Strollers in line?

[Pamb]

I have a very active 2-year-old. I am wondering about keeping him in a stroller while waiting in line for rides. He does great in a stroller but once out takes off at what feels like 100 mph. What is the standard for using strollers in line?

 

[bumbershoot]

Only Nemo allows strollers in line, as far as I know. And even then, you do reach a certain point where the CMs will do valet parking for you and no strollers through the rest of the line.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Yep, most of the lines will not accomadate a stroller, you wouldn't be able to pass the turnstile, that's for sure!!!

Nemo is so far the only one. Everyone just stands in line! There's really no where for him to go most times with people directly in front and in back of you!

Andrea

 

[Pamb]

I read the previous thread about saving places in line but would like to double check. If I stood in line with my other two children and DH and DS went for a walk then met up with us toward the end of line would *most* others just be thankful we distracted him for 30 minutes or will we be subjected to "potty mouths" or "dirty looks"?

I am planning on getting him used to a "harness" (aka: leash) before we go so we can let him walk some without loosing him in the crowd (I did mention he is very fast!) and this may keep him in line with us part of the time. I would rather keep him busy then unhappy all day long and am a bit worried about my arms giving out within the first hour.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

I don't know if you have anything like this but, Dh has PSP (video game thingy), and his iPhone and I think something else small that he can put cartoons onto and it has been a lifesaver for an emergency distraction. I think one of the game systems has movies you can buy for them.

 

[LisaZoe]

I read the previous thread about saving places in line but would like to double check. If I stood in line with my other two children and DH and DS went for a walk then met up with us toward the end of line would *most* others just be thankful we distracted him for 30 minutes or will we be subjected to "potty mouths" or "dirty looks"?

I am planning on getting him used to a "harness" (aka: leash) before we go so we can let him walk some without loosing him in the crowd (I did mention he is very fast!) and this may keep him in line with us part of the time. I would rather keep him busy then unhappy all day long and am a bit worried about my arms giving out within the first hour.

Personally, I have no problem with one parent taking a toddler around for a stroll while the rest of the family waits in line. If you're referring to the other thread about one adult holding a place for more adults before park opening, I really think the majority of those who said they don't like it only applied the "no place holding" when those joining the line were adults and older kids who didn't have any physical reason they couldn't stand in line, too.

 

[MaiynaMouse]

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with one parent holding the line and the other parent with toddler joins later. However, I'm not sure of the logistics of it. Many of the lines are narrow and there's not a whole lot of room to navigate through to get from the end of the line to the front of the line with the rest of your party. That's what would annoy me....having people trying to navigate past me while I'm standing in line. Don't get me wrong...I have kids and understand your situation. It wouldn't bother me other than that!
~mm

 

[EMAW]

I hope peope will understand about the line issue, my plan is for either dh or I to entertain ds2 while the other waits.

It may seem like there is nowhere for them to run, but my son is like a mouse able to find any little crack to run through! I am trying to teach my son to like the harness too, but so far every time he realizes his backpack is attached to me he yells at me and refuses to walk.

I'm just hoping that fellow parents and disney-lovers will be understanding but experience has taught me that being in DL doesn't make anyone less rude or thoughtless.

 

[cccdisney]

I have the same situation with a very active 2 yr old and also a 4 yr old with autism that runs at every opportunity. I would say there is a way to "pass" your son off toward the end of the wait. At the "entrance" of the ride, or I should say under the "Finding Nemo" sign, would be a good place. There is a cast member there and this is also where you would have to park any strollers. When you get to this point of the line you are almost to the end of the wait.

Another point I would like to bring up about this ride: Since everyone can ride they obviously don't have "child switch passes". However in my situation I could NOT bring my 4 yr old on the ride. Due to his autism he would have freaked getting on a sub! It would not have been fair to him or the fellow passengers to have him screaming the whole time. He actually hates all rides and basically spends his whole DL time in a stroller. We had a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) that made his stroller=wheelchair but DH and I both wanted to ride Nemo.
The CMs where very accommodating with us. They let the cm loading my dh's sub know our situation and that when my dh returned I would be going on. When dh got off the sub, the cm waved me over and I took my sub ride!
Hope this makes sense!

 

[bumbershoot]

cccdisney, are you aware of the altnerate viewing area for Nemo? You can see the "movie" of the ride, but it's not in a sub. If you want to try that the next time you are with your 4 year old there, ask the CMs about the viewing area, so you don't *have to* do the special swap (unless you want to).


Most of the lines I can think of, other than Nemo, are very narrow. I don't even know HOW a person can shimmy their way past people. The one time I saw someone leaving the line due to a potty-needing toddler, she was very slim and tall, and was able to climb over the "wall" in the Peter Pan ride. I would not have been able to do that, and those lines are so narrow you would have to be "narrow" and those you are passing by would need to be too.

OP, when DS was 2 we had my brother there to amuse him, WE amused him, and for the times when he couldn't be amused, we held or wore him in the Ergo until it was time to get on the ride. He did use the stroller a bit from ride to ride, and for a nap.

Here he is in the Ergo:

I can't recommend things like that more for 2 year olds, though they do require practice and for everyone to get used to. I wore him from when he arrived, so we're all used to it.

 

[cccdisney]

cccdisney, are you aware of the altnerate viewing area for Nemo? You can see the "movie" of the ride, but it's not in a sub. If you want to try that the next time you are with your 4 year old there, ask the CMs about the viewing area, so you don't *have to* do the special swap (unless you want to).


Most of the lines I can think of, other than Nemo, are very narrow. I don't even know HOW a person can shimmy their way past people. The one time I saw someone leaving the line due to a potty-needing toddler, she was very slim and tall, and was able to climb over the "wall" in the Peter Pan ride. I would not have been able to do that, and those lines are so narrow you would have to be "narrow" and those you are passing by would need to be too.

OP, when DS was 2 we had my brother there to amuse him, WE amused him, and for the times when he couldn't be amused, we held or wore him in the Ergo until it was time to get on the ride. He did use the stroller a bit from ride to ride, and for a nap.

Here he is in the Ergo:

I can't recommend things like that more for 2 year olds, though they do require practice and for everyone to get used to. I wore him from when he arrived, so we're all used to it.

bumbershoot: Yes, we were aware of the alternate viewing area. This was what the cm's first suggested. However my dd4 with autism HATES rides and wouldn't have been happy in that viewing area either. Plus dh and I both wanted to ride the "real thing". This happened last July. We hadn't taken him in awhile and was hoping he would enjoy some rides. Didn't happen. He screamed through anything we took him on EXCEPT the sunwheel (of all things!). He loves to swing (sensory thing) so he loves the sunwheel! Would have been happy doing that all day!
When we went last month he stayed home with my sister. It made no sense to pay for him to be there and not ride anything (but the sunwheel!) But we sure missed him!

 

[twinspluscade]

I have a very active 2-year-old. I am wondering about keeping him in a stroller while waiting in line for rides. He does great in a stroller but once out takes off at what feels like 100 mph. What is the standard for using strollers in line?

You're going in September, right?

We haven't been to DLR yet, but if it's like WDW in September lines are usually fairly short, especially if you have a tour plan and know to hit the most popular rides first. I think the longest we wait at WDW last Sept for a ride was maybe 15 minutes, for the Jungle Cruise, of all rides. . Although I did see Peter Pan several times at 30+ minutes later in the day (fortunately we knew enough to hit if first thing in the morning).

So--if lines are usually short, you probably won't have much of a problem keeping him busy. My son was 2 on our first trip, and did way better than I thought we would in line. He was so busy looking around I don't think it ever occurred to him to try and run off .

 

[bumbershoot]

cccdisney, aw, your poor little guy. To not like so many rides must be hard on the whole family.

 

[DirkLogan]

My DD5 is a little monkey, very active. We just play in line. I get a workout for sure, but we have fun. I am her automated trampoline/jungle gym etc. It can get tough in the long lines but I really don't ever wait more than about 20 minutes for anything. Nemo is the only exception and she can be in her stroller most of the time there.

 

[SnowWhite12]

I have a very active 2-year-old. I am wondering about keeping him in a stroller while waiting in line for rides. He does great in a stroller but once out takes off at what feels like 100 mph. What is the standard for using strollers in line?

Child harness (leash) was a life saver for us last year at WDW. DD was 26 months then. May use it again now this month at DLR (she is about to turn 3). She didn't mind it at all. But we didn't use the wrist kind, as she can figure out how to take that off. Had the one that went over her back/waist. Got it at Babies R Us. Very light weight and hardly noticeable.