The thing I hate most. . .

[Sawyer]

don't care what anyone says ....they are tooo..........young....if you think you 12 month old is having a blast at 9:00 watching illuminations.........think again...... I'm tired of seeing cranky whiny babies screaming at the top of their lungs becasuse their parents wanted to be there...if you have an older sibling, then be responsible..have one parent go back to the hotel and one parent stay with the older child...
it's called doing what is right for your kids....
something many parents seem to forget../

We took my kids the first time when my DD was 13, DS1 was 4, DS2 had his first birthday at WDW.

I don't just think my 12 month old had a blast, the movies we took of him prove that he definately had a blast! We were out past his bedtime a few times. He slept peacefully in his **stroller** when he got too tired. He loved the fireworks and we all enjoyed seeing him have such a good time. He had a spectacular first birthday at WDW! We are very responsible parents. We do what is right for our kids.

WDW is for kids. If adults love WDW, it's because it makes them feel like a kid. Unfortunately, the adults are much bigger brats.

Off my soapbox now.

 

[leighe]

On our trip over Christmas break my sister and I saw the funniest, yet most annoying thing. We were in Fantasyland - you know how crowded it gets there and there is a four year old pushing his two year old sister's stroller. He couldn't even see over it. He had his little arms raised up as high as possible just to reach the stroller. Well, he was just banging into people left and right. His mom just laughed and said, "That's why I don't let him push the cart at Kroger." WHAT!?!?!!? Why on earth would you let him push a stroller in a crowd of 10,000 people if he can't even push a cart at Kroger? I was just amazed that she would let him run over people like that!

 

[ladyarcher]

WDW is for kids. If adults love WDW, it's because it makes them feel like a kid. Unfortunately, the adults are much bigger brats.

I couldn't agree more. How funny.

 

[minniemouse71]

I have to agree that young children can enjoy Disney World. My granddaughter was two and a half when we took her for the first time. She still talks about riding in "Dumbo's Butt" with her grammy. She is now 7 and her brother is 6 and they have been about 6 times and on two Disney Cruises. We are in the process of planning a trip in April with the other grandson who is two. This grammy is looking forward to a ride in "Dumbo's Butt" with him. The best part of my trips is seeing the "magic" through their eyes.

 

[graygables]

My DD is 6yo and on the outside is a normal, energetic little girl, however, she can be conked out by 2pm. The doctor calls it chronic fatigue b/c she has no other name for it, so my DD needs a stroller to conserve her energy through the day at WDW. We get all kinds of looks from people who think terrible things about me and my little girl who have NO CLUE what our life is like. Think of strollers as "wheelchairs", they are carrying little children who cannot otherwise negotiate the terrain on their own.

That said, I'll give you 3 "excuse me"s and then I'm over your toes. Our first trip down Main Street as a family was as a crowd was gathering for a parade and NO ONE would clear a path for us to get to our dinner PSes at Cinderella's Castle. I mean *no one*. I was ticked off that my DDs first look at the place they'd dreamed of for so long was blighted by rude, obnoxious people who refused to let a stroller and family pass by. It's not like we were going to take their precious parade spot. I did run some people over, who never did move and finally had to enlist the aid of a CM to clear a path. It would be nice if they had stroller/wheelchair paths, but they don't, so you and I will have to make room.

I will do my best to not run into you, but if you suddenly cut in front of me, or if you simply refuse to move even after an EXCUSE ME, I reserve the right to run you over. It's my vacation, too, and my time is just as important as yours.

In case someone wants a warning...I drive a big red jogging stroller, so it's hard to miss...steer clear of me and I'll steer clear of you. Sheesh.

 

[4mykids]

[The best part of my trips is seeing the "magic" through their eyes. [/QUOTE]

Well said! My husband and I swore we would not take our kids until they were "old enough to remember". (That's before we had kids!) One day before my son (now 14) turned 2, he was standing hypnotized in front of the TV. Mickey was on top of Spaceship Earth waving. My son waved back and said: "Bye-bye, Ickey." My DH looked at me and said, "book the trip." We left less than 2 weeks later. My DS doesn't remember that trip, but he still hears to the stories.

My daughter (now 11) also took her first trip just prior to her 2nd birthday. After we returned home, we were driving one night and she was pitching a fit. I looked across the bay and pointed toward a power plant that was all lit up. I told her it was Cinderella's Castle (ok, I know, but did I mention she was pitching a FIT!). As soon as she saw the "castle", she was oohing and aahing and happy as a clam!

I would pay for all those trips again just to have them that young again and experience all the awe and magic "through their eyes".

 

[Immelman]

strollers and ECV's are part of the landscape. it's the drivers that feel they can just say 'excuse me" if you're standing in a store, a line, wherever doing what you're doing. some people think they have a license to waste your time so they can follow their desired path, never thinking of negotiating the landscape on their own. the stroller is not a bulldozer. if I'm engaged in something, 3 excuse me's and over my toes doesn't cut it.

 

[graygables]

If you are in a store or in a line or doing something productive and I can navigate around you without invading your personal space, that is my first inclination (as is the inclination of *MOST* people guiding strollers and wheelchairs) During my "negotiating the landscape on [my] own", however, if you are merely standing around waiting for the parade to pass you by, you can make way for a stroller/wheelchair since there may not be any other way *TO* "navigate the landscape" for that particular person. I am not a "make way for the princess" type person, but I do expect a polite request to at least be acknowledged, if not accomodated. And, in this particular situation, there was room for the people to move, they just didn't bother.

Two rules: Pay attention, Use common courtesy

 

[mamatojon]

if you are merely standing around waiting for the parade to pass you by, you can make way for a stroller/wheelchair since there may not be any other way *TO* "navigate the landscape" for that particular person. I am not a "make way for the princess" type person, but I do expect a polite request to at least be acknowledged, if not accomodated. And, in this particular situation, there was room for the people to move, they just didn't bother.

Two rules: Pay attention, Use common courtesy

EXACTLY. When we went to DL in August this is exactly what happened to us during one of the many parades. There are curbs to sit on and a section roped off for people to stand and watch the parade, but people *insist* on standing in the walkway when there is no other way around them. I do not routinely ram people with my stroller, but jeez, what am I supposed to do if people just IGNORE you and stand there blocking your path? There was one group of women that just stood there looking oblivious and pretending to not notice us until I finally yelled at her, "YOU CAN'T JUST STAND THERE! YOU ARE BLOCKING THE WAY FOR US TO GET THROUGH!!!" She finally moved, but if she hadn't, you better believe I would have shoved my way through.

There are rude people everywhere, some do happen to be behind strollers. That doesn't mean you shouldn't bring your young children to Disney.

And I can't remember who said it, but in our house 9 pm is getting to bed early. Yes, even for my one year old. They sleep late, and get plenty of rest. So I don't feel a bit guilty about having them in the parks at closing.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

Originally Posted by bytheblood
I am sorry, but I have to agree.

I get so irritated by the mindless people with strollers who just stop in the middle of a walkway to point at a bird in a tree, to stop and argue with their spouse or child or to tie their shoe. MOVE OUT OF THE WAY so that the people with a clue who are walking can go on and they do not run into you because you stopped abrubtly.

Um, stroller-less people do this as well. More frequently in my experience.

I TOTALLY AGREE capthooksmom!! BTW, LOVE the pic of you little one!!! SOOOOO darn cute!!!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I waited until my son was 8 years old to take him to Disney. He loved every minute of it and will always remember it. Far more than one can say for the occupants of the strollers!

I also have to disagree with the last statement in that comment. DOUBT THAT! Ofcourse it depends on the child but when we went on our first trip (yes, at the age of 33 for myself) our children were ages barely 2, almost 6 and almost 8... guess who loves Disney more, talks more about Disney, wants to go again the most?
You guessed it- the then barely 2yr old (now 4yrs old). The youngest is the one that talks the most about things we did at WDW and remembers more than the older two do. Why? Because apparently it made more of an impression on her little self than the older two.
Yep, I'm wishing we'd gone sooner when the older two were younger. The middle child is next in line as far as "disney lover" goes out of my children- the oldest was too old for the "magic". It's really nothing more than a "ride place" like Six Flags or something to her. She enjoys going- but no more than she enjoys going to water parks or Six Flags. Started her too late to "believe" in the magic.....

 

[SnackyStacky]

I have no problem with gripe threads.

But post your gripe and move on.

Bickering will not be tolerated.

Not speaking to anyone in particular - just a general warning!

 

[bethbuchall]

I think that everyone who hates strollers at WDW should try pushing one there for a day. I know that there are rude, careless, and thoughtless stroller pushers, but there are also rude, careless, and thoughtless people without strollers.

I was pushing a small umbrella-type stroller on our last trip, and I managed to not hit a single person. Might not sound like much of an accomplishment, but you wouldn't believe the number of people that step directly in front of a moving stroller. Most of the time it was because we were following a crowd of people and I was leaving a "stopping gap" between myself and the person in front of me. Someone behind or to the side would decide that I was slowing them down and wedge themselves into that space. Then they would have to stop/slow-down, because the person in front was not moving as quickly as they thought.

Also, you could tell some people just had an attitude about strollers. Maybe this attitude was built up from days of frustration with rude stroller pushers, maybe not. It certainly didn't help to have them there with the chips on their shoulder, though. The attitude was almost one of taunting the stollers to hit them or stop in the pathway. Fortunately, that was never directed at me, but I did witness it.

All in all, we found many, many more polite and kind people than rude, thoughtless, and careless, though!

Beth

 

[disneyjunkie]

My DD is 6yo and on the outside is a normal, energetic little girl, however, she can be conked out by 2pm. The doctor calls it chronic fatigue b/c she has no other name for it, so my DD needs a stroller to conserve her energy through the day at WDW. We get all kinds of looks from people who think terrible things about me and my little girl who have NO CLUE what our life is like. Think of strollers as "wheelchairs", they are carrying little children who cannot otherwise negotiate the terrain on their own.

That said, I'll give you 3 "excuse me"s and then I'm over your toes. Our first trip down Main Street as a family was as a crowd was gathering for a parade and NO ONE would clear a path for us to get to our dinner PSes at Cinderella's Castle. I mean *no one*. I was ticked off that my DDs first look at the place they'd dreamed of for so long was blighted by rude, obnoxious people who refused to let a stroller and family pass by. It's not like we were going to take their precious parade spot. I did run some people over, who never did move and finally had to enlist the aid of a CM to clear a path. It would be nice if they had stroller/wheelchair paths, but they don't, so you and I will have to make room.

I will do my best to not run into you, but if you suddenly cut in front of me, or if you simply refuse to move even after an EXCUSE ME, I reserve the right to run you over. It's my vacation, too, and my time is just as important as yours.

In case someone wants a warning...I drive a big red jogging stroller, so it's hard to miss...steer clear of me and I'll steer clear of you. Sheesh.

I think you're asking for trouble. If you really have hit someone with your stroller on PURPOSE, you're lucky you haven't been hit back.

Our last trip to WDW was during Easter break. One night we went to MK to watch spectromagic. When we arrived, Main Street was PACKED. There were 8 of us and we walked in a line to get down Main Street. It would have been silly to expect people to clear a path for us, or anyone else for that matter. We had to weave our way through the crowd. There were people in the crowd that were angry because people would not move out of their way. I never figured out where they wanted these people to move to. Since every inch of space on the sidewalks had someone standing in it, it was impossible to move without bumping into someone else.

The night before Easter I saw a woman hit a man with her stroller 4 times on purpose. This was in front of the castle after Wishes. She was angry because he stepped between the stroller and her 6 or 7 year old daughter. He refused to move because she was hitting him, and she refuse to stop hitting him because he wouldn't move. Each time he took a step she would ram the stroller into his legs. Why the mother never called for her daughter to stop walking and wait for her is beyond me. I have no idea why the man wouldn't step to the side and let the nut case pass him.

I don't know why someone would think they have a right to hit someone with a stroller. If you ram someone on purpose, you'd better be ready to deal with the consequences. Not everyone in the parks will be filled with the Disney spirit.

 

[capthooksmom]

Originally Posted by bytheblood
I am sorry, but I have to agree.

I get so irritated by the mindless people with strollers who just stop in the middle of a walkway to point at a bird in a tree, to stop and argue with their spouse or child or to tie their shoe. MOVE OUT OF THE WAY so that the people with a clue who are walking can go on and they do not run into you because you stopped abrubtly.



I TOTALLY AGREE capthooksmom!! BTW, LOVE the pic of you little one!!! SOOOOO darn cute!!!

Thank you !!

Sorry, (OT): I've enjoyed your scrapbooking pages. If I ever get back to scrapbooking, I'm heading over to that forum.

 

[Eskie_Lover]

That said, I'll give you 3 "excuse me"s and then I'm over your toes.

Okay, I have to say something on this one - sometimes there is a physical reason as to why the person didn't acknowledge you. My Mom is legally deaf in one ear - she can't hear someone who talks to her on that side - I can't tell you the number of mean looks she gets from sales people etc who assume she is just ignoring them because she has been talking to me. In a crowded situation, with all the ambient noise it is more than possible they just didn't hear you and weren't deliberatly ignorning you.

I know how frustrating it can be - I hate crowds to begin with, and a long day at Disney usually has my nerves frayed, but try to be a little more considerate yourself and give others the benefit of doubt before you just ram over their toes.

 

[PratersloveDW]

I can see both sides to this. I can easily get frustrated after a day of dealing with strollers; however, I also am one of those that uses a stroller and knows how hard it can be to push through a park full of families. The biggest problem I have with strollers is when people are pushing them and have absolutely no concerns for those around them. The worst is when the parks are extremely crowded. We are all already jammed in like sardines (sp) trying to walk and most likely sweating to death. The enjoyment of having a stroller jammed in your heals every minute can seriously depreciate towards the end of the day!

On the other hand, I have also been the one pushing a stroller and having to fight my way through a crowd and THAT can be a job in itself. Disney is a very crowded place - something we have ALL come to know - with many families. These families range from the 'calm but keep the pace and move out of the way when stopping' types to 'run people over with their strollers or elbows and then stop in the middle of the path' types. I definitely am not a big fan of the latter; however, since they do exist, you have to be prepared when traveling with little ones.

When you have a smaller child and you are going to be touring the parks, it is a MUST to take a stroller. Of course, the child is not going to be in this the ENTIRE day - these things are hot and sitting in them can become VERY boring VERY fast to a child. Most children - namely mine- love to get out and explore. At this time, our child people mover becomes 'the storage mover' for us.

I am the type that is very polite; at least, I like to think so! When pushing a stroller at the mall, I move out of the way and say my excuse me or sorries - as necessary. HOWEVER, the first time I was at Disney, I realized - very quickly - that you have to (a) keep moving at all times, (b) don't let yourself become a pushover or you will NEVER get anywhere, and (c) say your SORRIES when you run your stroller up a person's leg. I still like to think that I am polite but I have realized that I need to be a little more aggressive at Disney if I want to make it through the crowds. There seem to be 2 main problem for strollers pushers. One is that many people that don't have kids or at least strollers get very upset with the chaos that strollers can cause. Therefore, they tend to dodge in and out of the way of strollers trying to get around and away from them as quickly as possible. The second problem, is other stroller pushers. Many of these people are aggravated with the non-stroller people (or even other stroller pushers) trying to cut them off. This causes them to fight back, thus causing a calamity that we have all grown to love at WDW!!

We all need to try to understand the other's condition and just have fun. Help out others, be polite, even move out of the way. Just don't let anyone ruin the magical time you should be having at WDW!

 

[bdcp]

If everyone would push a stroller or walk like they (hopefully) drive (stay right, stop at intersections and look both ways, etc.) we'd all be a lot happier. I was at the mall yesterday and a woman pushing a stroller came straight out of the store (kind of like pulling out of a neighborhood onto a main street) and nearly ran me over. Didn't look, ignored my "excuse me", etc. Then, to top it off, she "drove" about 10 feet, stopped and pulled out her cell phone. So oblivious to the world around her, so wrapped up in her world. When my boys were young, years ago, I always treated it like driving. I didnt' barrel into or over anyone and always said "excuse me" which is probably part of the reason my boys say it. The other part being, I taught them please, thank you, excuse me, etc. We also didn't use one at WDW (or anywhere else) when they were 3 1/2 and 6. I felt they were more of a problem than anything else and liked not having to dodge and weave a stroller to get where we were going. But, it comes down to manners and there are plenty of people teaching their kids none by their behavior.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Even I on NYE in MK felt sorry for those pushing strollers. I don't know how many frustrated parent faces I saw behind strollers. It was hard enough for anyone to walk, let alone trying to push a stroller through shoulder to shoulder crowds. I wondered how many just wanted to ditch the stroller to make their way through the crowd.

If a stroller is not returned by a guest, what happens?

 

[cricket429]

Okay, now I'm scared lol. This is our first trip to Disney and I (reluctantly now?) am getting a stroller for 5 yr old dd. I hope I'm up to it after reading all this.