STROLLER PARKING

[Travisma 1,317]

I saw this Sunday at AK, and was trying to figure out what it meant.

Saw an article about it after I got home.

 

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2018/06/04/parking-a-stroller-at-disney-world-just-got-a-bit-more-complicated

 

Parking a stroller at Disney World just got a bit more complicated

Disney World is the No. 1 family destination in the world, and with those numbers it’s no surprise that stroller parking throughout the theme parks can be a hassle. At some rides parking and retrieving one’s stroller can be more time-consuming than the actual attraction. 

This past weekend, Disney debuted a new pilot program to help alleviate some of the hassles around stroller parking. At Animal Kingdom, now the third busiest theme park in the Western Hemisphere, the new stroller parking test has guests using multiple smaller stroller parking areas. 

When guests rent a Disney stroller, the stroller is tagged with a specific color that corresponds to one of three specific parking areas at each of the test attractions. Those guests who bring their own strollers will have their stroller tagged at the first attraction where they use the system. If a guest wants to change their color, they’re able to remove the tag and pick up a new one at their next attraction. 

The system has the stroller parking areas at the attractions now broken into three smaller parking areas instead of one large area. This should help the crowds more easily disperse after a show or attraction lets out. Cast Members are located in the parking area to assist guest and to ensure that the strollers are being parked in their proper parking area.

The list of attractions where the system is in use include;

• “it’s tough to be a bug”
• Festival of the Lion King
• Finding Nemo – The Musical
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Rivers of Light
• Wildlife Express Train

The test seems focused on shows and other attractions where a large number of guests would exit at the same time, with the exceptions being Kali River Rapids and Kilimanjaro Safaris. The Safari ride has always had its own issues due to the length of the ride and ride capacity, creating a massive sea of strollers, luckily the parking area for that ride is tucked away out of sight from most areas in the park. Neither of the Pandora: The World of Avatar and none of the Dinoland rides are included in the test. This could be due to the Dinoland kids rides being less popular and therefore don't cause a large glut of strollers to sit out front of them. 

That points to another issue with the new system. If the other Disney World parks adopt a similar stroller parking program, then some attractions would need to update their small stroller parking areas, especially at the Magic Kingdom where Cast Members regularly are required to move strollers around as new ones arrive often causing guests to struggle to find their strollers once they attempt to retrieve them. 

While not perfect, the new system has received positive feedback on social media since debuting June 1. 

Disney has not confirmed how long the pilot program will last.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Heck I have seen more people forget where they park their car then looking for strollers, and they have had sections in the parking lots named from the start!!!!

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

6 minutes ago, dblr....Rennie said:

Heck I have seen more people forget where they park their car then looking for strollers, and they have had sections in the parking lots named from the start!!!!

I'm not sure if they've forgotten... or if they're searching for where the CM moved it to.  They are constantly moving strollers, so you have to do this search when you come back to pick it up.

I don''t really get this new system.  We've never had a problem with stroller parking.  

19 hours ago, Travisma said:

The Safari ride has always had its own issues due to the length of the ride and ride capacity, creating a massive sea of strollers, luckily the parking area for that ride is tucked away out of sight from most areas in the park. 

I don't understand this statement.  The CMs at this ride, take your stroller from you... then you swing in and pick it up (okay, go and find it) after the ride.  I thought it worked well.  I must be missing something.

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

When we were still in the stroller days, I would buy a large, pre-tied ribbon and attach it to the handle of the stroller.  This made finding it much easier.

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

2 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

I'm not sure if they've forgotten... or if they're searching for where the CM moved it to.  They are constantly moving strollers, so you have to do this search when you come back to pick it up.

I don''t really get this new system.  We've never had a problem with stroller parking.  

I don't understand this statement.  The CMs at this ride, take your stroller from you... then you swing in and pick it up (okay, go and find it) after the ride.  I thought it worked well.  I must be missing something.

I agree the moving of the strollers is the problem when you go to find yours, I get the reason, as they constantly shuffle them to make more available space but it is frustrating when its not where you left it.

In Animal Kingdom I agree Safari wasn't a problem, but the Lion King show was bad!  The color parking lots could work well there.  You pull up they tell you a color, when you leave you go to a smaller parking area that matches your color, that seems ok.  That way you don't have to deal with big parking areas with everyone getting their stroller at once.

WBI

[DaveInTN 3,247]

If they have the technology to find your table to deliver your food to you by using tracking devices, why can't they use similar technology to help people find their strollers?  Imagine the possibilities....Disney could sell or rent to you a small device that clips onto your stroller (it could lock on so it isn't stolen), and you track it through the MDE app.  Those things are amazingly accurate these days.  Heck, if you have small children that don't have phones yet, you could clip one on them too.  

[Beckers 1,136]

16 minutes ago, DaveInTN said:

If they have the technology to find your table to deliver your food to you by using tracking devices, why can't they use similar technology to help people find their strollers?  Imagine the possibilities....Disney could sell or rent to you a small device that clips onto your stroller (it could lock on so it isn't stolen), and you track it through the MDE app.  Those things are amazingly accurate these days.  Heck, if you have small children that don't have phones yet, you could clip one on them too.  

Oh maybe I’ll move my tile tracker to my stroller if we go back before stroller days are done. I won’t need it on my keys during a trip. I’ll test it out, steal your idea and make millions 

[WannaBeImagineer 98]

10 minutes ago, Beckers said:

Oh maybe I’ll move my tile tracker to my stroller if we go back before stroller days are done. I won’t need it on my keys during a trip. I’ll test it out, steal your idea and make millions 

We used our tracker on the stroller during our last trip, but I think we only activated it one time. Because you know how it is at Disney it's busy, crowded and you're watching kids so by the time I remembered to look on my phone for it I was able to find it on my own.

WBI

[DaveInTN 3,247]

14 minutes ago, Beckers said:

Oh maybe I’ll move my tile tracker to my stroller if we go back before stroller days are done. I won’t need it on my keys during a trip. I’ll test it out, steal your idea and make millions 

Yes, it's essentially the same technology.  I'm surprised the Mouse hasn't done this.  They could license Tile technology, have the tiles shaped like Mickey heads, and make a fortune.

[AuburnJen 770]

We just need lojacks for the strollers, that's all.  Let them handle it.