Stroller for 6 & 8 yr olds?

[Hannathy]

Ladies ladies ladies. No one said they can't walk. Of course they can walk. We just said it's easier.....and then we explained why

If we are going to argue can we at least make sure we completely understand the opponent's position.


ETA: Re: the picture of them in a stroller....all four of them, two squished in the seat, the other two hanging off the sides? It's actually quite funny. I'm sure they'd love to show it to their friends. Fortunately they have strong postive self images. What a silly thing to be embarrassed about.

No not a funny picture, a picture of 1 elementary child being pushed around Disney by their Mom. Just normally riding in a baby stroller. Yep that is what they used to be called baby strollers.

And please explain how it is easier? How is it easier to push 50 pounds around in the heat than to walk around without pushing 50 pounds?

 

[Evi]

I just did Disney last year with 2 nieces same age as your boys. Don't waste the time or the money on the stroller. You won't be able to keep them in it. plus parking the stroller and pushing it through crowds will only be a bigger hassle. I'd enjoy the walking and not try to turn it into a marathon use bathroom breaks and beverage stops as aditional rest time. They will be fine you will be tired and no matter how petite either one of you may possibly be you won't fit in the stroller.

 

[ReneeA]

My kids used a stroller their first and second trips to WDW...they were 2 & 3 and then 3 & 4. The following year (ages 5 & 6) I brought the strollers with us intending NOT to use them, but have them as back up. They weren't ever unfolded - for a 9 day trip. We've been several times since and never bothered to bring them (in fact, they were sold in a yard sale a month after that trip).

We enjoyed the freedom of not lugging strollers and all the "stuff", and they enjoyed the trip as well. I can only remember one night after a fireworks show having to lug a sleeping child back to the room over the shoulder...and I would trade that anytime over the hassle of strollers.

 

[cel_disney]

My kids (just 5 and just over 1) are runners (as in those that dart away when they see something they want or like without warning) and I have a bad lower back that is easily pulled out of whack holding their hands down so low and tugging on them not to leave. Pushing them (52lbs + 22lbs + 27lb stroller) does not have any negative effects on my back and eliminates the constant fear that they will take off thus making it easier to enjoy our vacation.

That being said - there are many times when just the younger one is in the stroller and my oldest walks, and last month he and I went out for a special night (just us cause dad was tired) to MK and we went on rides and watched the parade and fireworks and then took the ferry and bus back to SOG not getting in until after 11 (but he did fall asleep on the bus and it was very hard to get him to wake up and get off the bus and walk to our room)...but there is no way he could do that long night behaivor multiple days in a row and even when its good its still not enough or me to just have a single stroller for our entire trip next week...

For the politics of all of this...well really, I say to each his own...but personally, I dont see any of this as a reflextion of us building a community of wimpy kids. This is about being selfish adults when we are on vacation (myself included for sure!). My husband and I are not willing to slow down and spend less time in the parks or walk slower or take a longer rest on the bench to stop the whining from occurring. We are admittedly more self satisfying than that and really need to make sure that we come home from vacation completely refreshed and not regretting that we didnt do enough on our trips. Both of my kids are very content to nap in the stroller in the afternoon or late at night allowing us to stay out and enjoy what we grownups want to enjoy instead of sitting in a dark hotel room while our kids slept.

I would suggest that dont buy/bring a stroller with you, but rather the phone numbers for magic strollers or orlando stroller rental and then rent one if you need it after a day or two.

 

[Meshell2002]

Don't be too quick in thinking carrying your 3yr old around will end up being as easy as it sounds. I know how exhausted I am walking around the parks, and I for sure don't want to strap on an extra 25 lbs and hike around WDW. Not to mention, a 25lbs that wants to see, or is wiggly. I agree that a wait and see approach is probably a good one but don't rely too much on the carry method.

Yes, I know which is why I'm NOT saying I would never rent a double.....but we are traveling with grandparents, who will walk slower than the 5 year old....if it was just me and DH (walking at a faster pace) I would just rent the double without a doubt. DH & I exercise 5 days a week ( I average walk/ jog a total of 15 miles a week DH more so and I also bike 8 miles once a week with a 100 pound bike trailer attached to the bike), and he would be the carrier of the 25 pound kiddo while I push the 5 yo....my parents though mobile have health issues, and I know we will meander through the park at best. and have lots of sit breaks, and we have no plans to stay super late in the park except maybe one night, so I'm thinking given my/ the kids energy level versus my parents , I'll just wait and see.

 

[pacrosby]

No not a funny picture, a picture of 1 elementary child being pushed around Disney by their Mom. Just normally riding in a baby stroller. Yep that is what they used to be called baby strollers.

And please explain how it is easier? How is it easier to push 50 pounds around in the heat than to walk around without pushing 50 pounds?

No, not one.....four children riding in a WDW stroller which equates to more like two hundred pounds! No easy feat, eh? We MUST be in good shape

Amd yes it is quite funny when all four of 'em manage to catch a ride at the same time. Perhaps we just have a better sense of humor.

And I have explained how it is easier....many a time. I invite you take a moment to go back and actually read the thread if you are so inclined.

 

[BelleQ]

For heaven's sake! I have already replied to my original post stating my decision on the stroller situation for MY family.

I get it! I get it! Some people don't care one way or another - they understand that each family is different. Thank you for that. Really.

Since SOME of you would like to judge me for my concern over the stroller debate - let me paint a picture for you. In defense of my family - WE are AWESOME. My 8 and 6 year olds are lean and healthy, we are a very active family and eat healthy and get exercise. We have 10 acres to run and play on with a garden and walking trails. My boys love to run local 1 mile races and usually place in their age division - and in fact, their 70 yr old grand-dad runs 5-10 miles everyday. My boys love sports - especially basketball and riding their bicycles. They are very intelligent - no disabilities. My oldest has been recommended for the gifted program at school. They are popular with their friends as well. We have birthday parties for them and usually have 20 kids show up - so go figure. We do NOT have a Wii. They have a DS but they are only allowed to play it on the weekends during the school year. We do not subscribe to cable television. We rarely watch the 4 channels that we get on our antenna - because we enjoy other activities. Are we lazy? NO. Are we obese? NO. BUT will my 6 yr old possibly need a stroller at some point during 8 days at WDW??? I.don't.know.

I've already posted my reply but I will reiterate for your convenience. My 8 year old does NOT want to ride in the stroller. I have established that fact with him, and it's not a big deal. And my 6 year old - might...MIGHT need it at some point. He is a very active, healthy child. But he's not 'too high&mighty' to be seen in a stroller if he needs it. I let him sit in the one I got, I pushed it down our 200 ft driveway and back. It steers fine, it's not hard to push and he didn't seem uncomfortable. He thinks it's a novelty - it's been a LONG time since his stroller days. But he has a huge sense of humor and he just thinks it's fun. I will NOT by any means encourage him to use the stroller at WDW. Like I said previously - we will bring it and leave it in the car or room....IF something happens (sickness? too-pooped-to-pop? , etc.) we might...MIGHT decide we need it ....OR we MIGHT decide to rent a park stroller.

My main concern was - the first time I visited WDW when I was 9 was in the middle of the summer and we only stayed 3 days - 2 days at MK and one at E. WDW didn't have all the extras back int he 80s. We were hot, exhausted and I remember my feet aching badly. It was not much of a different experience when I was 15 in the 90s and they had MGM. We stayed 4 days and I, as a fit, lean and active teen, was still hot, exhausted and had aching feet. Now, 17 years later, the parks are bigger - we're staying twice as long. I just want to be prepared! It's our first trip with our kids! So what if I'm trying to plan ahead? Good for me!

I'm not going to judge you or your kids because they do or don't need a stroller at some random point during your WDW trip. It's just a personal thing. I really wished I had not have asked this question - I did not realize I was starting a debate. And there's no reason to judge an entire society or country of people on one solitary incident of possible stroller need.

We are going to enjoy our trip at WDW regardless.

 

[Leajess99]

No not a funny picture, a picture of 1 elementary child being pushed around Disney by their Mom. Just normally riding in a baby stroller. Yep that is what they used to be called baby strollers.

And please explain how it is easier? How is it easier to push 50 pounds around in the heat than to walk around without pushing 50 pounds?

I am curious to this as well. Life is not easy. It comes with challenges. I would hate to try to push my daughter in a stroller and bet she would not be comfortable at all.

I wonder how these kids handle their schoolmates that see them at WDW. I know we have seen many schoolmates on our trips to WDW in the past.

 

[pacrosby]

I am curious to this as well. Life is not easy. It comes with challenges. I would hate to try to push my daughter in a stroller and bet she would not be comfortable at all.

I wonder how these kids handle their schoolmates that see them at WDW. I know we have seen many schoolmates on our trips to WDW in the past.

Would you like us to identify the posts that have already explained that by number or would it be easier if we just quoted the posts themselves?

I'm not trying to be a smark aleck, I'm serious. This thread is 6 pages long. It's been made very clear why people who like to use a stroller with an older child feel the way they do. To continue to ask these questions over and over again, questions that have already been addressed multiple times, is simply a means to add fuel to the fire. Why do people do that?

 

[disykat]

For the politics of all of this...well really, I say to each his own...but personally, I dont see any of this as a reflextion of us building a community of wimpy kids. This is about being selfish adults when we are on vacation (myself included for sure!). My husband and I are not willing to slow down and spend less time in the parks or walk slower or take a longer rest on the bench to stop the whining from occurring. We are admittedly more self satisfying than that and really need to make sure that we come home from vacation completely refreshed and not regretting that we didnt do enough on our trips. Both of my kids are very content to nap in the stroller in the afternoon or late at night allowing us to stay out and enjoy what we grownups want to enjoy instead of sitting in a dark hotel room while our kids slept.

Great post! The KIDS aren't being called coddled little babies. It's the adult behavior we're arguing here.

No, not one.....four children riding in a WDW stroller which equates to more like two hundred pounds! No easy feat, eh? We MUST be in good shape

Amd yes it is quite funny when all four of 'em manage to catch a ride at the same time. Perhaps we just have a better sense of humor.

And I have explained how it is easier....many a time. I invite you take a moment to go back and actually read the thread if you are so inclined.

I think you missed her point. It's one thing taking a jokey picture in a stroller - heck, my teens would do that. It's another thing being caught riding around in one like you belong in it.

I would love to hear from a poster whose elementary aged child was happily "caught by a classmate" riding in a stroller that he/she couldn't pass off as little brother's.

 

[disykat]

For heaven's sake! I have already replied to my original post stating my decision on the stroller situation for MY family.

Don't take debates personally. This isn't really about you, it's a debate about the stroller issue. People understand you've made your decision, that doesn't mean all interest in the topic ends.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would love to hear from a poster whose elementary aged child was happily "caught by a classmate" riding in a stroller that he/she couldn't pass off as little brother's.

I really don't think the kids care as much as the parents do about apperances. It is certain parents who have it stuck in their head that it looks bad to see a child other than a baby in a stroller.

I have a picture that shows my then 5yr old and 10yr old nieces in a double stroller. My 10yr old niece looks grumpy, because she was in pain. Maybe to others she looked like she was ticked at being in the stroller, but only we, HER FAMILY knew what was going on. And WE are the only opinion on the subject that matters. I for sure wasn't going to insist she walk in case she was seen by someone she knew. How shallow that would be!

 

[JayTyAdd]

We have 3 Mousketeers - DD7, DS5 and DD4. We go every March for 8-10 days and this past year we ended up renting a single and a double as DD4 needed one and the other 2 didn't want to walk all day if their sister got to ride in the stroller (lol). Yes it is a pain at times but the days are long, no matter what pace you go at, and for us it worthwhile to use them. One bonus of a stroller is you can put your camera, bag etc in them. As far as what other people thought of us having older kids in a stroller - we really don't pay attention to that. Disney is our family vacation and we want to make the most of it for everyone - if a stroller makes my 7 year old happier and makes the experience more enjoyable then I'm fine with it.

 

[pacrosby]

Great post! The KIDS aren't being called coddled little babies. It's the adult behavior we're arguing here.

Honestly, I'm not trying to pick an argument with you, but yes, some are indeed implying that. Some have even used those words (coddled and babies). And for those who perhaps think that accusing parents of 'treating their kids like babies' is different than actually calling the kids names, it's not.

The arguing is silly. People are arguing for the sake of arguing. They ask questions like "why would people do that?" but they already know because it's been explained over and over. It's not a mystery anymore. The conversation has been had a million times and yet the exact same people come on for no other reason than to tell others how stupid they think they are and how this is such a poor reflection on our society as a whole. When people counter with some logical response, they either pretend they never read it or conveniently disappear from the discussion only to resurface at some point later on spouting the same drivel.

IDK...do they think they are going to shame people into no longer using strollers? Pretty doubtful.

I think you missed her point. It's one thing taking a jokey picture in a stroller - heck, my teens would do that. It's another thing being caught riding around in one like you belong in it.

I would love to hear from a poster whose elementary aged child was happily "caught by a classmate" riding in a stroller that he/she couldn't pass off as little brother's.

I think we are forgetting that most strollers that people use for older kids are not the typical baby strollers....they are the WDW plastic stroller wagons. Hardly anything to be embarrassed about, catching a ride in that thing. Most elementary school kids wouldn't even fit in a typical 'baby stroller' so this question is kind of moot since it applies only the the small minority. Bottom line, people have said they don't think their kids would stress about it. Why keep pushing the issue?

And fwiw, personally, I've never run into people I know at WDW. Of course if you go during summer/school vacations I can see where you might. We don't though. I take the kids out of school. Oh yeah, that's another discussion

 

[azdizzymom]

For heaven's sake! I have already replied to my original post stating my decision on the stroller situation for MY family.

I get it! I get it! Some people don't care one way or another - they understand that each family is different. Thank you for that. Really.

Since SOME of you would like to judge me for my concern over the stroller debate - let me paint a picture for you. In defense of my family - WE are AWESOME. My 8 and 6 year olds are lean and healthy, we are a very active family and eat healthy and get exercise. We have 10 acres to run and play on with a garden and walking trails. My boys love to run local 1 mile races and usually place in their age division - and in fact, their 70 yr old grand-dad runs 5-10 miles everyday. My boys love sports - especially basketball and riding their bicycles. They are very intelligent - no disabilities. My oldest has been recommended for the gifted program at school. They are popular with their friends as well. We have birthday parties for them and usually have 20 kids show up - so go figure. We do NOT have a Wii. They have a DS but they are only allowed to play it on the weekends during the school year. We do not subscribe to cable television. We rarely watch the 4 channels that we get on our antenna - because we enjoy other activities. Are we lazy? NO. Are we obese? NO. BUT will my 6 yr old possibly need a stroller at some point during 8 days at WDW??? I.don't.know.

I've already posted my reply but I will reiterate for your convenience. My 8 year old does NOT want to ride in the stroller. I have established that fact with him, and it's not a big deal. And my 6 year old - might...MIGHT need it at some point. He is a very active, healthy child. But he's not 'too high&mighty' to be seen in a stroller if he needs it. I let him sit in the one I got, I pushed it down our 200 ft driveway and back. It steers fine, it's not hard to push and he didn't seem uncomfortable. He thinks it's a novelty - it's been a LONG time since his stroller days. But he has a huge sense of humor and he just thinks it's fun. I will NOT by any means encourage him to use the stroller at WDW. Like I said previously - we will bring it and leave it in the car or room....IF something happens (sickness? too-pooped-to-pop? , etc.) we might...MIGHT decide we need it ....OR we MIGHT decide to rent a park stroller.

My main concern was - the first time I visited WDW when I was 9 was in the middle of the summer and we only stayed 3 days - 2 days at MK and one at E. WDW didn't have all the extras back int he 80s. We were hot, exhausted and I remember my feet aching badly. It was not much of a different experience when I was 15 in the 90s and they had MGM. We stayed 4 days and I, as a fit, lean and active teen, was still hot, exhausted and had aching feet. Now, 17 years later, the parks are bigger - we're staying twice as long. I just want to be prepared! It's our first trip with our kids! So what if I'm trying to plan ahead? Good for me!

I'm not going to judge you or your kids because they do or don't need a stroller at some random point during your WDW trip. It's just a personal thing. I really wished I had not have asked this question - I did not realize I was starting a debate. And there's no reason to judge an entire society or country of people on one solitary incident of possible stroller need.

We are going to enjoy our trip at WDW regardless.

I am sorry but that whole paragraph is not needed. Basically all you need to say is we are a fit family. Simple as that. You paint a picture like your family is perfect....all in perfect shape, perfect kids who are perfect in school (even throw out the gifted part), perfect friends (tell how many come to a birthday party, etc). And we need to know this........WHY? I wouldn't want to be that perfect....or have kids that perfect, etc. I will take my normal, crazy, kids and family life anyday!

It would seem logical if someone posts about a stroller for a 6 AND 8 year old that it would cause issues. This was first posted 8 days ago....after the first few responses it becomes apparent that it is a HOT TOPIC.... so asks mods to lock thread or remove.

This goes along with the holding places in line, saving seats for parades while others ride rides or get something to eat, expecting people to move for you when you don't pay for seats on Airtran, etc. There are many hot topics on the disboards. Why people even need to posts "SHOULD I TAKE A STROLLER" is beyond me. Only YOU as a parent knows your family and your kids. Your kids are different than mine...at that age mine (who are not perfect kids) COULD walk the entire day (for 8 days) at Disney World in the September heat and humidity. They could also walk for 3 days in Disneyland in the June heat in LA. I wouldn't have considered a stroller for them.....BUT I posted their godmother who had kids go at a similar age (they are also fit and healthy) did get a stroller (maybe a double I honestly don't remember)---so to each their own. So why the need to ask strangers who don't know you, your family, your kids, your health, your situation if YOU NEED A STROLLER? You are the one who needs to make the choice for your kids.

Sure people will judge you for pushing your kids around and others won't. You asked advice and got it from both sides. But to post how wonderfully perfect your family appears is not relevant to this thread.

Have a wonderful trip...... do what you need to do for your kids.
Maybe it is time to ask for this to be locked.......

 

[Suzanne74]

I just want to add that if you asked this question in the basic "theme park stratagies" board, you would get a lot more people saying "Are you crazy?" Not because they want to judge people's parenting (although I am sure many will) but ECV and stroller abuse has gone thru the roof in the last 10 years and it has clogged the walkways of the parks, the entrances to rides, and used to hold massive prime spots for one or two little kids, so no one else's kids can sit anywhere near them to see. Not to mention the stopping short to bend down to talk to a kid, hitting ankles of others and kids pushing strollers aimlessly around. It also slows down the speed of transportation lines (monorail, ferry and buses.)

While many people truly need the ECV's and many young infants/todders truly need strollers, Disney gives them to anyone - anyone! So for other families that have been coming for a long time, it is a common complaint. 15 years ago, NO ONE would put their older kids in strollers unless there was a disability issue. The park sizes have stayed the same size so it is either the kids or the parents that have changed.

And I agree with another poster, if this keeps up we will have 10 year olds in strollers in another 15 years.

 

[tigger1bounce]

We have twin DD age 6 and 1 is autistic. This being said we ALWAYS rent or bring strollers. The last time (Feb 11), we rented 2 double strollers for them. I don't care how others see this, but we do this for the comfort for them AND the comfort for us otherwise we will just be fighting an uphill battle all day.

 

[Hannathy]

I just want to add that if you asked this question in the basic "theme park stratagies" board, you would get a lot more people saying "Are you crazy?" Not because they want to judge people's parenting (although I am sure many will) but ECV and stroller abuse has gone thru the roof in the last 10 years and it has clogged the walkways of the parks, the entrances to rides, and used to hold massive prime spots for one or two little kids, so no one else's kids can sit anywhere near them to see. Not to mention the stopping short to bend down to talk to a kid, hitting ankles of others and kids pushing strollers aimlessly around. It also slows down the speed of transportation lines (monorail, ferry and buses.)

While many people truly need the ECV's and many young infants/todders truly need strollers, Disney gives them to anyone - anyone! So for other families that have been coming for a long time, it is a common complaint. 15 years ago, NO ONE would put their older kids in strollers unless there was a disability issue. The park sizes have stayed the same size so it is either the kids or the parents that have changed.

And I agree with another poster, if this keeps up we will have 10 year olds in strollers in another 15 years.

I agree 100%


The parks were so much nicer to walk around without the excessive strollers and especially the ones bigger than cars used to be. Seriously Epcot was the same size 20 yrs ago and you never saw an 8 yr old in a stroller. So what has changed?

 

[pacrosby]

I agree 100%


The parks were so much nicer to walk around without the excessive strollers and especially the ones bigger than cars used to be. Seriously Epcot was the same size 20 yrs ago and you never saw an 8 yr old in a stroller. So what has changed?

I don't really know anything about the statistics regarding stroller usage at WDW 20 yrs ago. My first trip to Disney was in 1990 but I was 28 and single and didn't pay much attention to people and their strollers. Then not again until 2005, pregnant and with three kids in tow. We've gone 3 times since, now with all 4 kids, but I don't really remember details about how many strollers there were. If it is true that there has been this huge increase (and it's not related to a change in the number of people going, the make-up of the families who go and/or when they are going) than I suspect it's because somewhere along the line more people began to think that having one might make their lives alittle easier. And the more people started to do it, the more others took notice and said, "hey we should do that too".

There may be other reasons too. I imagine that the way people tour the parks at WDW has changed in many ways over the years. The fact that it is so expensive for some families that when they do go, they want to get in as much as they can with comfort and convienence for all. This whole phenomenon of commando touring? I imagine that wasn't as common 'back in the day'. What I will continue to insist is, however, that it likely has little to do with helicopter parenting and infantilizing children. And until someone can prove that the parent who will let their 6/7/8 yr old ride in a plastic wagon stroller at WDW is the same parent who won't let little snookums cross the street by themself or stay home alone before the age of 21.....I think we should stop the overreacting.

Personally I think that the issues of overcrowding, and ankle ramming and prime-parade-spot holding are quite valid and I accept them as reasons why some might be annoyed when this topic comes up. I don't like it when someone rams my ankles any more than the next guy but I blame the guy with the stroller, not the existance of the stroller itself. I don't know what the answer is. I know some would like to ban stroller usage for those over a certain age without some sort of extenuating circumstance. That'd work of course but you'd have take that up with Disney (and the liklihood that they would want to give up that revenue is slim to none).

In the meantime it's probably better to just find effective ways to encourage better stroller etiquette. Hint: you'll catch a lot more flies with honey than with vinegar.

 

[RMulieri]

I just want to add that if you asked this question in the basic "theme park stratagies" board, you would get a lot more people saying "Are you crazy?" Not because they want to judge people's parenting (although I am sure many will) but ECV and stroller abuse has gone thru the roof in the last 10 years and it has clogged the walkways of the parks, the entrances to rides, and used to hold massive prime spots for one or two little kids, so no one else's kids can sit anywhere near them to see. Not to mention the stopping short to bend down to talk to a kid, hitting ankles of others and kids pushing strollers aimlessly around. It also slows down the speed of transportation lines (monorail, ferry and buses.)

While many people truly need the ECV's and many young infants/todders truly need strollers, Disney gives them to anyone - anyone! So for other families that have been coming for a long time, it is a common complaint. 15 years ago, NO ONE would put their older kids in strollers unless there was a disability issue. The park sizes have stayed the same size so it is either the kids or the parents that have changed.

And I agree with another poster, if this keeps up we will have 10 year olds in strollers in another 15 years.

Agree
People are free to do whatever they want doesnt usually bother me,unless the person pushing the stroller is using it as a battering ram or throws elbows while doing it...and yes sadly I have experienced both.. but when someone asks for an opinion I give it as I have before.In any event, while people are wrestling with strollers into the stroller parking and dealing with enough bags to scale Everest all the way to Base camp 1, I am already on line and getting on the ride.