MEGA Strollers and WDW Bus System

[evaready51]

Let me preface this post by saying I have 2 sons.

My family and I just returned from WDW 6/27 – 7/5. Last year we were there 3 times and never encountered the problem of the MEGA wide strollers like we did this year!!! Specifically, these monstrosities and the Disney buses are an issue w/an accident waiting to happen.

It would not be an exaggeration to say we would have at least 10 of them on each bus. The owners of these strollers first would try to take them in tact onto the bus. The bus driver would quickly quell that attempt. They would fold it up and put the in an empty seat, lie them on the floor in the bus, put them where the wheelchairs would go, etc, etc. Inevitably, issues would arise. Someone would want to sit in the seat, in one instance a mom w/her sleeping toddler, who happened to have a little umbrella stroller, was not allowed to sit in the seat because the enraged father said he needed to store his stroller. Comments ensued by other bus passenger and he was shamed into giving her seat much to his discontent. The stroller stayed parked in the other seat.

At other times passengers stepped on them, as they were laying on the floor of the bus, because they didn’t see them. This made the owners mad as inevitably something became broken when they were stepped on by the unsuspecting passenger.

On several occasions the monster strollers blocked access for an incoming wheelchair passenger on a bus that was already fairly full. There were some altercations regarding this w/the bus driver as well. Needless to say the wheelchair guest would be accommodated, instead of the stroller.

Perhaps Disney should run a bus w/limited seats and a rack for the strollers? But the best solution would be to ban these monsters and only allow umbrella strollers. Something should be done as this is a serious safety concern to the well being of ALL Disney guests.

 

[Alexander]

I cannot even begin to fathom why someone would want to bring their large stroller anyways! What a PITA to lug around! We have a wonderful Jeep jogging stroller that I would love DS to have while in WDW, but seriously, this thing would need its own seat on the plane AND I'd have to rent an SUV to transport it! We will take the small umbrella sized Maclaren than has served us many a trip to WDW.

Honestly, the "best" part of people with those strollers, is how much crap they shove into every nook and cranny and then take 20 minutes to get everything searched at security before entering the park--oh wait, what about at the airport--they haven't taken ANYTHING out by the time they get to the front of the line at security!

 

[kevgraub]

We have not experienced this yet, but hopefully in September the crowds will be down as well as the huge strollers.

We do plan on taking an umbrella stroller for our daughter, but it folds up nice and small and can fit in my lap on the busses.

One thing Disney could do to help reduce these issues a little bit would be to reduce the cost of their stroller rentals. We had initially planned on just renting a stroller in the parks, but the thought of spending over $100 to rent a single stroller for the week kind of changed our minds. If Disney really wanted to fix what appears to be a growing problem, they could cut the price of their stroller rentals in half, and then restrict the size of the strollers allowed on the busses.

 

[SuperSteelerFan]

I guess if you have more than 1 child in strollers, having a double stroller makes sense. However, it is a pain when they need to be crammed onto the buses. I took a larger-than-an-umbrella-stroller once (it was not a large stroller by any means though) and that did it for me. Next time it was the umbrella stroller and after that, it's been no stroller at all! And I only carry what we're going to need, not all that extra stuff. I hate being a pack mule and refuse to do it. Now that my kids are older, the rule is this: if they want it, they carry it. I doubt there is a reasonable solution to this and this is always going to be an issue for some since there's always going to be families with little ones.

 

[darrengs]

One thing Disney could do to help reduce these issues a little bit would be to reduce the cost of their stroller rentals.

Agreed!

 

[awaldo]

I wondered how that all worked out these days. We are taking our two DDs in two weeks and were contemplating taking our amazingly awesome BOB double jogging stroller - until I folded it up and took it to the zoo. Then, I could not fathom how anyone would have the nerve to take something like that on the bus - even folded. So, we settled for our two umbrella strollers. I agree about the price of rentals, though, we planned on doing so until my DW found out it would cost us north of $200 for a week for a double. OUCH!

Plus, we have two amazing Silver Cross umbrella strollers. Funny to hear that people do, in fact, attempt to travel with those double monsters!

 

[vmk_wdw]

i have seen parents carrying large strollers on to the bus and taking a large section of space up on the bus or taking forever to unpack when they see the bus. the umbrella strollers i dont mind they are small and can be quickly folded up. from seeing this so many times i will keep in mind that when i have kids and take them to disney to either use a umbrella stroller or just rent one at the parks

 

[monorailsilver]

How sad. I have never seen that happen but most of the buses I have taken over the past few years are not that crowded.

We do avoid the bus as much as possible just because we hate folding up the stroller.

I am actually excited since our next trip in 3 years I most likely won't need a stroller since my youngest will be 6. I am seriously thinking of bringing my umbrella one (if it survives over the next few years) just for her to use maybe every other day or in the evening, etc...

Oh & I did take my Joovy last August for all 3 kids. And all 3 kids did sit or stand on it most of the time. It wasn't pretty pushing it but we managed. I know I could not of taken 3 umbrella strollers with only 2 of us to push it. Plus have you ever pushed an umbrella stroller for long periods of times? I am 5'4" & my back gets sore just from an hour.

When we get to the bus stop, we unload the kids & make them stand or sit. I unload my bag, usually it is just one that is filled to the brim-diapers, wipes, something to change the smallest kid on at the time, camera, video camera. Plus our water (aka heavy).

DH has been taking the stroller on & we try get that first 2 person seat & then the seats that the back is against the windows. This way our stroller can shimmy between us there. Our kids are small so we are able to do that.

I can not wait to not have a stroller but I am going to miss not having our cold water but oh well, right?