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Yesterday, Disney Parks Blog posted a controversial update to three policies in the Parks that will take effect either immediately or on May 1, 2019. Those policies include stroller size and type, smoking in the Parks, and loose ice.
No Stroller Wagons
More and more, families have been relying on push wagons instead of strollers. Pull wagons have never been allowed at the Parks, so companies started designing them to push instead of pull. Well now, neither type will be permitted starting on May 1. I know many people are upset by this, as wagons were becoming very popular. I’ve even heard that they technically fit into the new size guidelines. However, Disney has deemed them banned starting May 1, 2019.
New Stroller Size Limits
Speaking of size guidelines, stroller size maximums will be enforced, limiting strollers to 31″ wide and 52″ long. Everyone is frantically measuring their strollers to see if they fit the new guidelines. It makes me wonder how they will enforce this one, perhaps with a box drawn on the ground. If it fits you’re golden, if not, you’re hiking back to your car or hotel!
Our Stroller from Back in the Day
When the kids were little, we had a Combi double stroller that would easily fit into these dimensions at 29.75″ wide by 33.2″ long. At first I thought it wouldn’t because I figured the width and length were switched, but now I realize that thing was compact as heck!
Smoking Ban
Smoking is now banned in the Parks, Downtown Disney, and the ESPN area in Florida. Each park currently has a designated smoking area, but now, smoking will only be allowed outside of the security area in California, and outside of the Parks, hotels, and restaurants in Florida. This is a fantastic change, but unfortunately, I’ve seen people using vape and cigarettes while walking around the Parks even with designated areas available. Hopefully Disney will step up their enforcement of this policy and escort rule breakers to the smoking area outside the park. Also, I’m sure that this rule was not at the behest of the nonsmoking community, but rather sprang from a desire to reclaim the areas now being taken up by the smoking sections.
No Loose Ice
This was an odd rule to lump in with the other two. No loose ice? Well, I guess people would bring in coolers with lunches, packed in well, loose ice. I had never considered this, because in my soft-sided coolers, I would have a watery mess in my bag if I used loose ice. If I have to use ice from the hotel, I always put it in a Ziploc bag. Ideally, I freeze bottles of water at the hotel and put those in my bag. If the room doesn’t have a reliable freezer, I do use loose ice, but put it in a bag to keep my water and snacks cold. I’m guessing security used to have to dig through the ice to find contraband, but now it will speed up the process by making it easier to see what is in the cooler.
Project Stardust
These new policies are all just a small part of a larger project at Disneyland called, “Project Stardust,” which is a big-picture, ongoing plan wherein Disney is taking a long, hard look at every available inch within its park to find space for the crowds that will descend at the end of May for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. They are scaling back planters, stroller parking, and seating areas to free up walkways. Seating and stroller parking are being moved to underutilized areas of the park instead. Queues are being reworked to add theming, relieve congestion, and improve guest experience. All of these small projects will add up to make Disneyland a smoother, more enjoyable experience for everyone.
