Heheheheheheh! My husband and I totally know what you're talking about! LOL! We go everywhere with arm loads of dolls! (They usually take up the back seat of the car.....seat-belted in groups of four.....so we can fit 12 SD's in the back). On one photoshoot, we were having to go into a forest to get some good shots for a story, so we brought along a huge wheelbarrow to cart our dolls, props and horses in.....all down the hiking trail. People were looking at our wheelbarrow of dolly things and huge horses and walked on past with mega-puzzled faces as to what the heck we were up to.
When we "prop shop", we take along a couple dolls just to make sure that if we see something, that it is in scale to our dolls. We've had people ask what they were (and I've been tempted to say they're Canadian Moose, isn't it obvious? Heheheheheh!) and we explain what they are, where they come from, etc. You should see the looks on their faces when you tell them how much they cost! LOL! A Kodak moment for sure! But we have actually had a few people that were so interested in them that they actually got out pen and paper and jotted down some sites we mentioned.
It's a mixed bag as far as responses to the dolls. But you know what? Who cares! Everyone has a hobby and something that they love to do. So do what you love and enjoy it. Freaking out neighbors is fun, too! Yeah? Oh yeah!