Why are there so many strollers?

[PeterPanic]

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.

The only reason that there are so many strollers is because Disney won't allow them to drive their ginormous SUV's into the park.

They are also afraid that thousand of parents will be suing them because they forced their children to flex a muscle and now they are cranky!

 

[china mom]

One more thing, try not to assume that you know the situation. Is stark contrast to my daughter, my son is freakishly large. One time, in an airport, he was sitting in his stroller, just a little bit away from me, and a stranger decided to take the opportunity to scold him for "being too old for a stroller". He was two, well within the reasonableness for a stroller. He did look about 5 but that does not make it her business.

 

[MommaBarb]

We go during Spring Break. And sometimes, it's easier to have the kids (5 & almost & this year) in there so we know where they are in a crowd. The sea of humanity is quite vast. Also it's nice to have someplace to store our nonvaluables so we don't have to cram them on every ride with us. This year, we are only bringing a single umbrella, instead of the double we rented last year. It's to keep stuff in and also to provide breaks or to keep my youngest with us because she can be a horrible dawdler if we're trying to get from point A to point B quickly.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

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.

This is part of the reasoning. We never needed this big monster strollers and somehow we managed to pack what we needed for the day in a small bag.

I also agree with other poster that kids are cuddled to much. Let's face it, kids need more exercise and old kids riding in strollers is silly! It amazing how kids years ago managed to survive the heat and humidity of Florida.

Now of course there are times and reasons for a child to need a stroller, manly disability is the one that jumps to mind.

But, sorry in my opinion to many kids are cuddled and franking need the walking and exercise.

Just my opinion.

AKK

 

[kstgelais4]

I also think it is a number of factors:

-Disney is as big as a vacation spot as any now. There is literally NO down time at WDW anymore. The park attendance is always high. (except for maybe september). Higher attendance=more families=more strollers

-DisneyLAND is not a multiday park quite like WDW is. Longer trips with toddlers means having strollers is a necessity. I would maybe consider braving DL for 2 days without a stroller with my 3 year old, but when we do WDW it is for 2 weeks with a 10 day pass. I would never expect his little legs to keep up with that. Even WITH the breaks we take during the day. I even parked my butt in our stroller for a break while waiting for the parade last trip (I'm sure someone here snapped a pic and said "Can you BELIEVE that?!").

-Strollers are built better and can handle more. With a family of 7 kids, our stroller is our pack mule. Could my kids each carry their own sweatshirts/drinks/souvenirs/etc? Of course they can! But we have never visited WDW without a baby that required a stroller, so they don't have to. Which leads me to my next (which someone already said)...

-More people aren't waiting to bring their babies. WIth the birth of DVC, WDW is no longer a "once in a lifetime" trip for many families. While a lot of families say they are waiting until the youngest is 5 so they can all really enjoy it, there are 2 more families who go and enjoy the moment and say they will be back soon enough. We personally have never visited WDW without a child under the age of 2. If I wait until my youngest is "old enough" I wouldn't be going until my oldest was in college. I'd rather seize the moment and schlep the stroller.

Sorry if many feel the strollers are excessive, but Walt did build both DL and WDW with the intention that all families could enjoy his legacy.

 

[staceyeileen]

Strollers today are nothing like they were years ago. My stroller will hold a child up to 75lbs! You also see tons of double strollers these days, and the ones that convert from a single to a double. So while the primary occupant of the stroller might be the baby, there is still room for the older child so why not let them ride and save their energy (they will surely need it!)?

 

[kittyab]

This is part of the reasoning. We never needed this big monster strollers and somehow we managed to pack what we needed for the day in a small bag.

I also agree with other poster that kids are cuddled to much. Let's face it, kids need more exercise and old kids riding in strollers is silly! It amazing how kids years ago managed to survive the heat and humidity of Florida.

Now of course there are times and reasons for a child to need a stroller, manly disability is the one that jumps to mind.

But, sorry in my opinion to many kids are cuddled and franking need the walking and exercise.

Just my opinion.

AKK

I agree with you! My DD never complained about being tired until we got on the bus to go back to our resort. She tells me everyday she can't wait to go back!

 

[china mom]

This is part of the reasoning. We never needed this big monster strollers and somehow we managed to pack what we needed for the day in a small bag.

I also agree with other poster that kids are cuddled to much. Let's face it, kids need more exercise and old kids riding in strollers is silly! It amazing how kids years ago managed to survive the heat and humidity of Florida.

Now of course there are times and reasons for a child to need a stroller, manly disability is the one that jumps to mind.

But, sorry in my opinion to many kids are cuddled and franking need the walking and exercise.

Just my opinion.

AKK

Sorry, can't let it go. The word you were looking for is "coddled". IMHO you can never "cuddle" a child too much

 

[HookdonWDW]

I guess it must just be my kids. It boggles my mind that a 10 y/o without a disability or developmental delay would need to save their energy. My kids, their cousins and friends were balls of energy, lol.

 

[ariel326]

Our 3 1/2 year walked part of the time, but he rode part of the time too.
Plus we were able to recline the stroller and put a blanket over the front and he napped.

Yes there are a lot of bigger kids out there that don't NEED to ride in the strollers, but if it keeps them happy and lets them rest their feet for 10 minutes, then meh.

WDW is big. Just walking once around world showcase is 1.2 miles. SO you can imagine how much walking happens in a week long stay. Plus, lets be honest, most kids just aren't as active as they were 30 years ago. Even active kids, aren't. So, that is where strollers come in.

I'm not agreeing with older kids in strollers BTW, as soon as my kids are old enough they will get the boot. I hate pushing that thing around. But I can see why others don't mind them.

 

[kittyab]

I guess it must just be my kids. It boggles my mind that a 10 y/o without a disability or developmental delay would need to save their energy. My kids, their cousins and friends were balls of energy, lol.

That is my kid to a T. She does not just walk wherever she goes, she skips!

We have her in swim & Karate and she never seems to get tired.

 

[DisMom1981]

Two words....

Heat and crowds

That is all.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[china mom]

This thread got me thinking back to my childhood trips in the early 70's.

We didn't have strollers - but my parents probably couldn't afford them and didn't think they were important - we didn't have car seats either.

We stayed at my grandparents house in Vero Beach and did one day in Disney.

The Magic Kingdom was smaller then - there were nowhere near as many attractions to try to see. Since my trip, the following have been added:

May 20, 1973 Tom Sawyer Island
December 17, 1973 Pirates of the Caribbean
January 15, 1975 Space Mountain
January 15, 1975 Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
July 1, 1975 Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
September 23, 1980 Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
June 18, 1988 Walt Disney World Railroad Fantasyland Station
July 17, 1992 Splash Mountain
February 25, 1995 Astro Orbiter
October 1, 1996 The Barnstormer
October 7, 1998 Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
June 5, 1999 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
June 20, 2000 Main Street Philharmonic
May 23, 2001 The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
October 8, 2003 Mickey's PhilharMagic
October 9, 2003 Wishes Nighttime Spectacular
November 16, 2004 Stitch's Great Escape!
December 1, 2004 Main Street Trolley Show
September 30, 2006 Dream-Along With Mickey
April 2, 2007 Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
February 12, 2009 Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party
April 1, 2011 Town Square Theater Mickey Mouse Meet and Greet
July 15, 2011 Tinker Bell's Magical Nook
June 15, 2012 Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station
October 4, 2012 Pete's Silly Sideshow: Meet Minnie and Daisy
October 4, 2012 Pete's Silly Sideshow: Meet Goofy and Donald
November 12, 2012 Celebrate the Magic
December 6, 2012 Ariel's Grotto
December 6, 2012 Wowzer the Clown
December 6, 2012 Storybook Circus Giggle Gang
December 6, 2012 Royal Majesty Makers
December 6, 2012 Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
December 6, 2012 Enchanted Tales with Belle
September 18, 2013 Princess Fairytale Hall: Meet Rapunzel and a Visiting Princess
September 18, 2013 Princess Fairytale Hall: Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess
December 9, 2013 #INCREDIBLESsuperdanceparty

PLUS, AK, HS and Epcot

Also, with the A - E ticket system, you were better off taking your time so that the kids didn't run out of rides before the end of the day.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Sorry, can't let it go. The word you were looking for is "coddled". IMHO you can never "cuddle" a child too much

China Mom, I bow to your correction, you are indeed 100% correct in the misspelling and you can never *cuddle/ HUG a child to much!

AKK

 

[AmyB2006]

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.

I didn't read other responses yet except the first few.

1) But, Disneyland is smaller and not as large as Disney World. Less space to have to cover means kids don't get as tired as they tend to at WDW, I would think.

2) As already mentioned in the first few responses, strollers are more "streamlined" these days and can accommodate larger children. They're not made "just for toddlers" anymore.

3) Have you ever tried to carry a sleeping 5 year old? It's not fun, especially if you're there for evening EMH, younger children sometimes fall asleep.

4) Some people like strollers to "store" their bags and stuff on. So maybe even though their older children could walk, they hang onto the stroller a little longer.

5) Also, when my son was 3 and my daughter was 5, having a stroller for only him to sit in (a single), was a recipe for some cranky kids. So we had to have a double.

Personally, I couldn't wait to ditch our stroller. My kids were 6 and 4 last trip and we tried it without the stroller and loved it. I sold it on Craigslist and got $100 for it. Yay me.

 

[kittyab]

I can definitely see needing a stroller for any child under 5, but older than that they should be walking unless there is a real medical issue.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Why are there so many strollers?

{FLAME PROOF CAPE FROM DRAWER TO SHOULDERS}
1) There are two reasons.
. . . There are a lot of YOUNG kids.
. . . Too many parents coddle their OLDER kids.
2) Far too many parents want 7-10 years-olds to to ride.
. . . Our kids walked the parks at age 5-6 and did fine.
. . . If they got tired, we went for a rest or a nap.
. . . A month before Disney we went on daily walks to make sure they were in shape.
3) Today, the kids are out-of-shape AND THE PARENTS PERMIT IT.
4) Or Daddy/Mommy want to pamper their "entitled" kids.
5) Even CM's complain about the added strollers with older kids.
{FLAME PROOF SUIT BACK TO DRAWER}

 

[Planogirl]

DS and I had a good system. I usually got tired before he did so we would rest because I needed it. It also seemed to keep him from getting tired.

I was so glad to ditch the stroller. I hated keeping up with that thing.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

my older grandsons,5 & 6, got to ride is stroller part of the time but it was not so much for them as me. if I had stroller to lean on as I walked I did not need an ECV. I can walk a lot more when I have a lean on. does that make me a bad grandma for wanting to walk? just a different reason to be looked at

 

[TheRustyScupper]

DS and I had a good system. I usually got tired before he did so we would rest because I needed it. It also seemed to keep him from getting tired. I was so glad to ditch the stroller. I hated keeping up with that thing.

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