Random thoughts from MK visit today (AKA Stroller Encounter)

[ChrisFL]

Well if the stroller people continue to increase, the only solution I can see is for Disney to lower the "capacity" limit severely. If instead of every 10 families having a small stroller, every 2-3 families have a large stroller....that's going to really impact the crowding.

 

[ChrisFL]

Another quick thing that happened yesterday. We reserved FP+ for POTC, we got through the first checkpoint, then as I was at the second one, I scanned my card, it lit up green...the CM standing there said "Hi Christopher!" then immediately said "Did you scan your card there yet?" as if I hadn't........but how did she know to call me by my name, duh.

I didn't have anything on my t-shirt or buttons that said my name.....just seemed odd, but probably a CM who isn't too familiar with the system yet.

It is a bit creepy to me to be called by my name from random CM's like that.

 

[Mammymouse]

I know there was a mass exidous from Illinois to Florida this weekend. It is Casmier Pulaski Day on Monday and there is Teacher institute days tacked on each end of the weekend too in many districts. Pretty much all flights were booked heading to MCO. I got caught up in an unexpect bleep of families in April of 2012 when Massachusetts had a mid April Spring break well after most and after Easter, I was surprised too.

As for the strollers, I wrote this on another thread. Basically Disney being shortsighted in a couple of ways.

My kids were 5 years apart, I did the stroller thing for 10 freak'n years. I needed diapers, wipes, clothing changes, formula, insulted bag, baby food, bib, there is lots of stuff baby needs. My DS first trip was 14 months and my DD first trip was 2 months. I left the stuff in the stroller, I didn't drag all this stuff into restaurants or attractions.

Now my oldest is 26 and I've seen what has changed that has made the stroller nightmare worse. First Disney went to these huge double wide plastic strollers, Disney started it. When mine were small Disney only had the TANK metal strollers, one kid. Yep they hurt if you hit someone however they were narrow and not long. Stroller corals were not designed for the Disney Double Wide plastic strollers. Then Disney decided to go beyond reason in price hikes. I paid $5 day + $1 deposit. Anything in the $30 a day range and guests chose to bring their own or rent from an Orlando based company. Now you have guests that would rent a stroller for a nominal fee refusing to pay $30+ a day and dragging these huge strollers on buses and trams along with boats and monorails. Disney pushed the guests into this.

When I am the empress of the stroller world I will replaced the Disney owned strollers. They will be compact once again. They will not be rented for more than $10 a day, (the strollers will still pay for themselves in a week or two.)
Guests will be allowed to bring in their own strollers only if they fit the maximum size range. Strollers brought onto transportation would only be allowed onboard if they fold to a maximum size range. The one and only year I had two strollers was when my DD was a newborn. I rented one of Disney's 'ole TANKs and we put the infant in an umbrella stroller. These two strollers combined didn't come close to the size of Disney Double Plastic strollers.

Yes, guests will whine a bit at first but they will learn to bring smaller strollers, just like a maximum sized suitcase and maximum weight on an airplane. And the fools that are in charge of stroller purchasing at Disney Parks will learn quickly to buy strollers that fit in their freak'n corrals. It isn't that difficult to solve Disney!

Common sense simple solution!!!! Sadly many in charge of (insert anything here) so over think the problems they are trying to solve. You rock!

 

[Laura]

Having done it, I personally don't understand why anyone would take a child under 3 to WDW, but they all have their reasons. I try to not let it bother me.

And reasons generally have nothing to do with the child that is under 3. For example, I have a 10 year old and a 12 year old. We go to Disneyland often (at least every month) because it's less than an hour away. We all have annual passes. When I have a baby this summer, I'm not just going to stop going to Disneyland with my older kids for 3 years because I have a baby.

However this is what I think the problem is with stroller congestion. A baby over the age of 6 months can sit in a compact umbrella stroller just fine, and you can get them with sunshades, reclining features, and under stroller storage. But parents choose to bring a freakin bus of a stroller to the parks instead of something small. And don't get me started on those double strollers. If you have 2 adults and 2 children in strollers, get 2 umbrella strollers! The double strollers are a nightmare in and for crowds. If the parents are doing ride swap, park one of the strollers and let the older kid walk for a bit while you push the younger one.

 

[bethymouse]

The double strollers are the worst! LOL.

 

[DManRightHere]

Is it spring break for small kids right now, because although the wait times were somewhat high at MK, the crowds and strollers were off the charts INSANE!!

I went with a co-worker who's AP was about to expire, we started at Epcot which was not too busy, saw lots of old folks though....went to MK around 3:30 PM and tried FP+, was able to reserve pretty much anything it looked like, even at that time of day.

The crowds were crazy though...just masses of people everywhere. Also, it got so bad, that at the big bottleneck between IASW and Peter Pan, there were 3 CM's along the area directing people to keep going and that there was two-way traffic. I've been there at many busy times but never saw this happen!

But even worse than when I usually visit, a few times per year, was strollers. Strollers over here, strollers over there, strollers on your tram row, strollers filling up your monorail cabin. Strollers in the front, strollers in the back, strollers running over your ankles or stroller mom attacks.

I don't know if the FP+ is causing more traffic to walk around instead of queueing more than FP- but there are some MAJOR crowding issues right now...even if the hub gets fixed.

There has to be a solution to this stroller epidemic.

I'm pretty sure FP+ is not to blame. If anything more people are getting to use FP.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'm pretty sure FP+ is not to blame. If anything more people are getting to use FP.

More people using FP means more people outside of queue areas.

 

[DManRightHere]

More people using FP means more people outside of queue areas.

Thats true, but I wouldn't blame fp+ for overall park crowding.

 

[ChrisFL]

Thats true, but I wouldn't blame fp+ for overall park crowding.

If we are to believe the official word, FP+ usage rates are about 30% higher than FP- which means more people not in standby lines....those guests have to go somewhere.

 

[zero creativity]

Since it seems that everything is going digital, could the whole Disney stroller rental service become something like citibike in NYC? You could cut down on CMs moving strollers around and have dedicated places for them kind of like the baggage carts at the airport.

 

[DManRightHere]

If we are to believe the official word, FP+ usage rates are about 30% higher than FP- which means more people not in standby lines....those guests have to go somewhere.

Why wouldn't people be waiting in line for another attraction instead of moseying about?

 

[Disvillain63]

As @Gabe1 stated, the strollers back in the 90's were smaller and less expensive to rent. We rented for our DS during his first visit and then again during DD first visit. The rental price is 6 times what it used to be. I can go to Wal-mart/Target and purchase an umbrella stroller or two for what I can rent for one day. Personally, I preferred renting back in the 90's, instead of bringing a stroller with me. I would prefer it today, but the cost is outrageous. I also didn't carry all the stuff into the parks that parents today carry, so times have changed as to what people think they need.

We will be bringing our 18-month old GS and his umbrella stroller with us on our next visit. The 'diaper' bag is smaller than most purses. That's it. If I could rent a Disney stroller for $10 or less a day, I wouldn't worry about the umbrella stroller, and that would be one less stroller on the bus.

 

[Gabe1]

As @Gabe1 stated, the strollers back in the 90's were smaller and less expensive to rent. We rented for our DS during his first visit and then again during DD first visit. The rental price is 6 times what it used to be. I can go to Wal-mart/Target and purchase an umbrella stroller or two for what I can rent for one day. Personally, I preferred renting back in the 90's, instead of bringing a stroller with me. I would prefer it today, but the cost is outrageous. I also didn't carry all the stuff into the parks that parents today carry, so times have changed as to what people think they need.

We will be bringing our 18-month old GS and his umbrella stroller with us on our next visit. The 'diaper' bag is smaller than most purses. That's it. If I could rent a Disney stroller for $10 or less a day, I wouldn't worry about the umbrella stroller, and that would be one less stroller on the bus.

Happiest trip ever when I didn't have to bring a diaper bag any longer. Each kid got a fannie pack as did my DH (long time ago don't judge) and everyone was responsible for their own junk, they soon learned not to bring crud anything, just like me.

 

[loveofamouse]

Are we, adults, really arguing about the CHILDREN in Disney world? Disney world was made for FAMILIES, which include CHILDREN and all of their paraphenalia. That said, I agree about those rental strollers. They are huge, ugly, offer no real features of convenience, and are a beast to push. I bring my own. I have 4 kids, 3 of which were under the age of 3 at the same time at one point. I brought a double tandem (front and back) stroller to the parks once. Learned that that was a PITA. I brought a side by side stroller once. Learned that that was a PITA. In the end, I had two single strollers that weren't huge bohemiths (sp). I also agree about age. I had a 6yr old that's hypoglycemic and fatigues easily with sugar lows. I stopped bringing a stroller for her this past year. Now, if she's a bit tired, she stands on the back of her brother's chair. Six is my max for a stroller at theme parks. I HATE jogging strollers at parks! They are HUGE and don't turn easily. I don't understand why anyone would use a jogging stroller for anything other than JOGGING.

 

[MissingDisney]

Are we, adults, really arguing about the CHILDREN in Disney world? Disney world was made for FAMILIES, which include CHILDREN and all of their paraphenalia.

No, that argument can be found in many other threads. We're simply discussing the size of the BAS (think BAH-it's along the same lines ). CHILDREN aren't the issue here, the ideologies of their PARENTS is.

 

[wogwog]

MK no longer has a slow season, period.

Stroller rentals are very profitable to the Mouse at $15 single and $31 double. We see strollers as obstacles but Disney sees $ signs parked all over and rolling around.

 

[loveofamouse]

I would never take a child to Disney in one of those $15 umbrella strollers. They offer comfort to no one. I think the reason people bring their BAS is because they paid for it. You want the youngster to be comfortable, which means padding and recline. You, as a pusher, want to be comfortable, which means good height, parent tray and under basket. With the cost of a decent stroller these days, I wouldn't abandon my good one for a cheapy on the main day I need what it offers. That said, though, there are models that are just huge, even for going to the mall. I am a stroller nut. I have to mess with them any time I'm at the baby store. I study the specs and features. My friends come to me for stroller and car seat advise all of the time. There are some, cheap and pricey, that are just overkill, excessive, too big, too small, useless, or combersome. I have the UppaBaby Vista for my little guy. I also have 3 older kids. I won't stop going because the baby is a baby. I also bought a stroller that is totally manageable at the parks without needing a wide load escort.

Disney should, both, improve the prices of the stroller rentals and the types rented. I would rather fly and travel with my own than use those ugly, plastic lawn chairs on wheels. They are huge, offer no storage, no recline, no comfort, not even good wheels. They don't turn well at all. I think it is absolutely DISGUSTING that Disney expects the renters to park their stroller in one area, take out the name card, and pick up another at the next area (i.e. MK train and any attraction that doesn't return you to your original destination). You have no idea what the previous family did what that thing. Ugh *vomit* lol.

BTW BAH and BAS have totally different meanings for me, being military. lol. I had to think about that one (still clueless on BAH)

 

[loveofamouse]

Disney, if people are feeling the need to use outside stroller rental places to get a stroller for your parks that offer stroller rentals, you have a problem

 

[Zummi Gummi]

BTW BAH and BAS have totally different meanings for me, being military. lol. I had to think about that one (still clueless on BAH)

BAH equals "big *ss hat" as in the hat at Hollywood Studios. Lol.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

But even worse than when I usually visit, a few times per year, was strollers. Strollers over here, strollers over there, strollers on your tram row, strollers filling up your monorail cabin. Strollers in the front, strollers in the back, strollers running over your ankles or stroller mom attacks.

There has to be a solution to this stroller epidemic.

This is EXACTLY why I tell my friends with kids to NOT bring their kids to WDW until they're old enough to walk on their own w/o a stroller.