Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[nor'easter]

But not at Tokyo Disneyland.

Obesity is an American thing, not a Disney thing.

Yes and no. I've travelled all over North America and have never seen the concentration of large people that I see at WDW.

 

[GoofGoof]

They're not necessarily contradictory. Vicarious living. Making the kids have a magical vacation but being completely oblivious that it's past the point of enjoyable for the kids. The classic example is the parent pushing a kid into a sport the parent loves.

That does happen all of the time. Spent the day at the soccer fields today and one of my son's coaches is that way towards his kid who is on the team. They are 6 not high school kids! Actually its probably wrong to act that way towards high school kids too.

I just don't think you can generalize and say that people at WDW with strollers are all doing this. Some may be but not all. I don't know anything about your personal situation if you have kids or you are basing this on things that you have witnessed. I can only talk about my personal experience. We rarely stay in any park for more than 5 or 6 hours at a time. We use the stroller to get into and out of the parks mostly. Kids walk really slow (little legs and all). They walk even slower when you tell them its time to leave the MK. I throw them into a stroller and push them out and it goes much faster. The other time we have used the stroller is waiting for a parade or fireworks to start. Gives them somewhere to sit and wait. I think my kids have enjoyed our times at WDW, but I guess it's possible that I'm in the oblivious category too. Oh well. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[JimboJones123]

How could you forget Mater's first encounter with a bidet? Classic Disney, right there. Right up there with the fart powered hot tub in Lion King 1.5.

Oh, I forgot it. In fact, not only have no clue what you are referring to, I don't care to know. Nothing personal, I just have no need to revisit this movie.

 

[JimboJones123]

I'll go back to my original comment. Before I had kids or a stroller I never went into the stroller parking areas so I didn't really notice them and I definitely wouldn't bother taking a picture of them. I'm sure they were there. I still really don't see the problem if there is a roped off area for people to park strollers and its filled with strollers. IMHO Disney does a really good job keeping the stroller parking organized and out of the way so the walking paths are not blocked. We can agree to disagree on this one.

Disney has gotten MUCH better about strollers the past 10 years. When we used strollers, it was absolute chaos. Disney had not quite learned that strollers should be gathered together in a few hubs. It is a dream out there now compared to the wild days of the past decade.

 

[wdisney9000]

Like I said, I'm sure they were there. I just don't remember ever noticing them or talking about them during or after my trips or strollers really having any impact on my vacation at all. I guess I was just in my own world enjoying myself. I do notice them now since I have had a stroller with me and use the stroller parking areas.



Just an observation, but this kinda contradicts another recurring theme around here. If Disney builds anything that is geared towards small children with their interests in mind we get the "what would Walt think" line because Disney parks were supposed to be enjoyed by the whole family together not just attractions for little kids. The parks shouldn't be just about the kids but were built for the adult's enjoyment too. Then at the same time you get the whole "selfish parents" argument. Parents who bring young kids to WDW are just selfish. They are only out for their own enjoyment at the detriment of their kids. The two seem to contradict each other. If those parents were all really selfish wouldn't they be skipping the meet and greets and Fantasyland rides like the Carousel and Dumbo and just doing child swaps at Space Mountain and Everest? Again, just an observation for thought. In no way am I trying to tell you what you should or shouldn't do with your kids on vacation. That's none of my business.

My sister was a card carrying member of the stroller brigade for years. She let her first son use one until he was nearly 5. I expressed her to her my concern she was teaching her son to be lazy and wasting money and only making the stroller problem worse, etc. It didnt phase her. I think she like showing off her Bug a Boo stroller. I dont have kids yet, but mine will be walkimg once of age. If it means less time in the park so be it. I see parents pushing kids around who are passed out in the stroller. Id rather hit the resort until they are done napping. My sister tells me, "wait till you have a kid and that plan will all change"

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Folks, take a gander in case it gets taken down.

Have that save image as option handy folks!!

 

[PhotoDave219]

Strollers. ECVs.

It's not that Disney rents these. They should.

It's the third party rental companies who have these strollers & vehicles that are half the size of a Fiat that turnstiles allows in the gate.

There's been a 10+ year debate/argument between Secuirty & Front gate over who's responsibility it is to enforce what comes in the park.

And frankly some 19 year old CP isn't going to say anything... Not worth it.

So you have these grossly oversized vehicles coming into the park masquerading as a stroller or a medical device.

Such is the way of the mouse

 

[GoofGoof]

My sister was a card carrying member of the stroller brigade for years. She let her first son use one until he was nearly 5. I expressed her to her my concern she was teaching her son to be lazy and wasting money and only making the stroller problem worse, etc. It didnt phase her. I think she like showing off her Bug a Boo stroller. I dont have kids yet, but mine will be walkimg once of age. If it means less time in the park so be it. I see parents pushing kids around who are passed out in the stroller. Id rather hit the resort until they are done napping. My sister tells me, "wait till you have a kid and that plan will all change"

Your sister sounds like a smart woman.

 

[Nubs70]

Heard this complaint too. Would not want to be stuck in the elevators or smaller hallways and deck areas with too many strollers around.

After being run into the shins and once from behind by both a single and double wide stroller within 2 hours of entering MK, I have a dream. The dream is to get a triple wide stroller and mount pool cues on each side. Then I could run down Main Street at closing Ben Hur style.

 

[doctornick]

Folks, take a gander in case it gets taken down.

Have that save image as option handy folks!!

Is that Shanghai?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Is that Shanghai?

Yup. Someone posted it on Twitter earlier this evening.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Folks, take a gander in case it gets taken down.

Have that save image as option handy folks!!

Storybook Castle just seems like too much.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Storybook Castle just seems like too much.

I too find its scale far too large. I'm curious how its back fits in with Fantasyland proper.

 

[PeterAlt]

Folks, take a gander in case it gets taken down.

Have that save image as option handy folks!!

What is that? The SDL castle?

EDIT - Never mind. I see it is. Compared to the HKDL castle, this looks huge (or the HKDL castle looks tiny, depending on how you look at it). And I thought the size comparison between the one at WDW and DLR was great....

 

[PeterAlt]

I too find its scale far too large. I'm curious how its back fits in with Fantasyland proper.

Those damn Chinese capitalists and their material gluttonous excesses! Trim castle trim!

 

[doctornick]

I too find its scale far too large. I'm curious how its back fits in with Fantasyland proper.

I too am curious how it will fit in.

That said, it needs to be large considering everything they have planned for it:

Inside, guests will be able to explore the multi-level castle, which will feature a princess meet and greet, the first ever Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique princess makeover experience inside a castle and Once Upon a Time Adventure, a large-scale, walkthrough experience. Also for the first time, the castle will be part of a boat ride attraction that will be one of the anchor experiences of Fantasyland.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Those damn Chinese capitalists and their material gluttonous excesses! Trim castle trim!

More like cynical American executives looking to push as much "premium" princess Merch/Food/Special Meet & Greets as they possibly can.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

"the first ever Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique princess makeover experience inside a castle"

What about the one in WDW?

Personally I think the castle looks great.

 

[Wikkler]

I too find its scale far too large. I'm curious how its back fits in with Fantasyland proper.

There will be a contrived backstory, don't you forget that.

 

[TP2000]

When did society as a whole become so lazy that all children must be chauffeured in their own personal stroller?

Roughly 1995 by my watch. And it's sickening.

The good news is that I have some young family members who are raising toddlers now; they are super "hipster" and live in hip neighborhoods in Portland. They go to Disneyland once a year (ostensibly to come visit Uncle TP2000, but I know it's mainly cause I live 7 miles east of Disneyland and I have a pool), and they NEVER bring or rent strollers. The infants are held in backpack things, the toddlers and kindergartners walk all over the parks. The toddlers are occasionally carried for short periods of time by their very fit and fun young parents. When I bring up the subject of strollers and how I marvel that they are raising their children without them, they flatly respond that strollers are for people who don't know how to raise their children correctly and they would be mortified to have their hipster friends see them in public pushing their kids in a stroller.

So, at least there's hope, blossoming forth from the Great Pacific Northwest, just like Starbucks and Nordstrom did. Seasons One thru Three of Portlandia are available on Netflix now. And don't miss Season Four of Portlandia on the IFC network, premiering January, 2014 for more instruction on how to be hipster!