5 Year Old....To Stroll or not to Stroll??

[MommyPoppins]

This post's main purpose is to get advice from other parents of children around the ages of 5-6! Hoping this doesn't stir the pot for "lazy kids" vs. kids that walk!

We're taking our first Summer time trip to the World as a surprise 6th B-Day present to my dd in late July....she's never had to endure the intense FL. heat. We do live in Virginia so we're somewhat used to heat/humitity, but nothing near the FL type!

Any way, our game plan is to swim all day..."park" in the evening, but she may want to do the parks when the sun's out. I'm worried about her getting tuckered out and was wondering if any other parents out there has some words of advice as far as getting that stroller out for ONE LAST TRIP! We have a jogger one that still works great. I imagine me fastening a mister/fan type thing to blow right on her and other things to make the hot days more pleasant. AGAIN, her dad and I have the nights reserved for the parks to avoid the hot sun, but she may have other ideas!!! After all, it's her 6th Birthday present!

TIA!

If you're only planning on going in the evenings, I'd say you probably don't need a stroller...but really the only thing I have have have to say is PLEASE don't only go to the parks in the evenings! You will be waiting in long lines, long lines I tell ya. Go in the morning, get there for opening, you'll have 1 1/2 hours without lines and if you hit the rides in the right order(get TourGuideMike.com) you'll never have longer than a 10 minute wait and then you get FP's and get outta there by lunch time...then swim all afternoon and return to the parks in the evening. We always use old FP's(couldn't get back to an attraction in time and so I just asked if it was okay and they said no prob) and the CM at the FP's entrance would always yell out,"Anyone with a return time after (such and such a time) can come in" It didn't matter if it was late, even hours late. That way when you come back in the evening you can have a couple headliner attraction FP's and again you won't have to do lines!

 

[penguin087]

Stroll!
We broke down and rented a stroller for my 5 yoa niece on our 3rd day last year. What a differance it made. She was happy. The whining stopped and we had a place to put our stuff down too. Where else would you expect a 5 year old to walk about 7 miles a day? You never would so get the stroller.
I even saw my 11 year old son and 11 year old nephew eye up her stroller a few times

 

[Maddle]

I say - if you have to even ask, you should have the stroller!!!

Take the stroller, take the stroller, take the stroller.....

Really.

Don't use the stroller for when they are tired, use it so they do not GET tired. This place is BIG - HUGE!!! It's a lot of walking for a little kid. Look at those little legs, look at that thermometer....oh man, can I sit in the stroller with her - I will read her a story or something....

Look at how easy it is to keep track of her in that thing, look at how easy it is for her to keep up with you and your big long adult legs, look at how happy you are when she dozes off for a moment, or when you see a little break in a crowd, and you can just push right through....

The stroller is your friend and you will thank it every night for a job well done.

Best wishes for a really terrific birthday.

Maddle

 

[disney longhorn]

Here's my .02--

We recently went to DL. My experience w/my 5 yo DD is that she did fine the first two days w/out a stroller , but by the third day we were all tired and she greatly appreciated our getting a stroller (free at DL w/visa card ).

If you are going for a significant amount of time I think that it is worth taking a stroller. We are about to leave for WDW and we are taking our umbrella stroller w/us this time. There is so much walking involved over several days that the fatigue factor does begin to set in no matter what the pace you set.

An added advantage as well w/a stroller is that you are able to move at a littler quicker pace and can also control the distraction factor. I have found that when they walk on their own time that they poke around quite a bit and are distracted by just about anything (and at WDW--there are tons of distractions). Lastly, I also see the stroller as a fine pack horse--as opposed to me!!

Hope this helps!

 

[disworldnum1]

When my ds was 6 we just rented them at the parks as needed and believe me they came in real handy.It has nothing to do with lazy it's about convienence.We also eneded up useing them as our holder for everything from sodas to souveniers.The fact that we rented them made it easy also because you didnt have to take it back and forth between the resort( especially on a packed bus )

 

[ms.ojo]

We have always brought strollers for our 2. Last trip in Dec ds was 6 and dd almost 3. They both had their own lightweight stroller. It was wonderful. Who wants to wear out little legs making a mad dash to The Safari? Or TOT? or even Peter Pan/Winnie-the Pooh! At parade time, it gives them a great front row seat. We usually leave the park mid-day to take a break...but sometimes we opt to stay and the strollers make it so much easier for all of us. A place to store things, the kids are resting...AND...we know right where they are! When crowds are big...having your kids in a stroller is priceless! No fear of them being separated from you. Walking back to the hotel from the bus stop...another priceless moment for a stroller.

Next yr ds will be 7 and dd4 when we return to Disney. We'll def. bring the umbrella stroller dor dd and we'll probably rent a double stroller to have for ds at large parks like AK and EPCOT. If they want to ride together fine, if not, that's ok too. I know it adds to the expense of the trip renting one...and I'd like to say at 7 he won't need it....but as someone said, you know your child best, and while ds wouldn't be caught in a stroller here at home since the age of 4....he is grateful to have it at Disney!!!! Between soccer, Little league (tball this yr), basketball and gymnastics ds gets plenty of exercise year round. We'll probably start doing more walking/standing practice as the trip nears...but I still would bet we'll have a stroller for a few days for him.

 

[OKWAnneMarie]

Stroll, without a doubt. Have fun!

 

[luvlumpy]

We will be heading to WDW on Saturday and have never thought about NOT renting a stroller for our dd5. I also have a dd2 and her big sis wants to ride with her. Renting the stroller will curb lots of whining and arguments. It's not like she is never going to walk. We'll have to stand in lines without the stroller. For us it is a no brainer. I think you'll be glad you have one.

 

[mickeyfan2]

The 6 year old I took in July, just after the 4th (He turned 6 in mid June) did fine without a stoller in the hot FL sun. On the one day he got tired, we rode the train and he took a nap and continued on. If he was tired, so were we. We expected him to walk and he did.

 

[budbeerlady]

I vote for stroll. DD is strolling again this year. It is so much walking that by night time I want a stroller for myself! DD had no problem riding, she got enough exercise standing in line. We wanted her to not be so tired that we were fighting and not enjoying our vacation.

 

[Lady SnowElla]

Stroller by all means! It makes the little ones happier so you are happier. It is a tremendous amount of walking. . .sometimes my kids would walk & I'd put backpacks in the stroller. On our last trip my youngest daughter who is 8 & very petite ended up with a virus for a couple days. After she was better & we were off to the parks, she was still lagging behind everyone so I ended up renting a stroller for a couple days. It helped both of us. I tell both my girls I've pushed them when they are little @ WDW & pay back will come in the future when they push me around in a wheelchair.

 

[mamacatnv]

By all means take the stroller!!!

We took ours for our DD 7, there were 2 days where she was not feeling well, upset tummy, the stroller saved us! We used it for those 2 days, she walked but could hang out in it when she was tired or needed a break.

We did not offer it's use daily as it was a pain to haul around but when needed we were so glad we brought it.

Next trip she will be 8 and I think as a precaution it will go with us again, no harm in taking it and I would rather have it if needed than not.

 

[TikiHut33309]

STROLLER!!!!!!! Do NOT listen to anyone who says anything about lazy kids. Trust me, it is better to be safe than sorry and it is alot of walking. We used our stroller until DS was 6 3/4 and it was a GODSEND!!!

 

[bigbabyblues]

My DS was 3 and 4 on our last two trips and he didn't use a stroller either time, but that's just him. We were at the parks at opening, took a swim/nap break from noon or so until around 4 and then spent the evenings at the parks. This was late Sept and late August.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I think if you don't mind pushing it around whats the harm in having it. It helps you hold everything and gives the kids a place to have a little downtime if needed. Even if your daughter wants to walk most of the time which my dd,4 does it gives her a place to sit while enjoying a snack or waiting for you or dh in bathroom or on a ride she can't go on.I am going back in Sept and she will be 5 then and I will still take my umbrella stroller-I also like having her in it while going from bus or monorail into the park.I wish I could have one for a place to sit once in awhile!

I totally agree. It depends on your child. Some kids at this age start to feel that it's babyish to be in a stroller. If that's the case, then maybe you won't need it. On the other hand, it can help you keep track of your child in crowded areas. Even us adults sometimes have a hard time staying together, a stroller can help with that. It can also be a comfort zone for her. I think it can also be useful in places like the airport, where your child would otherwise be resting on public furniture (who knows how clean?) A stroller might not be 100% sterile, but probably more clean than the seats at the airport terminal. The only other thing to consider is whether you have enough room in the car for it.

 

[eblack0409]

I don't have kids, but there were times on our trip last September, I wished I could be pushed in a stroller!!!! I say take the stroller....worst that could happen is you don't use it....if you have my luck, and don't take it, that's when you need it....

 

[scrappinmom]

Another vote for Stroller!!!!! My 5 yr old used it daily last year and my 11 year old even hopped in when we were at Epcot and it was time to leave!!!

Now, she didn't sit in it all day...in fact most of the time it held our "stuff" but we used it....to park and watch the parades, to sit and have a snack, to share a tub of popcorn, and to just SIT..

 

[Dizneydaz]

Oh yeah-stroller for sure! I'm not looking forward to the time when my DD6 is just too big for stroller. What am I going to do with all or our stuff? This trip in Sept. maybe the last time.

In Jan., for the first time, we didn't bring our own stroller, which we have always found handy in the airport. But we had 5 adults to carry on board items. We (rented) a stroller every day in the parks. My niece who was with us is a DL CM so we got strollers for free. We always got a double-it was great! Lots of room for our stuff and for DD to stretch out. On the few times I have not taken a stroller with us and she has fallen asleep, it has been a back breaker! So like I said, I hope we can use the stroller at least 1 more time!

 

[3DisneyKids]

This question always gets a lot of opinions here on the DIS...and it pops up frequently. Of course, there is no right answer...each family and each kid is different.

For us, we get a double (kids are 3, 5, and 6) and one is always walking and they switch off. And in a pinch, they all 3 can ride.

It like it for these reasons:

(1) if the kids get tired, it is there
(2) it provides shade from the brutal sun
(3) it makes it so I always know where they are! Never have to worry about them dropping my hand in a crowd, wandering off, etc.
(4) DH and I get to walk at our pace
(5) it is a place to throw the day pack and any other junk you haul into the parks

 

[Hibernians]

We have 4 kids; our last trip to WDW was last October when they were ages 6,6,5 and 3. We rented 2 double strollers so all 4 kids could be "strolled". Best decision we made. The nice thing is that we got a discount for renting it for the week - we paid once on the first day and purchased a multi-day discount ticket (we bought in advance for the rest of the week, which saves you from standing in line again to purchase another ticket).
The multi-day pass is convenient when you park hop like we did, the tickets can be used over & over for each day in multiple parks.
Like many others have said - kids do get tired and as we found, when one is in the stroller, the others are likey to want to be in the stroller too.
Great benefit is navigating heavy traffic w/the kids in the strollers - you can definitely move faster and the kids actually enjoy the ride.
We found it useful to store carry-ons whenever the kids wanterd to walk.