With an average of over 50,000 visitors a day, it’s not surprising that Disney World guests include a few bad apples. The most egregious offenders are obvious—queue jumpers, guests who bully cast members, that one group of knuckleheads who think they’re hilarious for flashing the Splash Mountain camera. These Disney sins are obvious, but there are other “naughty habits” that many guests may be utterly unaware of.
We’ve talked about a few of these faux pas before on Theme Park Tourist, such as not using flash photography on rides or not walking in a “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” formation stretching across walkways as you tour the parks. We’d like to explore a few more habits Disney guests need to just stop doing. Have you ever been unknowingly guilty of one of these? We all make mistakes, and it’s easy to correct these park etiquette slips.
Editor's Note: Jett's opinions in no way reflect those of Theme Park Tourist or its staff.
1. Stroller derby
We’ve visited the subject of stroller manners in the past, focusing on the benefits of using a lightweight stroller when possible as well as getting older kids used to walking. However, there’s a darker habit of some Disney stroller users, one that it’s almost impossible to avoid on an average Disney day.
Parents using their strollers as battering rams.
It’s understandable that wheeling a stroller through the busy streets of the Magic Kingdom can be a difficult challenge. Guests are going to have awkward moments navigating crowds and parents who manage to do this while maintaining that delicate balance between courtesy and persistence are superheroes. It's not an easy job, and this definitely isn't directed at all parents.
However, it’s a fascinating exercise to watch how some parents lose their minds once they get their hands on that rubberized grip of a stroller. I’ve seen middle aged suburbanites race each other down Main Street like crazed couponers on Black Friday. I’ve seen parents barrel their little prince’s carriage into other guests with abandon just to get to a character queue. I’ve been straight up shoved off the monorail during loading by a wild-eyed mom who set in her mind that no one come hell or highwater was going to take that last two feet on the train, even if it meant using her little angel like a piece of riot gear.
Gentle bumps and accidental collisions are going to happen, but if you’re planning on driving a stroller at Disney World, try to keep aware of your fellow guests. You will need some chutzpah to navigate around meanderers, but if the temptation to act out a scene from Mad Max takes over, perhaps take a breath rather than ramming the guests in front of you like you’re storming the gates of Helm's Deep.
Comments
iPad videographers. Those people are the worst. Yes please I'd much rather watch the show on your giant screen rather than in real life. I understand taking pictures or even video but really to raise a giant 11" screen over your head and block everyone's view takes a special kind of person.
Our daughter turns 4 in June and we just returned yesterday from her third trip to WDW. While I see the caution, it VASTLY depends on the child. She loves it and is relatively well behaved. This is hopefully our last time bringing a stroller (naps are still unmissable) but she has been a joy every time.
Why? Bringing a stroller is one of the best perks of bringing kids to a theme park. You can carry a lot more gear and supplies and just leave it in the stroller. I like traveling light into the theme parks so since that isn't really an option with kids, strollers are great. I've gotten it down to almost a science. You can't bring just any stroller. It has to be strudy but small enough and easy enough to quickly fold up and put on the trams. Also I have everything in a small sling bag and a smaller cooler so it's easy to unpack the stroller to fold up. It's great not having to carry anything on you when you walk around Disney but still being prepared for anything. Bringing a child without a stroller is a rookie mistake.