Stupid question re: strollers stolen at WDW?

[kldmom2000]

I just sprang for a Maclaren Quest stroller to bring to Disney-love it! Anyway, my DH is concerned that by leaving outside a ride, someone might take off with it. Has this ever happened to anyone? He thinks we should buy a lock or something for it, but I guess I'm just too trustworthy and can't imagine someone stealing a stroller in Disney?????

 

[hygienejean]

Hi there! It has never happened to me but I have read that is does happen...Isn't that the pits? If I spent $$ for a Mac, I would probably put some sort of lock on it. You just never know. If you don't you may end up being really nervous about it. Or you can do what we have done, we just got cheap umbrella strollers (for Disney) with canopies and we will write our name on the fabric in marker that cannot come off. Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[ILMOUSE]

I have read that some people have taken a chain and threaded it through the wheels and put a lock on it so the stroller can't be wheeled away. This allows the CMs outside attractions to pick up the stroller and move it if necessary but still makes it a harder target for theives.

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

We've taken the kids down a bunch of times and we always take our own "double" stoller. It has never been stolen but we use a little trick to help.

What we do is take out one or two diapers, soak them in root beer, then put them into a clear plastic bag. We then tie the clear plastic bag onto the handle bar when we go on an attraction or into a restaurant. People avoid it like the plague!!

Have fun,

MDF

 

[BevS97]

the diaper trick is pretty well known, I think a thief would know it was a fake.

I have taken my expensive stroller and left it outside rides and it has always been perfectly fine. While you can take a lock, you have to make sure the stroller can be moved by the CMs as they tidy them up. I reckon if you took a lock you would use it twice and then decide it wasn't worth the hassle and stop using it. When you see the number of strollers outside every attraction, the likelyhood of yours being taken is very slight. If you are worried, then I would make it personal so that if there was a thief there they would take a more bland looking one. Put some ribbons on it, or a balloon, or a big label with your name - anything to make it apparant that it's yours.

Honestly - your stroller will be fine.

bev

 

[CTillberg]

We had one of our two strollers stollen last year from outside of Shutters at CBR near the start of our trip. I couldn't believe it! I had researched the heck out of strollers and bought those strollers especially for our trip and had the clasps to hook them together - needless to say, I was a bit distraught when one went missing.

They wern't the most expensive strollers, but we really needed both for them for our 2 and 4 yr. olds. Luckily, a great manager was working that night at CBR and had an employee go out and buy us a new one from Target - although it was just a $20 type - he didn't have to do that - but it really helped us get around, although not nearly as easily and comfortably as our original stroller. (The folks at the restaurant just kind of told us "too bad" , can't do anything about it. So if you do get one stollen, it may matter which CM you find - some will help, others will just say Disney is not responsible.)

After that, I started taking one wheel off our stroller when we parked it to discourage someone from taking off with it. IMO, locking and unlocking it every time would be a pain, so if you can remove something like a wheel or handle and take it with to discourage someone from wanting your stroller, I would highly recommend it. Plus, it will give you peace of mind when you are away from the stroller. It is sad that you can't trust other visitors at a wonderful place like Disney.

 

[TJA]

We bought a bike lock and my husband wove the lock through the wheels. As someone above suspected, we did use the lock about 4-5 times but then got sick of it so we don't use it anymore. We take our diaper bag with us on the rides and just leave the stroller behind with the other 1,000 strollers.

 

[adriannabannana]

Last time we went, we took our jogging stroller with us, and we did use a lock every time we parked it. We threaded it through all three wheels as well.

Sadly, we knew of a few people who had lost items out of the stroller, or the whole stroller itself, so we figured that it was better safe than sorry.
JMHO

 

[daisylove]

We bought a volo for the last trip and I was worried also. What I did was buy at the dollar store the cheap chain covered in plastic combonation lock. At the start of the day after we opened up the stroler off the monorail was thread the lock through the back mechanism. (I figured it out at home) so it could not close. Locked it and left it all day. Removed when time to go on boat or monorail later. The CM can move it but if a theif takes it and trys to fold it at the monorail or car then they would more likely just leave it . Make sure you put your info all over it. i used stickers and wrote my phone number and name or hotel and then I could id it if I needed to. Good luck! I ahve to admit in5 years no one has swiped one of my strollers.

 

[NotUrsula]

According to information I got from semi-official sources, the greatest chance of deliberate theft is outside the restaurants at Downtown Disney. High-end strollers are more prone to walking off from there than in the parks, where most thefts are really mistaken identity.

I also used a lock that disabled the fold joints. It seemed the best compromise between peace of mind and too much hassle.

 

[sperk99]

I haven't had a problem yet but I guess some sort of deterrent isn't a bad idea!

 

[bounceytigger]

Originally posted by Montana Disney Fan
We've taken the kids down a bunch of times and we always take our own "double" stoller. It has never been stolen but we use a little trick to help.

What we do is take out one or two diapers, soak them in root beer, then put them into a clear plastic bag. We then tie the clear plastic bag onto the handle bar when we go on an attraction or into a restaurant. People avoid it like the plague!!

Too funny! I've never heard of this "trick" before! Or.....you could always just use the real thing!! (ha ha!)

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by bounceytigger
Too funny! I've never heard of this "trick" before! Or.....you could always just use the real thing!! (ha ha!)

Even though many readers to this board have not heard of this "hint" before, it's been around for many years (like at least 15) and is well known to thieves and would not stop them. Besides, it's not very believable - why would anyone be carrying around a wet diaper when there are trash containers all over?
What it might stop is people who are taking the stroller by mistake, but there are better ways to identify your stroller and make people notice they have the wrong one.