Disney Parks’ new stroller policy has guests desperate to recoup their investment.
EbAY H.Q., WHEREVER THAT IS [Note: have the intern look this up.] [Ed.: For the thousandth time, Marty, we do not have an intern. And it’s your week to empty the trash.] — As of next month, large strollers are no longer allowed in Disney Parks and Resorts and Spas. And suddenly some families find themselves with large strollers costing hundreds of dollars — and pull-wagons of any size — that are useless.
“We always take our Runabout six-passenger stroller when we go to Walt Disney World,” says Whitman, MA, mom Meredyth Van Donk. “We only have the one kid, sure, but that stroller is still perfect for us. We barely even have to think about what to pack, because we can just dump all of our clothes into it for the trip and live out of it. When we’re heading into the parks, we’ll use the back row as a cooler for our food and drinks, filling it with ice.
“Don’t get me started on the ice.”
Kind of like a tank
Capacity is not the only benefit of a large stroller, Van Donk says.
“Trust me, even on the busiest days, crowds are not a problem. We can show up in front of the castle five minutes before the fireworks start and clear us out a space.
“I can’t imagine why Disney doesn’t want them!”
The new stroller policy at Disney Parks [Ed.: and Resorts and Spas] took Van Donk and many other parents by surprise. And now they find themselves to be owners of an expensive but useless kid transport device.
A limited investment
“What else can we do? We’ve listed it on eBay,” says Van Donk.
Unfortunately, every other Disney family has had the same idea, and the market is now flooded with oversized strollers. With such a vast supply, coupled with the reduced demand brought on by the same rules, sellers are seeing offers of mere pennies on the dollar.
“It’s a $1500 stroller,” Van Donk whines, “and that’s not even counting all of the money we’ve sunk into it for custom mods. I’m just trying to get $900 out of it, but the best offer I’ve gotten so far is $7.40. And the guy wants me to throw in free shipping!”
Topic: if Disney doesn’t allow it, it’s basically worthless. Agree or disagree? Comment below!
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Cover photo: A non-Disney-friendly, and therefore worthless, stroller. Photo courtesy eBay.
