Heelys Banned?!

[diznyfanatic]

There was a incident at Epcot when we were there last week, a girl was wearing heelys and started down a incline from the bridge by the UK and was going at a fairly good pace and all I could see was all these people getting knocked down like bowling pins! ...

That's also the same place my DGD was knocked down!

 

[marcbelt]

DBK: Laughing at a kid (or anyone else, for that matter) who falls makes you sick in my book. Your temptation to trip a kid isn´t very nice either.

 

[Flametamr]

How about some common sense here. Besides it's against the rules for a good reason, it's just plain dumb. Those things have no place in a crowded park. Teach your spoiled lazy little brat to walk or stay home. While you may be a responsible parent and have a well manered kid. There are many people that are not. They are rude and abusive to others people in public. So are their kids. They skate thru the parks wide open risking other peoples safety and we are expected to overlook it because they just happened to not injure someone today.

I can promise you this if one of your spoiled little children hits, runs into, or otherwise injures my handicapped daughter you will wish you never heard of Disney. I will seize him and hold him until I have your information to file a lawsuit. Then a judge or jury will decide if it's okay to heely at Disney World and run over people.

 

[Clover9990]

No, I don´t want to ban scooters for handicapped people. I want to ban the handicapped people that run into people. Really, I believe most handicapped people on scooters are not a menace, just like I believe most kids with Heelys arent a menace. In those instances where they are, they should be kicked out; both of them.

I totally agree.

Kelly, my DS doesn't wear Heelys every day. In fact, he hardly wears them at all, which is why he was thrilled to get to wear them to the parks.

DBK, quite frankly, I find your use of the Lord's name in vain to be extremely inappropriate, and I think it says much more about your character that you are even remotely tempted to deliberately harm a child and also laugh at their misfortune than those of us who are not anti-Heely. Oh, and FWIW, wearing Heelys in WDW is *not* illegal, but committing battery on a child certainly is.

 

[photo_chick]

We allowed my 8 year old DS to wear his Heelys to the parks this past week, during our visit to WDW. He is not allowed to skate in crowded areas, and NOT ONCE did he bump into anyone or anything. Flame me all you want, but my DS enjoys wearing his Heelys in the parks...and yes, he wore them all day long for 3 days in a row. As long as he continues to control himself properly while using his Heelys, and there are no clear rules posted banning Heelys from the parks, I'll continue to let him wear them.

The question then is if there was a clearly stated sign at the entrance would you then let your child wear them still?

 

[Clover9990]

I can promise you this if one of your spoiled little children hits, runs into, or otherwise injures my handicapped daughter you will wish you never heard of Disney. I will seize him and hold him until I have your information to file a lawsuit.

Oh really? And I would have your nasty little behind thrown in jail for battery and false imprisonment for laying your hands on my child.

 

[Clover9990]

The question then is if there was a clearly stated sign at the entrance would you then let your child wear them still?

No- absolutely not.

 

[SueM in MN]

Our last trip to WDW was over New Years and we did see lots of kids with Heelys. One of the problems for enforcement is that unless you actually see a kid gliding on them, it's hard to tell they have them on.
The biggest thing we noticed was that parents said NOTHING to their kids about them when they were doing things that were dangerous. There was one family ahead of us at Epcot with 2 kids using them. Every time we went down a little hill, they would lag a bit behind the mom and dad, then out came the wheels and they glided along. Only neither one of them knew how to stop (or maybe they got going faster than they intended). Both of them stopped by grabbing onto someone as they went by. Most of the time it was the mom and/or dad, but a couple of times, they did grab onto a stranger. If those were my kids, the first time they grabbed anyone (me included) to stop, I would have confiscated the wheels. (Although, if they were my kids, they would not have been in the parks using them).

Last week I was shopping at Kohls and a boy who was waiting with his mom in the guest service line had Heelys on. As she was waiting, he glided back and forth across the room. He nearly hit several people who were heading across the area either to or from the restrooms. One of the guest service people said that skating was not allowed and asked him to stop. Him mom told him he should be "more careful" and he slowed down for a few minutes, but didn't stop.
That's the biggest problem I see with Heelys. Kids and parents who think the rules should not apply to them.

 

[photo_chick]

DBK: Laughing at a kid (or anyone else, for that matter) who falls makes you sick in my book. Your temptation to trip a kid isn´t very nice either.

You know America's Funniest Home Videos pretty much proves that most of this country loves to laugh at people falling, tripping, being stupid, getting hit in the groin by just about anything......

I think I am going on a mission to get video footage of kids out of control on Heely's now. Maybe I could win $10,000 and pay for my trip!

 

[tjmw2727]

I have started seeing more and more businesses around here with signs in the windows that say "NO HEELEYS" My dd's don't and won't have them, friends of my dd's know to take the shoes off at my door. In fact most of them did before I realized they had heelies.

My dd's do have roller blades and use them in approprate places with protective gear every time. Besides the obvious danger of the wheeling they are not good for the feet. Any parent who is interested can do a quick google on the dangers of heeleys. I imagine a few parents may change their mind about the shoes after a little reading.

I was hit in the grocery store by a young man of about 11 or so who was also pushing a cart. I was slightly hurt and quite stunned, all the mom said was - I asked you to leave the cart where it was. No apology from either of them and the child continued to skate down each and every asile. I did inform managment and they apologized and said they would address the issue. The next week when I went to shop there was a sign in the door and I haven't noticed and wheeling since.

Hopefully they can address the issue at WDW to keep all the guests safe. The guests who may be hit by wheeling kids as well as the wheeling kids who's parents don't think the "no wheeled shoes" rules apply to their children.

 

[cleo]

Ban or no ban, there were Heeleys all over the parks last week.

 

[Mariposa]

I was run over by an adult at AK last year- he clearly had NO IDEA how to use the heelys and was running into people right and left. When a CM mentioned that he shouldn't be using them he actually told her to "shut up".

I've nearly been knocked over by a couple kids, and am to the point where it annoys me enough that I'm known to announce to the parents (in my overly sweet sarcastic tone), "Good footwear choice for the theme park!" I had one set of parents act like I was horrible when their kid knocked into me and I stepped over him to get by him instead of helping him up. He appeared to be about 11 and wasn't crying or obviously hurt. The mom of the little lawsuit-waiting-to-happen even YELLED at me.

 

[Flametamr]

First you should know the law before you try to quote it. But I'll play along, how is it battery to "hold" someone who just ran over (assaulted) and injured a handicapped child ? For the kidnapping you may want to check Florida's citizen's arrest law. I've been in law enforcement for over 20 years now but I guess I might not know everything.

Why don't you address the real issue. Hypotheticly, Your sweet little child just ran over and injured a handicapped little girl who was trying to walk along minding her own business. It's clear you don't care if he hurts someone or not based on your statements. You are raising him to skirt the rules regardless of the risk it poses to others. That's what is wrong with a lot of the world today. Too many people think that rules are only a guide and don't apply to them. Then their children grow up thinking that laws are only a guide too. They don't have to follow them if it's not convenient or fun.

Final disclaimer statement. I am okay with kids skating in an open area away from others. Inside the parks or out. All I ask is that they walk in crowded areas and be respectfull of others. Everyone has a right to enjoy Disney since we all pay to be there.

 

[diznyfanatic]

No- absolutely not.

While that answers the question of your response to seeing a posted sign, I'm still wanting to hear your answer to my question.

Now that you do know and have been shown proof from Disney's website in this thread that Heely's are not allowed in the Park, will you continue to allow your children to wear them there?

 

[LoriMistress]

Thank god there is a ban! I can't stand those stupid shoes. I wonder how WDW is reinforsing the rule. They should check under peoples' shoes and if they have Heelys.

 

[tink55]

Oh, and FWIW, wearing Heelys in WDW is *not* illegal.

You're wrong. In Orange County, and most Florida counties, it is illegal to skate (using rollerblades, skateboards, skates, or heelys) on private property without the owner's permission, for liability reasons. There is a stiff fine for violating this ordinance. Disney doesn't impose the fine, the Orange County Sheriff's Office does.

I just returned from the World yesterday, and yes there ARE signs that say that heelys are NOT ALLOWED. And yes, the signs are being ignored. As always, the real problem is not the kids, it's the parents, who should know better.

 

[minijeanie]

actually I prefer this to the rolling backpacks that the adults use

 

[tadamom]

I can't stand these shoes and my kids will never own a pair.

I agree with all the other posters that if there is a sign at the gate then I'm more annoyed with the parents that don't make their kids change their shoes!!

 

[nbodyhome]

I can't believe all the parents that let kids wear them in the stores, let alone at the parks! In a place with no other people - fine. On the streets, etc., just like I did on skates as a kid. I can't imagine they are good for the feet, and I've seen kids run into demo tables at Target and into people too.

 

[cedmonds]

i just got done reading all the threads and wow this dis board gets some very heated topics for the "happiest place on earth" I read the "germ" one last week and that was heated as well...as for Heelys...rules are made for a reason. as responsible adults it is our obligation to set a good example for our children whether or not the rules are fully enforced, It goes back to is it okay to steal if you do not get caught or to run a light etc...
as a teacher I see it all the time the kids feel the rules do not apply to them and the parents make excuses or tell the kids the rules don't apply to their little prince or princess. societal issues my friends the break down of the moral code ...really a very sad commentary