In defense of stroller pushers

[3DisneyBuggs]

I am so tired of people complaining about strollers in WDW. Children, toddlers and gasp even infants go to WDW. Guess what- many of these little people need to be pushed around. Guess what again- mom needs to pack diapers, wipes, clothes change, formula, bottles, sippy cups,snacks, baby food, spoon, dish, bibs, Purell, various just in case medicines. Then as a family we need water bottles, snacks, jackets for temp changes, camera, autograoh books,pens and Passporter. My 2 kids will be in a limo type double stroller. Yes I will have the basket filled with all their gear. Yes it may take a little longer at security but I do try to have bags open. I don't rush to be the first everywhere and use my stroller as a battering ram. I do use it as a convenient holder of kids and stuff. So please stop complaining! BTW I'm sure I will be struggling with the new finger scan- last year my Park Hoppers wouldn't work the first time. It has nothing to do with the stroller at all.
So Im giving a cheer out for stroller pushers in the World- keep on pushing(politely)

 

[Deb & Bill]

I have nothing against people pushing strollers as long as they have nothing against me (their stroller, I mean). My only advice is to see what you really, really need to take to the park and leave the rest at your hotel. Sometimes it's really a pain just to be the family hauler, so I make the family haul their own. When they decide they don't really need the extra water bottles (and would rather buy one to share), we leave it in the villa.

My only problem is the people who wait until they are just about ready to board the bus, and then they start unloading the stroller to fold it for the bus trip back to the resort. It's much quicker to have it ready to load when the bus pulls up. Plus when you are hauling all that stuff, it's even harder for you and your family to get on the bus quickly.

But it's your stroller and your family. You do what you want that won't inconvenience the rest of the guests.

 

[mmcguire]

I agree with the OP. A few bad apples spoil it for all us "pushers". There will always be rude people who bang into people carelessly, and don't bother to have their strollers folded to board the bus, but it's not fair to condemn all of us because of it.

I've taken both my children to WDW in strollers and have never bumped into anyone to my knowledge. I have, however, been rear ended by other stroller pushers, and even a couple of wheelchair pushers!

If someone is being careful and paying attention to where they are going, this really should not be an issue. I've read posts by "pushers" blaming people who stop short or cut in front of them, but it's the same as rear ending someone in a car because they stopped suddenly. The people in front of them may not know they're tailing them closely, so it's the pusher's responsibility to maintain a generous space between themselves and those around them, and be sure they have room enough to stop if someone comes to a sudden halt.

 

[Pooh1219]

For heaven's sake, do you think people are actually complaining about strollers being in WDW? I don't think anyone doesn't expect to see hundreds of strollers each and every day in the parks, but that's certainly not the problem. My problem is when you've stood on line for 15 minutes waiting for the bus, and then just as you are ready to board, now is when mom or dad decide to unload the stroller so it can be folded up. My next problem is when you are moving down the aisle of the crowded bus, please, please, watch where you are going with your stroller. My arms and legs are not your personal targets to be banged into without so much as an "excuse me." Yes, I know you have 2 or 3 kids and a stroller, just try to be a little more careful of who you are crashing into. I have as much right to be there as your stroller does.

As far as asking us to stop complaining, that will happen when there's nothing to complain about, and that's not likely to happen any time soon. I have no problems with strollers, just the ones being driven by inconsiderate people, and thankfully, they are in the minority.

 

[mattsdragon]

Congratulations on not being one of the stroller kamikazi's, but realize that people complain about them because some people are a problem sometimes. Maybe since you are pushing the Coupe de Ville around the park, when you see people acting like jerks with their strollers, your voice would be more effective than we, the non-strollers.

 

[Kanga1]

Here's my 2 cents...

First of all, I rent the park strollers so this unloading/loading, bumping people on the bus issue or going through security with one has never applied to me.

On our last (and only trip so far with a stroller), I was pushing DD down Main Street after Wishes...you know how crowded that is...when my DH tells me, "Watch, you almost hit that lady in front of you with your stroller." Now, it wasn't because I wasn't paying attention...I was. It was because I am all of 5'2" tall and I could not see the end of the stoller (those rentals are terribly long...much longer than a normal stroller) and therefore I was totally misjudging the distance. I instantly took note of this and kept a longer distance the rest of the week. And I didn't bump one single person!!!

 

[bytheblood]

I really don't think that anybody complains because there are strollers in WDW, or anywhere. It is the road roaged people that are pushing them into ankles, other people and not watching where they are going that are being complained about.

Not all people who push strollers are inconsiderate, but many are.

I do not say this to be mean, but to be sincere, I hope that your post was not to win a populartity contest and have people congratulate you on your defense of stroller pushers, because you just posted a sign that says "Open Season for WWF." Please do not get your feelings hurt with any negative feedback you get.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I see no problem with the guest that is careful on where they are going with the stroller. I am not sure about all of you but I was a stroller pusher at one time (now they are much older) & can remember those days. If you look where you are going, fold up prior to getting on the bus, watch the stroller on the bus & there are no problems. As a former stoller pusher, you that have never pushed them have no clue what it is like to have people dart in front of you because they do not want to walk behind you. They are the ones that cause the problems too... sort of like getting cut off on I-4. You keep your distance then someone jumps in it... so non-pushers please be considerate to those that are pushing & doing as they should. At least there is no smoking allowed in the parks now. I can remember having my kids in a stroller (or even walking for that matter) and they be the "perfect" height for that ciggerette to burn them because the smokers was not watching where he/she was swinging their arm
In addition to the stoller pushers, we have the Electric wheel chairs that tend to be a little wild too. Just this past weekend I saw a "gentleman" going extremely fast, didn't care who was in front of him, didn't say excuse me, just expected everyone to move out of his way. Most did too... I wouldn't want to get run over by one of them! That is worse than being clipped by a stoller. They need to be careful as well. Then we have the umbrella carriers...some walk & do not look around them & poke people.
What I am trying to do here is show you that when you are out in public, you have to deal with the public. If you have a stroller, wheel chair, umbrella...please look out for what is & who is around you. If everyone did that, the "happiest" place on earth would be filled with happier guests

 

[somcgregor]

During our recent trip, end of September, during free dining, food and wine and MNSSHP, we saw hundreds of stollers and expected it, and nearly everyone of them was polite and we had no problems, however I had a lady who was with another individual I am guessing it was her mom who was in one of those EVC's run into the stroller and the stroller ran into my ankle, and she stood there with the stroller on my ankle for a few mintues, when I kindly asked her to move the stroller she said she couldn't so I had to yank out my ankle and it was quite sore for the rest of the evening. My point is as another poster mention that one bad apple really ruins it for everyone. Had it not been for this one person I would have thought Stroller people were kinda. To top it all off she never even said so much as sorry which would have been nice.

I do have to say that I don't seem to have any problems with the strollers compared to how rude some of the people with the EVC's are, now there are some rude individuals.

 

[seashoreCM]

who was with another individual I am guessing it was her mom who was in one of those EVC's run into the stroller and the stroller ran into my ankle, and she stood there with the stroller on my ankle for a few mintues, when I kindly asked her to move the stroller she said she couldn't so I had to yank out my ankle and it was quite sore for the rest of the evening. (snip) to say that I don't seem to have any problems with the strollers compared to how rude some of the people with the EVC's are, now there are some rude individuals.

(long)(every single word above which I won't cause to be rehashed here.)

Let's start a fad!

After a mishap, make the first order of business "Stop The Miscreant" and right then and there seek redress such as extract an apology or do an interrogation as to why, why?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[bytheblood]

You know, when people in general do stuff such as stated above - I just look at them and in the calmest voice say, "You know, the words excuse me still exist in the dictionary." I get the deer in the headlights look every single time.

I would rather make them think instead of making them angry because I was rude.

 

[Laurabearz]

I wish I had a DVC point for every person who has stepped out in front of my stroller then stopped.... that's right while I am pushing our way down Main Street, people step in front of me, then stop.

Some I have hit, others were lucky, all blamed me.

 

[MissionMouse]

I wish I had a DVC point for every person who has stepped out in front of my stroller then stopped.... that's right while I am pushing our way down Main Street, people step in front of me, then stop.

Some I have hit, others were lucky, all blamed me.

Ditto, and that does not include the people who walk right over or right on top of your children sitting in their strollers too.

We have been to Disney without and with strollers, with and without kids, so we have seen both sides of this weak argument. Overall, Disney provides a magical environment, but it still allows selfish, greedy and thoughtless guest entrance. Thus, you can expect sometime during your visit to experience a rude person pushing a stroller, or others who are just walking, running, pushing, line cutting, walking over kids, walking over kids in strollers, or just the dangerous stampede of people who will run you over after an event or as a rope is dropped in a park when it first opens.

 

[5infam]

I wish I had a DVC point for every person who has stepped out in front of my stroller then stopped.... that's right while I am pushing our way down Main Street, people step in front of me, then stop.

Some I have hit, others were lucky, all blamed me.

This is my experience to a T. I know people do not want to be behind a stroller sometimes, so they try and jump in front of me, or cut me off to get ahead of me. It amazes me, especially when it is very crowded. It really is just like being on the freeway. If I see a blinker, I will let you over - but every day I see people that refuse to let people into their lane, even in stop and go traffic (like one car is going to make that much of a difference). The bottom line is I try my best not to hit anyone, but there are people that cut me off, know that they are doing it, and get mad if they get tagged. Accidents will happen, and if I hit someone by accident I will appologize immediately - and I always have. But I truly have no sympathy for those that wish to gamble their ankles that I will not hit them. If I can stop, I will...if not, hopefully they will have learned that lesson. Chances are they won't, and will post here how they were so rudly hit by those evil stroller pushers.

On the other side of the coin, I always pull out my stuff as soon as I get to the bus stop (or tram stop at Disneyland). I fold the stroller and keep my crew together so we can get on the bus or tram. Everyone grabs a bag or jacket and we get on orderly. Like Laurabearz said, I wish I had a DVC point for evertime someone cut me off trying to get on the bus or especially the tram. They see me lift the double stroller and figure this is a good time to cut me off. Bottom line is there are 2 sides of the coin, and I have been on both sides (yes I have been hit by strollers, wheelchairs and EVC's). Maybe someday we can all be a little more careful, curtious and understanding to each other.

 

[JPN4265]

As long as people watch where they are going, I have not problem with strollers or wheelchairs. Its the ones who think they automatically have the right of way that I have a problem with.

 

[goodferry]

We normally are pushing at least one stroller when we go to Disney, so when we went on a solo trip for our anniversary, DH and I paid particular attention to this issue. Neither one of us was run into one time, and we went in August when there are a lot of people with little ones and we didn't have an issue with one stroller pusher. I think part of it is that we know what it's like to push a stroller and we don't try to get around them, get in front of them, or cut them off because we have been there. When we were on the bus and we would see someone coming with a stroller, we would sit up and pull our knees and arms in out of the aisle, giving them the room to get down the aisle without bumping into us, and low and behold, we were never bumped into. This is not the norm, however. I saw more than one person flop down in their seat, arms and bags and legs in the middle of the aisle, and then they get angry when they get bumped by a stroller. My opinion is that if we all tried putting ourselves in the other persons position (stroller pushers and non stroller pushers alike) there would be less of an issue. Now there are always going to be those one or two rude people who are selfish and nasty, on both sides of the issue, but I think that's the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Earstou]

When I pushed my stroller, I always moved it to one side when stopping, knowing others were around and needed to get by me. I run into many people now who feel it's their right to take up the whole aisle or walkway, then give you a nasty look and groans when you politely ask if you can get by. This isn't just WDW, it's everywhere!

 

[kmebee]

My problem wasn't with adult stroller pushers. My problem was with the adults who allowed toddlers and small children to push the strollers in crowded parks (such as after Illuminations at Epcot, in Downtown Disney, on a Friday in MK). I know it looks cute and I know they scream 'cuz that is what they want to do and so you allow it but, come on, think a little. There are WAY too many people in these places at these times to let your little one push the stroller. They are the ones running into people, cutting them off, etc. and it gets frustrating.

 

[jann1033]

hey kmebee, we live about 30 miles east of you

my problem wasn't with kids pushing ,it was the arrogant dads particularly in the ak especially on the animal trails who blocked the paths with 2 wdw strollers then mowed everyone in front of them down so wife and kiddies could walk unhampered. this happened repeatedly.not fair not fun not "disney"

naturally there are going to be strollers and ecvs. if all show common kindness there shouldn't be a problem

as far as stepping in front of and stopping though, your stroller is below my waist and out of my line of vision so chances are good i may not see it in a crowd( a pusher just said how she can't see in front of it) where people are jostling me. maybe they stopped to keep from falling on your child. like i said once before ,they are considered hazardous and banned in arenas ect because in a crowd people fall over them. plus people with grown kids or no kids are not constantly thinking of strollers so parents need to look out.

truthfully i think a lot of this is just a sign of the times. more people are just rude on both sides but that doesn't mean everyone is.

 

[C.Ann]

I wish someone would push me in a stroller.. Heck - I'd even carry all the "stuff" in my lap!!