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DianeM
10-22-2006, 12:15 PM
1) The "new" POTC is wonderful. They did exactly what I hoped they would do - updated it without changing it's spirit. I felt like I was on the same old POTC, but better. I loved the smokescreen/Pirate, and the new and improved battle. The only thing I would change would be to add more lightning bugs at the entrance - I remember more as a child, and it was magical.

2) The Monster's Inc ride was as disappointing as I was afraid it would be. My husband described it as "lame". It's a dark ride without the charm of the ones in Fantasyland. We rode Mr. Toad, Alice, and Peter Pan as comparison - and they were a lot of fun.

3) I'm getting a bit tired of the Nightmare overlay. We went on it, but it just lacks the fun/creepy feel of the regular HM. It would be better if they took out a few bright exhibits and added a few of the old HM features back in. The theme would still work.

4) There is no real "off season" anymore. Tuesday and wednesday were quite busy. Friday was a zoo. Friday night and sunday night were very crowded. They staffed the rides pretty well, though, and waits could be found in the 20 minute range for most rides during the daytime, as long as you stayed away from Fantasyland. I was disappointed three times when I tried to ride the Storyland Canal boats, though. They closed them well over an hour before the parades so that staff could help with the parade. I never did get to ride them in daylight, and they are a favorite. It would be nice to have a sign showing when they were open.

5) Million Dreams is off to a slow start. We saw the blue uniforms wandering around, but they always seemed to be going somewhere, not giving out things. There were a few "Dream" fastpasses, and even fewer blue ears, but not a lot of signs of anybody who won.

6) Unlimited fast passes would be a horrible idea. They really screwed up the California Screamin line. The wait was supposed to be 20 minutes, but it took twice that. When we got to the front, I realized that most of the fast pass people were wearing the blue "Dream" badges. Since there were only a few rides that took fast pass that day, they were going on them again and again, making the ride wait much longer for stand-by. I don't mind waiting - but Disney is supposed to be good at predicting line lengths, and the Dream fastpasses made it that impossible.

7) Magic is fragile - and it depends a lot on the people. I had a hard time feeling the "magic" this trip, and it took me a while to figure out why. Every time I ran into a CM that smiled and was enthusiastic (mostly older ones), I started to feel the Disney Magic. But they were few and far between. Most of the CM's I ran into ranged from serious and professional to grim and bored. Very few seemed happy to be at DL, and that made it hard for me to feel happy to be there. There was some magic, but an awful lot of the time I felt like I was at an ordinary theme park. I felt more enthusisam at San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park -the people there really seeemed to care about what they were doing, and it felt really positive being there. I felt like I was part of something special. I really noticed the contrast the next day at DL.

8) The Tiki Room is wonderful, no matter how many times I visit it.

9) Riverfront seating for Fantasmic is nice, but you can get better seats if you get lucky or time your wait carefully. The fireworks are really terrific at Small World.

10) Walk in Walt's Footsteps was terrific. A lot of the credit goes to the young woman (Wendy) who guided us, who had the enthusiasm I expect and really shared her love for the park. Our tour inspired my husband to buy several books on Walt Disney and Imagineering in order to learn more. It's her kind of enthusiasm that keeps the Disney Magic alive, and I only hope that the park is willing to pay her enough so that she can make a career out of sharing that enthusiasm.

jebldmm
10-22-2006, 02:10 PM
Hello. My name is Ed, and I am Diane's husband. I agree with all the comments that she made regarding our recent trip, but had to add a couple of points that struck me and make one comment that, Diane assures me, will get me flamed. Let's start with the sugar:

1 - Wendy was indeed a great guide on the WIWF tour. When we had a chance to talk to her, it had turned out that she used to be involved in the insurance business and was stagnating because she wasn't able to properly showcase her natural ebullience. She interviewed three times before they took her on and trained her in guest relations. The tour was more than worth it. She made a comment at the beginning that "I hope this tour will open your eyes to what Walt Disney was all about and that you will see Disneyland in a whole different light". She was right. He, and his work, are inspiring when revealed the way she did.

2 - Try the food at the French Quarter. We sat down to Jambalaya (Diane) and Goulash and were entertained by a light jazz band called the <forgot the name> Street Bachelors and Queenie who sang a few old jazz favorites. We got plussed with a couple of Mardi-Gras bead necklaces and thoroughly enjoyed the food and entertainment.

3 - I was less than impressed with the patois of the boat pilots on Jungle Cruise this time around. We went on the tour twice: day and night, and the jokes brought a polite smile to my face and nothing else. Judging by the mirrored reactions of the other guests, I would say that someone up in the offices needs to crank out a new list of cheesy / humorous comments that the drivers can use during the ride.

4 - Dole Whips at the entrance to the Tiki Room are like eating delicately flavored pineapple air. I can't do the Tiki anymore without getting a treat going in. It's almost Pavlovian.

5 - The main street theater where they normally show Mr. Lincoln, was showing a short movie with Steve Martin, and my favorite Disney character: Donald, celebrating Disneyland's first 50 years. Catch it before it goes away.

6 - When you're walking towards the Hollywood Backlot in DCA from DCA's hub, there is a hotdog shop on the left, and a really neat store on the right that sells Disney sketches, paintings, and other Disney memorabilia. Through the back door of the store is a wonderful, really wonderful area where you can watch scenes from Disney movies up on giant screens around the room while you wait to get into see Crush the talking turtle. Heartily recommended if you want to tweak your memory and have your heart strings tugged. It's ... er... Magical !

7 - Still get a great kick out of "It's a Bug's Life" and "Muppet 3D". I will be saddened when they take out the Muppets and hope they can replace them with something else as witty and familiar.

8 - Fastpasses are good things that allow you to properly schedule your day in DCA or DL and give you the opportunity to enjoy your favorite rides without aging significantly while you wait. Permanent Fastpasses, like the ones being given out by the "Million Dreams" folks dressed in blue, were created by Satan to encourage middle-aged, middle class professionals such as myself to spend all of my money in Hawaii or the Caribbean or anywhere else other than Disneyland or WDW. Are you listening management ? I'm 52, educated, opinionated, relatively well-off, and my wife and I have visited DL or WDW at least once a year for as long as we've been together. Think.

9 - The Emporium needs more people working the registers, especially at night.

10 - A note to the youngsters in the audience who like to make "adult" gestures to the camera as the log slides down the long slope on Splash Mountain: There is someone behind the scenes who filters out all photographs with "adult" gestures, and you will NOT see them up on the monitors at the end where you can stand and giggle at them... so don't bother. And to you ladies who are proud of your chests and wish to display them for that same camera: The folks behind the scenes filter those out too.

11 - The cost of fudge in the stores has gone up too high. $3.75 for a piece ??? That's nuts (no pun intended). We used to buy two or three pieces to eat at the park as we walked along, and a box of six to take home. This time we bought one piece to take home. Are you listening management ? Do the math. Remember what I said about "relatively well-off" ? That doesn't mean "stupid".

...and lastly: The commentary that my wife feels will get me burned to a crisp... and possibly her by association...

12 - Vehicular Abuse. Please be aware that pushing a baby carriage does not grant you the following:
- The right to shove it through a crowd of people walking IN THE SAME DIRECTION as you.
- The right to use it as a weapon to explore the vulnerability of peoples' shins.
- The right to use it as a four (or possibly eight) wheeled fastpass to get to the front of the line for anything.
- The right to park it at angles greater than 45 degrees and block passages in the approaches to rides, washrooms, stores, ticket lines, cash registers, etc..

As usual, it is only one part of a group that make the whole gang look like thugs. There were plenty of responsible parents that guided their charges around the grounds with care and tact and more concern for their children than their own schedule in getting to the next attraction. They're not the problem. The problem is with those others who view their carriages as gold-passes that allow them to get away with abominable behaviour. I have to wonder if the DL staff have been told not to approach carriage-pushing people under any circumstances because of the delicate possibility of offending new parents. You're damned if you do, and damned if you don't. But in the meantime, the selfish lack of concern for others from these particular "parents" does little to enhance the value of the DL experience for all concerned, and nothing to convince me that: if they are that obtuse and self-focussed, that their children will grow up to be anything other than ignorant louts like their parents. And all it would take to fix it would be a few comments from DL staffers like: "Can I help you move that over here ma'am?", and "Would you like me to park that here for you sir?", etc.

Rkkm
10-22-2006, 02:24 PM
Thanks you so much for such a great review! I always enjoy reading about other people's trips to DLR - just like I was there!

Sadly, I concur with your comments about the declining quality of the CM's "spirit." I have been going to Disneyland since the first week it opened in 1955 - I was ten. Fell in love with the place that murderously hot July day and have remained so ever since. In the past two-three years, I have noticed a sea change in so many of the CMs. Too often, their outfits have looked bedraggled and shabby - and they seem to be so overwhelmed by the thousands of people that they have "shut down" the smiles and super-friendliness and individual attention to guests.

But I do not blame the current CMs for this.

I think the real problem is that there are just too many people going to the Park. Swarms of humanity everywhere are just too hard to deal with as a guest .. but at least we can come and go as we please or just sit for a while when it all becomes too much. I truly think that when you are dealng with so many thousands and thousands of people in a single workshift, it is normal to begin to view them as masses who have to be herded, rather than as individual guests with whom you want to interact.

I especially noticed this during a Princess lunch this summer at the old Avalon Cove. I had been to character meals there in 2005 and earlier, where the fun with the characters was spontaneous, lively and the characters played with the guests. In contrast, during this summer's visit, the princesses were moving from table to table, signing autographs, posing for pictures and smiling, without the friendly chatting and questions that I had experienced before. It was like they were on an assembly line.

Now, please don't get me wrong .. the princesses were sweet, kind, polite .. but were obviously going through a drill rather than playing with children as I had seen in prevous years. It was like they had "x" amount of time to get through "x" amount of smiling, posing and signing .. and someone backstage had a stopwatch to make sure they did it.

I certainly do not blame the CMs for this overwhelm. I, too, would "shut down" a bit if faced with tsunamis of people day-after-day as part of my job.

I don't know if there is any other solution than a down-turn in park attendance.

Nancy
10-22-2006, 02:46 PM
Back when Disneyland first opened the CM's were a different breed all together. Respect for others was second nature. Now there is a whole generation of "entitled" young people. I see it all over not just Disneyland. It's sad really.

pisces
10-22-2006, 04:36 PM
7) Magic is fragile - and it depends a lot on the people. I had a hard time feeling the "magic" this trip, and it took me a while to figure out why. Every time I ran into a CM that smiled and was enthusiastic (mostly older ones), I started to feel the Disney Magic. But they were few and far between. Most of the CM's I ran into ranged from serious and professional to grim and bored. Very few seemed happy to be at DL, and that made it hard for me to feel happy to be there. There was some magic, but an awful lot of the time I felt like I was at an ordinary theme park. I felt more enthusisam at San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park -the people there really seeemed to care about what they were doing, and it felt really positive being there. I felt like I was part of something special. I really noticed the contrast the next day at DL.



You say you have a hard time being happy to be there...

...because of someone else's mood?

I can't imagine someone else affecting my happiness, someone who has nothing to do with me.

You don't really point to any incidents. I'm going to assume they didn't smile enough?, and so it "seemed" they were grim and bored, as you say?

I've heard it said before that moods are infectious......but only if you let them be.

I just don't allow someone else's boredom to rub off on me.

I just think (and this might sound mean) that your #7 sounds awfully petty, assuming that there were no bona fide incidents other than that things "seemed" grim.

I've heard it said that the people make the place.....but it's a two-way street.

I've had my own gripes, with Disney, at times, but that usually has to do with the weather, or shortened hours, or some such...

Not someone elses mood, which has no bearing on mine!

pisces
10-22-2006, 04:53 PM
This might be off-topic, but about 10 years ago, I worked for an employer (Not Disney related)...who gave me a negative performance review and said that I exhibited a distinct "Lack of Enthusiasm"

I was completely mystified. I had no idea what they were talking about. Was I making errors in my work product? Was I being combative and controntational to the clients? Was I coming in late?

Nothing of the kind.

And, so when I asked for specifics---the specific nature of this "lack of enthusiasm".....they really couldn't say, it was just something they "felt". Oh well that narrows it down, and gives me a way to correct things, now doesn't it?

I'm not the kind of person who smiles 24-7, or bounces off the walls in cheery laughter, but I didn't know that was expected either. I just did my job without error, which I thought was pretty good.

Anyway, I was a little ticked because this is a performance review and going on my permanent record, and they can't give specifics.

But I just ignored the whole thing, nonetheless, until three years later when I finally quit that job.....to go to a better paying one.

The day I quit, I remembered thinking, NOW they can cite a "lack of enthusiam" on my part! Now that I'm quitting..... Now they've got just cause. But, until then I never did have any clue of what they meant, or were talking about....with the ol' "lack of enthusiam" indictment!

tod
10-22-2006, 05:13 PM
When you're walking towards the Hollywood Backlot in DCA from DCA's hub, there is a hotdog shop on the left, and a really neat store on the right that sells Disney sketches, paintings, and other Disney memorabilia. Through the back door of the store is a wonderful, really wonderful area where you can watch scenes from Disney movies up on giant screens around the room while you wait to get into see Crush the talking turtle. Heartily recommended if you want to tweak your memory and have your heart strings tugged. It's ... er... Magical !

You can also enter that wonderful, really wonderful area from the street, under the big theatre marquee that says "ANIMATION."

--t
who agrees that it's wonderful, really wonderful

Malcon10t
10-22-2006, 06:08 PM
8 - Fastpasses are good things that allow you to properly schedule your day in DCA or DL and give you the opportunity to enjoy your favorite rides without aging significantly while you wait. Permanent Fastpasses, like the ones being given out by the "Million Dreams" folks dressed in blue, were created by Satan to encourage middle-aged, middle class professionals such as myself to spend all of my money in Hawaii or the Caribbean or anywhere else other than Disneyland or WDW. Are you listening management ? I'm 52, educated, opinionated, relatively well-off, and my wife and I have visited DL or WDW at least once a year for as long as we've been together. Think.
I'm unsure why you hate the Million Dreams fastpass. It contains one fastpass per ride that uses fastpass. Basically, there are 7 fastpasses. They are not "permanent" or "unlimited". It entitles the user one fastpass to Splash Mountain, Indy, Screamin, Soarin, TOT, GRR, and HMH. Does it also include one for Roger Rabbit?? Not sure why you think it is permanent.

Ella618
10-22-2006, 06:11 PM
Diane and Ed: Those were wonderful, thoughtful posts. You clearly took the time to write them, and this reader (at least) thanks you for sharing your perspective and opinions. Your comments provided some good reminders about the things that are wonderful about Disney and the things at DLR that are disappointing because there's room for improvement. And for someone like me who is headed to DLR in about 70 days, you shared some good travel tips, too. Happy travels . . . .

DianeM
10-22-2006, 09:34 PM
I have to admit that this thought went through my mind more than a few times this week. I have really mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I don't want Disneyland to be available only to rich people who can afford expensive tickets. On the other hand, I hate to spend hundreds of dollars on park admission, hotel accomodations, travel, and dining, only to have to compete with people who see DL as a place to spend a casual friday night or take the kids for a few hours during the daytime. Maybe it was the free tickets they were giving out, or the promotional passport that was given away with a credit card, but the crowds were pretty heavy. I guess that is good for Disney Corporation, since they sell more food and drinks, but it diminishes the quality for the guests who are paying full price, which doesn't seem fair.





I don't know if there is any other solution than a down-turn in park attendance.

DianeM
10-22-2006, 09:36 PM
All I know is that when a ride has a fastpass available, there were always a disproportionate number of these passes in the line. Maybe they were giving out more than one ride per ride, since there weren't a lot of rides with fastpass open during the week? There weren't that many of these passes out there, so I can't see why else they would be a majority in the fastpass lines (yes, there was sometimes a line for fastpass).


Not sure why you think it is permanent.

DianeM
10-22-2006, 09:39 PM
Happy travels to you, as well. It really is a wonderful place to visit. I even managed to brave the friday night crowds for a 2nd Fantasmic viewing. If you get a chance, take one of the tours. It was the best part of the trip, imo. And, I don't know if you have kids, but Turtle Talk is a lot of fun even if you don't, and obligatory if you do. The waiting area alone was wonderful. I just sat and watched the movie clips - and it wasn't just movie clips, they also had drawings from the design process. Fascinating. It's amazing how many little "pluses" they have at DL and DCA if you simply wander around and let things happen. :-)


And for someone like me who is headed to DLR in about 70 days, you shared some good travel tips, too. Happy travels . . . .

tunaman68
10-22-2006, 10:14 PM
Great report guys!

We went at the first of the month and it was sooo mobbed that we rode a few things and then left. The TV commercials, promotions, and mailers seem to be working, but is that a good thing?

We have season passes and can come and go as we please, but I feel bad for the people who save and come once a decade only to find masses with short tempers and loooong lines!

I happen to agree that many (not all) of the CM's have seemed to be punching the clock and not doing much to enhance the Disney 'magic'. There are still plenty of people in the park who are kind and helpful if not downright excited to be there, but there also seems to be plenty of CM's who don't want to be there.

This to me is not a new problem however. I began to notice it about 10 years ago at the counter service food places. I found more and more younger kids who could barely run a cash register and became irritated when I would inform them (always as politely as possible) that I wanted one of the burgers 'plain'!!

Then I noticed that this was happening at the local mall, the Mc Donalds, Home Depot etc.

I think the comment of younger staff being members from the "entitlement" generation is right on!

I notice it even in my own kids (and most of their friends) who feel that because they want something, they should have it - no work or sacrifice required....an attitude that my wife and I constantly try to combat. But I guess I'm guilty of wanting to go to Disney in October and have short lines, and happy CM's everywhere!!:)

While I feel that DL can't be held responsible for the attitude of the youth of America, they could go farther to keep qualified people happy. I know of many CM's that used to work full time at the park with benefits that have been replaced with two part time people doing the same job. But hey, they're trying to make the shareholders happy right?

The other thing I will add (and sure be argued with) is that on our trip to WDW last year, we ran into much more hospitality in general, and felt more of the Disney 'magic' than we'd come to expect in the last few years at DL.

Just my two cents.

Malcon10t
10-23-2006, 05:59 AM
All I know is that when a ride has a fastpass available, there were always a disproportionate number of these passes in the line. Maybe they were giving out more than one ride per ride, since there weren't a lot of rides with fastpass open during the week? There weren't that many of these passes out there, so I can't see why else they would be a majority in the fastpass lines (yes, there was sometimes a line for fastpass).I think a bigger problem than the "Golden Fastpasses" being given away is that the fastpass you get with your ticket, while it has a time on it, it really is valid all day. People aren;t using the fastpass at their allowed time, instead, saving it for night time or end of day, so you get everyone at once. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for Screamin, but I think there was more at hand than just fastpasses. I hope your next trip is nicer.

Malcon10t
10-23-2006, 06:00 AM
You can also enter that wonderful, really wonderful area from the street, under the big theatre marquee that says "ANIMATION."

--t
who agrees that it's wonderful, really wonderfulI love the Animation building also. And Off the Page is probably my favorite store. My daughter and I can spend hours in there.

disneyochem
10-23-2006, 06:21 AM
My only comment on the Fastpass topic that is being discussed is that you can get a Fastpass as well and use it strategically as others are doing!

It always amazing me when I walk past all the people in line the amount of people who don't use FastPass!

MadasaHatter
10-23-2006, 11:35 AM
Great trip post and I agreed with everything except the Monster's Inc.

1) We seem to take a trip in October all the time and I too am a little tired of the NIGHTMARE BEFORE XMAS theme. I think it is popular and I lovelovelove the decorations outside. It is just a personal opinion but I too really love the REGULAR HM but I think this version brings a lot of people in.

2) I really dig the POTC too. I think they did a great job and YOU ARE SO RIGHT about the Lightning Bugs.

3) The Dark Rides are my favorite too. Still a kid at heart. They can make the ISLAND into a Pirate THemed ride but if they EVER took MR. TOAD out I would cry. LOVE THAT RIDE. I think that they should put more dark rides in TOON TOWN to keep people coming over there. MONSTER'S INC. is fantastic. THe TV monitors that show advertising are great and original and reading all of the monster travel rules and then the machines that sell monster candy and soda. Then you get in your cab and it is a refreshing way to organize a ride....you are a monster that gets caught in a kid alert (what a very strong story telling device with action happening in the first scene) You are in a sushi restaurant and they have even piped in GINGER scent which is a first for a dark ride. LIKE all dark rides it is a tribute to a fantastic movie. Love the bathroom scene and then the door scene is MAGICAL. The scene with RANDALL changing colors and the door being random is awesome. Then the interaction where they blow stuff on you to de-comanate you....very cool and then the whole ride ends with a character ACTUALLY TALKING to you....my friend was single out by ROZ at the end and that is her favorite character....definitely the A LIST of all dark rides.....

4) Sorry to hear that the CM's were cranky. We got so MUCH smiles and how are you that that almost got irritating. Maybe they were on doubles??? Of course I say HI a lot so maybe it was me irritating them into smiling.

5) I have to so agree with you on the stroller issue. I think DISNEY should allow 100 strollers only and then cut it off. ( I know, I know , I know....never going to happen but I can dream too, can't I???) My Mom always told us that we would have to be old enough to walk to go to the park. She always said to us if a kid is in a stroller the parent is having no fun and the kid is having no fun and from observing my last visit she was about 90% correct. Any kid under six when asked about their favorite attraction says that it is THE SWIMMING POOL at the hotel. I read that somewhere. That is just my opinion and the opinion of 90% of my pals with kids.

6) I think that the FAST PASS should stay as it is also!!!

Great report. Thanks!!!

Cheers,

madasahatter

TikiGeek
10-23-2006, 12:48 PM
1) 8) The Tiki Room is wonderful, no matter how many times I visit it. So very true! :) Whenever I start to lose the "Magic" it brings me right back.

hlbtimes2
10-23-2006, 01:04 PM
My Mom always told us that we would have to be old enough to walk to go to the park. She always said to us if a kid is in a stroller the parent is having no fun and the kid is having no fun and from observing my last visit she was about 90% correct. Any kid under six when asked about their favorite attraction says that it is THE SWIMMING POOL at the hotel. I read that somewhere. That is just my opinion and the opinion of 90% of my pals with kids.

I totally disagree, and I'm sure many other parents here do as well. If I waited until both of my kids were old enough to go stroller free, it means I would have about a 10 years with NO visits to the park. My kids are almost 4 years apart. That would mean no visit for the (almost) year I was pregnant with #1, then 4 years waiting for #2, then another 5 years or so before he was old enough to go with out a stroller. No way I would wait that long! And, if you ask my kids, they will tell you they have had plenty of fun! Also, use of the stroller does a number of things: I allows longer days in the park. We average 15 hours a day while there. It also helps us keep track of the kids in a crowd and we can get where we are going much faster.

Since having kids we have had 4 trips, all with strollers. They have not had a negative impact at all.

tink's mom
10-23-2006, 01:23 PM
I totally disagree, and I'm sure many other parents here do as well. If I waited until both of my kids were old enough to go stroller free, it means I would have about a 10 years with NO visits to the park. My kids are almost 4 years apart. That would mean no visit for the (almost) year I was pregnant with #1, then 4 years waiting for #2, then another 5 years or so before he was old enough to go with out a stroller. No way I would wait that long! And, if you ask my kids, they will tell you they have had plenty of fun! Also, use of the stroller does a number of things: I allows longer days in the park. We average 15 hours a day while there. It also helps us keep track of the kids in a crowd and we can get where we are going much faster.

Since having kids we have had 4 trips, all with strollers. They have not had a negative impact at all.

I agree, I don't keep my kids in the stroller the entire time, but it's nice to have at the end of the day when the kids are tired and don't want to walk. On our last trip my DH and I ended up carrying our kids(and packages) back to the hotel because we had rented a stroller. I sure wish we had our own stroller that day and I don't think the kids would have minded either.
I don't use my stroller as a "weapon" and have been lucky not to have one used against me this way either, I'm sorry anyone has had to deal with that.
I have had a wheelchair rammed into me several times, on one visit while leaving the park, I felt terrible for the woman in the chair who looked extremely embarassed by the way her husband was pushing the chair into all of the ankles of the persons in front of him, purposely, to try to get people out of his way.

Malcon10t
10-23-2006, 01:36 PM
I agree, I don't keep my kids in the stroller the entire time, but it's nice to have at the end of the day when the kids are tired and don't want to walk. On our last trip my DH and I ended up carrying our kids(and packages) back to the hotel because we had rented a stroller. I sure wish we had our own stroller that day and I don't think the kids would have minded either.
I don't use my stroller as a "weapon" and have been lucky not to have one used against me this way either, I'm sorry anyone has had to deal with that.
I have had a wheelchair rammed into me several times, on one visit while leaving the park, I felt terrible for the woman in the chair who looked extremely embarassed by the way her husband was pushing the chair into all of the ankles of the persons in front of him, purposely, to try to get people out of his way.I am a mom with 4 teen/adult kids (16-21). So, we don't have a stroller. But I have found it is definately a 2 way street. I don't remember having been ran over/bumped/decapitated by a stroller in the last 2 years. But, I have watched numerous people cut in front of strollers/wheelchairs/ECVs, then turn and give the person in the wheelchair or driving the stroller or ECV a dirty look. They don't stop on a dime. We used a wheelchair last spring, and it was surprising how many people would just drift from where they were to right in front of you. We've had our dog stepped on, adn I have seen adults run right into 2-3yos walking with mom and dad, who usually don't even notice. At that age, they are better protected in the stroller. Since we have the dog, my eyesight has tended to chage to see what is happening at his level, so its been unique to see what people ARENT watching. People will just suddenly change direction right in front of you. I have even seen someone step over a persons leg in a wheelchair to get to the churro stand a split second faster. I think its up to everyone to be watching where they are walking.

tink's mom
10-23-2006, 01:46 PM
I think its up to everyone to be watching where they are walking.

I absolutely agree. I don't even mind being bumped, I think we've all accidentally bumped into somebody. I just don't want to be rammed incessantly!:)

Nancy
10-23-2006, 08:13 PM
I am a mom with 4 teen/adult kids (16-21). So, we don't have a stroller. But I have found it is definately a 2 way street. I don't remember having been ran over/bumped/decapitated by a stroller in the last 2 years. But, I have watched numerous people cut in front of strollers/wheelchairs/ECVs, then turn and give the person in the wheelchair or driving the stroller or ECV a dirty look. They don't stop on a dime.



Thank you. I haven't used a stroller in years but this is a pet peeve of mine too. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people just stop in the middle of the walk and tie a shoe or look for something in their purse without moving over to the side and they get plowed into.

cpeak
10-23-2006, 08:38 PM
On the stroller topic, I just got back from my first stroller free trip. It was so nice to be free from the stroller. Not to say that the girls did not have fun in the stroller, they had tons of fun. It was easier for them to make it through the day because they didn't have to walk as much. Thus allowing both parents and children to have a good time.

Without the stroller my favorite thing, is not worry about where I left the stroller and going back to retrieve it at the end. Also it was easier to make our way through traffic areas. We were able to get to places within the park quicker. I look forward to more trips without the stroller, yet I know that kids in strollers do indeed have fun in other places than the pool. Mine did for 3 years.

ShirleyFilms
10-25-2006, 07:55 AM
Many thanks to Diane and Ed for the report. I really enjoyed reading your comments.