In Defense of the Stroller Pushers

[Cesar R M]

Good manners are a matter of a good upbringing, I live in small town america and people generally do not act like that UNLESS they live in one of the LARGE trailerparks and then they behave exactly as the @The Empress Lilly states. There are other trailerparks which are cooperatively owned by the residents and they DO NOT have the same problems. It's the Entitlement mentality which is a disease.

and gets worse due of the world current habit of "program" the people of the "everyone special, you should do what you want" type mentality. D:

 

[Disneykidder]

I have been to Disney with and without strollers. It's the same all the time. There are rude walkers and rude stroller pushers. We can't stereotype against either because plain and simple, both sides of the coin can be disrespectful. (Case in point: In August after Celebrate the Magic, I was stuck with my stroller in the middle of Main Street while the herd flocked to leave...one group asked me if I wanted to go in front of them because we had a nice conversation while on line for a ride.) What some also need to be mindful of is, as someone else posted, that there are children who may be sick and need a stroller. We may not see that they are sick but they just may be. For that matter, no parent needs to really justify to anyone as to why they have/not have a stroller.

I think everyone should agree that there can be people on both sides and we shouldn't discriminate against either. I'm just keeping the peace, people.

 

[Prince-1]

Holy crappola. There are some people here with some deep rooted issues.

 

[ford91exploder]

I have been to Disney with and without strollers. It's the same all the time. There are rude walkers and rude stroller pushers. We can't stereotype against either because plain and simple, both sides of the coin can be disrespectful. (Case in point: In August after Celebrate the Magic, I was stuck with my stroller in the middle of Main Street while the herd flocked to leave...one group asked me if I wanted to go in front of them because we had a nice conversation while on line for a ride.) What some also need to be mindful of is, as someone else posted, that there are children who may be sick and need a stroller. We may not see that they are sick but they just may be. For that matter, no parent needs to really justify to anyone as to why they have/not have a stroller.

I think everyone should agree that there can be people on both sides and we shouldn't discriminate against either. I'm just keeping the peace, people.

Look people I'm not against the use of strollers, I think they are way overused at Disney and too often abused.

In the case of the lady who I almost called the cops on who was busily bashing my ankles with a couple of 7-8 y/o kids in a doublewide, If she would have ASKED if her kids could have the front row I would have GIVEN her my spot. Instead she chose violence as the way to get what she wanted which is NEVER acceptable.

 

[G00fyDad]

I bet if Disney doubled the rental price of their strollers it would weed out many of the guests who use them for anything but getting a toddler around.

They did that already. Didn't help.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

They did that already. Didn't help.

Do it again! Let's see what the market will tolerate.

 

[G00fyDad]

This debate is an endless one. There will always be those on both sides that think that they are right. All along never admitting that they may be at fault themselves. Face it, there are those that push strollers without looking, and there are those that walk without looking. With the massive attendance that WDW has these days accidents will happen. I wouldn't be so worried about strollers or no strollers. I'm more worried about stupid people walking or pushing the strollers. We used a stroller effectively for years without ever once (No crap) hitting someone accidentally. I drilled a few on purpose, but that was for other reasons. And we used a huge stroller. It can be done. But then again, walking like you have some sense can be done as well. Look at it like this, everyone needs to use their head when traversing WDW.

 

[disneyfan56]

I don't think politeness has anything to do with what "class" you are a member of or what type of structure in which one lives.

Feeling entitled spans all social-economical groups.
Rude is just rude.

I also agree with those who are saying that there are plenty of rude people without strollers. It's just those with strollers have more of a chance of causing physical harm to others.

 

[englanddg]

I've personally only used a stroller once at the parks. And that was for only half a day when the kid was 5 because she fell asleep on the monorail and my hands were full with last minute packages, etc...so lugging her around really wasn't an option.

Otherwise, I just took advantage of room delivery of purchases and plopped her on my shoulders.

That being said, I don't begrudge people who do use strollers. But, their impact on traffic is far greater than pedestrians alone. Especially when it's a group and they insist on walking side by side through choke points.

I also despise stroller "farms" which destroy some of the vista. But, if I wanted cleaner views of the park, I wouldn't go during peak times! So, again, no real gripes (just laments).

However, when I hear about people intentionally "targeting" others with their strollers because they feel maligned in some way (which many have said they do in this thread...granted, I assume it's a joke...but if it's not), that just grinds my gears.

 

[GoofGoof]

I think these threads always pop up because people can't see both sides. I've been on both sides of this issue. Plenty of trips to WDW without a stroller or kids and now a few with. My outlook has changed. It's an individual, case by case basis. I've been run down by a stroller on several occasions, had people walk right into or in front of the stroller I am pushing and even hit a few people. The key is that people need to act civilized. If you hit someone accidentally with the wheels of your stroller...apologize. If someone accidentally bumps you and then says they are sorry and you are still mad then you are the one with a problem. Not everyone with a stroller is "out to get you". An accident is just that, an accident.

If you are walking in a crowd and someone next to or in front of you is pushing a stroller and there is a small space in front of them don't jump in the space and then stop expecting the stroller to be able to stop. I equate this to merging in traffic. If you are in slow moving traffic and need to get over and see a small space in front of an 18 wheeler don't try to jump in there. 18 wheelers can't stop as quickly as a car and they leave extra space between them and the car in front to make sure they can stop. When someone jumps in that spot and then hits the brakes there is a good chance they are getting hit. Same goes for the stroller (especially now that some are the size of an 18 wheeler). When you are pushing a stroller you aren't as quick to turn or stop as a person walking.

 

[DManRightHere]

I think all double strollers allowed in should be tandem. They will take up less of the walkway. Some of people with strollers act like they own the road and we need to get OUT OF THEIR WAY .

I dont have a problem with strollers, just excessive stroller. I felt the same way when sams club went to extra wide carts. People would already walk right in front of you and not yield when I am trying to get around them while they look at cheese.

 

[GoofGoof]

I think all double strollers allowed in should be tandem. They will take up less of the walkway. Some of people with strollers act like they own the road and we need to get OUT OF THEIR WAY .

I dont have a problem with strollers, just excessive stroller. I felt the same way when sams club went to extra wide carts. People would already walk right in front of you and not yield when I am trying to get around them while they look at cheese.

The only problem with the tandem ones is they are harder to steer when a heavier kid is in the front. I found the out the hard way my last trip. You are right, it beats the side by side ones that are just too wide to navigate.

 

[englanddg]

I think all double strollers allowed in should be tandem. They will take up less of the walkway. Some of people with strollers act like they own the road and we need to get OUT OF THEIR WAY .

I dont have a problem with strollers, just excessive stroller. I felt the same way when sams club went to extra wide carts. People would already walk right in front of you and not yield when I am trying to get around them while they look at cheese.

It's interesting you brought this up. When I was growing up we'd go to the Commissary for grocery shopping, and aisles used to be much smaller than they are now. At some places, they even had LANES painted on the floors (not kidding).

I used to want to walk beside my mother while we shopped, but she'd snap at me "In front or behind, but NOT beside!"

The reason I opted for no stroller was that a) I had only one child with me and b) I liked not having to deal with lugging it around, keeping track of it, etc...

But, to each their own. Also, I can completely get why a family with two children sub age 8 may wish to bring a stroller, or even two.

 

[GoofGoof]

It's interesting you brought this up. When I was growing up we'd go to the Commissary for grocery shopping, and aisles used to be much smaller than they are now. At some places, they even had LANES painted on the floors (not kidding).

I used to want to walk beside my mother while we shopped, but she'd snap at me "In front or behind, but NOT beside!"

The reason I opted for no stroller was that a) I had only one child with me and b) I liked not having to deal with lugging it around, keeping track of it, etc...

But, to each their own. Also, I can completely get why a family with two children sub age 8 may wish to bring a stroller, or even two.

I can't wait to return to WDW without the stroller. We considered leaving it behind this past trip, but my youngest is still only 3. He fell asleep a few times in the stroller on the way home at night. We needed it. Our next trip the boys will be 5 and 8 and they both take after dad so they are big and heavy. No way I'm pushing them around. We will finally be stroller free. I will no longer be relegated to riding in the "dad's with strollers" section standing by the exit door of the bus. When I get on the bus I will be able to just give the guys the "I feel for ya man" nod and grab a seat in the back of the bus.

 

[englanddg]

I can't wait to return to WDW without the stroller. We considered leaving it behind this past trip, but my youngest is still only 3. He fell asleep a few times in the stroller on the way home at night. We needed it. Our next trip the boys will be 5 and 8 and they both take after dad so they are big and heavy. No way I'm pushing them around. We will finally be stroller free. I will no longer be relegated to riding in the "dad's with strollers" section standing by the exit door of the bus. When I get on the bus I will be able to just give the guys the "I feel for ya man" nod and grab a seat in the back of the bus.

This was the first year I've been "Daddy Shoulders Free"...last year I caved a few times (kid was 7, nearly 8) simply because the kiddo was tired. But...she was a bit large to do it. I mostly did it on our hikes from Royal Pacific to Universal Studios. She was too big to do it in a crowded place.

You also hit on another reason why I didn't want to bring one. Dealing with it on the busses!

I sortof miss the 5 year old on my shoulders. But, it's also nice she's self mobile now!

 

[GoofGoof]

This was the first year I've been "Daddy Shoulders Free"...last year I caved a few times (kid was 7, nearly 8) simply because the kiddo was tired. But...she was a bit large to do it. I mostly did it on our hikes from Royal Pacific to Universal Studios. She was too big to do it in a crowded place.

You also hit on another reason why I didn't want to bring one. Dealing with it on the busses!

I sortof miss the 5 year old on my shoulders. But, it's also nice she's self mobile now!

Strollers on buses is one of the main reasons I stayed at BLT my last 2 trips. We took the monorail to/from EPCOT and mostly walked to MK. We had limited bus trips. It still is a real pain.

 

[The Tuna]

Plenty of people pushing around the USS Graco that don't look where they're going because of distractions as well. However I'm not seeing you excoriate them....

Courtesy works in more than one direction....

Reread my post about the lady drag racing around main street and me thinking of her as a moron. The basic point, which seems to be so lost on so many is that maybe just maybe when you get hit you weren't paying attention and walked in front of the stroller. I have never been hit by a stroller and I have never hit anyone with a stroller. However you can't fix stupid and if you give stupid people a stroller or the ability to roam freely you can get hit or hit someone. By no means did i say morons pushing strollers arent morons. Morons are morons. Again as a first time stroller pusher I was merely mentioning that sometimes people get hit because they look right and walk left or bury their head in their cell phone. The courteous thing to do, which I did and made others do was to pull over to the side, with or without a stroller, check my phone and then go on with my day. If you stop in the middle of the pathway and it is crowded you may get hit by your own stupidity or by someone pushing a stroller checking their phone.

I love how everything on here becomes a war. Can't you just feel the magic of those who read only what they want to make a point and not the whole comment?

 

[englanddg]

I have more of a problem with scooters than strollers. And, it's not a reflection (necessarily) of the people themselves...it's that the drivers of a lot of the scooters DON'T use scooters on a regular basis. They are renting scooters they are unfamiliar with and have tricky throttles. So, they tend to lose control of them in crowded situations, trying to wheel through too slow or too fast.

This is a reflection of the technology and the skill/familiarity of the operator, not necessarily the persons intention. But, we've all seen it. The scooter shooting ahead 5 feet at a crazy speed...then stopping for another pocket to open up. When it doesn't, sometimes the scooter operator gets frustrated, and then starts beeping that little horn they come with.

Magical!

 

[GoofGoof]

Reread my post about the lady drag racing around main street and me thinking of her as a moron. The basic point, which seems to be so lost on so many is that maybe just maybe when you get hit you weren't paying attention and walked in front of the stroller. I have never been hit by a stroller and I have never hit anyone with a stroller. However you can't fix stupid and if you give stupid people a stroller or the ability to roam freely you can get hit or hit someone. By no means did i say morons pushing strollers arent morons. Morons are morons. Again as a first time stroller pusher I was merely mentioning that sometimes people get hit because they look right and walk left or bury their head in their cell phone. The courteous thing to do, which I did and made others do was to pull over to the side, with or without a stroller, check my phone and then go on with my day. If you stop in the middle of the pathway and it is crowded you may get hit by your own stupidity or by someone pushing a stroller checking their phone.

I love how everything on here becomes a war. Can't you just feel the magic of those who read only what they want to make a point and not the whole comment?

I hate to say it, but Disney is pushing you to spend more time on your phone not less with the new system. The number of people walking and checking their phone is likely to increase as people are checking the app for reservation times or trying to change a FP.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I hate to say it, but Disney is pushing you to spend more time on your phone not less with the new system. The number of people walking and checking their phone is likely to increase as people are checking the app for reservation times or trying to change a FP.

Well, this is Iger's Disney. Who cares if phone addicts are disrupting rides and attractions and ruining the experiences for other guests as long as they're spending money?