Too big for stroller--the website

[mom2rtk]

Thank you for recognizing that. I really appreciate all you said, because I was really starting to get frustrated with the attacks. I love all guests and my job and I always will. I think this is my last post in this board. I'm back to the other boards to actually give advice to people willing to listen and not tear me and everyone else down.

I'm sorry to hear that. Many thanks for trying to help. Unfortunately this sort of thing tends to be the norm here any more.

Keep spreading the magic!

 

[maxiesmom]

I would greatly appreciate if you didn't mock me. I'm giving an example. It's not about just a creepy guy! It's about ANYONE that comes and takes a picture and the parents don't know them or approve. It was an example. I'm not profiling, but you certainly are singling me out. It's a Disney thing and there is really nothing anyone can do about it, and there's nothing left to say. If we see it, we can stop it.

I'm not mocking you. You actually used the phrase "creepy guy" more than once. That makes it sound as if the picture taker was a non creepy guy, it would have been ok. I do have a question though: Do you ask the parents first about the pictures, or do you just make the picture taker delete them? Because a couple of times you have mentioned asking the parents.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for CMs. I go out of my way when I am at WDW to be nice and polite to everyone I meet. Especially those who are working. But thanks for making snap judgements about me based on a disagreement over who can or cannot take pictures of kids at a park. You kind of lept off a cliff there.

Actually, you kind of just made my point. You cannot know just by looking at someone (or reading their posts) if they are a nice person or a creep. And no CM should have the power to enforce rules at will, just becasue they don't like how someone looks. And while you didn't make that statement, that was the jist of another post. That management can decide for themselves what rules they enforce and don't. And I also have a huge issue with rules that are unpublished, and cannot possibly be expected to be known by every guest.

 

[barbarabee]

That's a great story and a welcome relief to the nonsense in the last 5 pages or so. Good for you and keep on keepin' on

Thanks, Megs! I thought things were getting a little off track .

I'm a 45 year old now, still walking on my own. Still walking slowly, with a limp, dragging my feet, sore back and hips. My significant other is the patient one who never complains about going at my pace and taking rest breaks when I need to.

I have to admit that it makes me a little crazy when I see how defensive parents get about having their big kids in strollers. As Shakespeare said, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

 

[bigwino]

Thank you for recognizing that. I really appreciate all you said, because I was really starting to get frustrated with the attacks. I love all guests and my job and I always will. I think this is my last post in this board. I'm back to the other boards to actually give advice to people willing to listen and not tear me and everyone else down.

Don't let the negative nellies get ya down! You have been nothing but respectful in your attempt to explain a logical issue here -- even in the face of what is, in my opinion, utterly unreasonable snark.

PS. HOpe i quoted properly -- i have never used that feature before!

 

[MsPeggySue911]

This has been one of the more amusing threads I have read on these boards. It's funny how you can tell the ppl who still tote their BIG KIDS around in strollers by how defensive they get at other ppl's right to push the big kids in strollers.

The original poster was posting a website that is suppose to be funny. I think it is ridiculous and funny to see big 6, 7 and even 8 and 9 yr olds being pushed in a stroller that was meant for a toddler.

Don't be defensive...but don't be surprised if you end up on that website yourself. Now THAT would be funny!!

 

[disneymegs]

I'm not mocking you. You actually used the phrase "creepy guy" more than once. That makes it sound as if the picture taker was a non creepy guy, it would have been ok. I do have a question though: Do you ask the parents first about the pictures, or do you just make the picture taker delete them? Because a couple of times you have mentioned asking the parents.

I have nothing but the utmost respect for CMs. I go out of my way when I am at WDW to be nice and polite to everyone I meet. Especially those who are working. But thanks for making snap judgements about me based on a disagreement over who can or cannot take pictures of kids at a park. You kind of lept off a cliff there.

Actually, you kind of just made my point. You cannot know just by looking at someone (or reading their posts) if they are a nice person or a creep. And no CM should have the power to enforce rules at will, just becasue they don't like how someone looks. And while you didn't make that statement, that was the jist of another post. That management can decide for themselves what rules they enforce and don't. And I also have a huge issue with rules that are unpublished, and cannot possibly be expected to be known by every guest.

Look, I've never meant to offend anyone on these boards. I'm sorry if I came off that way to you. I think we have both overstepped the boundary a bit and I'm ready for this to be over. And I just want to say I don't profile, it was just the most obvious example I could make. A little old lady could be asked to delete photos (I'm sure someone will say something about that now). All I know is that I tell a manager and they handle it. I have asked parents if they are ok with someone having pictures. I understood we clash on the issue, but I'd like to say that even though it may not seem like it, I respect your opinion and I'm sorry that this has gotten out of hand. I think everyone on this thread is probably frustrated with each other at this point. I'd also like to say thank you for clearing up how you feel about CM's. I'm glad you are polite and friendly to them. It's guest like you that make our days better. Whether people agree with the rule or not, I still take caution and do this for any guest who has this problem. It's what I've been taught and I simply want to do what is expected of me. Hopefully you understand this is not an attack in any way shape or form. This thread has exhausted me today, and I don't want to fight with everyone over this issue anymore. I don't feel any hostility and hopefully you can say the same. Please consider this apology an end to the argument. In the words of a CM, "have a magical day!"

 

[im4disney]

...the owner of this website doesn't even have kids of their own, yet judges the parenting of others...

Those folks always seem to be the harshest judges.

 

[designermv]

Those folks always seem to be the harshest judges.

Imaginary kids are much easier to parent than real ones.

 

[mom2rtk]

Imaginary kids are much easier to parent than real ones.

Really? Cuz some days I can't even get the imaginary ones to behave and do their chores!

 

[maxiesmom]

Getting back to the original idea behind all of this:

I have to admit to having shoved my then 6 or 7 year old niece into a stroller. Not because she was too lazy to walk, but because she was walking at a snail's pace! We were on a commando 4 day trip to WDW. And bless her poor heart, she wanted to be able to stroll around and soak everything in. I did try to walk with her at her pace, but the rest of the family got tired of looking over their shoulders and seeing us 50 yards behind them. So my niece was told to either pick up the pace or get in a stroller.

I should also say that her daddy stands about 6'3. So her little legs had a hard time trying to keep up, even when he wasn't trying to hurry. It was just easier on all of us if she was in a stroller.

And for full disclosure I should add her older sister even hopped in a couple of times. But even though she is 5 1/2 years older,at that time she was the same size as her younger sis. And having some horrible growing pains. At least, that is what the doctor said the pains were. So I'm sure we probably had some wierd stares, but I never noticed them if we did.

 

[Reddy]

Those folks always seem to be the harshest judges.

Imaginary kids are much easier to parent than real ones.

Really? Cuz some days I can't even get the imaginary ones to behave and do their chores!

Those are too funny

Disneymegs - thanks for your comments I understood what you were saying & was glad to hear it

 

[wtccheermom]

Hey guys,
My only stroller experience was my own, as a small child. I was born with cerebral palsy. It makes it difficult to walk. I limp. I drag my feet. I tire easily. My hips and back get sore. My feet go numb. I am SO grateful that my parents refused to let me keep using a stroller once I was in kindergarten. I learned to be self sufficient. To be thankful for what I can do. I would beg for a stroller. Cry. Throw a tantrum (ask my brothers, I was very skillful). But my parents wouldn't budge. The response was, "If you can't walk anymore, than I guess it's time to go back to the hotel." And my parents would stick to it. It was inconvenient for the whole family, because I walked much slower than them. And, I always had to deal with people staring at me because I walked funny. The lessons learned by my whole family were much greater than they would have been if my parents had chosen the easy route and stuck me in a stroller. My brothers learned to be patient. I learned to accept my disability. Things worth doing are never easy. Sorry, I'll get off my soap box now. And I'm just one child in one family, I know there are a million other stories out there. Just thought I'd share.

But what were your parents thinking?? They certainly did not get their monies worth that way!!

Sometimes what is good for the individual is good for the group.

 

[jjant72]

Another funny site: http://peopleofdisney.org/

 

[bigwino]

But what were your parents thinking?? They certainly did not get their monies worth that way!!

Sometimes what is good for the individual is good for the group.

Good = subjective.

Subjective:–adjective; pertaining to or characteristic of an individual; personal; individual: a subjective evaluation.

 

[wtccheermom]

Another funny site: http://peopleofdisney.org/

Oh my you have no idea what you have just done!!!

 

[jayandstacey]

The problem I have with this is that it leaves to much in question. And way too much up to the mood or feelings of individual CMs. There should be black and white policies for guests to follow. Not, well CM Chuck is having a bad day, so he runs around making decisions based (at least in part) on that, and not on any actual rules or policies.

Is it actually taught somewhere that people are not allowed to take pictures of other peoples children? Or is it just a something that occured to someone one fine day, and they decided to make it a rule? Again, it is not something I would do. But how is any park visitor supposed to just know what all the rules are, save being lectured by a CM after the fact?

Disney has a hard time enforcing policies that are in black and white. DSAs anyone? Or no skates in the park? Letting them run around and kind of making things up as they go seems like asing for trouble. And a bit stupid, to be quite frank.

It doesn't work that way on private property, and there's no way Disney would limit its rights in favor of a finite set of rules.
For example:
- you can't hit a person on the head
- you can't hit a person on the body

Defense:
- "I hit the person on the sleeve, not directly on the body - and you gave me a guarantee to stay in here unless I broke the rules in the book..."

Disney would never, and should never do this, as there are an infinite number of ways that a person could behave in way that Disney wished they didn't.

Yes, that leaves lots of room for CM (manager level) discretion, but thus the management training plus the offer (often) for the guest to right the wrong before being kicked out.

It works, and if you were ever harmed in WDW, it would work in your favor.

 

[jayandstacey]

*
ON what cause? Because the photographer took a picture of a say, castle and a little kid was in the picture? This makes no sense at all! What grounds would Disney have to take the paying guest out of the park? I can see if they were doing something illegal, shop lifting or being dis-orderly. But to expel a person from a park for taking a photo of a child? LOL!

To be perfectly clear and say it again:

Disney does NOT need a cause to expel or refuse admittance. It is their right and doesn't need a cause.

Now, they are also a business that must balance the negative impact if they kicked EVERYONE out for NO reason. Word would spread quickly. So they don't. But they very much could, and you agree to those terms with each ticket you buy.

 

[jayandstacey]

What sense of entitlement? The entitlement of an opinion? Looks like yours is lost, because not all CM's follow this so called rule. Again, it does not hold water. If this were in fact true then most people with cameras, who in fact shoot pictures of various character's, people, theme's would be "expelled" from the parks. Gasp, if they zoom in on anything

I believe the sense of entitlement is that people can simply go into the parks and have the same rights they have outside the parks, or at home. That does not exist.

Disney retains the right to refuse admission - meaning they can not let you in and that they can throw you out. I'm sure they have internal policies and trainings on when to act and when not to act upon this right - but we don't have a right to see those rules (they are Disney's) nor are we ever exempt from being questioned.

As stated, it is always judgement call. Disney will err on the side of making the most guests comfortable and thus retaining profit - so if they see activity of any kind that risks those elements, they can enforce their rights.

As a for instance, at BBB, the woman who came in and started taking pictures of her kid...had she done that and not been related to the family, odds are good that the family would have intervened, said something or at least look distressed. So Disney might move in that case. Family plays along - odds are that's the Mom and Disney doesn't act.

it is really very black and white if you take it at face value: Disney reserves the right to refuse admission. End of story.

 

[jayandstacey]

Then you must not have looked like the "creepy guy" DisneyMegs kept referring to.

I feel hugely uncomfortable with any manager anywhere having the ability to enforce or not enforce a rule at their discression. Something either is or isn't a rule. It isn't a rule some of the time, but a rule some of the time too.

How would you feel to be the guest singled out? Is Disney now in the profiling business? The CMs judge you to be "creepy looking" and can therefore CHOOSE to make you delete pictures, just as they could CHOOSE to let non creepy looking guy keep the ones he took?

Any way you look at it, arbitrary enforcement of a rule (if it does indeed exist as a rule) is a bad, bad idea.

That's why IT IS NOT A RULE.

Instead, as a guest you agree that Disney has the right to refuse your admission. You grant them that right. It could be for ANY reason. Any at all.

If you aren't comfortable with it, then you don't buy the ticket. It isn't forced upon you. But make no mistake...that's the deal when you enter WDW.

To help understand the logic, think about your own property. There is a many-centuries old legal tradition that the greatest value you have with your own proprerty is that you can make your own decisions there. Of course, laws (like no murder) and HOAs (like, no bright green paint) do limit those rights to a list of bounds - and Disney follows those too.

but outside the list of laws...your rights on your property are infinite. Meaning, you can do anything else you like. You can kick a person off for looking at you funny, you can kick them off for talking.

As a business, Disney can't necessarily kick a person off property for discrimanatory reasons but otherwise, all's fair. If they think you're creeping out the guests, yes, you can be gone.

Of someone came onto my property and creeped me out, they'd be gone too. No different.

 

[galligan4]

No sure what makes a kid "too big" to be in a stroller. Gee, if I could get someone to wheel me around I would!

But seriously, we bring or rent a stroller for our kids when we go. We can last longer and get as much out of the park as we can. The trip is suppose to be a happy and "magical" time, so why not have a stroller for our little ones?