strollers

[ChrisFL]

How many 7-10 year olds do you see at WDW? How many are in a stroller?
Is it more than 1 in 150. I doubt it.

apparently enough to cause issues with throughput of congested areas, need for more stroller parking areas near attractions further making the problem worse...all of which was not a problem 20-30 years ago.

 

[antree]

I beg your pardon but if you were to hit me with your stroller on purpose, you better expect to get hit back! If someone doesn't hear you say "excuse me" maybe it is because they are wrapped up in something else or doing something for their own child and if there are that many people are you sure they even heard you out of all the hum drum? How can YOU be so selfish and dare to hit someone and say it is not your fault?

You are the reason people are mad about strollers (not the kids) and you better dang well stay off of my heels.

No, I do say excuse me loud enough. I also lean in to people when I say it so they can hear me. I have thought about that, maybe they just don't hear me. So I stand there a few seconds and then I say it again. I have tapped people on their shoulders and even stood in front of them to say excuse me, and I still have had people just turn they head from me and not move.

So to all who say that the people with strollers are the problems no it is the people who don't move who are the problems. Now I am not saying everyone is like that, there are very nice people out there with out strollers and people with strollers that are careful where they walk.
So Please if you are one of the nice ones Thank You.

As far as the people complaining about children sitting in a stroller after the age of 3, Oh come on get a life.

 

[ChrisFL]

As far as the people complaining about children sitting in a stroller after the age of 3, Oh come on get a life.

who was doing that? I havent seen it

 

[MissRoseRed]

I couldn't agree more!

what you agree that if someone hits them with a stroller w/c ecv they will need a wheelchair

No. I agree that I could care less who uses a stroller or how old they are as long as they don't run into me with it (honest accidents excepted).

As for the poster who hits people on purpose if they don't get out of the way quick enough -- wow. Hope I don't happen to be enjoying the Disney Magic and lose track of where I am for a minute around you. I already have a real nice scar on the back of my ankle from a stroller (and I wasn't being dopey -- the guy pushing the stroller was angry with the crowds after fireworks and took it out on my achilles tendon) Sometimes there's nowhere to go in a crowd, stroller or not. I also can't help but think that the kids inside the strollers that are being rammed into people are learning a really bad lesson. I wonder if they are the ones who grow up to be the teenagers who use their elbows to shove through crowds, not caring who they hurt?

Anyway, it is a shame that it's always the couple bad apples that spoil the whole bunch (and I'm not saying any of those people are here). Strollers are a necessity. Walkers need to watch out not to make sudden stops in front of them and pushers need to figure out just where the front of the thing is. However... I have nothing nice to say about the SUV strollers on the buses where they take up one or two seats just for the stroller and then each little kid also gets a seat and dad spreads his knees out and...

PS -- my 3 y/o niece will be joining us for a couple days this time and I have no idea whether she will be in stroller or not (I don't think she has one anymore). Should be interesting to see this from the other side...

OK -- I am now stepping slowly away from the never-ending stroller debate.

 

[wen8jr]

who was doing that? I havent seen it

I haven't seen anything about 3 year olds either. First it was 8 year olds, then 7, 6, 5, 4, 3....who is up for 2 year olds? Oh yeah, that's been mentioned by a stroller user in a post who said that another poster meant kids shouldn't be allowed at WDW because they complained about abusive stroller use.

FOLKS - no one is saying anything about a disabled child using a stroller at any age. I have yet to read a post that did. Get a grip!

And just because they have said they think older able bodied children should not be in strollers does not mean they look at every single older child in a stroller and guess at the age or the health and cast dirty looks. Tell me any that have, if they did they aren't much of a person any way. The only dirty look you may get is if you hit someone with said stroller or park said stroller in the walkway causing others grief.

The real issue is that there are too many people allowed in the parks and this causes congestion (including people with or without strollers, some of both that are rude and selfish and a few others that are considerate).

 

[waltfan1957]

I think the issue is the parents of older kids who are often perfectly healthy using strollers which adds to the problems mentioned

can someone tell me why medical insurance is so expensive in the USA, I'm asking because there's so many doctors on this forum who can tell by a quick look who is healthy and who is not

 

[mgilmer]

if someone hits you in a wheelchair they will need one. duh

Well actually I saw a woman PUSHING a wheelchair in WDW on our last trip run down a child about 5 years of age. If that had been my child, the wheelchair pusher would have been in a wheelchair thereafter.

 

[waltfan1957]

Well actually I saw a woman PUSHING a wheelchair in WDW on our last trip run down a child about 5 years of age. If that had been my child, the wheelchair pusher would have been in a wheelchair thereafter.

did it on purpose did she

 

[wen8jr]

No, I do say excuse me loud enough. I also lean in to people when I say it so they can hear me. I have thought about that, maybe they just don't hear me. So I stand there a few seconds and then I say it again. I have tapped people on their shoulders and even stood in front of them to say excuse me, and I still have had people just turn they head from me and not move.

So to all who say that the people with strollers are the problems no it is the people who don't move who are the problems. Now I am not saying everyone is like that, there are very nice people out there with out strollers and people with strollers that are careful where they walk.
So Please if you are one of the nice ones Thank You.

As far as the people complaining about children sitting in a stroller after the age of 3, Oh come on get a life.

Yes, there are rude people with or without strollers and there are nice people with or without strollers.

However, if I don't answer your excuse me you better not touch me. You have no right. You have no right to hit anyone with anything. That is the same as swinging a punch when you hit someone with a stroller or shove someone aside on purpose. That is assault. You could really hurt someone. You could be arrested. My advice would be to find a way around the rude person who will not move no matter how much you asked. Two wrongs DO NOT make a right. If you hit someone accidentally, and it happens, apologize. If I'm in the way, and don't know it I will apologize.

And yes, I am one of the nice ones. We just went hiking on trails a week ago, my family walked single line...most others (entire families) didn't even budge or walk single line on the trail when they seen us coming...even in some precarious drop off areas. Yes, I complained to my husband as I couldn't believe how many people in general are rude even in the middle of no where on a trail. However, if I had reacted in the way that you stated you do I could have used my walking stick to push someone aside, but no I sure didn't I just maintained my calm and my footing and made sure I didn't put myself or them in a bad situation no matter how stupid or rude they were. The same with everyday life, you never know how a person will react if you hurt them with your stroller or other method of pushing them aside.

Always think about the consequences of your actions even if others don't think about their's.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Yes, there are rude people with or without strollers and there are nice people with or without strollers.

However, if I don't answer your excuse me you better not touch me. You have no right. You have no right to hit anyone with anything. That is the same as swinging a punch when you hit someone with a stroller or shove someone aside on purpose. That is assault. You could really hurt someone. You could be arrested. My advice would be to find a way around the rude person who will not move no matter how much you asked. Two wrongs DO NOT make a right. If you hit someone accidentally, and it happens, apologize. If I'm in the way, and don't know it I will apologize.

And yes, I am one of the nice ones. We just went hiking on trails a week ago, my family walked single line...most others (entire families) didn't even budge or walk single line on the trail when they seen us coming...even in some precarious drop off areas. Yes, I complained to my husband as I couldn't believe how many people in general are rude even in the middle of no where on a trail. However, if I had reacted in the way that you stated you do I could have used my walking stick to push someone aside, but no I sure didn't I just maintained my calm and my footing and made sure I didn't put myself or them in a bad situation no matter how stupid or rude they were. The same with everyday life, you never know how a person will react if you hurt them with your stroller or other method of pushing them aside.

Always think about the consequences of your actions even if others don't think about their's.

You sound like a nice person, wen8jr. I hope I get to be in a park when you and your family are there.

 

[wen8jr]

You sound like a nice person, wen8jr. I hope I get to be in a park when you and your family are there.

I try to be, but these forums sometimes they make me go GRRRRRRRRR. LOL

 

[KorieDWnut]

I never knew there was ever a debate about strollers..wow!
My 6yo still sits in a stroller when we go to WDW. she weighs less than my 3yo. She is a teeny tiny thing that just tires out after 2 hours. We found that letting her sit in a stroller for a little bit keeps her energy up or else she would be falling asleep. I also like to have the stroller to carry our stuff rather than carry a heavy backpack on my already sweating shoulders. The stroller has cup holders to carry our drinks, that is a plus. I can't remember ever running people over but then again I try to remain calm and patient at all times while visiting WDW because it is a vacation and I have no where to be, no reason to rush around.

 

[declansdad]

I just have a couple questions...

When did kids change and why or how? It must be a scientific fact and should be studied. How is it that kids 10, 20 or more years ago children by 5 were perfectly capable of WALKING all day? No one carried these kids and they did fine. And don't say Disney wasn't so big, EPCOT has been around a loooong time and kids weren't in strollers then, same thing with airports.

Why is it any different or less tiring to play in 3 soccer games or 3 baseball games a day for a tournament, or dance all day in a competition and these kids manage that OK.

Yes having an excess amount of strollers does bother everyone. They take up a lot of room, slow things down on the busses and trams, take up room on the transportation, clog pathways, etc. And the size of these things can we say SUV-what ever happened to the nice umbrella strollers? Oh I know they can't hold elementary size kids.

I don't understand why the adults want to tire themselves out more pushing a kid who is perfectly capable of walking, yes there are a few,very few, who have a real medical need but not most. I have taken 3 different kids to Disney over the last 20 yrs and none of them used a stroller after 3 and all did fine and I bet very few stay as long at a park as we do. Disney was much nicer without all the strollers clogging everything. I was at an airshow yesterday and we walked about 6-7 miles and you know what almost all the kids were walking! I saw very few strollers and only for toddlers, cause it is hard to push on the field, and I saw no meltdowns, no kids dropping from walking or whatever else is supposed to happen to them, and it was hot and there is no shade on an airfield. Wonder why they can walk there but not at Disney?

Maybe the difference is people don't usually walk around WDW for just one day.

I don't undrstand why you say strollers weren't there before. I have seen posts from CMs on SGT talking about issues with strollers from 20-25 years ago.

 

[livndisney]

Maybe because they clog up the walkways block the aisles in stores, take up excess room on the busses and trams,slow down the loading of the busses and trams, block the dining rooms, make it harder to navigate in crowds at opening and closing, need more and more room parking them at the rides, etc.

So do "grown up" tourists and no one is complaining about them!

 

[Aristomommy]

Our first trip with DD was when she was almost 3. We did not use a stroller and we did not encounter any problems. We did have a slow pace, took plenty of rest breaks and naps at the hotel. We would not have been able to go without a stroller, had we expected to be at the parks from open to close. Many parents choose to do this, and you would definitely need a stroller for the older kids (and parents ) by the evening.

With DS he was 8mo and 2 during our trips to WDW and DL. We used our lightweight McLaren stroller with courtesy and did not have any problems. I did see many older children in strollers, which did not bother me. I felt sorry for the poor parents pushing these kids around I personally wouldn't do it but I don't have kids with disabilities or "lack of energy". My philosophy is to stay in the parks as long as our kids have fun, have the energy to walk or until I need a break.

So to those posters wondering if WDW can be done without a stroller, our DD was a good example that you can do it. But it depends on your pace, your child in general and your willingness to take breaks in the parks and in the hotel during the day.

 

[Reflection]

......the amount of people pushing strollers around has increased substantially and that is causing issues. And the strollers aren't just for kids anymore, people seem to have full suitcases they carry around as well sometimes........

I completely agree with the part of the statment above that I put in boldface and wonder why people tote around so much *stuff* in a theme park?

 

[declansdad]

I am not part of a family reunion when I'm at Disney, yet I have been runover and run into with no apology, not even a "watch out" so I can get out of the way. I agree large groups shouldn't gather in the middle of the walkway, but barrelling through them with a stroller usually means innocent bystanders also get nailed by you and your stroller.

I'm tired of parents thinking it's OK to use strollers as a battering ram. At least when strollers were small and manageable, no one used them as weapons. Now they are huge and heavy and used with no thought to who might get in the way.

I find this acknowledgement that you do this at least honest, since no one around here ever admits they are the bad guy in these stroller incidents, it's always the other people, posters here always have 100 reasons why they are in the right as far as strollers go.

And why can't the other poeple admit when they are in the wrong. It works both ways.

As many people have said, why do so many people worry about what others are doing?

 

[minijeanie]

I know that I am new here, but I have been reading every post for the last several weeks. I have been reading many, many vents on people with strollers. As the driver of a stroller I want to say a few things.

1. My daughter will be 5 when we go to WDW in October and I am taking a stroller. See my picture so you will know what I look like. She is not about to graduate from high school, she is 5. She is tall for 5, but 5 nonetheless. That irritates me to distraction when I read people saying that kids shouldn't be in strollers when the look like they are older than a certain age. My daughter is taller than an 8 year old that goes to the same day care that dd does.

2. Maybe people who drive strollers wouldn't have to be so rude pushing their way through the crowds if other people wouldn't have family reunions in the walkways. If you are a trying to decide what to do next, where to eat, or where to go, why can't these people stand over to the side of the walk way and do this so others can get through?

3. And lastly, is EXCUSE ME or PARDON ME not in anyone's vocabulary anymore? I always say this when I am trying to get around or by someone, but very few people say it back.

I know my stroller is a hinderance . . . to me! But I am the one that has to tote it, push it, and find a place to park it and hope for the best. So if you don't like my stroller, then say Excuse me and go around. I will be the one walking to the right side of the path, trying to stay out of your way.


This is not being posted to offend anyone! I know there are people out there that are rude and inconsiderate of others, but I do try to follow some rules of simple etiquette.

my DD at 5 looked like a 10 yr old and she even wore a womans size shoe....but nonetheless she still was a little kid that needed to sit down.

I took a stroller too for her my first time to WDW...many people looked but I was happy I did.

Good for you.

btw,,,,my DD is now 17 and half and she is 5'7" Tall and extrodinarily beautiful...she stopped growing around 12 yrs. old..


Thanks for posting

 

[KorieDWnut]

Our first trip with DD was when she was almost 3. We did not use a stroller and we did not encounter any problems. We did have a slow pace, took plenty of rest breaks and naps at the hotel. We would not have been able to go without a stroller, had we expected to be at the parks from open to close. Many parents choose to do this, and you would definitely need a stroller for the older kids (and parents ) by the evening.

With DS he was 8mo and 2 during our trips to WDW and DL. We used our lightweight McLaren stroller with courtesy and did not have any problems. I did see many older children in strollers, which did not bother me. I felt sorry for the poor parents pushing these kids around I personally wouldn't do it but I don't have kids with disabilities or "lack of energy". My philosophy is to stay in the parks as long as our kids have fun, have the energy to walk or until I need a break.

So to those posters wondering if WDW can be done without a stroller, our DD was a good example that you can do it. But it depends on your pace, your child in general and your willingness to take breaks in the parks and in the hotel during the day.

If I only had one child, I may have done WDW without a stroller. BUt with 3 children, all closely spaced, it is just not worth it.

 

[declansdad]

Sorry not going to convince me. Kids don't need to hold hands constantly they can walk next to you. And I don't carry my kids I certainly wouldn't carry yours.

Don't agree with you and the parks either. The studios opened in about 89 so has been there almost 20 yrs and AK is coming up on 10 yrs so there have been 4 parks for a long time. And Universal opened around the time of the studios. There is no reason that a child without a medical need can not walk the parks by the time they are in school, if adults can do it physically fit children can because they should be in better shape and have more stamina than an adult. It was so much nicer without all the SUV strollers clogging everything up.

A child does not have more stamina than an adult. a child may have lots of energy over the short haul but over longer vacations, I don't think so.