Are strollers really $31 a day to RENT?

[reagan75]

I was reading this trying to find an answer to the cost of the strollers. What I found was massive judgment. Would people who rent strollers for kids over the age four actually push their kids in strollers anywhere but Disney? Probably not. Walking up to 16 miles a day is a lot of walking for adults never mind kids.

But really...at the end of the day "To each their own". It seems a ridiculous pursuit to make snap judgments based on seeing a family in passing for two seconds. How on earth would one be able to judge if this is a family who uses the word "no" frequently...or if they do or do not have control over their kids...What's it to you anyway? One might make the judgment that families dragging around tired looking kids are insensitive to their children and their shorter legs which require more steps than adult legs which means they get tired out a lot faster....How ridiculous is that?! I realize that it is very easy to vent your views on a message board...but I sincerely hope that people don't waste their day at Disney World passing judgment on every second person they see for having their older kids in a stroller...or anything else one might deem "wrong" simply b/c it's not a choice they would make for their own kids.

seems a waste of energy that could be put toward ones own family...having a good time and not worrying about what everyone else is doing.

sheesh.

ITA! Thanks for some non-judemental words. To each their own.

 

[TRICKY_TINK]

I have an 11 month old and a 4 year old. I purchased off craigslist a $15 double umbrella stroller. Its small weighs nothing and can sit 2 butts in it when needed. I plan on leaving it at Disney when were done with a big "free stroller" sign on it. I suggested looking into that option for anyone needing a stroller but not wanting to pay big bucks for one.

 

[ReneeA]

I am in the (now) non stroller crowd that responded earlier on this thread. Honestly, I don't care in the least if anyone wants to let their 13 year old ride around in a stroller - it just doesn't concern me, or hit my radar.

What I was suggesting is that instead of paying $31 A DAY for a stroller, that there are other options, such as paying next to nothing for an umbrella stroller instead. However, they aren't going to be large enough for big kids (my oldest is super tall for his age, so we know how that goes).

I can totally understand if your kid has health problems and needs to use one. I just don't believe for one second that ALL of those big kids being carted around in a stroller have health problems. It's fine and dandy to use one because you want to, but so many try to find an acceptable excuse for why they need one...if it fits the way you tour, do it. In the majority of cases, it isn't necessary...just a want.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Well, I don't even have a need for a stroller, but I think the stroller rental fee is too high. It's nearly half the daily price of a value hotel room. For young, budget minded families, that's a large expense for a week-long trip.

The wear and tear isn't such that they need to replace the strollers weekly or even monthly. They probably make back their cost for the strollers in a week or two.

I prefer people rent strollers in the parks, instead of bringing them back and forth on the bus. With such a high rental fee, I am sure many will bring their own. I sure would. That will not be less strollers in the parks, just more on the buses.

 

[MarkinNM]

Well actually they are trying to deter people who rent then for thier 8 and up children. The parks are too jammed with strollers as it is. The older children cause wear and tear on the strollers themselves costing Disney $$$ each year. I for one am glad they hiked the prices up. It tends to get a bit ridiculous being jammed in the ankles constantly by parents pushing children in strollers who should be walking.

I hear you, its NOT the KIDS but the parents pushing, shoving into places they should not be. NP onpushing kids to get to a general place in the park but there comes a time to get out and walk around!!

Isn't this assuming a whole lot? Judging children is always a great thing to do How do you know the child does not have a handicap that requires them to ride in a stroller? Or like in my case, children who are really tall for their age and people ASSUME they are a whole lot older than they really are.

I just find the quoted statement to sound to ASSUME a little too much

Seems like YOU are doing the A**uming here...... Get those kids out and walk, stretch a bit!!

Speaking of assuming, why must that always be brought up. I don't think the poster had any intention of saying that a child with physical needs should be walking. Save righteous indignation for some other justifiable time. They were talking about perfectly healthy children that for some reason their parents feel are too "tender" or something to actually flex some muscle and walk. That said, if a parent wants to jam up the parks so that their child not have to walk, go for it, but now they can also "pay for it". I guess I am just from a different time period. I don't understand the argument that it's easier to push a SUV sized stroller around for hours then to keep control of your children. The word "NO" perhaps applies here.

My first visit many years ago, was with my 6 and 8 year old daughters. It never even crossed my mind that they needed to ride all day. They walked with us, they stayed with us and we all were in good shape by the end of the day. In fact, my girls would have been insulted if I had suggested a stroller. In there minds, strollers were for toddlers and babies. I agreed with that then and I still do.



This goes in connection with the above...everything I need to spend a day in any theme park fits neatly in my pockets.

VERY well said, I mean come on, 5, 6, 7 year olds in strollers??!!!

Do you have the teachers in schools push your kids in strollers at school?

They are BIG, BULKY, and space hogs, for little tots YES older, NO.....

 

[bartleby1]

Whoa...
Take a deep breath and stifle yourself a minute. I'm sure your not as nasty a person as your post makes you seem.

Calmer now?
I've never been called closed minded or "holier than thou" before. You don't know me, so you don't realize how ridiculous those two statements are when applied to me. Your post makes you seem pretty closed minded yourself, and very unwilling to accept opinions other than your own. Is it really necessary to call someone closed minded because you happen to disagree?

If you read my post thoroughly, I said you would have to be willing to slow down and take in the world if you did it without a stroller. Obviously, that's not something you are interested in doing, and that's perfectly okay. I don't understand why anyone would want to rush around on a vacation, but that's just me. If that's something that floats your boat, why should you care what I think?

Obviously there may be medical reasons why a child might need some assistance. I'm a teacher and I'm well aware of medical issues. I've dealt with issues much more severe than type 1 diabetes in my classroom. I'm always impressed by the parents who refuse to treat their children as delicate little flowers, and instead expect them to experience life to its fullest, no matter what their child's disability is.

And since you are discussing diabetes, even that can be handled in different ways. My nephew is type 1 diabetic and has never had to use a stroller at Disneyland, Sea World, Knott's Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, Busch Gardens, or WDW. They've also done the Smithsonian museums, New York City and Colonial Williamsburg, not to mention Yosemite and San Francisco. They've been everywhere and have been able to manage just fine without a stroller once he got over the age of 4 or 5. They've never treated him as fragile or different than his siblings. They just monitor him as they need to and have educated him to respond quickly to what his body is telling him. I have vacationed with him many times and they have always been able to participate in everything that they have wanted to do.

Of course, since I'm so closed minded, I'm sure my experiences don't really matter to you. But I truly hope you do enjoy your next trip and that you don't over exert yourself pushing that stroller from one end of the parks to the other. I'll wave to you as you run by me with your stroller. I'll be the one sitting in the shade with my diabetic nephew, enjoying a fresh fruit plate, and watching the world go by.

I think the problem comes in that just like you can't understand why anyone would "rush" through disney and not take time to "sit in the shade", others can't understand why someone would come to disney to "sit in the shade" and not rush around so they could see every, single attraction.

BTW, I've never felt "exerted" pushing any of my kids in a stroller and that includes last summer when my 8 year old fell and twisted her ankle and needed to use my 3 yr olds stroller for a while. Perhaps if the adult is getting exerted by merely pushing a stroller, maybe the adult is the one who needs more exercise!

I can't understand why we constantly hear stories on this board (not addressing any poster specifically, just in general) about "my" child didn't need one at 3...4...5...etc, so therefore all children should go without. Ridiculous. My middle child has more energy than he can use and often runs in circles just to burn it off but he MELTS in any kind of heat. He is perfectly healthy and is SKINNY (95 percentile for height, 50 percentile for weight) but he cannot tolerate the heat at all. He never could. I dread the day he doesn't fit in a stroller, which is rapidly approaching, because I don't know how we'll do disney in the summer months at that point. He just turned 7 and I will be bringing a stroller for him again in August. I have a better chance at my 4 year old being able to handle the walking than my 7 year old. My oldest didn't really need a stroller at 7 even though she is not nearly as active as my middle child (she'd much rather read a book and exercise her mind), but that won't stop me from using one for my middle child.

Having three VERY different children (you would never guess that my three kids have the same two parents, LOL!) has taught me one very important lesson. EVERYONE is different.

Different strokes for different folks. Neither way is right or wrong.

For the OP, yes, the prices have gotten crazy for the rentals at disney. If you feel you need one, your best choice is to either bring your own or rent from an outside company. They do sell a small kolkraft umbrella stroller at disney for around $50, but I believe they only hold up to 35 lbs.

 

[natenapril]

Because you are closed minded.

As two of us have mentioned, there are a number of child maladies that are not "visible" and do not impact mobility yet VERY real and are helped by access to a stroller - Type 1 diabetes, Asperger's, and I'm sure others.

Fortunately, Disney makes accomodations by allowing older kids to use the strollers. Disney gets it.

As the parent of one such kid, we can deal with the occasional 'episode' with our medical challenges as it comes with the territory. These things don't put a damper on our vacation, they just derail it occasioanally.

What puts a real damper on our vacation are holier-than-thou people who take it upon themselves to tell us things like "maybe NO applies here."

I once heard a whisper of "I can't believe she's diabetic and getting ice cream" and will always remember this. I do not recall (over our trips) the various episodes of high and low blood sugars.

People are entitled to their opinions, I'm not here to change that. What I am trying to do is to lessen the chance that we hear someone whisper - "can't that 7 year old get up and just walk?" Well, maybe NO applies here too.

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Well said!! Why are all the people who are chosing not to rent or bring a stroller so judgemental about the ones who do? STOP making assumptions and enjoy your vacation. Don't worry about why my family chose to have a stroller.

 

[natenapril]

Seems like YOU are doing the A**uming here...... Get those kids out and walk, stretch a bit!!
VERY well said, I mean come on, 5, 6, 7 year olds in strollers??!!!

Do you have the teachers in schools push your kids in strollers at school?

They are BIG, BULKY, and space hogs, for little tots YES older, NO.....[/QUOTE



again the point was for me that my child may look 5, 6, 7 years old but he was 3 and 4 when we went. That's where the assuming comes in.

 

[MarkinNM]

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Well said!! Why are all the people who are chosing not to rent or bring a stroller so judgemental about the ones who do? STOP making assumptions and enjoy your vacation. Don't worry about why my family chose to have a stroller.

Trust me I dont.............


That is until.............


My feet and toes get continual bashing by pushy, shovey parents who think they are the only ones in the park!! Sure their are plenty of reasons for certain kids to be in strollers BUT sadly the majority of them are in them because of the parents....

 

[MarkinNM]

Seems like YOU are doing the A**uming here...... Get those kids out and walk, stretch a bit!!
VERY well said, I mean come on, 5, 6, 7 year olds in strollers??!!!

Do you have the teachers in schools push your kids in strollers at school?

They are BIG, BULKY, and space hogs, for little tots YES older, NO.....[/QUOTE



again the point was for me that my child may look 5, 6, 7 years old but he was 3 and 4 when we went. That's where the assuming comes in.

Hey that is your call, I guess to me the big deal is the bulkyness of them and how it seems like my feet are always magents to them. My kids at that age always walked as for me it was much harder and stressful in pushing that darn thing everwhere w/o banging into everything, then where to leave it and hope its there when we get back, etc.... Too much stress, no thanks we are walking, at a very much slower pace but we got around!!!

 

[natenapril]

I was reading this trying to find an answer to the cost of the strollers. What I found was massive judgment. Would people who rent strollers for kids over the age four actually push their kids in strollers anywhere but Disney? Probably not. Walking up to 16 miles a day is a lot of walking for adults never mind kids.

But really...at the end of the day "To each their own". It seems a ridiculous pursuit to make snap judgments based on seeing a family in passing for two seconds. How on earth would one be able to judge if this is a family who uses the word "no" frequently...or if they do or do not have control over their kids...What's it to you anyway? One might make the judgment that families dragging around tired looking kids are insensitive to their children and their shorter legs which require more steps than adult legs which means they get tired out a lot faster....How ridiculous is that?! I realize that it is very easy to vent your views on a message board...but I sincerely hope that people don't waste their day at Disney World passing judgment on every second person they see for having their older kids in a stroller...or anything else one might deem "wrong" simply b/c it's not a choice they would make for their own kids.

seems a waste of energy that could be put toward ones own family...having a good time and not worrying about what everyone else is doing.

sheesh.

Well said! Why worry about the family who has a stroller?

 

[bartleby1]

Trust me I dont.............


That is until.............


My feet and toes get continual bashing by pushy, shovey parents who think they are the only ones in the park!! Sure their are plenty of reasons for certain kids to be in strollers BUT sadly the majority of them are in them because of the parents....

Unfortunately, the pushy, shovey parents who bash your feet and toes are most likely the same rude, inconsiderate people who bump into you fifty times while walking down Main Street after Wishes while everyone is trying to leave the park at once. Or the people who step on the back of your heels while you are on line. Or the people or try to push their way in front of you during Illuminations or Spectromagic after you've waited in your perfect spot for 45 minutes. Some people are rude, but in my experience, most people are fairly considerate. And I can tell you, that I've been pushing strollers for 9 years total with my three kids and I have NEVER run into anyone with my stroller. I'm sure that the majority of moms and dads out there can say the same. Not everyone is rude. Unfortunately, the rude people do tend to stand out in our minds.

 

[bartleby1]

all i have to say on this situation is whatever the price for stroller rental is they need to triple it. the stroller situation in WDW is out of control!

I've been to WDW when it is just entirely too crowded with people. Maybe the should triple the admission price to cut down on the crowds too?

no the TRUE downside to this is if you have to lug your kids around in any fashion they shouldnt be there in the first place. i think strollers shouldnt be allowed at all! ive been bringing my children since they were 5 and never once did they ever use a stroller.

You can't be serious. So, children that can't walk yet or even toddlers just shouldn't be there at all???

 

[MarkinNM]

Unfortunately, the pushy, shovey parents who bash your feet and toes are most likely the same rude, inconsiderate people who bump into you fifty times while walking down Main Street after Wishes while everyone is trying to leave the park at once. Or the people who step on the back of your heels while you are on line. Or the people or try to push their way in front of you during Illuminations or Spectromagic after you've waited in your perfect spot for 45 minutes. Some people are rude, but in my experience, most people are fairly considerate. And I can tell you, that I've been pushing strollers for 9 years total with my three kids and I have NEVER run into anyone with my stroller. I'm sure that the majority of moms and dads out there can say the same. Not everyone is rude. Unfortunately, the rude people do tend to stand out in our minds.

Sad but true, they do and I have felt the same thing at Illuminations when my kids at the time were 4 & 6 and were pushed out of the way by adults, I mean they could have stood behind them and still had a great view...Stroller or not that is the parents choice but please be careful when pushing them....

 

[RMulieri]

I am a non stroller parent..l.and YES I make a big deal out of her walking the whole trip when the question comes up on the boards "DO I need to rent a stroller for my x year old?"...I could care less who uses one and who doesn't.you want to put your kid in it till their 10..fine by me.i don't stand and stare and make comments at people in the parks I am too busy.My only point is that some kids as young as 4 can walk it, and it depends on your child.I am quite proud of my daughter for being able to walk it, If stroller parents feel judged, understand that I also don't appreciate getting some of the comments I HAVE gotten from some people on these boards about how making my 4 yr old walk and refusing to bring a stroller makes me abusive or a bad parent...and yes I have gotten comments like that.

 

[floydfamily4]

I generally try to stay out of threads that go rude and snarky but I just can't "lurk" on this one. I have twins and have been pushing a double stroller for 4 years. I know how to use one without banging into people - it really isn't that hard. What is hard is swallowing the judgement of people who think that their way is the only way. Let's remember that even an active 4 year old will have a hard time walking so many miles. Add to it a family that has saved for xx number of years and wants to do "everything" and you can maybe see the need for a stroller for what you "assume" is an older child. My twins are very different in tolerance for walking and size as well. My DD is more likely to want to walk and see everything where my DS will get tired and frustrated. I am not like a lot of posters who can go to WDW every year or multiple times a year. We are the family that has saved for over a year to go celebrate their 5th birthday and may want to try to see a lot (we know everything is not possible ) So, if you see me with my almost 5 year old prince and princess in a stroller (from home because $31 a day is RIDICULOUS) then keep your eye rolling and snide comments to yourself please. We deserve a Disney vacation too!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I am a non stroller parent..l.and YES I make a big deal out of her walking the whole trip when the question comes up on the boards "DO I need to rent a stroller for my x year old?"...I could care less who uses one and who doesn't.you want to put your kid in it till their 10..fine by me.i don't stand and stare and make comments at people in the parks I am too busy.My only point is that some kids as young as 4 can walk it, and it depends on your child.I am quite proud of my daughter for being able to walk it, If stroller parents feel judged, understand that I also don't appreciate getting some of the comments I HAVE gotten from some people on these boards about how making my 4 yr old walk and refusing to bring a stroller makes me abusive or a bad parent...and yes I have gotten comments like that.

What about people who have more than one small child? You only have one 4 year old to contend with, to keep pace with, to give your undivided attention to. I have four kids. They are now 12, 9, 8 and 7 and we haven't needed a stroller the last couple of times we've gone, but I still needed one when they were 3, 4, 5 and 8. Each one of them is very different. If one of them is tired, but nobody else is, should we ALL have to pack up and go back to the resort? That seems silly. My oldest has Dyspraxia, a motor skills disorder, so up until about the age of 8 she would still sometimes ride in the stroller, as her stamina and mobility are not the same of most children her age. As for the other three, they are quite healthy, but when you are trying to contend with multiple small children it just makes more sense to rent the double stroller.

 

[preschoolmom]

I am a non stroller parent..l.and YES I make a big deal out of her walking the whole trip when the question comes up on the boards "DO I need to rent a stroller for my x year old?"...I could care less who uses one and who doesn't.you want to put your kid in it till their 10..fine by me.i don't stand and stare and make comments at people in the parks I am too busy.My only point is that some kids as young as 4 can walk it, and it depends on your child.I am quite proud of my daughter for being able to walk it, If stroller parents feel judged, understand that I also don't appreciate getting some of the comments I HAVE gotten from some people on these boards about how making my 4 yr old walk and refusing to bring a stroller makes me abusive or a bad parent...and yes I have gotten comments like that.

Well Said. So far, in these threads, we've been accused of dragging our kids through the park by the arms. Letting them wander around and cause people to trip (or have a stroller accident). Dragging exhausted, screaming kids on a commando park race...

My son turned five the week before we went on our last trip. He walked the entire five days, and did just great. No, he is not every child - and every parent can make that call for themselves - but we will not be using a stroller on our next trip (two fives and a six year old).

Additionally - Disney very well may have increased the price and reduced the stroller size due to the fact that they have limited square footage in the parks - and the strollers take up a LOT of it. We went during an off-season time on our last trip (February), and I overheard a CM in Fantasyland (lining up all the strollers - mine included, as my twins were still three) say, "We have too many strollers and not enough space - everyone uses a stroller now". I mentioned it to a CM (friend of the family with us for the day), He is a manager and said, "Well, I wouldn't have said it where guests can hear, but yes, it is true that we don't have enough space for all the strollers - and more people are utilizing them for much older children".

So, Disney knows they had an issue with space. They raise the prices and buy smaller strollers (perhaps to squeeze out "older" kids from using them). If you look at pictures of Disney World in the 70s and 80s, were there 5, 6, 7, & 8 year old children in strollers? The rental strollers back then look like they held a two or three year old (tops!).

I don't care if you need a stroller for your older child - but the trend is that the strollers take up more space than ever in the parks.

 

[RMulieri]

What about people who have more than one small child? You only have one 4 year old to contend with, to keep pace with, to give your undivided attention to. I have four kids. They are now 12, 9, 8 and 7 and we haven't needed a stroller the last couple of times we've gone, but I still needed one when they were 3, 4, 5 and 8. Each one of them is very different. If one of them is tired, but nobody else is, should we ALL have to pack up and go back to the resort? That seems silly. My oldest has Dyspraxia, a motor skills disorder, so up until about the age of 8 she would still sometimes ride in the stroller, as her stamina and mobility are not the same of most children her age. As for the other three, they are quite healthy, but when you are trying to contend with multiple small children it just makes more sense to rent the double stroller.

Trust me if I COULD have had more than one child I would have.So I WISH I had your problem..But like I said it is up to each person.I also know families with multiples whose kids walked it..different strokes and all.Each person makes their own choice.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I generally try to stay out of threads that go rude and snarky but I just can't "lurk" on this one. I have twins and have been pushing a double stroller for 4 years. I know how to use one without banging into people - it really isn't that hard. What is hard is swallowing the judgement of people who think that their way is the only way. Let's remember that even an active 4 year old will have a hard time walking so many miles. Add to it a family that has saved for xx number of years and wants to do "everything" and you can maybe see the need for a stroller for what you "assume" is an older child. My twins are very different in tolerance for walking and size as well. My DD is more likely to want to walk and see everything where my DS will get tired and frustrated. I am not like a lot of posters who can go to WDW every year or multiple times a year. We are the family that has saved for over a year to go celebrate their 5th birthday and may want to try to see a lot (we know everything is not possible ) So, if you see me with my almost 5 year old prince and princess in a stroller (from home because $31 a day is RIDICULOUS) then keep your eye rolling and snide comments to yourself please. We deserve a Disney vacation too!