Disney weapons of mass distruction

[dianeschlicht]

We decided on this trip that folks are getting pretty adept at using new "weapons" of mass distruction to insure that they have an advantage over other guests in the parks.

First...the humongous double wide strollers that take up more space than my Ford Freestyle! Not only do these things get in everyone's way, they are often pushed by what we refer to as "open mouth breathers". You know the type....walking slowly, head in the air mouth open strolling slowly through the walkway. These same groups are often the ones who have a full chorus line of people with them doing the same thing. It definitely slows down traffic in the parks! It's not unlike a left lane bandid on the freeway!

Second is the other group that also pushes those same humongous strollers. They are the ones that use it as a battering ram to make sure they get everyone else out of their way at an attraction. I can't tell you how many times this trip I sat on the ground so people behind me could see, only to have some humongous stroller bash into my back or push over my foot or hand. One guy slammed into Dick's leg with a stroller while we were standing at the gorilla exhibit. He laughed and said "oops, that's the 6th time I've done that this morning". Dick wondered if he had a drivers license!

Then there are the huge backpacks that stick out a full 2 feet from the back of the wearer! Those things are deadly! I saw several old folks and many kids get taken out by one of those weapons of mass distruction when the wearer turned around quickly. I learned to brace myself when I had one in line ahead of me. I almost got wiped out on the stairs at TSMM once, when a family of 4 had 4 of those monsterous backpacks! The poor kid that had one was hardly as tall as the pack! Why do some folks feel they have to take their entire wardrobe and a picnic dinner for 12 to the parks with them?

I'm not going to mention the ECVs, because for the most part I don't have much trouble with them unless it's driven by someone who is a timid driver.

Someone here mentioned the lazy people though a while back, and I have to agree with that one. There are a few folks using the ECVs that really don't need them. I figure if you see a group and one person is on an ECV, they have a good reason for using it. We saw whole groups (3-5 people) riding them just so they didn't have to walk. These too could slow down an entire walk way while riding side by side at a slow pace.

Then there are the balloons. I'm sorry, but if you are buying your kid a balloon and you are trying to leave the park after Wishes, PLEASE don't let the kid hold the balloon out full length banging everyone else in the head.

Please take this post in the spirit of its intention. No ill will, just some funny observations we made this trip.

 

[dpmfloyd]

i'm 100% with you. people point strollers at you, like thugs point guns. it's insanity. when my girlfriend arrived, we were greated by a storm trooper size group of people that wanted to play chicken with us, while walking up main street.

and the back packs... oh my bruised arms. swing gently folks!

thanks for the quick laugh

 

[MinnieGirl33]

SO true... I think the backpack visual is my favorite though.

 

[texhanddoc]

I have young children so the double stroller is more of a necessity. I sure hope no one finds out about the free "How to use your double stroller as a weapon" online courses that Disney provides

p.s. I have found ECVs infinitely more annoying than strollers. If a stroller hits your leg, it hurts much less.

 

[cvjw]

We were at Sea World a few years back and my DS's best friend (8 at the time) almost got taken out by an ECV. There were 2 women on the ECV - one driving and one sitting in her lap. They had the ECV going as fast as it could, and they passed us on our right side, and we were walking very close to the edge of the path. Not only did the ECV almost run him over, but the woman who was sitting in the other one's lap was smoking a cigarette, and waving it all around - which would have burned him if I hadn't of pushed him out of the way. We got a little further down the road when we saw that security had the ladies and their ECV because they had run over a grandmother.

 

[Kuzco]

Lately we've noticed more of the "strollers as weapons" types. We always joke that we're going to rent one just so we can more easily push through the crowds.

 

[DVCconvert]

Diane - You haven't come across the most lethal form of WDW WMD's.....yet.


The "open mouth breathers with coke bottle bottom glasses riding ECV's with double strollers lashed to the front"


It's like a plow on a pickup, or a bulldozer clearing a path down Main Street USA!!!

*shudder*

 

[Starr W.]

My youngest was about run over by an ECV at the "Ellen ride" at Epcot. He was horsing around with some other kids in the holding area. In comes ECV rider, not looking as it's not that well lit in there and driving likes she's at a drag race.

Just missed the group of them and didn't even say sorry, oops or excuse me.

One of the ECV riders entourage(every notice they travel with at least 5 others) said sorry. The other mother and I at the sametime said, "Sure you are." CM saw it and went over to talk to ECV driver.

Last January, I saw a CM stop a woman on a Disney ECV and told her she could drive it holding one toddler and letting a preschooler ride on the foot rest. Not a pleasant scene with her, DH and cast member. But glad to see Disney putting there foot down on their ECV.

Though I guess they can't do anything about the private rental ones. Boy you should have seen the line-up of them at SSR waiting for check ins or to be picked up.

 

[Starr W.]

Lately we've noticed more of the "strollers as weapons" types. We always joke that we're going to rent one just so we can more easily push through the crowds.

They can be pretty dangerous folded up on the bus also, as the DH goes down the aisle struggling with it. That is if they can figure out how to fold it up in less than 10 minutes.

 

[jekjones1558]

When we needed a double stroller we made sure we got the one-in-front-of-the-other style so as not to hog entire aisles wherever we went. While I realize that the side-by-side style is easier to steer and nicer for the kids, I didn't think that the rest of the world should have to be inconvenienced just because we had 2 in a stroller.
My DH almost never goes to the parks anymore because he hates using the ECV in the parks. He drives slowly enough so that he can stop quickly for kids who dart in front of him, but driving slowly annoys others and they cut him short very often. But if he drives any faster then he risks not being able to stop in time when a child (or adult) suddenly stops or walks in front of him. I thought he was just being a complainer so he had me try it for a few minutes once and I quickly found out what he was worried about. I dread the day that I have to use one or not be able to go to the parks.

 

[wehavesix]

We just got back from a week long trip. My son, dil, and their 2 kids came along too. Our youngest grandson is 3 years old and we used his single mid sized stroller very little. I think they took it to Epcot on our second day there and to DTD for shopping. The rest of the time dgs walked or was carried when necessary only. To us, the stroller is a pain to deal with, what with the parking and getting through crowds and getting on and off the trams and buses. Just too much trouble. Thankfully dgs is big for his age and very energetic. He has a monkey backpack with a long tail that acts as a tether for someone to always keep hold of him so he's just as safe as in the stroller and a ton happier to have the freedom to wander a bit. Of course he was worn out by the end of the day but, trust me, that's not a bad thing.

The first trip my son and his family went on, the grands were 4 and not quite 2 so they used a double stroller. It was a double pain for them and they said never again. After that, my granddaughter walked.

 

[Chuck S]

It really amazes me that someone who doesn't have mobility issues would even rent an ECV for the parks...not only are they expensive, they are indeed a pain to maneuver through crowds and in queues, never mind the loading/unloading from the busses. There really is no advantage, as most queues are mainstreamed, and for those that aren't, those with mobility issues often wait longer than those waiting in line in the regular queue to board rides. With mom's manual wheelchair, we have often waited longer than ambulatory guests to load onto Haunted Mansion or Spaceship Earth.

I realize Diane made this post in jest, but as this is not a DVC specific topic, and as these threads tend to turn rather ugly and are eventually closed on the other boards, I am simply going to close this one here on the DVC Board rather than move it to another board.