Almost 6 in a stroller???

[CEDmom]

Leaving when your tired is great if you live nearby and have a Florida Resident AP or your loaded. For the rest of America where the average household income is $50,000 a year, they will be staying until the park closes period. When you average it out with hotel, transportation and food for a family of 5 WDW can cost anywhere from $350 and beyond for 1 day in the park.

Most people are not going to leave because one of the kids is tired.
It's better to just get a stoller.

I don't think most parents stop to factor in the cost of a trip when they have a tried child about to hit their limit. I think all they're thinking is how the heck to we get out of here before the meltdown. That being said, I'd keep open the possibility of renting a stroller big enough for both kids or letting them trade off. I bet the 5 yo is going to want to ride the entire time.

 

[hnws2000]

curios if better to bring from home or just rent when arrive

 

[mom23boys]

When we were in WDW in August 2005 my DS (6) and DN (8) were miserable by the end of day 1. My youngest DS 3 had a stroller. After the first night my DSister and I decided to get a double for the kids for the rest of the trip. It was great. We got a multi day discount and the boys were much more relaxed and rested.

This past Jan we did a double again for our younger DSs. It just makes like easier and the children are more rested. I know for myself I am so tired after a day at the parks and I admit a little cranky.

I do not see anything wrong with having a stroller for an older child.

 

[EagleHasLanded]

I think you will make a huge mistake not using strollers. As adults WE are tired after just a few hours, we forget about how little they are and how quickly they tire out. I would much rather push a stroller than carry a six year old. . . plus you have space for packages! ha

 

[lulugirl]

I think renting a double is good idea. It is a HUGE amount of walking!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Make a deal with DH: You'll agree to skip the stroller if, when DD6 whines about being too tired to walk anymore, Daddy will carry her!

My oldest is 5.5, and we'll have a stroller anyway for the nearly-2-year-old. When the older one is tired, he can go in the stroller and one of us will have to carry or at least keep hold of the little one. And I agree about using the stroller to carry other things, like snacks, diaper bag, purchases, etc.

Due mostly to the younger one, we'll be going back to the hotel at mid-day for a rest. But I think even if it were just the 5-year-old, I'd take the stroller.

I did consider a 2nd stroller, but I'm figuring (hoping?) that with a mid-day break it won't be necessary...

 

[momof3sweeties]

we just got back and we took our double stroller from home. it was SO nice. (and didn't look like all the rented ones either!)

SO easy b/c on the ferry or monorail you don't have to fold it up so the only time you do is when you are either on the tram or on the bus and that was no biggie.

we have a 9, 7, and 3 year old. the 3 year old used it quite a bit and the 7 year old used it a lot too. the 7 year old would get in it for long walks, like getting into, and leaving the parks. that is why *I* brought my own.. it was so nice.

I say bring or rent a double. when the 2nd seat was not occupied, we put stuff in there...

better to be safe than sorry!

 

[LeahA]

My 5 1/2 year old could never walk around the park all day! I would definitely have to have a stroller for both the 2 year old and 5 year old. I don't think you can put an age limit on it. If you know your child will get crabby and tired, who cares if you have to push him/her. Whatever will limit crabbiness, I'm all for it!~

 

[DisneyKidds]

Let me put it this way......you will never regret having a stroller seat available for a 6 year old, and it's very likely there will be some point when you'd wished you had one if you didn't.

Our DD was 7 on our last trip and she still made good use of our stroller. Disney or no Disney our kids fall asleep by 9:00. It is very nice to have the stroller for the kids to fall asleep in at the end of a long day. It is also useful when you will be walking a great distance, like around the World Showcase.....or when you want to get somewhere quickly. More often than not a 6 or 7 year old will be walking during the day, but there are times when having a stroller for them is invaluable.

We bring our strollers from home. If you rent you are sans stroller once you get to the park exit, and it the kids are asleep you are in deep do-do......well, at least we are because two parents trying to figure out how to carry three kids is no fun.

 

[alisonbestford]

We'll be doing WDW with a 7 year old DD in an umbrella stroller

Even if she doesn't sit in it all the time it saves me carrying a back pack

 

[hfrink13]

We are going in May and we were ther last May. My DH didn't want to bring a stroller, but I talked him into it. Even though we are staying at WL this time and were off site last year. I told him it is so much easier to have a stroller. My DD is 8 and my DS will be 6. I knew where they were all the time because they were in the stroller. Also I had a place to carry a backpack with water bottles etc. So this year I told him I still want to bring one because if we don't need it we can leave it in the room.

 

[twoprincesses]

Okay so I showed my hubby the post and we are definitely renting a double stroller! I'm so glad many of u posted about the endless shopping because he looked right at me when he read that! That's me! Then I remembered using it as a seat to wait for Spectromagic last November while the children played on empty Main St. with a CM. I know there's a weight limit but my lil one spilled her juice on the sidewalk where we were sitting and I really needed to rest, plus, it was our stroller and not disney's. So now that that's settled, I'm a happy camper! Thanks a bunches!

 

[tchrrx]

Having just adopted a five-year old, I totally missed the stroller years of life So...how hard is it manipulate the rented single strollers through the park? Do you leave them at the beginning of lines for rides or what? I am completely clueless when it comes to the ins and outs of keeping up with a stroller! Can you help me out? I really didn't figure we would need one, but after just a couple hours at out shopping with my daughter & me carrying her several times, I'm beginning to think that a stroller is the way to go!

 

[Cllong75]

We went in September with a 3 week old which we always had her stroller, then we also had 20 month old, a 5 year old and an 8 year old. Every other day we rented a double stroller instead of taking the 20 mos. old's with us, that way the older two boys could take turns sitting in it and just off their feet for a little while and it worked out great. I don't think 6 is too old at all, I don't think adults really realize how much walking that is to a little kid. You wouldn't expect a 6 year old to walk a couple miles a day for a few days straight any other time.

 

[penguin087]

Normally I agree with your husband but not at disney. We took my niece last year she was 5. We took our 2 11 yoa boys also. It made it much easier on every one after we broke down and got a stroller. I have to admit we got it mostly for our junk but it made it much easier for her to keep up with the boys who were getting tired of waiting for her. Lets face it , it is A LOT of walking on those little legs!

 

[IwannaseeMickey]

You'll see mine in a double...my son will be 6 and daughter will be just barely 4. No way I would rent one for her and expect him to walk...our day will be much nicer if they both can ride.

 

[IwannaseeMickey]

Having just adopted a five-year old, I totally missed the stroller years of life So...how hard is it manipulate the rented single strollers through the park? Do you leave them at the beginning of lines for rides or what? I am completely clueless when it comes to the ins and outs of keeping up with a stroller! Can you help me out? I really didn't figure we would need one, but after just a couple hours at out shopping with my daughter & me carrying her several times, I'm beginning to think that a stroller is the way to go!

The strollers were no problem at all last Oct. They have stroller parking all over the place, and you just park it and leave it. I didn't find them hard to manipulate at all thru the crowds, you do have to be mindful of people in front of you and not run into them, but the rentable ones turn and move easily.

 

[chilis]

Having just adopted a five-year old, I totally missed the stroller years of life So...how hard is it manipulate the rented single strollers through the park? Do you leave them at the beginning of lines for rides or what? I am completely clueless when it comes to the ins and outs of keeping up with a stroller! Can you help me out? I really didn't figure we would need one, but after just a couple hours at out shopping with my daughter & me carrying her several times, I'm beginning to think that a stroller is the way to go!

I haven't rented the Disney stroller, but they are very popular. Seem to be pretty easy to maneuver and I did notice that the renter's name is printed on a little tag on the back of the stroller. There are stroller parking areas located closely to all of the attractions and we never had a problem finding a place for ours of locating it when we were done with the ride. Sometimes, a CM will move all of the strollers to a different designated stroller area, but it is usually at the exit to the ride so it's easy to find.

I would definitely go for the stroller! We went without one during one afternoon out and were really sorry!!! You may think your little one is easy to carry now, but just do it for 3 hours. The choice is clear for us!

 

[bkaz]

At first glance as I was scrolling the forums, I thought you meant you were getting one stroller and putting 6 kids in it.

And my first thought was, Man that is one cheap person.

Oh I am laughing and laughing...too funny! My daughter is looking at me like I'm crazy!

Anyway...my vote is for the stroller...in fact I have spent the day trying to decide what to do for our family and we're leaving SOON! We can take our umbrella stroller for our DS4 and make DD8 walk...but I can guarantee she'll be whining by 11:00. So I will probably cover my DH's eyes at the price and rent a double stroller at the parks.

Does anyone want to weigh in about which parks we might be able to get away with just using the umbrella stroller? We are going to MK, AK, MGM and Sea World. ...And if your response is that any child who's 8 is just lazy if they need a stroller then come to my house any afternoon when she's playing kickball and tag outside for 3 hours after school...I just know Disney will be more enjoyable if she's not being forced to keep an adult pace for hours!!!

 

[twoprincesses]

Oh I am laughing and laughing...too funny! My daughter is looking at me like I'm crazy!

Anyway...my vote is for the stroller...in fact I have spent the day trying to decide what to do for our family and we're leaving SOON! We can take our umbrella stroller for our DS4 and make DD8 walk...but I can guarantee she'll be whining by 11:00. So I will probably cover my DH's eyes at the price and rent a double stroller at the parks.

Does anyone want to weigh in about which parks we might be able to get away with just using the umbrella stroller? We are going to MK, AK, MGM and Sea World. ...And if your response is that any child who's 8 is just lazy if they need a stroller then come to my house any afternoon when she's playing kickball and tag outside for 3 hours after school...I just know Disney will be more enjoyable if she's not being forced to keep an adult pace for hours!!!

I think you could get away with an umbrella stroller at AK. I think it usually closes earlier than the others. When we were there is Nov. we were able to finish the whole park without missing a thing and were out by 6. This included the parade, all rides, and about 6 character greetings. I think you you will be fine. Oh, and also maybe MGM... but definitely not MK and EPCOT.