How many of you have tried to make it through any central area of the Walt Disney World during a parade or firework show?
You get some major points for making it through alive.
How many of you have made it through the most congested areas of Walt Disney World with a stroller?
You should be given a medal, and you should get major points that the others made it through alive!
And those poor babies, forced to sit at shin-level to the adults so focused on their own destination that they forget that Disney World is a place for children to experience joy and wonder and a place where the rest if us have the ability to feel like children, they should be given the biggest medal of all!
While we were at The Magic Kingdom last weekend we were forced to brave those crowds during the light parade. It went well until we came to a particularly congested area with room for barely two lanes of traffic… And we had a double stroller…
As I maneuvered past parked strollers, parade watchers, and the other lane of traffic, I desperately made sure I wasn’t about the hit the heels of the girl in front of us one more time, that we were going to make it through without hurting the people sandwiched around us or my little ones in the cart, and that we were going to be able to keep moving without getting stuck in one place and blocking all traffic.
It wasn’t easy, but it happens and we’ve all been in those situations. Strollers or not, it can be frustrating.
I was hunched over the awning of the stroller desperately trying to make sure I didn’t injure or irritate the girl in front of me, when we came to a particularly tough spot. As I checked the kids, checked the wheels, and tried to find a way to push on, I looked at a teenage/twenty-something girl, literally inches from me, as she complained loudly to her friend,
“strollers are the worse thing to ever happen to Disney World.”
Yes, it is a pain pushing those strollers through the crowds of people. Yes, that stroller cost me $31 dollars. Yes, Disney strollers are designed to be shorter and you can’t see the front over the canopy, making it impossible to be sure you won’t hit people in the ankles. Yes, the kids would rather walk and half the time you just push their stuff around and struggle to keep their hands in your’s while you push that beast of a stroller one-handed.
But you know what?
It is worth every minute of it when I look at the wonder on those precious faces and realize I am giving them a gift of magic and ensuring that they will have wonderful childhood memories. I’m also doing a little bit to prolong that innocence that ends far too soon, and giving them just a little more whimsy to combat our day-to-day realities that affect those little ones too.
Disney is for the children.
I’m sorry that you can visit Disney World and still hold on to your cynical views of entitlement.
Do yourself a favor, look around and decide what is really important.
Look closely at those children and the joy on their faces.
Look closely at the parents. It is a complete chore to give those little ones the gift of a day at Disney World, but if you look close enough, you will see that the parents would do it all ten times over to see their children that happy.
So, with many things I could have said in that moment not suitable for Disney, I kept plugging along with that beast of a stroller, looked her dead in the eye and said,
“you’re right, Disney World is totally the wrong place for children.”
As she didn’t respond rudely again, I hope it made her think and possibly go out of her way to help another struggling mother or create a magical moment for one of those other precious kiddos experiencing the wonder only Disney can bring.
And for the poor girl – no older than the other- who pushed through these crowds directly in front of our stroller that is the worst thing to ever happen to Disney World…
She calmly raised her foot each time we stopped to protect her ankles, used her own body to block my children from the oncoming crowd, mentioned to people who were especially pushy that there were children below, and helped guide us through the madness.
It’s people like her who are the best thing to happen to Disney World. I will be forever grateful to that stranger who understood that Disney is for the children.
Nice post! When you go to Disney you expect strollers if you don’t then I am not sure what you are thinking! I agree Disney if for children- expect strollers, screaming kids, flying French fries, the works! We live outside Orlando and have annual after 4 passes to Epcot, we love to go! Little kids everywhere is just part of the magic! 🙂
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If you just look at the little kids having fun, or have some compassion for the parents of the kids having meltdowns it will make your trip better too. Nothing compares to the experience of Disney at a young age! It’s too bad at least some of the magic wears off as we get older…
OMGoodness! Let’s ask her after she’s had a coupl eof children and wants to give them memories of the most magical place on earth!! I went on our first Family Disney trip this summer with two 7 year olds, a 5 and 3 year old and those strollers were our best friends!! I didn’t anticipate needing them for the older Kiddies but they got tired and carrying them is so not an option. Great post and response to a really sill comment.
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Exactly! I hated getting my ankles hit with strollers before kids too, but I’m a lot more understanding now!
I’ve had to use strollers at Disney World before. I just dodged the people. Granted, sometimes they’d step out right in front of me and then glare at ME–but as you said, Disney World is for kids.
When we go in March, my kids will be 8 and 13 so no more strollers. Now we’ll just stay out of their way!
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Right! We do our best but when people are cutting through or stopping quickly there’s not much we can do! Your kids are such a great age and you’ll have so much fun!
When my children were young, we took at trip to Disney World. It was a wonderful, exhausting, fantastic trip. We made the mistake of not getting a stroller for my youngest child. She was so tired from walking and I was tired from carrying her so we lost some of the enjoyment of the experience. I would have given any amount to have a stroller but we were unable to find one. I remember the rudeness of some people and, when I’m worn out, I become one of the rude people to anyone who dares make a cynical comment in my vicinity. I’m glad you were able to respond with a great statement that got your point across. I’m not sure I would have been able to do as well.
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Exactly! It’s almost impossible to go without even if they’re older. That’s a lot of walking and those crowds can be scary – I’d rather know I have a place for them to recharge and a place to keep track of them!
It’s hard not to let things like that get to you. That’s why it was such a surprise and so touching to notice how opposite the girl in front of us was – she made my day!
Hello, it’s Disney!!! = Strollers. You were saving their little legs, and other people from a complete melt down later on in the day. Tired toddlers are no fun!!!! She will understand when she brings her kids back. Bravo to the young lady in front of you!!
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Exactly, right!? What do you expect! I hope it sticks with her and she thinks about it while she’s pushing her kids through the crowds!
Oh my goodness…I don’t have little one’s yet nor the experience of visiting Disney with little ones but your story made me realize that I owe a great big thank you to my mom who took me various times as a little one myself. She never complained but I could always see a bit of exhaustion in her as we went from one ride to another; from one big old line to yet another massive beast of a line. She was such a trooper–she is such a trooper. Your little one’s will one day look back and realize the same of you.
Strangers are often quite amazing–in good and bad ways as illustrated by your experience. Surly the first young woman realized how ridiculous she was behaving after you reminded her that Disney is for children.
Lovely post!
xoxo
Jessica
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Thank you, Jessica! I’m willing to bet your mom did it again and again because there is nothing better than giving your kiddos those moments! Strangers definitely can be amazing – that wonderful woman in front of us totally turned that situation around for us! Thanks so much for stopping and commenting, Jessica!