2]

Has anyone had experience with taking their own stroller to the parks, and it being stolen or vandalized?

Previously, we have rented a stroller from the park. We always tied something distinctive to the handle, but, more than once, we were unable to find our stroller when we returned.

Just wondering if anyone has experienced having their personal stroller stolen/vandalized?

Thanks!

 

[GoofyGirlnPrincessV]

a friend of mine has had a stroller taken. She had a brand new Chico and someone took it and in its place was the same model, but much older and really beat up.

I bring our own, but I have used fabric paint on the canopy (I have a spare in case I ever want to sell it or send it to goodwill.

 

[babiesX2]

Thanks for the reply. I was digging deep through the threads and someone posted a horror story about their double Peg Perego. They parked it outside the Liberty Tavern during a parade. When they came out after the parade, the stroller was across the way collapsed. Witnesses reported to them that a 300 lb. guy had taken it and tried to use it to stand in to get a good view of the parade! Yikes! Pegs are quite pricey, for our budget atleast. Thanks, Kim

 

[utahkennedys]

It seems to me like most of the reports I read are about the rentals being taken, which is a drag when you have to keep going to get one. I put a lot of personal items on and in our stroller, a Maclaren, and I still have been nervous someone could take it. I also never park it on the "edge" of the stroller parking, always in the middle where it would be harder to grab. Still, like I said to my husband, dishonest people could get some very expensive strollers for the price of an admission ticket, but I like to think most people are honest.

 

[Msslaydbug]

I am always nervous about our stroller being taken and last trip I hooked on a very large neon luggage tag , and also usually have a diaperbag hanging off also. I hope nothing like that ever happens to us.

 

[Loriannf]

We used the rental strollers during our trip in July when the parks were crowded. NEVER had a problem. They give you name tags when you rent the strollers - just fill them out. Park in designated stroller areas and you'll find your stroller when you return.

Good luck.

Lori

 

[hopesmommy]

I have a season pass to Six Flags. I take my stroller quite often and have not had a problem (so far...knock on wood). However, I have seen strollers with little bike locks on them. They are either wrapped around the wheels or tree or bench, etc... The locks are ones with keys so it is real quick to unlock. Just a suggestion. I guess I am lucky in that my stroller was only $15.

Hopefully I won't have problems at WDW. See yall soon!

 

[babiesX2]

Thanks for all the replies. I think we will use a small bike chain and lock "just in case." We will use it in a way that allows CM's to move it for tidying up the stroller parking area, but enough security that it will discourage someone from stealing it.

I asked about this because our family had an unpleasant experience with things being stolen at a non-Disney park.

 

[munchkinsmom]

Yup...never thought it would happen to us at the "Happiest Place on Earth" but it did. Our double Maclaren Twin Traveller stroller was STOLEN from a designated stroller parking space in front of Disneyland's Small World last week (Day one of a four-day vacation at the park).

We've taken strollers to the park many times in the past with no problems (Peg Peregos, Maclarens, Century/Gracos), so I was lulled into a false sense of security, but I guess this time, someone wanted our SBS stroller badly enough to steal it.

Not only was our stroller stolen, but so was our diaper bag (with my DD's epipens inside), our water bottles, our lunch bag, a souvenir Mickey and my dad's light jacket...ALL GONE.

Thank goodness nothing irreplaceable was inside. We checked w/ lost and found the next three days that we were at the park and...nothing.

I'm sure that the odds are in most people's favor that their stroller won't get stolen, but all I know is that we'll be taking a lock with us from now on.

 

[littleprissboutique]

Where can you get these locks, and how do you attach them to where they wont roll?

 

[faindrops27]

Another poster said you cannot lock your stroller to the designated stroller areas. Is this true. If it is, I figured that I would just thread the locks through the two front tires, and lock it. But, my cousin told me if people wanted to steal it. They would just pick up the stroller, and carry it out of the park. I have a Maclaren quest. I hate to worry about such things. Someone please tell me. I can lock the strollers onto the designated area stands.

 

[alacazander]

We had our poncho's taken last year out of our basket under the stroller. Other then that no problems and the entire week we kept everything in that basket. I think most people are honest. I figured whoever took our poncho's must need them more then us.

One thing i'm doing this year is clearly marking our stroller. If you rent or bring your own. Tie a bandana or ribbon on it. I think the more personal you can make it might deter someone else from " accidentally " walking off with yours.

 

[Danemom]

I've never tried it, but I like the idea of tying a clear plastic bag with a diaper showing. The diaper should have a little cola (or mustard) poured on it. I'd think that would send most thiefs looking elsewhere.

 

[SueM in MN]

I've never tried it, but I like the idea of tying a clear plastic bag with a diaper showing. The diaper should have a little cola (or mustard) poured on it. I'd think that would send most thiefs looking elsewhere.

Many people with small kids have only heard about this recently, but it won't fool any real thieves because it's been around for a long time (I think I remember reading it in the first Unofficial Guide we bought in 1987!)

Another poster said you cannot lock your stroller to the designated stroller areas. Is this true. If it is, I figured that I would just thread the locks through the two front tires, and lock it. But, my cousin told me if people wanted to steal it. They would just pick up the stroller, and carry it out of the park. I have a Maclaren quest. I hate to worry about such things. Someone please tell me. I can lock the strollers onto the designated area stands.

People have posted that the CMs won't let strollers be locked to trees, benches, etc. It doesn't look nice and can interfere with fire/evacuation routes.
Many of the stroller areas don't have anything you could lock the stroller to; they are just "parking lots" that have lines of strollers. Most people park their strollers close to the entrance to the line, but the exit of the line is quite a ways away. The CMs keep moving strollers down to fill up the space vacated by the people who have left the ride and free up space at the entrance. A lot of "missing" strollers are not really missing, just not exactly where the user left them.
Sometimes people don't look at the stroller carefully and take one that is the same model as theirs (probably not what happened where one poster reported someone took their new one and left a much older one). For the "accidental stealing" something right on the push handles work well. People might not notice something farther down, but it's hard to miss something that touches your hands as you push. Some people have used curling ribbon on the push handles. Also, make sure to mark your stroller - an address tag covered with clear nail polish on one or more of the metal parts is hard to remove and easy to prove the stroller belongs to you.

If you lock 2 wheels together, the stroller can't be used, but it can still be moved by the CM if necessary. Yes, someone could lift it and carry it out of the park, but most strollers that are taken are probably taken to be used. One with locked wheels would not be easy to get to the entrance and once there, it would need to be folded to take on a bus or parking lot tram. If you lovk it in a way that it can't be folded or rolled, thieves are going to look for something easier to take.

 

[faindrops27]

Sue, thank you so much for the time you spent to type to me. That address tag, is an excellent idea!! Thanks so very much for sharing it with me. I really do appreciate it. So, I will thread my lock through the two front tires. And use your ingenious address tag idea

 

[kizmac]

Yup...never thought it would happen to us at the "Happiest Place on Earth" but it did. Our double Maclaren Twin Traveller stroller was STOLEN from a designated stroller parking space in front of Disneyland's Small World last week (Day one of a four-day vacation at the park).

We've taken strollers to the park many times in the past with no problems (Peg Peregos, Maclarens, Century/Gracos), so I was lulled into a false sense of security, but I guess this time, someone wanted our SBS stroller badly enough to steal it.

Not only was our stroller stolen, but so was our diaper bag (with my DD's epipens inside), our water bottles, our lunch bag, a souvenir Mickey and my dad's light jacket...ALL GONE.

Thank goodness nothing irreplaceable was inside. We checked w/ lost and found the next three days that we were at the park and...nothing.

I'm sure that the odds are in most people's favor that their stroller won't get stolen, but all I know is that we'll be taking a lock with us from now on.

Wow....that is terrible! I am so sorry someone did that to you. Your story now has me thinking about a lock. We've been many times and used many cheaper strollers with no problems, but this time we will have a Mac and Peg and DH has given me enough grief on how much money I've spent on them. Sheesh, I'd hate to even think what he'd do if one was heisted. Not to mention the black cloud you'd feel hanging over your vacation. Someone took our rental the one year and thankfully we just had arrived and nothing was in it yet. Still ticked me off though.

Once again, I am so sorry your stroller was stolen. Thanks for sharing your story. We do often forget that bad people also take vacations at Disney. I hope the rest of your trip was still wonderful.

 

[kizmac]

Another poster said you cannot lock your stroller to the designated stroller areas. Is this true. If it is, I figured that I would just thread the locks through the two front tires, and lock it. But, my cousin told me if people wanted to steal it. They would just pick up the stroller, and carry it out of the park. I have a Maclaren quest. I hate to worry about such things. Someone please tell me. I can lock the strollers onto the designated area stands.

Aren't the wheels on the Quest solid? My Volo wheels are and I thought the Quest's were also. I am just wondering how to lock my Volo since the wheels aren't spoked. I think I will just try and get a lock for my Peg P3. The Volo isn't as expensive....but then again once you figure the cost for the accessory pack and the organizer I have on it....sheesh....any ideas on how to lock the wheels on a Volo anyone?

Love the idea of the address tag with clear nail polish over it!

 

[Zoesmama03]

Were you 100% certain it was stroller parking area where you left it. Twice while we were there last week we saw cast members moving strollers that A BUNCH of people had parked in areas were they didn't go. Perhaps a cast member moved it.

We came out of one show and couldn't find ours either. Turns out my dad and brother had come back and had it and they walked through a shop and missed us looking for them. We were soooooo worried. It is one my dad had bought for other grandkids too.

 

[cheerbop]

How can putting a lock around the front tires prevent folding the stroller?

I want to take our new Graco, but now am leary, but we need it!

I put clear packing tape over all of my address/paper tags, etc...clear nail polish in new! Thanks!

So, if we aren't "allowed" to have locks on our strollers, per Disney's rules, then are they going to replace it? I mean, people NEED their strollers and can't take them in or on things (rides, shows, etc..)

hhmmmm.....now I am confused!

 

[diznygirl]

Living nearby, you can imagine we go to the parks a lot. We only have inexpensive Kolcraft umbrella strollers, so maybe it's just that nobody wants them but we still have them. Lots of times we will just park them near the carousel and do all of Fantasyland, or at the entrance of Toontown Fair, and come back for them later.

We have "lost" them for a time due to those very "helpful" CMs. One time we parked at Stoller Parking to go on the Haunted Mansion, but it wasn't there when we came out. Turns out, they had decided to move stroller parking across and around the corner in Liberty Square! It took us FOREVER to find it (and we expressed our displeasure!) They must have had many probs with that, cuz they moved stoller parking back.


Have fun on your trip!