I emailed Disney....DO YOU AGREE WITH MY COMMENT

[fav's=mets&mickey]

Below is the email that I sent DISNEY read away and let me know if you agree

HOW MANY SHARE MY STATEMENT THAT I MADE TO DISNEY.....below is the email that I sent to GUESTSERVICES.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I will like to apologize to the person that will read this that had nothing to do with this outrageous increase.....

NOW.....WHAT THE HE** ARE YOU THINKING. $10 to $15. $8 to $13. $16 to $27 and $18 to $31. This is insane. Nothing can justify the increase. I mean it will cost the same to rent a car as it would to rent a Double stroller from WDW. This is absolutely nuts. THis really has to go back to the board who decided this and rethink it logically. You want to increase it $4 or $5 dollars on a double and maybe $2 on a single that would be a little easier to swallow.....ALL this I hear about Disney doing well during the bad state that the economy is in and that your number in attendance have actually risen compared to that of 06 and Disney turns around and DECREASES the value of the DISNEY DINING PLAN. RAISES ROOM RATES ON WEEKENDS to get another $10 to $15 per WEEKEND NIGHT on Value and Moderate Resorts. Raise ticket prices in August of 07 and now turn around and nail the families who rent strollers with a 60% to 70% increase on stroller rentals.

Can't you people see this is going to eliminate the family who is already on a budget from renting strollers.

This is what will happen.....more families will be bringing strollers into the parks. Then when the mad rush comes at the end of the night to leave the parks like Magic Kingdom........they will be less space on the Monorail, Boat, and Buses because more seats and space will be taken up by Strollers...........You guys are crazy for increases such a high amount. I know that the rate has stayed the same for 3 or 4 years but thats your fault not ours.......and TO HE** WITH YOUR $40 Umbrella Stroller......Don't think that you guys are going to make a killing on that either........you guys are totally going against what is supposed to be a World that Walt Disney vcreated for families to enjoy.......The nightmare scenerio that you guys are going and probably have already created is STUPID. No one really thought this one out totally. It seems as if you will continue to nickel and Dime us as much as you can until we stop going.......thats not the way to go about things..........that is not good business.....you promote on TV how a family of 4 can go to DISNEY for $1600.00 but then once you add on the STROLLER RENTAL it becomes more like $1750........Its Crazy and you guys should be ashamed of yourself............I am very disappointed in this decision and someone has to do something about it. IMMEDIATELY!!!!!

Different Internet boards have everyone up in arms and you as a business need to listen to the people who help drive you business........You may think the increase gives you a better revenue stream but with the decline in stroller rental you will actually see a decrease.....MARK MY WORDS you will not win out on THIS ONE!>>>>>>>>>>GOOD BYE

 

[checkwriter]

I think you should have just come right out and told them what you thought about the price increase.

None of this synonym-for-cat-that-the-board-thinks-is-a-bad-word-footing around . . . .

KIDDING! I'm just KIDDING!

 

[fav's=mets&mickey]

I think you should have just come right out and told them what you thought about the price increase.

None of this synonym-for-cat-that-the-board-thinks-is-a-bad-word-footing around . . . .

KIDDING! I'm just KIDDING!

HAHAHAHA

 

[tinkbutt]

Good job just the right amount of pissed off intelligence to kick them right in the butt!!!!!

 

[todd222222]

While I'm very annoyed with the price increase I personally think it's they way to try and reduce the total number of strollers in the park.

I could be wrong, but mark my words, I think there will be a general reduction in the number of strollers you see in the stroller parking areas and thus a smaller number in the parks.....maybe I'm wrong.

I don't know....if this does in fact reduce the number of strollers....maybe it's worth it.

 

[tinkbutt]

if anything this will just encourage people to bring there own. So there will be less of Disney's strollers in the park but more personal strollers

In my opinion ??

 

[nurse.darcy]

While I'm very annoyed with the price increase I personally think it's they way to try and reduce the total number of strollers in the park.

I could be wrong, but mark my words, I think there will be a general reduction in the number of strollers you see in the stroller parking areas and thus a smaller number in the parks.....maybe I'm wrong.

I don't know....if this does in fact reduce the number of strollers....maybe it's worth it.

I actually think you are wrong on this. Families will just figure that it costs too much to rent from Disney and decide to bring their own strollers. . .besides its easier to park hop with your own stroller. So, we will probably see a decrease in Disney owned strollers, but personal strollers will increase. . .especially the umbrella style that one can purchase at WalMart for 10 bucks. That type is a leave behind. No one would think twice about leaving it because it is so cheap. . .

 

[patsal]

I think it may be to discourage otherwise healthy people from deciding that they want to use a stroller for a 10yo or a scooter just because they don't want to walk anymore. Neither of these groups of people would have one of their own to use in the parks and most 10 yo who dont want to walk around the park would not want to ride in a stroller to and from the resort.

I personally; however, agree that the price increase is totally insane!

 

[todd222222]

I actually think you are wrong on this. Families will just figure that it costs too much to rent from Disney and decide to bring their own strollers. . .besides its easier to park hop with your own stroller. So, we will probably see a decrease in Disney owned strollers, but personal strollers will increase. . .especially the umbrella style that one can purchase at WalMart for 10 bucks. That type is a leave behind. No one would think twice about leaving it because it is so cheap. . .

I agree, many people will use "throw away" strollers (we might even on our next trip) but I still think there will be a net loss for this reason...

I think it may be to discourage otherwise healthy people from deciding that they want to use a stroller for a 10yo or a scooter just because they don't want to walk anymore. Neither of these groups of people would have one of their own to use in the parks and most 10 yo who dont want to walk around the park would not want to ride in a stroller to and from the resort.

I personally; however, agree that the price increase is totally insane!

Personally it will be very interesting to see what happens...I only wish I knew what Disney's intentions were, I don't believe they would ever admit this.

On our next trip in Jan 09 I'll be on the look out for the number of strollers and will be comparing pictures from our Jan 08 trip.

maybe someone should ask the Freakonomics folks this, this is right up their alley.

ETA: i sent an email to Dr. Steven Levitt (of Freakonomics fame) for his insight...but I doubt I'll hear anything, I'm sure he gets all kinds of crazy stuff.

 

[fakereadhed]

I think it may be to discourage otherwise healthy people from deciding that they want to use a stroller for a 10yo or a scooter just because they don't want to walk anymore.

Why would Disney care? They are trying to rent strollers.

Why do you care?

OP: I love the car rental analogy.

 

[todd222222]

Why would Disney care? They are trying to rent strollers.

Why do you care?

I don't think Disney cares who uses them, but rather that there are so many. I've only gone during the "off season" and sometimes it takes me 5 minutes to find our stroller after getting off It's a small world. There are so many of them and the CMs have to keep moving them around.

if there were fewer total strollers this would be easier.....

But frankly this is their own doing. They have Great strollers and they decided how many to have available to rent.....

i could be completely wrong on this, maybe Disney is just wanting to make a cash cow...maybe they will

 

[todd222222]

Can't you people see this is going to eliminate the family who is already on a budget from renting strollers.

I don't agree with this either. maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think families on a budget who would spend $16 for a stroller wouldn't be able to rent one for $27....while it's a huge increase, my guess is they could if they choose too.

For those who couldn't afford it, my guess is that they were already bringing their own and couldn't figure out how anyone could afford $16......

 

[Chellymouse]

DH and I don't have children, but how in the world does Disney expect people to pay that much on top of what it already costs? We are planning a family trip next year and my DSIL was just going to rent a stroller for hers (who will be 4 and 6) simply so she didn't have to mess with a stroller in the airport, but I think she's better off to bring her own. I can empathize with the kids that are 4-7, those parks are huge and their little legs get tired quickly. I know how much walking we do. Walt is probably turning over right now! I don't think his vision was to see how much people could be gouged.

 

[SamIAm21]

While I'm very annoyed with the price increase I personally think it's they way to try and reduce the total number of strollers in the park.

I could be wrong, but mark my words, I think there will be a general reduction in the number of strollers you see in the stroller parking areas and thus a smaller number in the parks.....maybe I'm wrong.

I don't know....if this does in fact reduce the number of strollers....maybe it's worth it.

It's only going to increase the number of personal strollers rather than decrease strollers in general. Personal strollers are usually a little more streamlined and not as bulky, but it will in no way impact the actual number. It may however, actually, cause a big headache in the way of personal stroller thefts too. There will be plenty to choose from.

 

[*Robin*]

Why would Disney care? They are trying to rent strollers.

This is kind of my thought on it too. They aren't in the business of renting strollers. They probably are more of an annoyance and were offered as a convenience for park goers. At some point it became more of a hindrance than a benefit in Disney's eyes, so they're passing that on to us.

That said, I always got kind of creeped out by those things anyway. But I'm kind of a germaphobe.

I feel for you all with kids that really use them. Happily my son is out of all that.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

I know that I will be flamed for saying this, but the stroller thing in WDW has gotten out of hand. When I was a kid and first went to WDW, I was 4 and I had to WALK the entire day. Yes, I had to walk and, NO, it wasn't up hill both ways.

IMO (notice that I left out the "H" for humble), parents need to get a grip and have their kids walk around. I honestly think that 1/2 of the strollers in WDW are for crazy parents who feel like they need to bring the kitchen sink to the parks in their backpacks but decide that the backpack is too heavy. So perhaps WDW is trying to cut back on that?

I brought some newbies in 2006 with a 4 year old boy. They rented strollers each day and the boy didn't even want to ride in it. He wanted to push it! So I can attest to the fact that parents tend to get the strollers just in case the kids want to nap. However, maybe if the child is too tired to walk and starts flailing around, you should take that as a hint that you should go back to your resort and have a nap.

*dons flame-retardant suit*

 

[aldango]

I agree with the folks who are saying that this is an effort to reduce stroller rentals as they are a burden in the parks. Certainly. It's exactly like a toll road.

Those of you who are saying that people will just bring their own (rendering the price increase useless) are also correct, but I think to a lesser extent. I think the number of people who choose to bring their own strollers will not equal the number of people who choose not to rent from Disney; this results in a smaller total number of strollers in the park (the income & substitution effects at play). That's my guess.

People who casually need them will not rent them when they show up and will probably just forget about it and forge on without. Those of us who need strollers for our children will bring our own.

 

[GBShorts]

While I completely agree with your complaint and agree that the price increase is completely ridiculous, I would have gone about this letter a different way.

I'm of a mind that you catch more flies with honey. I know that if I got a complaint letter filled with yelling (caps), minor insults, and mild curse words, I would probably pass it off. If, however, I received an email with calm arguments for why a person disagrees with a change, I'd take the time to read it and do something about it.

Don't take this wrong. I agree the price increases are crazy.


I also agree with the person above who said something about too many people getting strollers to lug their c'rap, too though. It makes it very hard for those without strollers to "get through" sometimes when they're stuck in a herd of wheels.

 

[disneyholic family]

I actually think you are wrong on this. Families will just figure that it costs too much to rent from Disney and decide to bring their own strollers. . .besides its easier to park hop with your own stroller. So, we will probably see a decrease in Disney owned strollers, but personal strollers will increase. . .especially the umbrella style that one can purchase at WalMart for 10 bucks. That type is a leave behind. No one would think twice about leaving it because it is so cheap. . .

we always used umbrella strollers when the kids were very little (the double kind, so they both could sit)..
we only started renting the disney strollers when they were bigger (and didn't normally use a stroller).

 

[Tissa]

In my own personal opinion this has nothing to do with them wanting to rent less strollers. They know it doesn't matter how much they jack up the price because people will still pay. Sure there is an outrage right now but it will die down and they will still be renting plenty of strollers. Look at how much they can get for CRT.