Disney recently just announced restrictions on stroller size, smoking in the parks and lose and dry ice. Each of these changes is super important to be aware of before you go, but more importantly, is how much these changes can positively impact the guest experience.
Disney has issued a ban on stroller wagons and has restricted the maximum size of all strollers to 31 inches wide and 52 inches long. This, just like the company’s new ban on dry and loose ice, is intended to help simplify the bag-check system and help lines move faster.
While the loss of space with the stroller restrictions may seem jarring, the good news is that most strollers on the market, including those that are double-sized, fit within the updated rules. It will make it easier for cast members and guests alike to organize strollers beside attractions, and guests who previously relied on much larger strollers may find themselves with greater mobility in the parks.
It helps other guests, too. Many of Disney’s recent updates seem to have brought the guest experience to the forefront, especially in regards to increasing crowds. Strollers are, without a doubt, essential for bringing young guests on the trip of a lifetime (and trust us, they won’t forget it). A lot of guests with strollers, however, might be caught unaware of the consistently shifting and haphazard foot traffic in the United States parks, and having a large stroller can unintentionally become a hazard as people weave in and out of foot traffic.
Disney also offers stroller rentals in each of their parks as an awesome alternative to renting your own. As long as you can get your young ones to and from the resort you’re staying at, renting from Disney makes traveling considerably lighter.
One of Disney’s most surprising rule changes came with the announcement that smoking would be banned from all United States theme parks, water parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and California’s DowntownDisney® District.
And it’s the best thing Disney has done in a long time.
It is no secret that crowd sizes have increased in the Disney parks, which means that those wanting to avoid the smell of cigarette smoke have been running out of ways to do so. In my personal experience, I’ve found that even when there has been plenty of distance between myself and the smoking section, I can still smell it heavily.
Aside from the clear health and frustration risks that the smoking sections ran, they destroyed the atmosphere in the parks. In a place where scents and sightlines are so intensely presented, having smoking sections and cigarette smoke penetrate those careful designs at times ruined the experience that Disney has become known for.
Even with the rule change, those in desperate need of a smoke are not being ignored. There are still designated smoking sections outside of the entrances of places where it has been banned, as well as in Disney Springs and Disney Resort hotels.
It is refreshing to see the modern-day Walt Disney Company take such a firm stand on issues that have negatively impacted the guest experience to a large degree in recent years.
The rules on loose and dry ice have already taken place, with the other bans and restrictions scheduled to start on May 1.
Featured image ©Disney.
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