Stroller etiquette

[bellarinah]

I’ve always brought my side-by-side double stroller to Disney World for years and never had a problem until yesterday. I rope dropped Hollywood Studios with my kids because I couldn’t get FastPass for Slinky Dog. When we were let in, the crowd were walking together to Toy Story Land. I tried to keep a little space between my stroller and people walking in front of me as a buffer so I wouldn’t hit anyone’s ankle with the wheels. But when people walking next to me saw that empty space, they kept stepping in front of the stroller to get ahead. And of course, the stroller hit them on their ankle. And as soon as I left a little buffer again, a new group of people next to me stepped in front again. When we tried to squeeze through the arch in front of the Animation Courtyard, a gentleman next to me directly asked me to stopped so he and his wife could pass us. And he said, “So you wouldn’t run us over with the stroller.” So I stopped for them to go past us.

To be perfectly clear, I wasn’t walking fast or anything like that. I was just walking with the crowd and I was very much aware that I was pushing a double stroller.

Everyone has heard stories about people using their stroller as a bulldozer. I’m generally very mindful about my big stroller. I always let regular people and ECV go past me. After yesterday, I’ve started to wonder if other people should be more courteous to stroller users.

 

[Dismama2boys]

Same. I’ve never hit someone with my stroller......unless they’ve darted into that little buffer area. And then they glare at me. Or even flat out blame me for it. In one of these conversations on here, I mentioned that my double stroller (15 pounds? Maybe more?) with 80 pounds of kids in it can’t stop in a dime. And someone responded that that was ridiculous, and if I couldn’t instantly stop it, I wasn’t responsible enough to push a stroller. Mmmmkay, crazy lady.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I’ve always brought my side-by-side double stroller to Disney World for years and never had a problem until yesterday. I rope dropped Hollywood Studios with my kids because I couldn’t get FastPass for Slinky Dog. When we were let in, the crowd were walking together to Toy Story Land. I tried to keep a little space between my stroller and people walking in front of me as a buffer so I wouldn’t hit anyone’s ankle with the wheels. But when people walking next to me saw that empty space, they kept stepping in front of the stroller to get ahead. And of course, the stroller hit them on their ankle. And as soon as I left a little buffer again, a new group of people next to me stepped in front again. When we tried to squeeze through the arch in front of the Animation Courtyard, a gentleman next to me directly asked me to stopped so he and his wife could pass us. And he said, “So you wouldn’t run us over with the stroller.” So I stopped for them to go past us.

To be perfectly clear, I wasn’t walking fast or anything like that. I was just walking with the crowd and I was very much aware that I was pushing a double stroller.

Everyone has heard stories about people using their stroller as a bulldozer. I’m generally very mindful about my big stroller. I always let regular people and ECV go past me. After yesterday, I’ve started to wonder if other people should be more courteous to stroller users.

had a similar thing happen while using my cane had a mother look at me and say don't you dare put that down on my kids foot as she pulled child up beside me as cane was in air. I just brought cane down just missing her child's foot and looked at her and said would you rather I fall on your child? as I would fall sideways without cane. she very quickly pushed her way forward and a way from me. and yes I weighed a lot more than her small child

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

We ran into that a lot on our last trip. DH always pushes the stroller and walks directly behind me, since I'm the one who knows where we are going. Even though he'd always start off right on my heels, I constantly had to stop, step aside, and wait for him to catch up because in 3 mins of walking, somehow 20 people had gotten between us. I wasn't trying to weave around people in tight spaces either (where it would make sense that a stroller might not fit). This happened when just going with the flow of traffic.

Overall, everyone just needs to be more aware of their surroundings. The number of people glued to their phones and paying zero attention to where they are walking is ridiculous. Then you have those who get tunnel vision and see nothing in front of them but their destination and who then get upset when they run into you. Or those who randomly stop for no apparent reason in the middle of the walkway. DH said that was a big issue with pushing the stroller. He'd be forced to stop because someone would cut him off, then while waiting for their entire group to pass, sometimes there'd be another and another and he wouldn't be able to start walking again. Meanwhile, anyone walking behind him would get frustrated that he's not moving, go around and push through the crowd walking perpendicularly. It was so much easier when we ditched the stroller in one of the parking areas and let our toddler walk.

 

[Oliviaxxx]

Hmm, to be honest, I feel like all etiquette is lost in a crowd. Maybe some common sense too. Things get congested and everyone just wants to get the heck out of the crowd so they beeline it to where ever they are trying to go.

I have no stroller experience. On our last trip, I had to push my mom in a standard wheelchair at times. I too would leave a buffer so I wouldn't catch any ankles. But people see that 8 inches of space and think "hmmm let me step into that little spot, yup that's a good idea!" Then when you hit them on accident they turn around like you with complete disgust. Like it is easy to stop a wheelchair with a full grown adult in it in .8 seconds. Honestly I just say keep pushing your stroller. Watch for the disabled and elderly but other than that, if they are silly enough to step into an 8inch space they might just deserve a stroller to the ankle

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Honestly I just say keep pushing your stroller. Watch for the disabled and elderly but other than that, if they are silly enough to step into an 8inch space they might just deserve a stroller to the ankle

While I understand your overall sentiment,
1) Purposefully hitting someone with a stroller could be seen as assault. Rudeness does not justify potentially hurting someone. If it was accidental, that's one thing, but you shouldn't just keep going if you think you could prevent the stroller from hitting them.
2) If you run into someone, they could fall down on the stroller/wheelchair you are pushing and injure your passenger. Totally not worth it.

 

[Oliviaxxx]

While I understand your overall sentiment,
1) Purposefully hitting someone with a stroller could be seen as assault. Rudeness does not justify potentially hurting someone. If it was accidental, that's one thing, but you shouldn't just keep going if you think you could prevent the stroller from hitting them.
2) If you run into someone, they could fall down on the stroller/wheelchair you are pushing and injure your passenger. Totally not worth it.

Hmm I did not mean that you should sprint with your stroller targeting people. If you are in bumper to bumper people traffic, no one is moving anywhere fast. If you bump an ankle no one is going to fall to the ground. In no way did I mean "hit someone so hard that your toddler flys out of a stroller" but ok...

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Hmm I did not mean that you should sprint with your stroller targeting people. If you are in bumper to bumper people traffic, no one is moving anywhere fast. If you bump an ankle no one is going to fall to the ground. In no way did I mean "hit someone so hard that your toddler flys out of a stroller" but ok...

You seemed to state that if someone steps in front of the stroller, to just keep walking and if they are hit, then they deserve it. Neither of us are talking about sprinting and trying to run over people. But if someone does step in front of you, that doesn't mean it's right to keep walking if you have the ability to stop and to keep from hitting them.

I also never mentioned anything about a toddler flying out of the stroller. What I was saying is if you hit someone, they can be knocked off balance, and they (the person hit by the stroller) could fall on the stroller and the child inside. Realistically speaking, if an adult falls on a child small enough to fit in a stroller, that adult's weight could likely injure the child.

And yes, simply hitting someone's ankle could cause them to fall. As could hitting the back of their legs or behind the knee (where the front-most part of many strollers-the tray- would hit a person). Some people have better balance than others. Sure, not everyone will fall from being hit lightly by a stroller, but it can and DOES happen.

 

[Oliviaxxx]

You seemed to state that if someone steps in front of the stroller, to just keep walking and if they are hit, then they deserve it. Neither of us are talking about sprinting and trying to run over people. But if someone does step in front of you, that doesn't mean it's right to keep walking if you have the ability to stop and to keep from hitting them.

I also never mentioned anything about a toddler flying out of the stroller. What I was saying is if you hit someone, they can be knocked off balance, and they (the person hit by the stroller) could fall on the stroller and the child inside. Realistically speaking, if an adult falls on a child small enough to fit in a stroller, that adult's weight could likely injure the child.

And yes, simply hitting someone's ankle could cause them to fall. As could hitting the back of their legs or behind the knee (where the front-most part of many strollers-the tray- would hit a person). Some people have better balance than others. Sure, not everyone will fall from being hit lightly by a stroller, but it can and DOES happen.

Ok this has literally strayed so far from what I meant. So we will just leave it at that. Have a good night!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I try to be aware of my surroundings and stay away from strollers, ECVs, and wheelchairs as a pedestrian. Guess it's sort of like what car drivers do on the highway.

 

[Klayfish]

Honestly I just say keep pushing your stroller. Watch for the disabled and elderly but other than that, if they are silly enough to step into an 8inch space they might just deserve a stroller to the ankle

Yup. Tons of experience pushing a double stroller through WDW. I do my best to be courteous to others, but if you choose to step right in front of me as I'm walking, don't complain if you get hit. Sorry, not sorry.

 

[MomOTwins]

I'll never forget the time someone put his hands on my stroller's sun shade and VAULTED over the front corner to get ahead of us in the crowd. He crumpled up the sun shade and if it hand't held he would have fallen right onto my sleeping child. People are nuts.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

I'm somewhat used to pushing our stroller in large crowds, but I'm a have a bit of an anxiety attack thinking about Disney. I'm half tempted to get an airhorn to honk at morons cutting me off. (what's Disney's policy, lol) Doubt the wife will go for it though.

I'll do my best to avoid bumping you. But if you cut me off, and we make contact, go ahead and stare at me. I'll stare right back.

 

[Klayfish]

I'm somewhat used to pushing our stroller in large crowds, but I'm a have a bit of an anxiety attack thinking about Disney. I'm half tempted to get an airhorn to honk at morons cutting me off. (what's Disney's policy, lol) Doubt the wife will go for it though.

I'll do my best to avoid bumping you. But if you cut me off, and we make contact, go ahead and stare at me. I'll stare right back.

It's going to happen. People will cut you off or try to sneak their way through. As I said, I always tried to be mindful of the stroller and even a bit understanding. Some people would apologize or say "excuse me" and try not to actually touch the stroller. Usually, they're trying to keep up with the rest of their party. I can live with that. Heck, I'd be lying if I said I never stepped in front of a stroller while trying to keep up or just simply by accident in a big crowd. But there are those who will have blatant disregard for anyone but themselves and it's obvious. Those are the ones I will have no sympathy for.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

It's going to happen. People will cut you off or try to sneak their way through. As I said, I always tried to be mindful of the stroller and even a bit understanding. Some people would apologize or say "excuse me" and try not to actually touch the stroller. Usually, they're trying to keep up with the rest of their party. I can live with that. Heck, I'd be lying if I said I never stepped in front of a stroller while trying to keep up or just simply by accident in a big crowd. But there are those who will have blatant disregard for anyone but themselves and it's obvious. Those are the ones I will have no sympathy for.

Well ok fair enough. I understand we are going to bump each other occasionally.

I was referring to the blatant disregard jerks.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I doubt I would feel comfortable stroller rope dropping with LOs at the more popular rides at WDW. I certainly wouldn't attempt the strategy with a double-wide stroller as it seems counterproductive from a safety POV, both for my children and other guests. This is not a problem that I've ever faced or will; my traveling crew are adverse to getting up early and we've only rope dropped once. Plus I don't travel to places like Disney with the stroller bound...that's what parents as opposed to grandparents are for.

Still, if I needed to I'd try accomplishing the task at hand utilizing another adult. Perhaps one adult enters the throng of over caffeinated, Disney pixalated adults whilst the other makes a bee line to the stroller parking area, removes kiddos from cumbersome wheels, and walks them to the line where you join the now exultant first adult on line. Or do your reconnaissance in advance and find out if there is a special waiting area for rider switch offs near the wheelchair/ECV area.

As I already stated I give a wide berth to wheeled vehicles anywhere at Disney but more so in crowded areas where a moment's inattention can create problems.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We have a pretty big tandem double stroller with a glider board. We usually have my parents, sister/BIL, other family with us and I am not kidding - we sort of naturally surround the stroller, especially in tightly packed crowds. We always end up having members of our own group ahead of the stroller and on the sides.

If you leave a buffer space, someone usually tries to squeeze in or cut you off and safely navigating does become more challenging.

 

[Klayfish]

Well ok fair enough. I understand we are going to bump each other occasionally.

I was referring to the blatant disregard jerks.

I know you were, and that's exactly what I'm saying. You're going to bump into each other sometimes. No harm, no foul. We all do it. But the blatant jerks are the ones that, just like you, I don't feel the least bit bad about if they get rammed by my stroller.

 

[jeepnjudy]

I actually had someone walk into the SIDE of my stroller and then blame me for hitting him! That's when I informed him it was not even possible! Dude shut up and walked on! I take it with a grain of salt...just like anywhere else, some people will be nice and say excuse me and some will just be rude!

 

[MudQueen22]

THe last time we were at Epcot, a trio of college girls jumped in front of our stroller and I (accidentally) hit one in the ankle. She turned her head in protest, and I used my teacher voice and said, "I did not mean to hit you, but it is unwise to cut in front of a stroller." She moved on.

I honestly don't see people at Disney ramming others with strollers. I'm sure it happens, but aggressive stroller operators are in the minority, I believe. I do think people get accidentally rammed when they cut in front of one, and assume it was malice on the part of the stroller operator, when it was merely an object in motion staying in motion.