Wow...Outrage over Stroller Rental Price Increase...What's that About?

[cdziuba]

I just sent an email. How on Earth does Disney think future generations will even consider going to Disney World, if you factor in ticket prices, ever-rising airline costs, and now stroller rentals? Who will be able to afford Disney World if they keep raising everything?

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

You guys like my rants so much - just wait for this weeks show.

Pete

OK now I really cant wait!!!!! The suspense is killing me!!!

 

[disneyfool_1202]

I just found out about this and not only am I outraged, I'm completely disgusted. I just sent my email and wrote the following:

"A 7 day vacation using the length of stay rental price is $190 - most people spend that on a rental car. Unless your strollers come self powered with automatic steering and upholstered seats and seat 4 how can you justify approx $30 per day?"

Wonder if anyone will get a response?

 

[WDWBetsy]

It truly is outrageous. I sent an email too.

Can't wait for your rant, Pete!!

 

[Checkers]

Could this possibly have been an April Fool's joke perpetrated by someone??? If it has not been confirmed by Disney, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We were planning on renting a double stroller for the DGDs (2 & 5) in Oct. but will be rethinking definitely if this is true.

 

[safetymom]

It has been confirmed by Disney.

 

[Madi100]

Could this possibly have been an April Fool's joke perpetrated by someone??? If it has not been confirmed by Disney, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We were planning on renting a double stroller for the DGDs (2 & 5) in Oct. but will be rethinking definitely if this is true.

That is funny, though, that it is so outrageous that people think it could perhaps be a April Fool's Joke. That shows just how insane this new pricing is.

 

[WebmasterBob]

Ok I have thought about this for a few days now. Here is my idea of why they raised the price so much.


Kids under the age of three are free when it comes to entering the park. So how do you get the FREE to not be FREE any more. You guessed it raise the stroller fee to an outrageous price.


I believe someone at Disney has come up with the idea of being able to attach a price to the group of little people that have been out of reach to the money machine in the past. It is not a perfect solution to get back money for all these FREE little people getting in the park everyday. But it is a start for them.

Think about it, each time a guest under three comes into the park for FREE, a Disney Exec is counting the money they are losing at the gate.

Until now they have not been unable to cash in on these little people. Even for the 3-9 age group this same tactic helps the bottom line.

Disney is probably thinking we don't need to raise the gate price right now, we can increase the stroller fee instead.

 

[Madi100]

Ok I have thought about this for a few days now. Here is my idea of why they raised the price so much.


Kids under the age of three are free when it comes to entering the park. So how do you get the FREE to not be FREE any more. You guessed it raise the stroller fee to an outrages price.


I believe someone at Disney has come up with the idea of being able to attach a price to the group of little people that have been out of reach to the money machine in the past. It is not a perfect solution to get back money for all these FREE little people getting in the park everyday. But it is a start for them.

Think about it, each time a guest under three comes into the park for FREE, a Disney Exec is counting the money they are losing at the gate.

Until now they have not been unable to cash in on these little people. Even for the 3-9 age group this same tactic helps the bottom line.

Disney is probably thinking we don't need to raise the gate price right now, we can increase the stroller fee instead.

I'm sure there is some truth in that, Bob. I wonder if they are not thinking about what this is going to do to buses. If the buses are bombarded with strollers, people are going to quit using buses and renting cars. When we start renting cars, we will no longer have to stay on Disney property for everything. Instead, we'll eat in other restaurants. We'll stay off property, and we'll seek other entertainment. So, to make an extra buck on strollers, they are going to start losing it in other ways.

 

[BRobson]

That is outrageous - what a price for a buggy

We have annual passes in Disneyland Paris and they give us strollers for FREE .They do not have doubles but to hire a single is 6.50 euros which is £5 which is $10

Will be interested to hear what happens with this

 

[is_it_oct_yet?]

we have decided that our kids will be walking, since we rented 2 doubles everyday for 6 days, now we will have to leave the parks even sooner, and spend my money somewhere else

 

[cheebiecat]

I know that what I'm going to say will be very unpopular, BUT...

Disney, like every other business AND family, is confronting rising food, gasoline, and operating costs. How can we expect them NOT to raise some prices on some things when our grocery stores do, our utility companies do, and our gasoline marts do? How else can you expect Disney to respond, except as we do...pay what the price is in this new economic landscape and then figure how to make ends meet. Disney is a business, not a nonprofit organization, and if that means that the customer has to pay a bit more for a stroller or lose out on a dessert on the Dining Plan, that is what it means. And while it is perhaps tempting to make these sweeping condemnations of Disney's so-called greed or to stridently claim that no one will rent a stroller from Disney again or use the Disney Dining Plan again unless it's free, it is likely more appropriate (and magical) to think how lucky we are that we still even get to think about, plan for, and visit Disney in these increasingly difficult economic times.

*And, if that's not enough, just pop over to the resort board and see how many people are enjoying bounceback offers, modifying reservations with 40% off pin codes, and/or anticipating free dining! So Disney isn't all bad!

 

[is_it_oct_yet?]

I wish everyone just brought their own strollers. The ones that Disney has are sooooooo wide they take up way to much space! A simple fold up stroller is small and takes up a lot less room.

My guess is the size of the strollers and the massive amounts of room they take up by the rides, Disney is trying to make more space for everyone in the parks.

You could always go to WalMart or Target just outside of WDW and buy one for less than the rental and then decide to either take is home with you or leave it at a resort for someone else. Just an option, not trying to get flamed.

I do not have kids BUT I have visited WDW with my niece with a stroller and it was a major PIA! We did much better just to go without and carry the kid.

Saying this as nicely as possible, the last time i was there, my dh was in a wheel chair, and that alone was a nightmare on the bus system, add 20 strollers, and you are done for. Also, i dont think that i could carry my kids through the parks when they get tired, sure my youngest is only 44 lbs, but i dont know that i would be ok after all that. When we were there in October, we rented 2 doubles everyday, and i thought 18 was a bit much. i for one will be spending less time in the parks.

 

[3DisneyKids]

I know that what I'm going to say will be very unpopular, BUT...

Disney, like every other business AND family, is confronting rising food, gasoline, and operating costs. How can we expect them NOT to raise some prices on some things when our grocery stores do, our utility companies do, and our gasoline marts do? How else can you expect Disney to respond, except as we do...pay what the price is in this new economic landscape and then figure how to make ends meet. Disney is a business, not a nonprofit organization, and if that means that the customer has to pay a bit more for a stroller or lose out on a dessert on the Dining Plan, that is what it means. And while it is perhaps tempting to make these sweeping condemnations of Disney's so-called greed or to stridently claim that no one will rent a stroller from Disney again or use the Disney Dining Plan again unless it's free, it is likely more appropriate (and magical) to think how lucky we are that we still even get to think about, plan for, and visit Disney in these increasingly difficult economic times.

*And, if that's not enough, just pop over to the resort board and see how many people are enjoying bounceback offers, modifying reservations with 40% off pin codes, and/or anticipating free dining! So Disney isn't all bad!

While I am always one to appreciate looking for the silver lining in things, there are a couple of issues with this particular price increase...

First, as most posters have stated, sure a small increase would be accepted. We all know (too well) the rising cost of everything. Disney is experiencing that as well, so they have to pass some of that on to us. However, to go from $18 to $31 is way too big of a jump. This is approximately an a 75% increase...sorry, but even gas hasn't gone up 75% since the first of the year.
Not to mention that the strollers are already owned by Disney...and likely require little cost to maintain. Sure, they have to replace some every year, but there is no way that this increase replaces the purchase price for the new strollers they have to but each year.

More importantly, however, Disney continues to post big profits and have record attendance in the parks and completely full resorts. (Think of how outraged folks are that MobilExxon has been reporting record profits when we are all dying at the pumps...same principle, really.) Sure, they can pass along costs like an increase in foods or resorts (b/c again, food and energy are now more expensive for Disney to purchase).

If Disney is falling on harder economic times, which by all indications they are NOT, then the best business sense for them is to CUT costs. Start having those great discounts and promotions...that brings people into the parks and then they can make up deficits by just doing more volume.

But to charge more for a stroller per day than for an AUTOMOBILE?!?!? There is absolutely NO defense for this.

(Please note...rant is not directed at you...I appreciate your opinion here even though it differs from mine. )

 

[Alicnwondrln]

You guys like my rants so much - just wait for this weeks show.

Pete

YES!!!!

 

[Disney Kim]

I just sent an e-mail, asking them to call me back, I called and they said I had to e-mail my complaint.

I understand that prices rise, But 18-31??? thats ridicuslous.

People who have already booked and been budgeting should not have a incease that much. Its ridiculous

we don't have kids but are going with family in December for 7 days, with family that was planning on renting a double stroller. I so mad the price would raise that much!!!

 

[drakethib]

I know that what I'm going to say will be very unpopular, BUT...

Disney, like every other business AND family, is confronting rising food, gasoline, and operating costs. How can we expect them NOT to raise some prices on some things when our grocery stores do, our utility companies do, and our gasoline marts do? How else can you expect Disney to respond, except as we do...pay what the price is in this new economic landscape and then figure how to make ends meet. Disney is a business, not a nonprofit organization, and if that means that the customer has to pay a bit more for a stroller or lose out on a dessert on the Dining Plan, that is what it means. And while it is perhaps tempting to make these sweeping condemnations of Disney's so-called greed or to stridently claim that no one will rent a stroller from Disney again or use the Disney Dining Plan again unless it's free, it is likely more appropriate (and magical) to think how lucky we are that we still even get to think about, plan for, and visit Disney in these increasingly difficult economic times.

*And, if that's not enough, just pop over to the resort board and see how many people are enjoying bounceback offers, modifying reservations with 40% off pin codes, and/or anticipating free dining! So Disney isn't all bad!

I don't think anyone would be up in arms if the increase was within reasons, but come on 70 something %?

Disney Management should be ashamed of themselves and I mean that with all honesty.

I see this increase almost comparable to some of the price gouging that went on after hurricane Katrina.

This is nothing more then sticking it to people who have kids.

FWIW, I bring our own stroller so it will not affect me, but enough is enough.

Disney scams people on cr@ppy food and charges out the kazoo for it,park ticket prices have gotten outrageous, it seems like everything is getting to be an additional cost when you visit.

I see Universals attendance climbing up if Disney does not stop BS such as this.

Geeze, someone bring Eisner back. I think there was more Magic when he was here. (That should tell you something)

 

[LilGMom]

Well Target just got my WDW stroller rental money. We are now the proud owners of a Baby Trend Sit-N-Stand. A five day rental for a double was about the same amont of money as what we spent on the stroller and we'll be using this stroller for our December trip as well. So I figure that the stroller will be paying for itself on the last day of our May trip and will have more than paid for itself for our December trip. My local Target store thanks WDW for the stroller rental increase.

 

[amyhughes]

Well Target just got my WDW stroller rental money. We are now the proud owners of a Baby Trend Sit-N-Stand. A five day rental for a double was about the same amont of money as what we spent on the stroller and we'll be using this stroller for our December trip as well. So I figure that the stroller will be paying for itself on the last day of our May trip and will have more than paid for itself for our December trip. My local Target store thanks WDW for the stroller rental increase.

I was working a vendor fair today and saw 3 of those! I asked all of them where they got'em and they all said Target $119. I want one so bad!

I also said to one mom, who was wearing a Magic Kingdom sweatshirt and had the stroller, "Be sure to take it Disney next time!" and informed her about the recent price increase. She was appalled but also felt more than lucky she had purchased it!

 

[bcvdreamer]

Has any one received a response to their emails?

All I can say is" Who does Disney think they are? They're obviously out of touch with their customers, aka "guests" - yeah right!

We've never been to Universal, but it looks like it's time.