Age for no stroller needed?

Surprised to see some of these responses....seems to me 4 would be the cutoff...my 3 year old handled 7 days at WDW in 90+ degree heat (didn't bring a stroller, figured I could rent one if necessary). I think kiddos would surprise you if given the chance.
 
My DS was 4 and DD was 6 (close to 7 last year) and I got a double. She didn't want to ride at first, but that lasted about an hour. And she's a strong kid...at the time she was in competitive gymnastics working out 5 hours a week. And we live in Houston so we're used to heat and humidity. But WDW is just so much more on such a longer grander scale. If the girl wants to ride, I'm gonna let her ride. Fatigue = more whining. And we even took midday breaks. And I don't feel bad about it. Nope nope nope.

The other beauty of a stroller is that my kids like their bedtime and will pass out between 9-10. With the stroller, we were able to actually see fireworks this time. They fell asleep in the stroller on the way back and it was nice for them, and for us. I'm not getting the double this year because she's just getting too tall.
 
On our trip back in March we took (as usual) our sit-n-stand stroller for our DDs (5 & 10). Since we have been lucky enough to go regularly, we take our time at the parks, but we also normally stay til closing. So the stroller very much comes in handy, if either DD gets tired, we do not have to stop to rest, they just hop in and we continue on. If we need to get somewhere at a quicker pace, I make sure the youngest is in the stroller and off we go. We love the storage use of it(I dislike a backpack) and in no way do we find it as an inconvenience on buses etc. All I can tell you is that when we are waiting for the bus or are on it, that our DDs are not the ones having a melt down from being too tired. Plus; I would go nuts walking at our youngest DDs pace:) I am going to show my age here, but for those old enough to have seen the Carol Burnett show(my parents favorite), Tim Conway would play this old man, where he would just shuffle his feet and move at a snail pace. Well, I think he may actually beat my DD in a race:) We do what is best for our family and do not really care about what others may think.
 
On our trip back in March we took (as usual) our sit-n-stand stroller for our DDs (5 & 10). Since we have been lucky enough to go regularly, we take our time at the parks, but we also normally stay til closing. So the stroller very much comes in handy, if either DD gets tired, we do not have to stop to rest, they just hop in and we continue on. If we need to get somewhere at a quicker pace, I make sure the youngest is in the stroller and off we go. We love the storage use of it(I dislike a backpack) and in no way do we find it as an inconvenience on buses etc. All I can tell you is that when we are waiting for the bus or are on it, that our DDs are not the ones having a melt down from being too tired. Plus; I would go nuts walking at our youngest DDs pace:) I am going to show my age here, but for those old enough to have seen the Carol Burnett show(my parents favorite), Tim Conway would play this old man, where he would just shuffle his feet and move at a snail pace. Well, I think he may actually beat my DD in a race:) We do what is best for our family and do not really care about what others may think.
We should have your dd and mine race. I swear it would take her until midday to get down Main Street. We debated a stroller for our 2 five year olds and decided it was worth it. We are going with my sister who is bringing hers for her kids so if mine saw it they would want it. I did get a double macclaren at a yard sale for cheap so we are going with that over our large city elite. At least there is a place for my drink and dh's back pack
 
For us, 4+ we wouldn't bring a stroller normally. Though if we go this winter I am going to bring a just in case stroller for our youngest. But he is in physical therapy as is so that is a different situation.
 
We have a five year old and going in November. I am planning on bringing one of those cheap umbrella strollers just in case she gets tired out on the second day.
 
YDS will be a month away from 6 on our next trip. We are trying to decide of we should bring a stroller, rent a city mini, or rent a park if needed. Do almost 6 year old need a stroller in the parks?
This question has been posted here regularly for the 11 years I've been on the boards. The answer is: He's your kid. Only YOU can answer that question!
 


My daughter is going on 4 and will be 4 when we go to Disneyworld in November. She typically never uses a stroller to go anywhere any more (store, mall, park). But just to "test it out" for our Disney trip, we went to the zoo a few weeks ago and brought the stroller, just in case. Sure enough, after about an hour of walking around, her little legs were tired and she requested to ride in the stroller. That confirmed it for us. Definitely bringing a stroller in November.
 
DD will be five next year when we go and I don't plan to take a stroller. I know there will be times when she'll tire (heck, the 8yo will, too) so we'll slow our pace a bit and stop for a snack or a show.
 
No, my kids did not need a stroller at 6.

I believe my youngest was 4 or so at the last time we used one.
 
YDS will be a month away from 6 on our next trip. We are trying to decide of we should bring a stroller, rent a city mini, or rent a park if needed. Do almost 6 year old need a stroller in the parks?

My youngest just turned 6 and we are taking one primarily for the pm EMH at MK that go until 2 am. We will most likely leave it behind the other days. There is no way she will make it that long, but my oldest will.
 
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I am so glad I found this thread. I have a 5 year old that is as tall as most 7-8 year olds so we were trying to decide stroller or no stroller. As my mom will be in a wheelchair and my daughter is dealing withe leg cramps I am thinking a stroller for our Sept. trip would be best. Thanks for all the times.
 
We stopped using a stroller when my kids were 4 so I don't think a 6 year old needs a stroller. I think the parents of a 6 year old who want to stay at the park when its obvious their child is exhausted need a stroller.

I wouldn't be too quick to say this. We are Canadian, and here we choose not to own a car. That equals 2 miles a day walking minimum, and on weekends and in the summer that number is between 4-6 daily. She walks or runs or scooters etc all those distances without complaint. However, she has a harder time tolerating Florida heat and humidity than the rest of our family. She will be 6 on our trip in November, and though she doesn't have a stroller here (since she was 3 she's been walking these distances), we will be renting a city elite (up to 70lbs) for her from Kingdom strollers, because she just weakens quickly in the heat. We also never do full days...we spend usually only half a day in the parks, and the rest at the resort relaxing. We will shamelessly be walking around World Showcase, Animal Kingdom and the one longer day at MK with her in a stroller. Now granted, we will only use it to move from world to world in MK. We want everyone to enjoy their vacation. If she walks we will be able to spend an hour tops before the heat gets to her. By having the shade and rest of a stroller, she can have the ability to enjoy disney as well. Every child is truly different. My oldest has never used a stroller at Disney. I used to think the older kids in strollers were a joke. Then I got a dose of reality and realized I don't know every situation, just like I couldn't predict my current one. A little compassion goes further than judgement :)
 
Depends on the child and how you tour the parks.

My son had just turned 5 on our trip. Decided on the wait and see approach if we would need a stroller. He didn't complain once. But I know my kids, we did rope drop til 1-2 pm went back to the hotel to relax. Evenings were various activities, but only 3 later nights spread throughout our trip. We went at our kids' pace and it was a magnificent trip. No whining or crying. I do think if we would have toured morning to night it would have been a different story and we would have needed strollers.

In the end, you know your kid and how you do the parks. Go with your gut.
 
You just don't want to leave stuff in your stroller while you go on rides if you aren't sure you can't live without that stuff. Unattended bags on strollers can be tempting to thieves. And there are thieves at WDW.
 
My husband and I are having this discussion on almost a daily basis lol we leave for our trip this coming Saturday...i have two boys, 7 and 3, and I am swearing we need the double stroller. He says single. He feels that our son who is 7 is too big. I just feel like when going from point A to point B, it's much easier to have both kids hop in, and make our way there. I am a fast walker, so having a tired 7 year old walking at his tired pace isn't the best scenario in a hot crowded park. And, like everyone else said above, it's nice to have somewhere to put the "stuff" we can't bring on the rides. I vote stroller!!! :)
 
We just got back from our trip last night. We usually vacation in late April or early May so the heat we had last week was a new experience for us in the parks. I have a older DD5 who hasn't needed a stroller since she was three so I didn't bring one with us this time. She did really well on the first two long days days - 14 hours straight at MK and 12 at Epcot - but that third day at AK we could tell she needed a break, so we rented a stroller for the day soon after we arrived (parental decision, not her request, though she didn't complain). We had a day off the next day so we slept in and recharged our batteries at the pool, and she did three more long park days without a stroller or a request for one. YMMV and you know your kid best. I saw lots of toddlers walking with their parents and lots of older kids in strollers (older meaning 7+). Every kid is different. Do what will make your trip the most fun for your family.
 
We went last weekend. 3 parks, 3 days with a 4 & 7 yr old. Arrived @ 9 am & left btw 6-7pm. No stroller. Took breaks as needed. DH carried a backpack with snacks, couple of waters, and a small first aid kit. So much easier to navigate through crowds and didn't have to backtrack after an attraction to grab the stroller. Best part was the kids crashed after dinner & baths almost immediately!
 
I agree with so many postings here. You know your child best- how do they do with park/zoo trips? We did Disney in October with our 20 month old. I can say she is not a huge stroller lover. The first day she took an awesome 2 hour Epcot nap it. By the last day of MK, we left it in the hotel room. She didn't want to sit in it anymore and practically every ride or attraction, she needed to get out of it to park it. At that point, my husband and I were tired of loading and unloading her and our valuables, and in many areas, there are stroller-movers. So we would get off Pirates or Small World and our stroller had been moved so we spent more time looking for the silly thing (a balloon would be a great help!). So those are just our experiences! Happy traveling!
 

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