Rope drop safety for littles

[TammyLynn33]

hi all
Still debating stroller no stroller but I’m wondering as crazy as rope drop seems ( we are not dropping TSL or FOP or 7dwarfs)
Is it safer for 4-5 year olds in a stroller? I worry about them getting lost stepped on etc..
it sounds nuts

 

[Ralphmiller007]

I'm going to rent a stroller for our petite 5yo niece for our trip, even without doing rope drop. There are many opinions on here about how old is too old for a stroller, but I know I'm tired/using moleskin/changing shoes after several park days. She's just so small, and while she's a trooper, I'd rather be safe than sorry and push a stroller around just in case. I just think it beats having a tired and miserable kid, but I get that every kid has a different tolerance. That being said, I've seen several "rope drop" posts on here today, and one that said people were pushing into her with her kids in a stroller...if it's anything like that scenario, I would think a stroller would be a must. Trampled feet/banged up ankles could really put a damper on the beginning of a park day. Hopefully some more experienced stroller/rope droppers can give you some input!

ETA: I just saw you're not rope-dropping headliners, that should help. I'd still use a stroller, haha.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Its really not THAT crazy.
You make it seem like Black Friday.
Sure people try to move swiftly but I've never seen anyone fall down or get stepped on or lost during RD lol.
For 4-5 year old's I'd still be using a stroller. Period.
6+ is getting to the point that a stroller should not be necessary in my opinion.
If you have a stroller the kids will be fine. Besides if you're not headed to the most popular attractions then you really don't need to be in the thick of things.

 

[TammyLynn33]

I was just reading the posts here about how awful it’s been
I have a special needs 6 yr old. I hate the thoughts if navigating through crowds with a stroller but safety wise

Its really not THAT crazy.
You make it seem like Black Friday.
Sure people try to move swiftly but I've never seen anyone fall down or get stepped on or lost during RD lol.
For 4-5 year old's I'd still be using a stroller. Period.
6+ is getting to the point that a stroller should not be necessary in my opinion.
If you have a stroller the kids will be fine. Besides if you're not headed to the most popular attractions then you really don't need to be in the thick of things.

 

[Beachmom0317]

We just did rope drop early December at fantasy land. We were packed in with many many people and our double stroller. It was DH, myself and our two littles ages 2 and 4. Our 4 year old walked a lot but for that moment I put him in the stroller with DD2 and we walked inside with the crowds. not once where we pushed or shoved and there were many people. I never once felt unsafe and we had a wonderful morning!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I was just reading the posts here about how awful it’s been
I have a special needs 6 yr old. I hate the thoughts if navigating through crowds with a stroller but safety wise

So wait we are talking about a special needs 6 year old not 4 and 5 year old's?
Does your special needs 6 year old require a stroller?
If so then of course use it.
However if the 6 year old is physically and mentally capable of holding your hand and walking then I'd probably not go the stroller route.
Maybe ask the 6 year old if they would even feel comfortable in a stroller?
You know your child best and what would be safe or unsafe.
But again I will say I've never seen anyone fall or get stepped on.
People exaggerate RD to be "the worst experience they've ever had".
I have never felt that way and I have traveled with all ages from infant to seniors at RD including my niece who has EDS. BTW I am visually impaired. Again have had zero issues.

 

[Klayfish]

Its really not THAT crazy.
You make it seem like Black Friday.
Sure people try to move swiftly but I've never seen anyone fall down or get stepped on or lost during RD lol.

Completely agree with this. I totally understand wanting your child to be safe, but I think sometimes it's taken a bit to the extreme. I don't rope drop anymore, but in the plenty of times we did it was never literal pushing and shoving, or people getting trampled. It's a mass of people walking fast, and sometimes "weaving" in and out, but I never saw anyone get knocked down and stepped on (I'm envisioning those crazy soccer stampedes you see on TV sometimes in Europe or S. America). Sure, people may bump into one another, or bump with a stroller, but it's not utter chaos. I don't think children, even special needs, are in harms way.

I don't agree on the stroller thing. If you want to use one, go for it...no matter how old the child is. It's a personal choice.

 

[tinkerjo]

The CMs walk you in a quick but fairly orderly fashion to the headliners but last trip we witnessed a middle aged woman totally wipe out. She wasn’t watching where she was walking and ran into a trash can and fell smack on the ground. Everyone did stop to make sure she was ok. I have never seen an injury from people shoving. It’s just a moderate paced walk and crowded. Did it with strollers and without and never felt it was dangerous.

 

[katyjeka]

Twenty some years of rope drops and never an incident. The CM's are great about keeping things under control.

 

[Knriehl85]

We were at Disney World Jan 29- Feb 5 with a 4 year old and an 8 year old. We did not have a stroller and I never felt like they were in danger or that they were going to get ran over. We told them to hang onto our hands and stay by us. On epcot day we made the rope drop dash to Test Track. We were slower then some and faster then others. One day at magic kingdom my oldest and I headed in to Space Mountain and the youngest and her dad headed to Barnstormer. Everyone was on a quick pace but nothing we couldn't keep up with on either day! When we went to Hollywood Studios we were there for breakfast and got done eating and headed to Slinky Dog. We missed the majority of the people and just ended up in a long line.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Ha ha sorry my 4 year old is turning 5 next week and my 5 year old will be 6 a couple weeks after

So wait we are talking about a special needs 6 year old not 4 and 5 year old's?
Does your special needs 6 year old require a stroller?
If so then of course use it.
However if the 6 year old is physically and mentally capable of holding your hand and walking then I'd probably not go the stroller route.
Maybe ask the 6 year old if they would even feel comfortable in a stroller?
You know your child best and what would be safe or unsafe.
But again I will say I've never seen anyone fall or get stepped on.
People exaggerate RD to be "the worst experience they've ever had".
I have never felt that way and I have traveled with all ages from infant to seniors at RD including my niece who has EDS. BTW I am visually impaired. Again have had zero issues.

 

[Sjm9911]

5 years old, i would definitely bring a stroller. Especially if just 5. My daughter is 7 now, last year i still broght the stroller to the amusement parks( not Disney) . She got tired at the end of the day and needed it, even if she didnt want it. Also helped during the day as she wore herself out with excitement and running to eveything. The stroller is for you, not them, so you dont end up carrying them out from the furthest part of the park.

 

[brockash]

hi all
Still debating stroller no stroller but I’m wondering as crazy as rope drop seems ( we are not dropping TSL or FOP or 7dwarfs)
Is it safer for 4-5 year olds in a stroller? I worry about them getting lost stepped on etc..
it sounds nuts

At that age I'd def. bring a stroller. Not so much for safety concerns at rope drop, but moreso for when they're tired/cranky, need a break, or when you're ordering food or trying to book more fastpasses etc. It's just way easier in our opinion to have somewhere for them to "be" where we know they're safe and secure. It's especially helpful at night when it's dark and any crowds/shows etc.

 

[MudQueen22]

I feel more comfortable keeping my children under 6 in a stroller for rope drop or anytime it gets really crowded.
For our upcoming trip, we will have an umbrella stroller for our younger one, who will be 4. Our older one, who will be 9, will hold Mom or Dad's hand during rope drop.

 

[Dismama2boys]

Rope dropping only feels crazy to me if you are in the group headed for a major headliner. For that I want all my littles in strollers. Otherwise, it’s perfectly safe. I would take a stroller for a 5-year-old, regardless of whether or not you are doing rope drop.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

No stroller. It's not THAT bad. My kids were done with strollers at WDW at 5 years old. I would never go back to Disney with a stroller after that.

If she needs one rent one later but I wouldn't get a stroller just for RD.