Tips for defeating the squirrels?

[chris1212]

So strange, we have left open snacks in the back pocket of the stroller with no issues. The seat has for sure been full of popcorn at times and still there when we return. I’m surprised we have never heard of this before!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Is this a new problem at Disney? Prior to Covid we were there quite a few times with a stroller and left a bag full of snacks in it with never an issue.

been a long time problem even precovid

 

[LoveToDisney]

Years and years ago…I would wait for our teens at the time to ride Splash and Thunder Mountain and be entertained by the squirrels riffling through EVERYTHING the strollers had in them. Those squirrels can get into everything. Some things they eat there and other things they cart off. They are very, very smart and determined.

 

[MIChessGuy]

It's just as I feared--the squirrels are getting smart. Forget about cyborgs and all the other alleged world-ending threats you saw in the movies. It's the squirrels.

How long can it be before you get back out to your car and find it surrounded by squirrels staring at you with a "Where do you think YOU'RE going?" expression.

 

[BorderTenny]

 

[bumbershoot]

Is this a new problem at Disney? Prior to Covid we were there quite a few times with a stroller and left a bag full of snacks in it with never an issue.

Not new at all. You just weren't watching.

My family started oging to Disneyland in 2005 and WDW in 2010, and the squirrels have always been all iup in strollers trying to eat the food.

I once thought it was all OK tojust leave water in the stroller until I saw a squirrel gnawing away at the cap of a kid's meal Dasani water bottle. It couldn't get in, but the cap was left with squirrel spit all over it. Kids that age sometimes gnaw on caps like that. Mmm, squirrel spit.

In 2012'ish I saw a squirrel on a chair at the clown pool at BW eating all the food left when a family got up to use the restroom. They were, in fact, done with their food, but enough was left that I wasn't sure of it. The squirrel at one point had an opened packet of mayo in his hands/paws and was licking the mayo. So cute. So icky if you think the family is coming back to keep eating. (I would have told them but they came back and threw it all away, if memory serves)

You really don't need to bring emergency rations with you into the park.

People bring *their food* into the parks, not "emergency rations*. We cannot all eat the food there for a variety of reasons. We cannot all afford the food there.

Igloo cooler backpack. Ours is old so doesn't look like that, but it's never been a problem to take it on rides.

 

[jimim]

I always wondered if it really was an issue from reading it here until I saw it multiple times even before Covid as mentioned. It’s pretty crazy. They are pretty smart I’ll give Them that. Lol. Lock it all up right and tight! Lol

 

[DaniPoppins]

In 6 years of stroller use and many trips to WDW, I never saw a squirrel on our stroller! And we had plenty of snacks in it. Maybe we were just lucky? Or the squirrels were sneaky enough that we never saw them?? I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[set88]

Bring along a Hauk. Squirrels will never bother you again!

View attachment 717304

Just mount this guy on top of the stroller! No more squirrels.

 

[StageTek]

Any good tips on protecting our food from the squirrels?

They are opportunistic - they are looking for anything easy to get at. Keep food in a ziplock bag, inside a zipped up bag. Clean off any crumbs from exposed areas of the stroller. If they can't get at your food easily they will jump to the next one and try there.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

In 6 years of stroller use and many trips to WDW, I never saw a squirrel on our stroller! And we had plenty of snacks in it. Maybe we were just lucky? Or the squirrels were sneaky enough that we never saw them?? I wouldn't worry too much about it.

guessing from what we saw you just did not see it. saw them on many strollers in all the parks on many trips. even saw where they chewed through a soft side cooler to get at sandwiches in stroller next to us. on another trip saw one on tray of stroller licking a sippy cup on the one next to us. he did not even move as we moved our stroller.

 

[mom2diskids]

guessing from what we saw you just did not see it. saw them on many strollers in all the parks on many trips. even saw where they chewed through a soft side cooler to get at sandwiches in stroller next to us. on another trip saw one on tray of stroller licking a sippy cup on the one next to us. he did not even move as we moved our stroller.

One chewed through my mom’s backpack in our stroller, we came off of Nemo and had to chase him. He wasn’t fazed by us at all!

 

[cgattis]

Mmm, squirrel spit.

saw one on tray of stroller licking a sippy cup

And this is why I’d not leave anything open and wipe the tray down. But I wasted words describing it—“two words—squirrel spit” would’ve painted the picture!!

 

[lovethattink]

Stroller parking by Journey Into Imagination is famous for squirrels.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Stroller parking by Journey Into Imagination is famous for squirrels.

And by Nemo. That’s where I saw a really organized criminal gang of them lol.

 

[cgattis]

And by Nemo. That’s where I saw a really organized criminal gang of them lol.

The pretzel cart over near the Land is where we saw the one using a MOVING SCOOTER for cover to move from one area to the next! Must be affiliated with the same gang—sone serious professional skills there!!

 

[_19disnA]

We had a stroller in our party the last time @ Disney. Never had any squirrel issues and actually never saw any. I would assume more of an issue if you park someplace that isn't that crowded and not many people around. At the busier places someone from Disney was constantly rearranging the parked strollers to allow more room for others. Probably squirrels stay away from areas with lots of people around. If you put your snacks in small plastic containers with lids will likely keep away any birds/squirrels.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We had a stroller in our party the last time @ Disney. Never had any squirrel issues and actually never saw any. I would assume more of an in issue if you park someplace that isn't that crowded and not many people around. At the busier places someone from Disney was constantly rearranging the parked strollers to allow more room for others. Probably squirrels stay away from areas with lots of people around. If you put your snacks in small plastic containers with lids will likely keep away any birds/squirrels.

the ones we saw we at the stroller parking areas including one just outside Pirates just the opposite of what you think. and as you say they are always moving strollers. a couple of times we were getting stroller next to one with squirrel and squirrel did not even move. and as I saw one was a soft side cooler where squirrel was eating sandwiches from inside it

 

[lockets]

OMG. I had no idea! I just started bringing special food with me to the parks. I store it in Rubbermaid glass containers with the tight side locks and they are not in a bag - just in the bottom of the stroller. Do you think they can get into this? Even if they do, I don't think they'd re-lock it so I'd know, right?!?

 

[OKW Lover]

OMG. I had no idea! I just started bringing special food with me to the parks. I store it in Rubbermaid glass containers with the tight side locks and they are not in a bag - just in the bottom of the stroller. Do you think they can get into this? Even if they do, I don't think they'd re-lock it so I'd know, right?!?

They might try to run off with the container. Be sure it's well secured.