What is it with....

[salmoneous]

Here are the facts of the case :

1) OP joined the DIS less than a month ago.
2) OP posts "hot topic".
3) OP invites bashing.

Why respond?

I agree. Thanks for the heads up -

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

I've seen plenty of kids smooshed in a stroller, especially sleeping ones. I either think "how cute" or "that kid has had a long day". I think it is totally appropriate at the parks. A day at the parks means tons of walking and kids get tired. You do what you have to do!

my problem isn't the strollers or the number of strollers, but some of the people pushing them - and that is another issue......one we have been over and over........

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

FWIW, I agree that it is parental laziness driving the older-kid-in-strollers craze. It's far easier to push the kid around than to listen to him whine or to alter your plans to suit the child's needs.

Don't get me wrong, I don't roam around WDW checking out each kid in a stroller to determine whether or not he/she should be there and working myself into a tizzy over it, but it is a noticable phenomenon.

I also think it is a generational thing. There's a thread somewhere on the DIS with pictures of MK in the early days. One of the most noticable things to me is the complete lack of strollers in the pictures.

 

[TwingleMum]

Children over the age of 4 in strollers?

When we went to WDW in August, we were shocked to see "grown" children in strollers. Sure, your child may get tired and cranky and not want to walk any more, but isnt that when its time to take a break? Maybe go back to the hotel room and have a swim/nap/juice box? I understand that not all guests are fortunate enough to stay on site, but ther eare plenty of places to sit down in teh shade and A/C, like the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress in MK, or the American Experiance and Elen's Adventure into Electricity in Epcot, or the Festival of the Likon King in AK, or The Great Movie Ride in MGM.

If your child has walking conditions, maybe rent a wheelchair. It only costs $10, and you get the chair for the whole day. Then maybe your 10 year old wont be sprawling out of a stroller designed for a 3 year old. Plus they can push themselves around, freeing you parents to look after your other party members who really need the attention, like your partners or your other children.

Too many tired little ones for one wheelchair and think a double stroller is better? Wrong you are my friends. That is when a rest, or even taking turns in the wheelchair comes into play.

The reason I rant is because strollers take up far too much room. If you have small children, fine, it is your right to put your little ones into as many strollers as necessary. I know that wheelchairs take up as much room as strollers, but seriously, who is going to bother someone in a wheelchair? Lots of people HAVE to use wheelchairs, not every 10 year old needs a stroller.


Mr. Smith

Do you have children??? Have you taken them to a theme park for more than one day in a row??? It is a tremendous amount of walking. Normally I would bet you most of the children you see don't use a stroller but WDW isn't a "normal." Its a lot of walking even for an adult.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

FWIW, I agree that it is parental laziness driving the older-kid-in-strollers craze. It's far easier to push the kid around than to listen to him whine or to alter your plans to suit the child's needs.

Don't get me wrong, I don't roam around WDW checking out each kid in a stroller to determine whether or not he/she should be there and working myself into a tizzy over it, but it is a noticable phenomenon.

I also think it is a generational thing. There's a thread somewhere on the DIS with pictures of MK in the early days. One of the most noticable things to me is the complete lack of strollers in the pictures.

Thank you! That's exactly what I meant.

It is MUCH easier to push a stroller than a wheelchair, especially if it is your own stroller from home. renting a wheelchair would cause more problems than it solved, because if it doesn't fit the person, it actually hurts them.
if you rented a chair, then you could not use it anywhere but that park (a park rental cannot even be taken to the parking lot

But the point is, many of the older children in strollers don't need either a wheelchair or a stroller. So this isn't really a big issue.

I think it comes down to how it was said. You could have posted the same thing, phrased in a different way, and it wouldn't have seemed so harsh.

I've gone back and read my OP and I really don't see what was so harsh about it. I was just trying to share my opinion on an issue. What specifically was wrong with the way I expressed myself?

 

[MosMom]

FWIW, I agree that it is parental laziness driving the older-kid-in-strollers craze. It's far easier to push the kid around than to listen to him whine or to alter your plans to suit the child's needs.

Don't get me wrong, I don't roam around WDW checking out each kid in a stroller to determine whether or not he/she should be there and working myself into a tizzy over it, but it is a noticable phenomenon.

I also think it is a generational thing. There's a thread somewhere on the DIS with pictures of MK in the early days. One of the most noticable things to me is the complete lack of strollers in the pictures.

It was also a hell of a lot smaller in the early days. The combination of 4 large theme parks in the florida heat. I guess we should expect our 6 year olds to be super troopers. My daughter used one until she was about 7/8 and doesn't need one now at 10. She is a skinny thang and can probably do more push ups than most adults I know. She is very fit but WDW even really wore her out.

Laziness on whose part? The parent who doesn't want to listen to whining or the parent that refuses to push their child when they are tired.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Laziness on whose part? The parent who doesn't want to listen to whining or the parent that refuses to push their child when they are tired.

I was very clear. Laziness on the part of the parent who takes the easy way out. If your school-aged kid is so tired that he can't walk under his own power, it's time to call it a day.

 

[declansdad]

Children over the age of 4 in strollers?

When we went to WDW in August, we were shocked to see "grown" children in strollers. Sure, your child may get tired and cranky and not want to walk any more, but isnt that when its time to take a break? Maybe go back to the hotel room and have a swim/nap/juice box? I understand that not all guests are fortunate enough to stay on site, but ther eare plenty of places to sit down in teh shade and A/C, like the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress in MK, or the American Experiance and Elen's Adventure into Electricity in Epcot, or the Festival of the Likon King in AK, or The Great Movie Ride in MGM.

If your child has walking conditions, maybe rent a wheelchair. It only costs $10, and you get the chair for the whole day. Then maybe your 10 year old wont be sprawling out of a stroller designed for a 3 year old. Plus they can push themselves around, freeing you parents to look after your other party members who really need the attention, like your partners or your other children.

Too many tired little ones for one wheelchair and think a double stroller is better? Wrong you are my friends. That is when a rest, or even taking turns in the wheelchair comes into play.

The reason I rant is because strollers take up far too much room. If you have small children, fine, it is your right to put your little ones into as many strollers as necessary. I know that wheelchairs take up as much room as strollers, but seriously, who is going to bother someone in a wheelchair? Lots of people HAVE to use wheelchairs, not every 10 year old needs a stroller.


Mr. Smith

Maybe you just need to relax, enjoy your vacation and not worry about other people. Yes strollers take up room but so do people. Maybe we should get rid of some people because they are taking up room.

 

[slo]

I do not have time to read this whole thread...........


I have a 4 year old at home and she still sits in a stroller.
When we go to WDW next year (at age 5), she will be in a stroller.
When we go to WDW the year after that (at age 6), she will be in a stroller.


Why is this?????
Because I now she is enjoying her vacation by not having to get tired by walking (she has to take 3 steps to our 1 step (estimated) ) Why should I make her walk??? Just so others don't judge me?? She's my first and only priority.

Because I know where she is at all times
She likes to wander and look at things - I don't want her to get lost. I could scold her and be mad at her, but why should I ruin the vacation for all of us? If she's in a stroller, than this is a non-issue

Because she can close her eyes and take a nap when she's tired
My older DD may not want to take a break and go back to the hotel if she's having fun, and I may not either. Why should I deny my younger DD a nap, if she can sleep in a stroller and get refreshed???



This issue has been brought up so many times on these boards and I just don't get it Strollers hurt no one!! When you go to a family place, I would think strollers would be a given - you're going to see them. I have never and will never judge a parents decision to use a stroller for their children - it's a ridiculous thing to get annoyed about.

Please leave the stroller using parents alone
What you do with your children is your business, and what I do with my children is my business.

This is the end of my mini rant!!!!
(and I normally never ever rant)

 

[declansdad]

Just to clarify, I am not talking about the AGE of the child, but their SIZE. I feel sorry for the kids who get cramped into a stroller that is obviously not designed for someone as tall, and in some cases, wide, as them. its more of a rant of pity on the child's part.

Now, on with the bashing!!!!

Maybe you should change the first line of your original post because the rest of it sure sounds like you have a problem with kids over the age of 4 in a stroller.

 

[MosMom]

I was very clear. Laziness on the part of the parent who takes the easy way out. If your school-aged kid is so tired that he can't walk under his own power, it's time to call it a day.

Yeah, I know what you were saying. I'm saying I think the parents that can't push a 6 year old around are lazy. They are kids, not mini adults. That is a hell of a lot of walking. An average of 7 miles per day.

 

[kimmikayb]

Maybe you just need to relax, enjoy your vacation and not worry about other people. Yes strollers take up room but so do people. Maybe we should get rid of some people because they are taking up room.

Oh no, you're going to tell me I take up too much room because I'm over weight? Well, I'm trying to loose it but it's hard!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Yeah, I know what you were saying. I'm saying I think the parents that can't push a 6 year old around are lazy. They are kids, not mini adults. That is a hell of a lot of walking. An average of 7 miles per day.

Different strokes and all of that. When we're tired, we leave.

 

[amy4bruce]

As of last year, DD still fit in one of the rental strollers. Here's how I know this.

Two years ago, we went to celebrate DD's 7th birthday. The day before, she got sick at Animal Kingdom. Not really sick, but she was looking rundown. We decided that the trip was too much for her, so we got her a stroller. She fit fine, and we stayed at AK for a few more hours. The next day, on her birthday, we were at Magic Kingdom. We had breakfast at the castle, went on some non-crowded rides (it was drizzling) and then she insisted on a stroller. We argued and finally got her one. Giving in? Probably, but it was our last day, her birthday, and it kept her dry. We then went back to the hotel to rest before dinner.

Last year, she lasted almost the entire time. By 10:30 pm at MNSSHP, she was almost out, but still wanted to stay. I told DW that the park was just lending strollers, not renting them, so DW went and got one. It allowed her to sleep a little, watch what she wanted to (we were on Main Street at the time, waiting for the parade to begin), and benefit from the end of the evening, when the CM's were throwing candy into any stroller they saw. The next day, we did Food and Wine at Epcot. For us, it started off as Food and Whine, until DW decided to bribe her with a stroller. Yes, you can say it is lazy parenting, designed to allow the parents to do what they wanted to do, but we felt that we deserved it.

This year, just last week, we had been talking about doing F&W on Friday night. DD7 immediately asked for a stroller. DW suggested that, instead, she take the $10 we'd need to rent the stroller for additional spending money. DD7 said no, she wanted the stroller. We shrugged. Then our plans changed, and we decided to finish our shopping at Downtown Disney. DD7 piped up - well, if she couldn't get the stroller, could she have the $10? We had to give it to her just for being a clever conniver.

 

[MosMom]

When we're tired, we leave as well.

Can't you admit that your children may be different from others children or are children all cut from the same cloth?

Like I said, my daughter rode in a stroller until she was 7 or 8. My son hasn't touched a stroller since he was 3. We still bring it but he has no use for it. Different kids, both came out of me and both tour the same parks with us.

 

[declansdad]

FWIW, I agree that it is parental laziness driving the older-kid-in-strollers craze. It's far easier to push the kid around than to listen to him whine or to alter your plans to suit the child's needs.

Don't get me wrong, I don't roam around WDW checking out each kid in a stroller to determine whether or not he/she should be there and working myself into a tizzy over it, but it is a noticable phenomenon.

I also think it is a generational thing. There's a thread somewhere on the DIS with pictures of MK in the early days. One of the most noticable things to me is the complete lack of strollers in the pictures.

Oh please, you have no idea why a child would be in a stroller. There are any number of reason why someone would use one.

Why do people think that 6 year old children should be able to walk all the time? My son takes two steps to my one, so he will do more work than I do. Does he walk around the parks, yes. Will we get him a stroller if we think he could use one, yes. Will it make the trip better for everyone (including people around us), yes.

Trying to compare old pictures with today is not a good comparison. Today many people go to WDW for many days. When WDW opened there was one park and a lot less walking. When I hear this comparison I always think of the grandparents who complain about the today's kids and how when they were young they used to walk to school everyday, uphill both ways, and in bare feet no less.

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Can't you admit that your children may be different from others children or are children all cut from the same cloth?

Sure, I can admit that. All kids have different needs, I'm not denying that. All parents are different as well.

All I know is that with mine (who is older now so this is no longer an issue), we went until he started to get cranky and then we'd take a break at the park. If the break didn't rejuvenate him, we knew the pool would. There's nothing at WDW I need to see so desperately that I'd plop him into the stroller so we could get a couple of extra hours.

I'm a gigantic meanie, though.

 

[declansdad]

Oh no, you're going to tell me I take up too much room because I'm over weight? Well, I'm trying to loose it but it's hard!

Just wanted to get you ready for what comes next.

 

[momz]

while I understanding you questioning why school-aged kids need a stroller, i don't agree with your solution. the wheelchairs are for people with mobility problems. simply being tired is not a mobility problem. these healthy, mobile children should just walk. perhaps some time spent with a child who doesn't have the ability to walk around walt disney world could help stop the whining!!! also, i can't stand it when health bodied people are tooling around in the wheelchairs goofing off, popping wheelies, spinning around etc...(much more annoying than a stroller being pushed by an adult).

 

[KPeveler]

while I understanding you questioning why school-aged kids need a stroller, i don't agree with your solution. the wheelchairs are for people with mobility problems. simply being tired is not a mobility problem. these healthy, mobile children should just walk. perhaps some time spent with a child who doesn't have the ability to walk around walt disney world could help stop the whining!!! also, i can't stand it when health bodied people are tooling around in the wheelchairs goofing off, popping wheelies, spinning around etc...(much more annoying than a stroller being pushed by an adult).

I agree.... that is one of the most annoying things. i have a lot of people tell me that i look too "healthy" to use a chair, and people who use them as strollers do not help! it just makes more people believe that wheelchair users at disney are "fakers." but that is another debate... one i am willing to have, but it never stays nice!