Why are there so many strollers?

[pampam]

Please don't flame me. This is a serious question.

Years ago it was considered only for toddlers.

What got me to thinking about this, was One Man's Dream. As I walked through it the other day, in all the pictures of Disneyland, I never saw one stroller. I sat through the movie, and all the children were walking with their parents or running to their favourite things to do.

 

[Disneylover99]

They make strollers for older children these days. They make strollers that are easier to push and maneuver and that can support weights beyond 40 pounds.

 

[jessicamouse]

Speaking for ourselves, we bring cheap umbrella strollers as a backup for later in the day when our kiddos are tuckered out. They are getting too heavy to carry, and frankly, the days are long there. It is hard for little guys to keep up. A stroller to sit in helps fend off unwanted crankiness and make the evening go smoother. Plus, waiting for the bus at park closing would be TERRIBLE without a stroller. I would never use a stroller for my kids at home at their ages, but WDW is different. Some people will undoubtedly judge us for this, but it doesn't bother me at all . Vacation should be fun and relaxing. Not a time to tell you kid to "suck it up".

 

[rimomma66]

Disneyland is also a LOT smaller than WDW and doesn't get as hot and humid.

 

[kandb]

Because WDW is very large and children are not used to walking sooooo much in the blistering heat. Parents could opt to not bring a stroller but then it means more breaks for the child to just sit and relax and perhaps the
child(ren) getting tired earlier and having to leave the park. Disney is expensive and keeping children less tired out, usually means a better trip.

 

[Suellen]

It amazes me some of the kids I see in strollers. My DD(8) saw an older child being pushed in a stroller that was obviously for the kids little sister (who was now riding on the top shade thing), and said "If I were in a stroller like that and saw my friends from school I'd be like: I can explain!"

I'd estimate the kid was at least 12 AND we were at DHS ~ not a huge walking park.

I just always felt like if the kids were too tired to walk it is time to go or take a nice long break.

Between the strollers and ECV's on a busy day it can't possibly be safe if there was a reason to quickly evacuate the park.

 

[HookdonWDW]

I think the difference is more people feel like if they don't spend every waking moment (and some of their children's sleeping moments) in the parks, that they are missing out on something they paid for. When our kids were little, we let them walk. When they got tired, we took it as a signal to take them back to the resort for a nap and some swimming, and then returned later. In other words, we did the parks at their pace. Even if they didn't nap, they benefited from the downtime. I feel bad when I see kids passed out in strollers or looking miserable, and the ubiquitous parent telling their child, "Do you know what we paid for this trip? You will have fun!" My kids notice it happening at least once in each trip we make to the World.

Disclaimer: I didn't state that there is never a reason to use a stroller. I just stated that we didn't. I didn't say that everyone who uses a stroller has over-tired, miserable children. I just stated that we've observed more such children in the last 5-6 years. I didn't make any of these comments based on you or your children. I don't know you. Any resemblance to actual DISfamilies is coincidental.

 

[Disneylover99]

It amazes me some of the kids I see in strollers. My DD(8) saw an older child being pushed in a stroller that was obviously for the kids little sister (who was now riding on the top shade thing), and said "If I were in a stroller like that and saw my friends from school I'd be like: I can explain!"

I'd estimate the kid was at least 12 AND we were at DHS ~ not a huge walking park.

I just always felt like if the kids were too tired to walk it is time to go or take a nice long break.

Between the strollers and ECV's on a busy day it can't possibly be safe if there was a reason to quickly evacuate the park.

You didn't answer the question.

 

[Suellen]

Because older kids are in strollers these days. Older kids = additional kids = more strollers.

I'm guessing in the early days of WDW or DLand there were very few kids over 3 in strollers.

Storyland in NH still has the strollers there that would have been rented or loaned at that time and it is a stretch to get a 3 year old in there.

 

[sunkissed4]

A huge increase in attendance. Bigger parks, more walking, and Florida humidity can be brutal.

Maybe safety? I let my 4 year old walk often through the parks, but we bring an umbrella stroller for him too. I don't want him trying to maneuver through the exit crowds with us after Wishes. Sometimes I'm even afraid I might be trampled lol.

 

[RooRach0906]

Personally I think it is because there are more families traveling with small children. It is very hard for 1/2 year olds to walk around all the parks. (Not impossible just hard on them.)

We have been taking DD since she was 1. We are not commando people, we take breaks (we do not always leave the park for our breaks but we will sit in air conditioning and eat snacks, go to the shops to look around, etc) since we explore the parks this way at about 2 1/2 yrs old DD started walking more in the parks, we still use a stroller but it gets parked at one place while we do each land.

For us to the stroller has been more about keeping up with DD as she used to be a runner and if she was in the stroller she was safe. Yes we would let her out and tell her that she needed to stay witg us but it eased our mind and helped us relax when she was in the stroller.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

There are many reasons why you see more strollers now than many years ago. A vacation to WDW often means multiple days filled with walking. While a 5 year old may be good to go for a day or two of long days at the park standing in line and walking for hours, by the third day they need a break. That's why it's good to take a pool day in the middle of your vacation. Everyone needs a break. That doesn't always work for every family, since some only have a few days to spend in the parks and want to see as much as possible. So, renting a stroller allows you to push forward with tired kids. Kid is happy, mom and dad are happy.

Then, there are some kids that are just going to spend the whole day whining from day 1 about walking so mom and dad rent the stroller or bring their own to save their sanity.

Strollers are also accessories for people. Have you seen the fancy, expensive "cadillac" strollers people buy these days? I think it's a a "keeping up with the Jones's" thing and disney is a place to show off your bling! I guess if I spent $500 on a stroller I would use it as much as I could.

The plus side to having a stroller with you is that you have a place to stash stuff. That is the one thing I miss about having a stroller with us at the parks. Jackets, sweatshirts, etc can just be stashed in the lower compartment.

 

[Suellen]

See... no way could you put a larger child in here.

 

[DebbieB]

It amazes me some of the kids I see in strollers. My DD(8) saw an older child being pushed in a stroller that was obviously for the kids little sister (who was now riding on the top shade thing), and said "If I were in a stroller like that and saw my friends from school I'd be like: I can explain!"

I'd estimate the kid was at least 12 AND we were at DHS ~ not a huge walking park.

I just always felt like if the kids were too tired to walk it is time to go or take a nice long break.

Between the strollers and ECV's on a busy day it can't possibly be safe if there was a reason to quickly evacuate the park.

If it was a 12 year old, I think there's a good chance he/she had a disability.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

See... no way could you put a larger child in here.

LOL! Not very comfy, either. Remember the original strollers at WDW?

 

[Disneylover99]

Personally I think it is because there are more families traveling with small children. It is very hard for 1/2 year olds to walk around all the parks. (Not impossible just hard on them.)

That's a good point. Years ago, I used to hear more people say things like, when my kids get older, I'm going to take them to............(wherever). Now, babies and toddlers seem so much more portable with all the gear that's made for them.

 

[kittyab]

We noticed that on our trip in November. My DD is 8 and we saw kids older than her in a stroller.

My girl walked all over those parks for 8 days

 

[Suellen]

If it was a 12 year old, I think there's a good chance he/she had a disability.

I suppose anything is possible... but since the kid it appeared to have been rented for was sitting on the top shade canopy it seems unlikely. It looked more like she got tired of walking and took over the kid sisters stroller.

 

[Jkpark]

We also do bigger group trips with extended Family/friends. The kids need rest/breaks at different times and without the strollers to help with those we would spend a lot less of our time together actually being together. First family trip without the stroller was really hard for me - my kids ended up missing out on fun family moments with our bigger family because we couldn't rest them and stick together at the same time. So for me it isn't as much as getting in every ride/show or getting the most for my $ it was getting the most family time on family vacations.

 

[china mom]

Sometimes, the stroller isn't for the kids, it is for the parents. My daughter is nine - judge me if you must - but we still bring a stroller to WDW. I use it to stash jackets, hang my lunch cooler from the handle, put drinks in the cup holder, stash Vinylmations, etc.

I took a solo trip to the F&W Festival and went absolutely insane trying to figure out where to put my cup so I wouldn't have to lug it around. If you saw a woman there making an awkward hand gesture all day it was me, trying to put my drink in the non existent cup holder. I am even seriously considering bringing a stroller on my next solo trip.

My daughter will jump in the stroller and rest when her little tiny legs get tired and that does help us extend our day. No, we are not one of those families who keeps tired and cranky kids at the park too long. She is a bundle of energy who loves Disney more than most. But at only 48 inches and 45 pounds, her nine year old body can't keep up with us long legged people all day.