Does your 4yr old walk at the parks?

[Juliet25]

My DD mostly walked when we took her as a 4yo, but it was so nice to have that stroller handy for when she got crabby. I think we just took a simple umbrella stroller. Not a PITA at all. It's nice to have it to keep our stuff in, anyway.

My vote is for the stroller.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

I would definitely bring it. Disney is different than at home, the mall, or even other amusement parks, it is hot, long days, multiple days, etc. Maybe he won't want it all the time, but at least you will have it. I would definitely use it at Epcot.

 

[Kat&Dom]

My son is 4 1/2 and we are taking a stroller next month to Disney. A person walks a lot of miles at Disney and it is a lot for those little legs - they have to make 2 or 3 steps to our 1. It is so nice to have him safe in his stroller at night when leaving the park with all the crowds of people.

 

[Hawk]

We have four kids and now three grandchildren, all have been going to WDW since being infants. Take it from us - bring the stroller!

Tim/Hawk

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Our 6 yr old still uses a stroller at Dinsey---it is a BIG place and we are out walking around 8+ hours per day. There is no way she could keep up. Plus the stroller holds our snack bag, rain ponchos, souvineers, etc...they have tons of stroller parking all around and no one bothers each others stroller...I could not imagine going wihtout one....especially with a 4 yr old.Another reson a stroller comes in handy is crowds. It reallyhelps when navigating around crowds at parade times and fireworks and around busy rides, etc....

 

[Suellen]

My 4 and 2 year olds both walked the entire time when we were last there. I think it really depends on a couple of things

a. you know your kid
b. your touring style
c. crowds
d. how well your kids listen and would stay close

while I was there with them alone it was a little challenging to have them both walking b/c they walked at different speeds. If I had another adult to hang back with the younger child that wouldn't have been an issue.

we don't tour commando style and are a leisurely walking family drinking it all in and riding what we can as we come across it.

we head back after lunch for naps or pool time ~ just something different to break up the day..

If the crowds are bad you may have trouble keeping track of them. While my kids know to be mindful of other people and not to get in the way of an adult... the adults don't always see a little one and they can get stepped on or tripped over.

We DID rent a stroller one day so we could commando around the countries as the 4 year old was determined to see every country this time and get to the coloring station for each one.

Lots to consider and I think not an easy choice. I probably won't bring one again as it was so liberating to get on and off the buses easily ~ and just not having to lug it around in general since 99% of the time when we have one it is empty.

 

[littlbugmom]

DS was 4 during our last trip. We rented a Disney stroller and loved having it. We rented one every day, in every park. He walked when he wanted to and rode when he needed to.

 

[GoofyFairie]

OP, you know your child best. Do you use a stroller at home? My 4 yr old walked the entire time at WDW. We had a leisurely trip, not a commando style though. We would stop and people watch when he needed a break, but by that point we all needed the break. We were able to do everything that we wanted to do too. I don't feel a need to carry a lot of stuff and I was thrilled I didn't have the headache of the stroller. Personally, I think this is a decision only you can make.

 

[RNmomnFL]

Another stroller toting family here. If for nothing else, the child falls asleep, having the stroller is a comfort. We always take an umbrella stroller that folds up small for the bus.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

My youngest was almost 4 on our last trip. He walked a good part of the time, but most of the time we let him choose if he was going to walk or ride. He chooses to walk a lot. Sometimes we ask him to ride, like when we are making a long trek to get to our ADR.

However, I would not trade my lightweight travel stroller for anything! We use a Maclaren Volo and it's easy to get on and off the buses. A "full-size" stroller seems overkill for a 4-yr-old, and I'd look at resale shops for a smaller, more compact stroller. When I think of "full-size" I think of big and bulky and heavy.

 

[livie1205]

my dd4 does not use one at all and she does fine with the walking, she loves it.We do not go in the heat of the summer though...

 

[RMulieri]

We took our daughter for the first time at age 4 and she walked the whole time.In fact it was an expected requirement for her before the trip.I know it sounds like we are mean parents, but she NEVER used a stroller at home past age 2 and walked at all the local themeparks and with us on hikes.I wasn't about to regress to a stroller.She was fine , no complaints no issues and we enjoyed the lack of having to tote a stroller.We went in hot summer weather too.We do only have her though so that made it easier.It is alot harder to do with more than one child.

 

[tinkmom2]

We just bring an unbrella stroller. It helps get through the airport and to and from the busses to the parks, and through the parks. We have also rented a stroller at WDW. (those things are sooo easy to push) My dd was 4 last time we went and we still brought the stroller. They can tire out walking plus when the crowds get bigger you will for sure need the stroller.

 

[taximomfor4]

OP, only my youngest went to WDW that young. We pushed an empty stroller all week long. She walked, 100% of the time. She had to hold a grown-up's hand at all times, and she did.

We don't do commando-style touring, though. We spent a couple of hours (3 at the most) at the parks in the morning, then about HALF the time went back for a couple of hours in the evening. While the stroller was handy for sweaters, souvenirs, and water bottles, I sold it on Craigslist. We won't bring one anymore at all.

 

[Goofy'slady]

our 4 yr old will be a few months shy of turning 5 when we're there next month. we're taking our Maclaren with us next month so while she'll probably walk a lot she'll use it from time to time especially when leaving the parks at night. If nothing more it will also speed up the time it can take walking from one attraction to another with the help of the stroller, nothing like mom, dad and big sis flying while our youngest member of the fam is dragging along like lead.

T.

 

[Ceila]

We took our regular stroller when DD was 4 1/2. It was the last time we ever used the stroller for her, but it was very nice to have with us all the time, even in the airport. For us, it worked because she wasn't up for doing as much as DS7 wanted to do but it wasn't really necessary to head back to the report, either - riding simply kept her on pace with the rest of us. One day at Epcot we rented a double and DS7 even rested a few times, too. (Excuse me while I put on my flame suit on now...)

 

[ebaymommy2two]

We just returned from our week at Disney and took a stroller and I'm 100% FOREVER GRATEFUL that we did. Our 5-year-old was simply EXHAUSTED after a couple days. We did long days at the park and there's no way he could have walked all those hours. And of the times he did walk, my dd (she's 7) spent some time in the stroller giving her legs a rest and one day even fell asleep for about an hour in it.

Heck, by the 5th and 6th days I would have liked a stroller to relax in and I'm in excellent shape training for a marathon. LOL!

 

[barnaby1]

On our last trip my dd (then 3 months before turning 4) walked the whole 2 weeks with the very occasional piggy back. A stroller was never even offered and was not asked for. She wasn't over tired or grumpy either.

 

[r&kmommy]

ds went to the world when he was 2 months shy of 4 and we took a stroller (we got one of those $30 jeep umbrella strollers) and he sat it in towards the end of the day a lot, and he also used for seat during parades! It didnt have a basket, but I hooked my messenger bag on the back of it, and if he wasn't sitting in it (stabilizing it) I'd just sling it up into the seat. (I was also 5 months along with dd, and it was very hot, and so I kinda needed the stroller as a crutch almost LOL!!)

Dd will be a few months shy of 4 on our next trip and she will DEFINITELY use a stroller, I'd guess 75% of the time. She's quite the diva and sweats easily so I'm sure of that percentage LOL! She is also still a napper whereas DS was 99% not a napper at this age, so the stroller will come in handy then as well. I recently got a new stroller for her because she didn't really need the full sized stroller we have (fisher price safe voyage stroller)... I got the Uppa Baby GLite (www.uppababy.com $99) and it's an awesome stroller! Dh and I are both comfy pushing - I'm 5 feet, and he's 5'10" - it has a tiny basket, better than none, no parent tray but has a cupholder (that i haven't put on yet), and it is pretty stable w/out her sitting in it and my messenger bag hanging on the back.

HTH some. LOL!

eta - I meant to mention that at that age we'd usually park the stroller at a stroller stop and go do a bunch of stuff then come get it again -- like park @ stroller pkg down near small world, do the fantasy land stuff then go back and get it. Unlike when they're smaller and we'd ride the stroller to most rides/attractions.

 

[byrdangel]

we are going for the first time in november...dd will be five, we are going to rent a stroller...i dont know how mush she will actually use it but i would hate to have to carry her around or hear her whine all day...plus it will keep us from carrying our back pack and whatnot around too...