Strollers on busses and monorails.

[delyrium]

Before I had kids, I was the world's best parent to my theoretical children. In twenty years, when i remember my parenting, I'm sure I will have been the perfect parent, who knew how to discipline my kids with just a look, and who knew the exact right time to exit any establishment and avoid crankiness or misbehavior. I'll recall that I never kept my kids out to the point where they needed to be carried, and i never would have needed anyone to give up their seat for me. I look forward to becoming the perfect parent again.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

You are right. It's Attitude that is the issue. Attitude of the person pushing the stroller AND attitude of the observer or person judging them. It's a 2 way street. Probably neither is right nor wrong. Just a different view point.

I have no problem with strollers right up to the point someone runs into me with one. At that point, my attitude goes south fast.

 

[Tinkerbellies]

The stroller must be folded.

 

[Maxpowers]

I have no problem with strollers right up to the point someone runs into me with one. At that point, my attitude goes south fast.

My point is that you can pretty much remove the word stroller from that sentence. The stroller is a prop, it's the person wielding it, or their umbrella, or whatever that is the problem. Strollers don't run into people, people run into people.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

My point is that you can pretty much remove the word stroller from that sentence. The stroller is a prop, it's the person wielding it, or their umbrella, or whatever that is the problem. Strollers don't run into people, people run into people.

True. However there is a HUGE difference between just a person bumping into me (happens all the time, even when not at WDW) and a stroller or ECV doing so. Why? The strollers and ECVs hurt, and can bruise or wound. Which in fact both have done to both of us at WDW. Therefore, you cannot logically say that a person bumping into you is the same as a stroller or ECV. However, we've never had the same thing happen anywhere else, even in very crowded situations. I don't really care if a human accidentally bumps into me in a crowd. I think that is just expected. What I will not tolerate is someone using an ECV or stroller as a battering ram to get through the crowd. And if you don't think that happens, and happens a lot at WDW, you haven't been to WDW lately. To top it off, we purposely go during the "slow" times of the year. I'd hate to see how big the problem is during peak times.

 

[Maxpowers]

If you give a person an object to push through a crowd, of course it becomes more of a problem. It allows inconsiderate people to use a barrier to push their way through everything. I am not saying it's the same thing, what I am saying is that for you cannot blame it on people having strollers. For every 1 person that was an inconsiderate jerk, you have 25 or more that have taken the care and time to avoid hitting people.

I have been to WDW recently (well February) and been bumped into by inconsiderate people with their strollers (while pushing my own double wide city mini). Several times I've had to calm myself when someone else with a stroller rams mine while my 1 year old was napping inside it. But an equal or greater number of people without strollers were just as inconsiderate. If you think this does not happen elsewhere, I invite you to talk a stroll on the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk during memorial day weekend.

And lastly, sometimes stroller/people crashes are just a plan accident. When in WDW, there are a lot of people walking around while not paying attention to where they are going (looking at Cinderella's castle perhaps). I did have several times in which people have walked/ran directly in front of my stroller from an area I couldn't see them until they were already there. 99% of those I was able to stop and not hit anyone, but on one occasion I was not able to stop (someone rushing to get a spot in front of me for the fireworks). I apologized, even though it was probably not my fault, but knowing the stroller stigma thought it was just easy this way (aka I'm in WDW and I don't feel like getting into any kind of conflict).

I invite anyone that has not pushed a stroller through a crowd to try it, it's not as easy as you think. I realize that having kids is my life choice and you shouldn't have to pay for it. But perhaps you will gain some understanding of what it's like and realize that some of those stroller crashes are probably pure accidents.

 

[peg110]

I invite anyone that has not pushed a stroller through a crowd to try it, it's not as easy as you think. I realize that having kids is my life choice and you shouldn't have to pay for it. But perhaps you will gain some understanding of what it's like and realize that some of those stroller crashes are probably pure accidents.

You are right it's your life choice and we shouldn't have to pay for it, but in that same sentiment, You shouldn't have to apologize for it either.

Courtesy is a 2 way street, so just because someone chose not to have children (or not be burdened with a stroller, ecv, or some other mobile type device) doesn't mean that everyone else should fall in to line with their thinking. While I don't have to "Like" something (or a situation) it's not always my place to "Correct" it for someone else. I don't like a lot of things that others love. Pick a subject, Religeon, Politics, Sexual Preferance, Racial preference, Right To Life/Choice, whatever the subject. Just because one doesn't like something does not give them the right to push their will on others. After all, isn't that how most Wars got started?

P.S. I am one of those parents that used a stroller. Was (mostly) very considerate and still accidents happen. Now as one without it, I still get banged occasionally and I try to take it in stride.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

If you think this does not happen elsewhere, I invite you to talk a stroll on the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk during memorial day weekend.

Thanks, but no. I used to live in the Boston area (long before I was married). I still vividly remember the crowds that would gather on the Esplanade for 4th of July fireworks. While I was never hit by a stroller or ECV on the many occasions I went to see the fireworks, I have no desire to ever be in such huge crowds again. Those crowds make WDW look deserted. Deserted, I tell you!

And lastly, sometimes stroller/people crashes are just a plan accident. When in WDW, there are a lot of people walking around while not paying attention to where they are going (looking at Cinderella's castle perhaps). I did have several times in which people have walked/ran directly in front of my stroller from an area I couldn't see them until they were already there. 99% of those I was able to stop and not hit anyone, but on one occasion I was not able to stop (someone rushing to get a spot in front of me for the fireworks). I apologized, even though it was probably not my fault, but knowing the stroller stigma thought it was just easy this way (aka I'm in WDW and I don't feel like getting into any kind of conflict).

While I agree that people jumping too closely in front of strollers and ECVs (and then stopping suddenly) happens all the time, that is not the case with us. EVERY TIME we've been run into it was because the stroller pusher or ECV driver was either paying no attention to where they were going or were deliberately using their stroller/ECV as a battering ram to literally push through the crowd. I'm more likely to forgive the first type of offender. The second type will never, ever get my forgiveness. It's just rude in the extreme.

I invite anyone that has not pushed a stroller through a crowd to try it, it's not as easy as you think. I realize that having kids is my life choice and you shouldn't have to pay for it. But perhaps you will gain some understanding of what it's like and realize that some of those stroller crashes are probably pure accidents.

Robin pushed her two sons (from a previous marriage) in strollers through all the parks when they were small. On upwards of 25 different trips. She reports she never ran into anyone. Perhaps the crowds were smaller then or the people were more considerate. I have experience "running interference" for my late dad during the 10 years he was in an ECV due to a stroke, in order to keep him from running into someone. It is possible to navigate crowds with a stroller or ECV without running over people.

We're going back for a bit over a week from 25 September -> 3 October. I'll try to remember to report back on how we fared this time.

 

[mrsksomeday]

Tigger1 said: ↑
Would love to be able to put strollers in a compartment under the bus rather than stand on a the bus holding a stroller and a child.

If Disney did this, they would probably have to use buses like the Magical Express. If they did that, instead of people complaining about folding a stroller, taking it on the bus, and keeping it with them they would be complaining about this:

This is my boyfriend getting ready to go inside a Magical Express bus. The driver has the following steps:

1) Goes inside the bus, moves up some seats and puts the tie downs on the floor into a track

2) Comes outside the bus, opens the door and uses the controls to bring the lift down

3) Has the wheelchair user back onto the lift, put the "safety strap" around the wheelchair user then use the controls to lift the user into the air

4) Go back into the bus and have the wheelchair user move into place so the bus driver can use the tie downs on the wheelchair and secure it

5) Go back outside the bus and use the controls to bring the lift down and shut the door

If you don't want to stand and hold your child on a moving bus, don't - just wait for the next one.

 

[Maxpowers]

We're going back for a bit over a week from 25 September -> 3 October. I'll try to remember to report back on how we fared this time.

Woohoo. I wish I was going back so soon. Enjoy your trip!

 

[jeepnjudy]

1) We have a solution for this.
2) AND IT WORKS.
3) We carry a glass, of water, without a lid), with Grape Koolaid added.
4) When we are hit my a stroller or ECV, we turn around "startled" and SOMETIMES the grape Kooliaid lands on the stroller or ECV.
5) OF COURSE, this is a reaction to suddenly being struck.
6) it is a shame, but operators of ECV's and stroller pushers should be able to watch out for other guests.

In all fairness I think it's about the people...when my oldest was in a stroller at WDW a woman turned right into the SIDE of the stroller and then had the audacity to sarcastically comment about being hit with the stroller...At that point I had to explain to her "YOU" ran into the side of my stroller, I did not push it into you considering it does not move sideways!

 

[Kathy C]

Maybe you need to just rent a car and drive to all the parks! We've gone to Disney with and without our grandkids and when we don't have them along on a trip, the strollers don't bother us in the least nor did they before our granddaughters were born. Would you rather have screaming babies/kids because you woke them up to fold the stroller or have a little less room and a few less folks on the monorail/boat with you? I'm guessing you don't travel with little ones and seems you have very little tolerance for those that do.

 

[littleblackegg]

My husband and I were talking about this today. We have both worked in hospitals for decades. At about 9am, the halls are full of patients using walkers, being pushed in wheelchairs, using their own wheelchairs, using ECV's, using canes, and being pushed on stretchers (some of which have full respirators and IV's and monitors and all sorts of stuff). In our entire careers, we can only remember bumping into another patient a handful of times (if that). We figure it is because we were aware of others and really cared about not hitting anyone, even if we had to get to MRI fast. So, it is ultimately about care, concern and consideration, right? It doesn't matter if it is a walking couple or a stroller full of screaming kids. If we consider the needs of others and make sure we don't bash into someone or help make sure someone has a comfy place to sit, then we are ALL working together for the greater comfort and safety.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think what Disney has is a lot of distractions. In a hospital people are not stopping to take pictures. They are not looking up in amazement at a castle or at fireworks. They are not looking at a map trying to figure out how to get from one ride to the next. I don't think most people mean to run into others, but they are so distracted it happens.

 

[Boopuff]

When my kids were 3 & 5 we had one small umbrella stroller. My kids walked everywhere. But we did take them for mid day breaks and left at a reasonable time. On the bus Dh and I would each have a kid on lap and small stroller folded between us. TaDa 4 people on a bus using space of two! Even though those days are long gone I can't help but look at some parents and think ***! It's midnight why in heck is your over exhausted/sleeping/crabby kid doing at the parks??? Logic people!!!

 

[buzznina]

All I know is that for every person that complains about being struck by a stroller I can give you 2-3 examples of people WITHOUT strollers that get hit because: they stop in their tracks to look at a map or decide where they want to go, or a family that thinks it's okay to walk 6-7 wide and you cannot get around them, or the family that needs to run to their next destination and tries to cut right in front or even try to jump over the front of a stroller, or the group that thinks it is okay to talk right in the middle of the street/path, or where the people behind you think that its okay to try and push pass you to get on the monorail and on and on...
I do think strollers should be folded on all WDW transportation, but that will not stop the lazy parents that have a big stroller and are first on the bus and sits right at the front with their stroller sticking out in the aisle We currently have a sit-n-stand and as soon as I get on, I head right to the back door and stand with our stroller and park bag(s). I only sit if the bus is done loading and there is a seat by the back door. The sad part is that I am an older (out of shape) father and I see fathers a LOT younger then me and they are taking almost 2 spots by sitting and having their stroller next to them or in front of them sticking out in the aisle(not talking umbrella strollers). Also; if we are in line and the bus is at standing room only, we just step to the side and wait for the next one, this way my DW and DDs will have a seat.