Full Sized Strollers and Disney busses.

[hcmommy]

How big of a deal is it really to take a full sized stroller onto the busses? We are going October 13-17 with our 17 mo old. He rides in an umbrella stroller at home all of the time for short trips but I think it would be nice to bring our full sized Chicco because of the parent cup holders, his cup holder and snack tray (a place to clip his stroller fan) a large canopy and basket underneath, fully reclines so maybe if it's not too hot he can nap in the park, etc. His umbrella is a larger, heavier umbrella stroller but not massice, it's a Chicco C5. It barely reclines, has a small canopy, small basket, not parent of snack trays or cup holders for anyone. Would it be so crowded that time of year that we'd get a lot of dirty looks bringing the big one on? We are familiar with he stroller, can fold it quickly and would have everything ready to go on the bus when it comes to try to be as courteous to the other passengers as possible. TIA!

 

[Suzanna1973]

We took a double stroller in the summer of 2005. One person would be responsible for holding it on the bus.
We would keep the boys in it until we saw our bus coming toward our bus stop. We would immediately fold it, and carry it on the bus.

When we arrived at our destination, we would carry it off the bus, unfold it and load the boys back in. It really was no trouble.

 

[Traveliz]

I have never personally brought a stroller - I always rented but that was before people ever brought their own - BUT I have watched lots of people with the strollers over the past year (and quite a bit in the past month). I would say its doable but not always the easiest thing. The worst times would be when you have really too much stuff in the stroller and are trying to get it organized to get folded up so be careful not to load it up with too much stuff.

Also when the bus is really crowded the stroller can be cumbersome both for yourself and others. Last week one night I was on a standing room only bus that had a seat available but a guy was sitting in the seat next and the stroller was propped up against the empty seat...I didn't really think that was appropriate.

Generally speaking though if you are organized and have a plan on who has the child, who has the stroller, and move fast then it should be fine.

Liz

 

[disney_family_1247]

We've been bringing strollers on the buses since 2000 (and doubles since 2002). DH is always in charge of getting them folded and onto the bus, while I handle the kids. Personally, I think that you have as much right to the bus as everyone else, stroller or not . DH is always careful not to hit anyone with the stroller, and he never takes up a seat with it. That poor man once stood for a twenty minute ride with a sleeping ds in his arms and a double stroller leaning on him! No one offerred him their seat .

My advice is to fold it up in a timely manner so that you don't hold up the line and don't take up seats with it once you're on the bus and you'll be fine.

 

[Elmo888]

What kind of Chicco is it and how does it fold? We took a Pliko, which I think is similar to one of the Chiccos (maybe I'm confusing strollers) and it was great. It was compact enough for the bus and comfortable enough for DD.

I agree with the other posters - be prepared and be courteous. You will be fine. We did the same thing with DH manning the stroller while I manned (wo-manned?) the kids. Some of the seats on the bus may face towards the middle (depends on the bus). If they aren't needed by someone disabled, it is easy to sit there and hold onto the stroller without taking an extra seat for the stroller.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[justwinnie]

Definitely bring your full size stroller! So many people bring stollers on busses-- it's not a big deal at all.

Up until a year ago, we would bring our full sized Eddie-Bauer stroller (sized like a Graco). She would sleep really well in it because of the full recline. Having the parent and kid snack tray/cup holders was very handy for touring in the parks all day.

As long as you don't pack the basket with too much stuff so folding it will be difficult, you should be fine. I would normally take our daughter and all our stuff and then my husband would take the stroller.

 

[hcmommy]

It's a Chicco Cortina.

If DH thinks he can handle it I think we may go for it. Other than the bus situation I really feel like it will be better. On the DME will they store it underneath the bus for you?

 

[mousescrapper]

The worst times would be when you have really too much stuff in the stroller and are trying to get it organized to get folded up so be careful not to load it up with too much stuff.Liz

DH is always in charge of getting them folded and onto the bus, while I handle the kids. Personally, I think that you have as much right to the bus as everyone else, stroller or not .

Definitely bring your full size stroller! So many people bring stollers on busses-- it's not a big deal at all.

It's a Chicco Cortina.

On the DME will they store it underneath the bus for you?

I agree with all the wise DISers above Go for it! We took our Graco full size in 05 and yes, sometimes it was a trick loading onto a full bus, but be prepared, when your child is asleep in the bus line back to the resort, always take him/her out and fold up when you know your close to boarding. DH and I would take turns on occasions like this, usually he held sleepy child in line while I folded stroller, then we switched on the bus if I got a seat. Were planning on taking our new Graco next June for our then to be 18 mo. And YES, the DME will store the stroller underneath with or w/out luggage. We also had most of our loot in a study backpack to be hands free when holding a sleepy child.

Good Luck

 

[tjlovespooh]

It's really your own call - go with whatever you'll be most comfortable with. That being said, we took an umbrella stroller(zooper twist) for our then 17mo DS and left the full size stroller at home. I wouldn't do it any differently if we were to go again tomorrow! I witnessed too many other parents struggling to lug their full-size strollers onto the busses and was very happy not to be in their shoes (phew). I guess another thing to consider is how often you'll need to use the buses. We stayed at AKL so we needed to ride busses all the time - if you're staying at a monorail resort you won't need to use buses nearly as much as we did (just another thing to consider before you make a final decision).
Oh, another reason we were happy to have left the bigger stroller at home? DS wanted to walk all over WDW! He hardly ever sat in the stroller (he slept really well at night though )
Good luck and have fun - it's such an adorable age with the characters! I swear DS thought they were giant stuffed animals, couldn't get enough of them. DH and I have both said time and again that we'd do it all over again in a heartbeat - PRICELESS

 

[mommylicious]

I'm a firm believer in take what your child will be comfortable in, especially if we are talking a child under 2. Even if it is a pain in tush on the buses, if your child is comfy in it at the parks it's worth it.

 

[Schmeck]

If it's really important for you to have a seat on the bus (sleeping child, etc) be prepared to step aside and let people who don't mind standing get on a bus if you don't think you'll get a seat. If you're near the back of the line when the bus pulls up, don't expect a seat if there are 40 people ahead of you. I ask my kids if they want to stand or wait for the next bus in these situations.

Then, you're right up front for the next bus!

 

[FatElvis]

We took a Maclaren Twin in March, it's an umbrella but since it's a double it's kind of big. My husband always was in charge of that, and he would generally stand near that back door with it, so he had some extra space for it. Not right against the door or anything, but there's more aisle room right there. We had pretty full busses most times too, but the stroller was pretty manageable.

 

[pumpkin5156]

We have this same exact Chicco stroller, and I was debating this too. I think I am going to go buy the Chicco umbrella that reclines, as I think our DS 2.5 will want to walk a lot. I have heard some tough stories about people and their full sized strollers on the busses (however, this is during peak season times). But I know from experience, that the Chicco full size is very easy to fold up and take down, so I agree with the PP, whatever makes your child comfy: especially if under 2 years of age. Just make sure if you are flying to get a cover for it, as I have seen many a good stroller ruined in the airports (This is another reason we will take the umbrella: I don't want to chance my good full-size getting ruined in the luggage!)

 

[hcmommy]

pumpkin-This is our Chicco Umbrella Stroller in green. It reclines but not fully. It's a bit big and heavy for an umbrella but a good stroller. I like the pocket on the back of the canopy. The canopy is small on it but I guess all umbrellas have a small canopy and it can be unzipped in the back for ventilation. It doesn't come with a strap or anything on it to carry it, just a handle so I think if I take it I will get a cover with a strap. It's pretty dirty from out last flight. I love Chicco strollers! Just wanted to share my experience with it since it sounds like the one you are thinking of getting. The smaller version of this is the Capri I think and it doesn not recline at all and seems kind of flimsy, though very lightweight. My friend has it and only likes it okay.

 

[vern]

i plan on taking a double jogging stroller with us for ds1 and dd7. i feel that if they are comfy what else matters as long as the kids are comfy and happy. yea its going to be a pain but oh well, i'll deal with it.

 

[SueM in MN]

i plan on taking a double jogging stroller with us for ds1 and dd7. i feel that if they are comfy what else matters as long as the kids are comfy and happy. yea its going to be a pain but oh well, i'll deal with it.

if the jogging stroller doesn't have a swivel wheel, you might want to see about getting one that does.
We've been behind people with non-swivel jogging strollers and all the little 'course corrections' require a bump up off the front wheel to make a little turn. I think that would get tiring/hurt the wrists pretty quickly, especially with a double stroller.

Some of the seats on the bus may face towards the middle (depends on the bus). If they aren't needed by someone disabled, it is easy to sit there and hold onto the stroller without taking an extra seat for the stroller.

Enjoy your trip!

One thing to keep in mind if you are at a resort with more than one bus stop - if you are sitting there and someone with a wheelchair or ECV need to get on at another stop, you will be asked to give up those seats.

 

[fan_of_small_world]

I didn't read the responses, but I can tell you that we took a full-sized stroller and had no problems. Well, I didn't anyway, since DH was the one carrying it, lol!

But honestly, it wasn't too bad and our DD (who was 4 at the time) often took a little snooze in it, so we were very glad to have it.

 

[sttom2005]

Folks:

I ran across this email thread while looking for something else on the net. Since I was a WDW Bus Driver for over a year, I thought I would throw my two cents in and offer a couple of tips and observations from a drivers standpoint (some of which people have already touched on):

1. BE READY – After a long day in the parks, people don’t realize how much “stuff” they have piled onto the stroller – and thus cannot fold it until said stuff is removed. It takes time! So be prepared, and have the stroller stripped to the bare minimum BEFORE the bus arrives;

2. IT’S THE LAW – Contrary to popular belief, you MUST remove your child and fold the stroller BEFORE entering the vehicle. This is a federal law that the driver must (and will) comply with. To do so otherwise places their job and the safety of the passengers at risk;

3. WE UNDERSTAND… BUT – As bus drivers, we understand and sympathize that your child has had a long day and is asleep in the stroller. However, they MUST be taken out of the stroller (see number 2 above) BEFORE you get on the bus.

As a side note – we have heard it all before – “Oh, I will take him/her out of the stroller when we get settled.” Yea, right. Do you think we fell off the old turnip truck yesterday (said in a joking manner with a smile on our face) They never do take the kid out, and then it becomes a safety issue. Please comply with the drivers request.

4. ASK FOR HELP – There are three bus types in use at WDW by Disney Transportation. The Gillig’s (the newest style – big and boxy with lots of space), the Nova (boxy but with a slightly rounded face), and the old RTS (big, tall, “tubular” looking rigs). The Gillig’s and the Nova’s all have large wide doors you can get a folded stroller through easily. However, the RTS was never intended to have big “stuff” taken through the front doors. It gets particularly interesting when you are trying to lift a 30+ pound stroller over the heads of people who have already seated! So what do you do? It is OK to ask the driver to open the back door of the bus to allow you easier access for your stroller.

However, keep these tips in mind:

- When the load zone is full of people, opening the back door is risky since people will assume the driver is letting EVERYONE go through that door. So sometimes, it is just not practical (or safe) to do it.

- To be fair to the other passengers, only the people who are hauling the stroller should enter the back door. (I have seen this “trick” tried many times by large groups who use the stroller as a “ploy” to allow their entire group to enter the bus first. This does not set well with the other guests – trust me!).

5. KEEP IT FOLDED – The stroller must STAY folded and OUT of the isle (as much as possible) until you get off the bus;

6. IT’S OK TO WAIT - If you cannot get the stroller onto the bus safely for whatever reason, it’s OK to step aside and wait for the next bus (don’t worry, they won’t strand you!). This way, you will be first in line, and be able to tell the driver on the next bus that you need a little extra time getting the stroller in place on the bus. They will be happy to comply by briefly holding up the folks while you get settled if needed. If an RTS shows up, this will also allow them to pop the back door for you FIRST… BEFORE they open the front door to let other guests on.

7. WE FEEL YOUR PAIN – But, we have rules and regulations, as well as federal law to comply with. There is simply not a lot of room for compromise even at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Hopefully, this info might help a little bit! My wife and I plan on heading back to WDW and becoming Cast Members once again in early 2009 and try and make careers out of it. But for now, we are “stuck” in beautiful Seattle, WA – dreaming about the day we can return and do what we love – helping the guests have the best time of their lives! That is what makes >us< happy!

If you have any questions you think I could help with, feel free to drop me an email. I will see what I can do.

Have A Magical Day!

Sttom2005
WDW- AK Bus Driver
2005-2006

 

[all4fun]

STTOM2005
What great advice! Thanks for taking the time to post that. I'm sure it will help others have a more "magical" experience just knowing what is expected so there are no "surprises". I know the bus drivers probably do not like having to tell guests "you can't do that" but I can certainly appreciate why there are rules. It's a moving vehicle after all. And I have seen people try to leave a sleeping child in a stroller while ON the bus. I just don't get how people could think that is safe!

 

[mrstomrice]

We traveled with 2 full size peg peregos on our last trip and survived well, overall. Here's a piece of advice for you that we found extremely helpful and very few people use this...we slide the stroller under the seats that face sideways towards the back of the bus, by the back door. The strollers fit so well there. These are the seats that are used for wheelchairs, but we only had 1 wheelchair/scooter the entire week we were there, so we held them by us, of course. We also found other visitors to be EXTREMELY helpful, since our ds's were 3 and 10 months. They would help my husband on and off the bus. The drivers were also helpful, especially when we waited for everyone else to exit. We did pass up a bus 1 time after leaving MK at closing and the next bus came within 5 minutes....well worth the wait to have a seat for myself (holding the 10 mo) and my son. My husband sat, then gave his seat to someone else, once the bus filled up. You'll find this secret will be a life saver...others will follow, as they noticed how convenient it was!