Strollers safe in theme parks?

[tiggercrazy]

This is our first time to WDW with kids. I would like to bring our Burley, but don't know how safe it will be. Has anyone had a bad experience with strollers being stolen in the theme parks? We are going at a very busy time and I'm not sure if I should risk taking it.

 

[Pirate Mickey]

We've taken our own stroller each time and have had no problems. We usually pack a backpack with the valuables in it so we can take them with us...but no problems with the actual stroller.

 

[jwfla422]

If you're not comfortable with it I would pick up a "cheap" lightweight Kolkraft Lil Sport stroller (app $30). I've used this for dd since she was 2 1/2 (she's 4 1/2 and we still use it). It's great because it's lightweight, compact, has a canopy and a nice big basket and I never have to worry about it. I'd hate to spend my park time worrying if my stroller will be there when we come out of an attraction, especially if it's a "pricey" stroller.

For the record, we've never had a problem, but I do remove any valuables from the basket and keep them with us in a backpack (camcorder, camera, etc).

 

[twinmomto3boys]

We have never had a problem with our stroller being stolen. I have seen people stringing a thin bike chain through the wheels of their strollers.

 

[Synonymous]

You really should consider the WDW strollers. They are very nice, and quite convenient.

 

[markºoº]

We have never had a problem with our stoller nor have I heard of anyone having a problem.

We do have a backpack for camera, etc that I store beneath the stroller and then grab and carry in with us for rides and shows.

The Disney stollers are nice but if your child is young it sure is nice to have the stroller in the airport and walking around Downtown Disney or the resorts.

 

[CamColt]

In 4 trips with either a stroller or a carriage, weve never had a problem with it or anything in it being stolen. However DH did steal someones once. LOL! It looked exactly like ours and he took it by mistake. Luckily the people happened to be there at the same time and saw him taking it. So, I would suggest putting something, such as a bright ribbon(lime green? kill 2 birds with one stone) on your carriage to distinguish it.

 

[tiggercrazy]

Thanks for all of the input! We have 4, ds-8, ds-6, dd-5, dd-22 months. So the stroller issue is big! I do want to bring our own for all of the reasons that have been posted. I think I just might bring two small umbrella strollers for the girls. Thanks again!

 

[welovedis]

Sorry to be the only one to post the bad experience but our MacLaren was stolen in Sept 2000 (our 1st trip to WDW). It was stolen from the MK while we were riding Splash Mountain. It seemed like it was located right in the middle of lots of other strollers but when we got out the others were still there (at least most of them) and ours was missing. Since it was a more expensive stroller that might be why, I'm not sure.

We ended up renting the rest of the trip and though the WDW stroller handle well, it is nice to have something to get the child out the bus stop and around the resort, if necessary.

HTH!

 

[kilee]

If you want to bring your own, buy the lightest one you can. There will be more times than you can think of that you may need to fold it down and carry it. By the 3rd day, and 100th carry, a 30lb stroller may as well feel like 200 lbs.
While ds is no longer of stroller age. I can't believe how many people are struggling on the parking lot trams with these huge, heavy double strollers. You get tired just watching them.

 

[Kallison]

I would mark it somewhere with permanent marker so if it does get taken, intentionally or by accident you can prove it is yours. I would also laminate a sign that said Smith Family stroller in big letters and tie it on really well, that way nobody would be tempted to try and remove the sign and/or take your stroller. Definitely bring your own, it is much easier then renting every day, plus you need a stroller outside the parks with that crew! Have fun!!

 

[Jackie824]

We have never had problems with our strollers, We bring one everytime we go there. But, sometimes I would "think" ours was stolen, only to find out a CM had moved it That happens alot, so now when I go, I try not to panick if I cant find stroller first time looking.

 

[Pirate Mickey]

Originally posted by twinmomto3boys
We have never had a problem with our stroller being stolen. I have seen people stringing a thin bike chain through the wheels of their strollers.

The CMs need to be able to move your stroller to keep things clear and organized as people come and go through the attraction. I'm not sure, but I think they would frown on locking the wheels of the stroller. This only makes their job a lot harder.

 

[jiminyfan]

We used a Sit-n-Stroll for the first 6 WDW trips with our son, starting at 6 months old until he out grew it at 18-21 months.

We did lock it when we went inside of attractions. We were questioned by quite a few CMs, stating that they may need to move it for safety reasons. I asked what safety reason would it be as it is in the middle of a designated "STROLLER PARKING" area. They never had a reply. I then asked them if it is stolen would they be willing to buy a new one for us or be held accountable. Tehy always said , "NO". The main reason we didn't want to lose this stroller (besides the $160 plus price tag) is it doubles as a FAA approved car seat (triples as a booster seat). It was the only car seat we took with us on those trips and transporting my infant son without it would have been just plain stupid besides illegal.

The last few trips we use umbrella strollers with a flip top on it. On a lot of the trips we use it for the length of the vacation and then offer it to a family we see without a stroller and ask them to pass it along at the end of their vacation as well. The way I look at it $15-20 for a stroller for 10 days is a lot cheaper than renting and I can make another family happy as well.

for what it's worth there is our take on strollers.

 

[B3LM]

We've always used our own stroller and have never had any problem. We always mark it with something so that we can easily find it. (often a lime green ribbon)