Too big for stroller--the website

[vinotinto]

LOL, maybe I should send a picture of my kids!

Yes, I can poke fun at myself. When we last went to Disney my DS was 5 - but he's a tall 5 year-old (about 46-47 inches then). We have a tandem double stroller (Phil and Ted's) and sometimes he would walk, but sometimes he would sit down. He'll be 6 and a full 48 inches (!) when we go next. My DH has already said, "we're not bringing the Jim and Tom" (he can never remember the brand), "we're bringing the single stroller for our DD" (who is 3 and does need the stroller (she often naps in it). I was going to sneak it into the car, but since we're staying at AKL, for the first time will be taking buses everywhere, so it does not make sense to bring the double stroller.

Yes, I know it's absolutely ridiculous that these kids (mine!) are being pushed around. No, we have no medical issues. It's just easier for us to stay together, navigate crowds, keep stamina strong, and maintain the kids rested and happy. We also take lots of breaks, including sit-down table-service breakfast, lunch and dinner (deluxe dining plan). Nothing worse than cranky, tired kids on vacation. But I think we may have finally graduated from the double stroller.

 

[SouthernExplorer]

Someone here once posted a picture of a chipmunk sitting in a runway stroller at MGM

 

[DeluxePrincess]

Someone here once posted a picture of a chipmunk sitting in a runway stroller at MGM

Someone needs to send this pic to the website ASAP!

 

[NickyNoodle]

Stroller threads certainly bring out some strong emotion on the dis boards.

I think those who continue to use strollers for older children at Disney World resent having others tell them that their child is spoiled based on one observable fact of their parenting, at a place that they only get to be for a handful of days in their lives.

Stroller or not, I guess all kids at Disney are being indulged just by virtue of being at Disney.

I'm surprised that we don't have threads popping up all over about how many kids are being indulged with Mickey bars.

In our family, we each make sacrifices (if indeed there is such a thing when we're talking about a dream vacation) for the greater good. My daughter will celebrate her 6th birthday next week in WDW. We will have an umbrella stroller for her. Whether she wants to or not, she will at times be asked to sit and ride, as we know that it will help us to be able to do all of things that we want to do together, as a family.
Sometimes we will ask her to walk.

Stroller or no, she will be expected to communicate without whining and any outbursts will be dealt with w/ the same discipline it would be at home.

Thanks to the dining plan, we will also get her and our DS a lot of treats. Funnel cake, desserts at every meal, even their OWN frozen cokes that they don't have to share. Totally unheard of in our day to day life, just as stroller rides for a 6-year-old are.
And this is why it is such a special event to go to Disney.

We are happy to do this for them, because they are great kids.

 

[StuckInKS]

DD4 will walk this year (mainly because of the baby will take her spot, not because I have an issue with her riding in a stroller,) but she did not last year when she was a under 2 months away from turning 4. However, DS6 also walked everywhere in WDW when he was 4, mainly because the two youngest were in the stroller. I did let DS4 (at the time) and DD5 (at the time) ride when DD2 (at the time) wanted to walk. They are small for their age, so we didn't get any looks. DD7 (who will have just turned 8 on our trip) is just barely 40 pounds and short for her age, so I'll probably let her, DS6 and DD4 take a ride or two if one of the little ones are out of the stroller for some reason. However, if we did not have the baby, I would probably get a single for DS2 or ditch it altogether. If my kids need to rest, I have no problem stopping and resting as a family ... possibly getting a meal, a snack or just watching surroundings in the shade.

I will say that I find it funny that people use a stroller, especially a double, for convenience. I find our double stroller nothing but a pain. Unfortunately, my two youngest are 8 months old and not here yet, so we have a lot more WDW trips with a double in tow.

Even still, I will be happy when I'm finally able to get rid of it in 2016

 

[wtccheermom]

The point that some are trying to make is that they are able to avoid having "tired whiny kids" by using a stroller. Just because that may be the wrong approach for you and your family/children, doesn't mean it is the wrong approach for all families. There is no right or wrong way to tour the parks.

As far as the second bolded statement above, we DO stay from open to close in the parks and NONE of my children have EVER had a meltdown. Actually, leaving the parks early and not getting to see all of the attractions would more likely cause the meltdown than staying 16 hours for my kids. Just because your children can't handle a 16 hour park day without meltdowns, doesn't mean that none can. My kids ARE pleasant after a full day because I used a stroller until I felt they didn't need one. I'm guessing around 7-ish. Sometimes the older ones would take a small break in the youngest's stroller even at 8 or 9. My oldest twisted her ankle last year in Epcot and ended up using my 5 year olds stroller for a while. She was 10 and very tall. We definitely got a few looks but should we all have left the park because she twisted her ankle? She didn't want to leave and neither did we. I'd rather get the funny looks and enjoy the rest of our vacation.

YEAH you should have!
This is the most selfish thing I think I have ever read here. If my 9 year old twisted her ankle I would not just stick her in a stroller and move on I would make sure it was tended to correctly. Seriously if it was that bad that a 9 year old had to be in a stroller than maybe she should have been resting it in order to prevent further damage. I just don’t get this Disney at all cost mentality. I can’t imagine going to Disney with the attitude of I must get every penny I spent out of it. doesn’t that suck the fun out of it?

 

[jayandstacey]

In our family, we each make sacrifices (if indeed there is such a thing when we're talking about a dream vacation) for the greater good. My daughter will celebrate her 6th birthday next week in WDW. We will have an umbrella stroller for her. Whether she wants to or not, she will at times be asked to sit and ride, as we know that it will help us to be able to do all of things that we want to do together, as a family.
Sometimes we will ask her to walk.

Exactly.

And Disney knows this. They rather provide mil-spec (that's rugged, in a military sense) strollers but price them in such a way that avoids the casual person that might go either way...to leave them to those that actually incorporate the strollers into their overall family touring plan and park strategy.

Disney could easily put an age restriction in place and provide smaller, more flimsy strollers. Instead, they provide 'hum-vee' strollers at surprisingly high prices.

I don't think Walt would have liked this...but who's to say...back in Walt's day, people weren't coming to Disney for 8 days. WDW was more a sprint, which kids can easily handle, than the multi-day marathon its become.

Walt did, however, greatly appreciate the value and joy of transportation - moving from one place to another without using your own energy. Monorails, boats, trains, busses, even the slow moving rides - all designed to be relaxing for all, including adults. There's no extra prize for skipping the bus and walking to the park from your hotel. I'd put money on Walt actually pushing to find new ways to move people around...segways, moving sidewalks, whatever...yet there's an age that's too old for a stroller??? I can walk without throwing a tantrum. But yeah, I'll take the monorail, or a bus, or whatever option might be available over walking.

Strollers are readily available for rent. There's no age restriction. They are sturdy. These are facts and they point to the Disney assumption that kids of many ages will use them. Disney makes some money, a family is made a little happier, they spend more time (and thus more money) in the park - and this is an issue with some? Is the concept that Disney is a place to toughen kids up? And if so, at least be consistent. Don't preach to the kids about physical toughness, then go to Disney world in a fit of fiscal 'laziness'.

 

[jayandstacey]

YEAH you should have!
This is the most selfish thing I think I have ever read here. If my 9 year old twisted her ankle I would not just stick her in a stroller and move on I would make sure it was tended to correctly. Seriously if it was that bad that a 9 year old had to be in a stroller than maybe she should have been resting it in order to prevent further damage. I just don’t get this Disney at all cost mentality. I can’t imagine going to Disney with the attitude of I must get every penny I spent out of it. doesn’t that suck the fun out of it?

No. Leaving sucks the fun out of it.

Where was your magical medical training that enables you to diagnose over the internet and back in time?

By and large, parents are pretty good at knowing when somethings just sore or really damaged and in need of attention. And most err on the side of caution. Like letting a 9 year old ride on a stroller while experiencing some tenderness.

 

[mattsdragon]

*Yawn*

And yet another thread that turns into a DISboards slanging match.......

Use the muscles at the side of your mouth a little bit more, exercise them if you like, tone your cheeks as much as you can.....its just a smile!!

But this is another example of a title of a thread that is not misleading....if you read the title 'Too big for stroller......' and you knew it would offend you, maybe it would have been better to simply skip it and move onto the next.....

And I sincerly doubt that the blogger in this case took those pictures, they were probably removed from other people's Facebook page.

Right click, save as. . .easy to do. Let's not get all John Walsh here people.

 

[jayandstacey]

Further, the poster said that the 9 year old used it for "a while" - indicating that at some point they didn't anymore. Sounds like a perfect solution to me and if the 9 year old was really suffering, most 9 year olds have the wherewithall to speak up.

Leaving and thus making the 9 year old feel guilty for ending the day wouldn't be my first plan of attack. And yes, I've left a park with a serious injury.

 

[DeniseinNS]

When we went to Disney last year my almost 5 year old wasn't feeling well near the end of our trip but still wanted to go to the parks so we rented a stroller for a few days. My quite tall 8 year old daughter even spent some time in it when her feet got tired and we thought it was fine. There were time where I was tempted to get in myself because my legs were killing me from all the walking

 

[DeluxePrincess]

YEAH you should have!
This is the most selfish thing I think I have ever read here. If my 9 year old twisted her ankle I would not just stick her in a stroller and move on I would make sure it was tended to correctly.

She did what she could. She let her daughter have a bit of a rest and moved on. I'm sure if her daughter was screaming in pain and couldn't move her foot, she would have "tended" to it more. I don't see her move as selfish at all.

 

[designermv]

I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with everything jayandstacey says. So, jayandstacey, if you we ever happen to be going to WDW at the same time, I'd love to buy you a drink while we push our 'too big' children around at Epcot whilst sipping an adult beverage (or a cold lemonade) and fending off glares. I wish the WDW strollers had sturdier drink holders. I hate when my margarita spills as I'm navigating through World Showcase after dark.

 

[wtccheermom]

[

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

And I sincerly doubt that the blogger in this case took those pictures, they were probably removed from other people's Facebook page.

Right click, save as. . .easy to do. Let's not get all John Walsh here people.

Doesn't matter..... he has no rights to have them posted on a negative, derogatory site aimed at insulting children, ESP without permission from the parents!

I understand this poster has now started to blank out the children's faces, but that wasn't always the case...


and IMO, a disgusting abuse of technology

 

[LilMommyBug]

Wow. Some people need lives...seriously.

 

[wtccheermom]

No. Leaving sucks the fun out of it.

Where was your magical medical training that enables you to diagnose over the internet and back in time?

By and large, parents are pretty good at knowing when somethings just sore or really damaged and in need of attention. And most err on the side of caution. Like letting a 9 year old ride on a stroller while experiencing some tenderness.

Nope sounds like bad parenting to me. Where was I trying to diagnose anything? You try hard making at assumption that aren’t there. Doesn’t sound like erring on the side of caution but maybe being slightly selfish. The pp said her daughter had twisted her ankle well I know that requires some rest and maybe some ice. Sorry but if my 9 year is in so much pain that she has to ride in a stroller you better believe we are going back to the room to deal with issue. It is almost pathetic at how you and this PP put aside your family’s needs in order to get your 75 dollars a day worth. Kind of sad!!

 

[SouthernExplorer]

My oldest twisted her ankle last year in Epcot and ended up using my 5 year olds stroller for a while. She was 10 and very tall. We definitely got a few looks but should we all have left the park because she twisted her ankle? She didn't want to leave and neither did we. I'd rather get the funny looks and enjoy the rest of our vacation.

If my parents did that to me when I was 10 then I would have very loudly protested. I would have resented them for treating me as a baby in such a public place. My older brother and I really resented the fact that our grandmother took us to see a Care Bears movie when we were about 8 and 10. We were both embarrassed.

 

[SouthernExplorer]

Doesn't matter..... he has no rights to have them posted on a negative, derogatory site aimed at insulting children, ESP without permission from the parents!

Can you cite any state and/or federal laws that the website is breaking? As far as I'm aware this website falls under the First Amendment.

 

[daisyh5]

YEAH you should have!
This is the most selfish thing I think I have ever read here. If my 9 year old twisted her ankle I would not just stick her in a stroller and move on I would make sure it was tended to correctly. Seriously if it was that bad that a 9 year old had to be in a stroller than maybe she should have been resting it in order to prevent further damage. I just don’t get this Disney at all cost mentality. I can’t imagine going to Disney with the attitude of I must get every penny I spent out of it. doesn’t that suck the fun out of it?

Oh my! She just twisted her ankle........ surely you would not take your child back to the resort for a twisted ankle. I'm sure that if it was bad, they would have taken her to First Aid. Most kids and adults are fine once they are off of the ankle for a little while. My kids would be upset if we left for every little ailment. If it happened to mine, I would have done the same or rented a stroller if necessary. My kids go to disney to enjoy the parks......not to spend a great amount of their day in their room. We go every year. Disney got alot of my money for stroller rental since we used one for all of them until they were 6+ years old.

I feel sorry for some of the tired children I see walking around WDW and parents mad because they are tired.

Yes my kids used strollers when they could have walked.

No they are not lazy! Far from it!

Yes we stayed 10+ hours in the park a day without a break......We didn't need one. My kids were not tired! They had STROLLERS!