7 yr old Legs

[plutospup]

Next June DD will be 7, and for the first time we don't plan on taking a stroller. I'm afraid there is too much walking for little 7 y.o. legs. What are your experiences? Any suggestions? Thanx for your help!

 

[Tinkerbellmom33]

The first time in Disney, my son was 6. He was great, no stroller and we were out all day. We took a few breaks here and there. You sit on a lot of the rides too which helps break it up. Maybe it was the excitement, but he never complained.

 

[plutospup]

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[turnlisa]

We stopped using a stroller for my DS when he was 6. He easily walked through the parks with the rest of us. You should be fine!

 

[Tinkim]

We just went in Jan 2004. My DD was 6-1/2. She did fine. In fact, she had more energy at the end of the day than I did. We are going again in Feb 2005 and she will be 7-1/2 and I'm not worried. I think you do a fair amount of sitting at shows, on rides, and for meals so you get frequent breaks. Just make sure to have comfy shoes and I think the little legs will do fine.

 

[BevS97]

my 7 year old won't be having a stroller - she didn't have one last year and it was only on a few late nights that she got really tired and shared her baby sisters, so I don't imagine it will be a problrm

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

At age 7, she should be fine.


My soon-to-be 5 yr old will be going without one in January. If she needs a rest, the 5 yr old can walk!

 

[NotUrsula]

In most cases, if a child is physically fit, age 5-6 seems to be about the time the stroller can begin to be left behind. There are some other factors that swing it a bit earlier or later, such as your touring style and especially, weather; if it is really hot, a child may need it when he otherwise would not, especially for Epcot, which is a really large park with a lot of concrete. The converse is true, too; a kid who would otherwise not be able to manage might do better if the weather is unseasonably cool.

Also, when estimating a child's stamina in hot weather, take into account the climate you live in. If "really hot" where you live means temperatures in the 80's (F), or humidity that never goes over 40% or so, your child may need a stroller for a little bit longer than a kid who is used to a summer climate similar to that of Central Florida.

Children who are in poor physical condition may need to use a stroller up to about age 8, particularly in summer. Disney's rental strollers come in a range of sizes; you can rent one that will accomodate an avg. 12 yo, if need be. I'd say that most kids will use a stroller consistently up until just about the time they turn 5 at WDW; after that it may become a sporadic thing, it depends on the kid. Renting in a pinch will often work better than bringing your own at that point.

If you want to condition your child, especially for a summer trip, start going on walks with them (outdoors on pavement, not dirt or soft track surface), gradually working up the distance. If he/she can manage a non-stop mile without tiring, you should be OK. I've heard that the avg. visitor walks about 8 miles in a full 12-hour park day, but that is stop-and-start walking. I find that in summer, the kids I take can only really enjoy that on their feet if we take a long break in early afternoon; we need about 2 hours outside the parks to recharge. Otherwise tempers start to flare, and the fun quotient goes way down.

BTW, shoes *really* matter at WDW; choose wisely. Our whole family swears by good quality sport sandals, we found that they were much better than sneakers for theme park walking in warm weather. For cold-weather visits, hiking shoes work best for us.

 

[roserae]

Originally posted by NotUrsula
BTW, shoes *really* matter at WDW; choose wisely. Our whole family swears by good quality sport sandals, we found that they were much better than sneakers for theme park walking in warm weather. For cold-weather visits, hiking shoes work best for us.

Interesting! Sports-sandals. I've always been too scared to try anything but good-ole athletic shoes. I would LOVE to wear sandals instead. What brands do you recommend?

 

[NotUrsula]

One of the nicest things about sports sandals is that kids can play in the fountains in them to their hearts' content, and wet rides like Kali are not a problem.

I like Nike and Merrell; DS tends to wear Kamiks (b/c I find them cheap for his growing feet at Marshall's. LOL), and DH likes the ones from Bass and Merrell. Lots of folks on the DIS swear by Tevas, and the new brand on the market in the last couple of years, Keen, has been gaining a loyal following (Keens have a rubber toecap so that you can't stub your toes.)

For cold weather, it's Merrell Jungle Mocs all the way for all of us. DS wears them to school every day; he can't wear sneakers b/c of his uniform, but they don't mind the Mocs.

Go over to the Budget board; there are always LOTS of shoe discussions over there, for some reason.

 

[laceemouse]

Made our first non-stroller trip last May....youngest is 6 and did great....we LOVE our non-stroller trips...Lacee

 

[plutospup]

The stroller will be staying at home.

Hmmm...I guess that means I have to carry the backpack, and suvenier bags! Fortunately,DD7 is physically fit. Still, when she's not in the pool, we will be going on walks to strengthen those legs for our next trip to WDW! Thanks for all of your tips and suggestions.