JUST BACK :( Stroller& Personal Space PROBLEM

[sames1]

I don't have a child or a stroller, but I got to push one with someone else's child one time and I'll tell you , the feeling of power was awesome. People would clear out of the way, I had personal space in front of the handle if I wanted it, and I could maintain a barrier around me.

That being said,, when I don't have one , I hate them, especially the double side by side Monster strollers.

 

[JESW]

I have been on both side of the stroller but now my kids are older. During our trip in august, DS10 was picked off by a guy pushing an empty umbrella stroller. He walked right in front of DS (I was behind him and saw it happen) and my son went FACE DOWN on the walkway...he banged up his hands and knees. The guy KNEW he did it but never stopped to ask how my son was. I would have said something but we were too busy with the security officer and the cm selling ice cream across the way trying to get my son to the first aid station.

Geez buddy...look where you are going if you are pushing a stroller!

Jill

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I am always careful when I push my stroller - I can't believe how many people think it is okay to dart in front of my while I am pushing my stroller so that I have to stop on a dime!!

Strollers are a fact of life - and people are not considerate about strollers in any way shape or form - I find this to be true when I am pushing my grandmother in her wheelchair as well -

The next time someone is a little aggressive with their stroller you may want to think about what has transpired through the course of the day to make them a little less than considerate

On our last trip my mom was so sick of people darting in front of us, pushing us out of the way to get by (yes pushing the front of my stroller aside while stuck in a crowd on main street), running into my kids - closing up all possible routes by tripping over my children to get past us - the list goes on - that she finally just decided to go and not worry about trying to be polite - as that had gotten us NOWHERE - I was a little mortified when she bumped into someone or cut them off - but we made it out of the park!!

 

[jann1033]

i can understand being irritated by being cut off but why take it out on some one who didn't do it. maybe some of these posts were made in jest but i guess i was right that some really don't care who they run into.

 

[Lizzybee]

The thing that baffled me about the strollers when I was there just over a week ago was the people not strapping their kids in. I saw at least two kids fall from strollers b/c they weren't strapped in. I know some kids can undo the straps, but boy did they get scraped up when they rolled out of strollers. Both I saw were rented from WDW. I have rented a strolled one day of a trip for my two who are really too old for strollers but really small for their ages and I can't imagine being "aggressive" with the stroller and my kids IN the stroller. Why would I put them in harms way? I am not the aggressive type though either, but I did want to SMACK the person who left a stroller in the middle of the walkway out of Epcot after Illuminations. Not off to one side but smack dab in the middle of the walk way, that's just inconsiderate.

 

[xmelissax]

Ticking her off further by doing the "clown face" probably wasn't the most adult thing to do. Even in the event of an accident, a simple apology is in order even when it's the other persons fault.

I would have to agree. I would think you would want to avoid confrontation in front of your children, and that is not the way to go about it. Doing that will likely just make the person yell at you more, or maybe even punch you in the face which is definately not what you want to happen while with your children. If you think what she did was so immature, why sink to her level?

 

[Piglet4Ever]

I know what you mean about the personal space issue, that is my biggest pet peeve at WDW. I can't understand why the person behind you in line has to be your shadow. I mean come on we are all going to get on the ride, no need for all the crowding. Can't wait till Nov!!!

 

[michellejed]

It seems like more people on this board feel it is ok to cause pain to others all in the name of what "I have had it with people who stop in front of me!"

Why would you follow soo close in the first place? I understand how crowded it can be and some times you get cought up in a flow, but seems you are aware of it then be more careful.

I am sorry that you had to deal with rude people who may have climbed over your child or zipped infront of you but it doesn't give you the right to deliberately hurt some one.

I understand that people walk at different speeds but just like driving a car, it is up to you to watch what is going on around you.

 

[hdecker]

Just back and had to add my 2 cents worth. Personal space wasn't too much of a problem because we never encountered any real lines, basically walked on just about everything.
The major problem we found were the idiots that decided to go across the masses of traffic while leaving the park at closing - and yes, some of them had strollers - wheelchairs - 6 people in a row all holding hands - and everyone of them acting like we were the ones who were going the wrong way. Use some common sense folks - of course none of this applies to the people who frequent this board, I've found more often than not that this board also acts as an etiquette primer about what not to do.

 

[DisneyMim]

OK, maybe because I've been to Disney so many times and not rushing from one thing to the next, but I actually expect people to stop dead in their tracks. If you have never been to WDW the sight of the castle is enough to stop anyone. We actually look for people who are doing this. We love to see the look on their faces! I think too many people are in too much of a hurry and are way too close to the person in front of them. We walk slow (which bothers a lot of people) and keep a good distance between other people. We did this when our kids were in strollers and now that they are long out of them. I think the key is respect, which is sorely lacking in most people today.

 

[GC&S]

Not to change the subject; but why when a mod edits a post (in this case Nicdahn's was edited for a bad word), they put the word as the reason for editing???? So the word was removed from the post but the word is clearly spelled out in the reason for the post being edited. Can't the mod just say the reason was for profanity??

I guess we are just used to the stroller war. We go to a very crowded flea market every week and take our stroller. We are used to people just stopping dead in front of us, cutting us off and pushing us out of the way. In fact, I had less problems with this at Disney (maybe cause we are there on off season) than I do at the malls and other places at home.

 

[nicdanh]

Ticking her off further by doing the "clown face" probably wasn't the most adult thing to do. Even in the event of an accident, a simple apology is in order even when it's the other persons fault.

Example, I'm pushing a kid in a stroller and some yahoo stops in front of us and gets rammed in the ankle. Yahoo turns around and screams "What the fudge??" MY response would simply be "I am so sorry! These things are so unwieldy, I just couldn't stop it when you stopped suddenly in front of us."

This way you haven't further enraged an already angry individual who will continue to take it out on every other person they meet throughtout the day.

Everybody just needs to be careful...those pushing strollers, and those just walking around unencumbered. We all have to share the walkways.

I did give her apology & she still kept her mouth running with my kids scared and crying. I think the clown face is more adult than the finger.

 

[jay-nee]

OK, maybe because I've been to Disney so many times and not rushing from one thing to the next, but I actually expect people to stop dead in their tracks. If you have never been to WDW the sight of the castle is enough to stop anyone. We actually look for people who are doing this. We love to see the look on their faces! I think too many people are in too much of a hurry and are way too close to the person in front of them. We walk slow (which bothers a lot of people) and keep a good distance between other people. We did this when our kids were in strollers and now that they are long out of them. I think the key is respect, which is sorely lacking in most people today.

Ahmen! I agree. We walk slow, enjoy the entire experience. No rushing for this family. If we stop, we stop. There are beautiful displays (flowers, art, live shows, etc) that folks miss because they are just rushing from one ride or show to another.

But, like DisneyMim above, we've been to WDW loads of times. So, we just enjoy WDW for different reasons than the 1st timers. I hope folks are respectful of that too. I try to understand someone rushing from here to there. We do that occassionally, even now.

It's funny how people impose their own "rules" upon the other guests. There is no "one size fits all" at WDW last time I checked.

I try to be more than considerate of my fellow guests. I pray for the same, but it doesn't happen because different people have different ideas of considerate (IMHO, some have no idea of what considerate means - we try to avoid those folks!).

We are just trying to enjoy our happy place, the way we want to enjoy it. It might not be what you think is appropriate, but c'est la vie!

Happy Tuesday all!

BTW, if someone were bumming into me, I would just let them go ahead of me. Why got all stressed about that? After all, I'm on vacation, aren't you?

 

[Jennasis]

nicdahn: Sorry...I still think it sinks you to her level. The better move is to just walk away...not antagonize a woman who is scaring your kids.

However, I DO still agree that the level of awareness of most people has dropped sharply. Those with strollers and those without. Probably one of the reasons why we chose to go in OCTober...a less crowded time.

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

We have a double stroller for our 5yr old twins. It is very heavy and we try very hard to not cause harm to anyones ankles. But I am always thankful for the stroller when someone steps or stops in front of it, without it my boys may get knock down or pulled from my hands. My boys could walk, but the stroller keeps us together with out always fussing at them to "stay close" or "hold mom's hands". I try to be very considerate and I understand quick stops, we also stop quickly at times.
I don't know how I would have handled someone yelling and cussing in front of my boys Probably a "I am soooo sorry" in a very sweet voice, while bending over to tell my sons "Don't worry she's not mad at you, just mommy. I hurt her ankle and you know how bad that hurts" and apologize again.
Janell
P.s My son's always wear the seatbelts, even in strollers

 

[disneyfreak74]

We were not rushing around the park. We were in a crowd. Coming over the "bridge Hill" and even before we were back on the pavement they stopped and looked at thier map.

But like I said!!! NOTHING was going to RUIN our trip. We got the room we requested. . . Had a wonderful meal with Cinderella (with my DD (2) getting GREAT compliments on her Cindy dress her NANA made for her before our trip) A great meal and SHOW in Germany (where the "bell man" played with my DS and DD And the most Super guy in Canada that sat and did magic tricks for my kids. Even giving my DS a certificate for his first magic trick!!!

These were just 2 things that I had to vent over!!!!

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

Just curious, are these problems (stroller bumping issues) more of a problem at peak/summer times? We're going in the lowest crowd level week of the entire year. I would assume there is just generally more room for strollers and people at that time? Do you think the heat adds to the tension?

Shel

 

[GC&S]

Shel, I think many factors play into it but the more crowded and more hot it is, it probably gets worse. We usually go in Oct. and for the first time took a stroller last year. We did not have many problems at all. In fact, people were very helpful, especially helping getting the stroller on and off the bus, helping us find our stroller when we had to park it outside of attractions, etc. We really didn't encounter many of the situations mentioned above. While there are always going to be people in a hurry and not paying attention, these will be the same ones who will run smack into you with or without a stroller. My biggest problem is my dd has very long legs and tends to kick her legs a lot (and kicks people in the process). I'm constantly apologizing for that where ever we go.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Just curious, are these problems (stroller bumping issues) more of a problem at peak/summer times? We're going in the lowest crowd level week of the entire year. I would assume there is just generally more room for strollers and people at that time? Do you think the heat adds to the tension?

Shel

We usually go in October and the stroller isn't an issue - this last trip in MAy for the HCOE Kickoff was when people were so rude about it! There were so many more people than October!

 

[gr8ful4Him]

Not to change the subject; but why when a mod edits a post (in this case Nicdahn's was edited for a bad word), they put the word as the reason for editing???? So the word was removed from the post but the word is clearly spelled out in the reason for the post being edited. Can't the mod just say the reason was for profanity??

I agree...considering the word was taken out of the post for reason of the guidelines, shouldn't it not be on the board anywhere, including the reason for the edit?