I highly doubt it's a test-run @ DL b/c they've offered the free strollers for Disney Visa Holders for several years. That'd be an awful long 'test period'.
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People who are bothered by all the strollers in the parks are apt to be MORE bothered by lots of running, out-of-control kids who would be better off in a stroller!
Wow- if its been that long then its probably my second point being true. Someone earlier mentioned that the DL visitor tends to be in state and more likely to bring one from home while the WDW visitor tends to fly in. To increase the stroller use, they probably offer the discount - I don't think they're free. Supply and demand seems to be dictating the situation in both cases.:mickey:
It's been at least 2 years b/c when we went to DL in Jan. 2006, we got a FREE stroller every day by showing our Disney Visa Card, so I am sure it is the 2nd point indeed. ;) It would be nice if WDW offered some sort of Disney Visa Card Member discount for stroller rentals, esp. now that the cost has been jacked up to ridiculous heights.
I look forward to getting a free stroller @ DL this summer as well. :thumbsup:
I'm not at all surprised by this. Raise one, you're going to raise the other. Especially if the goal is to reduce the number in the parks and weed out those renting them that shouldn't be renting them.
My guess is because of the profile of the visitors. The guest population in DL is very different from that of WDW.
But this does highlight one of my major issues with the way Disney runs its domestic theme parks ... the fact that they're run completely independently of one another, with no attempt at any kind of consistency, is a little irrititating.
Along the lines with the DL strollers being free for Disney Visa holders...
Passholders get them free as well, or at least they did when we went there with my aunt and her great niece. AP holders at WDW don't even get a discount on strollers, let alone free strollers.
Ian, I agree completely. We just bring our own, not because of the pricing but because personally public rental strollers, in general, (no matter how much they clean them) skeeve me.
I agree with the theory that Disney will raise the prices to whatever the market will allow. Putting my business degree to work, why not? After all if it increases profits they are doing their jobs and raising shareholder's profits.
IMHO people who go to WDW are going to do two things. One, bring their own stroller if they feel their budget does not support the prices of a stroller rental (or for a general want to boycot stroller rental at WDW). Or two, keep on renting because it is easier for them. Whatever the reasoning it is what it is.
I went to YouTube to look up Disney vacations in April 2008. Hardly anyone (in the background) had Disney strollers.