At What Age Did You Stop Using a Stroller in the Parks?

[lizzyb]

5

 

[Julie711]

Bringing our sit n stand this October for our 2 & 6 year old. After this trip will be bringing a single for youngest and oldest DD will walk or take breaks on next trip which she will be 7 as we go once a year.

 

[stephwtx]

I think it also has to do w what time of year you go. Could my 5 year old make at WDW in Jan w cooler temps and shorter days without a stroller? Sure! Did she need one a few weeks ago when we were at MK and the heat index was 102? Yes! It was hot, crowded, and I wish I had had a stroller honestly. Now my 2 year 10 month old DS walked more but needed his stroller at times to nap and get away from all the stimulation of DW.

 

[shan2321]

DD is 5. most it just holds our stuff and helps us end of the day as she's out by the time of fireworks. She's walking throughout the day. She hates when I call her lazy lol

 

[Ava]

We're bringing a single stroller and a baby carrier for our 5yo and 1yo. If the 5yo gets tired and needs a ride in the stroller, the baby can go in the carrier for a bit. Its also nice to have the carrier for all those buildings where you can't take your stroller in, and on the buses. I wouldn't want to push around a big double stroller either (and we don't own one so we'd have to pay to rent).

 

[runnergrl]

My family went to the parks when I was 5, never used a stroller so... less than that.
Then again, my family hardly EVER uses a stroller once the kids can walk

 

[kam1011]

4. At 5 they walk.

 

[mslhb]

Last trip DD was 4.5 and we used a stroller. Going next week. DD just turned 6 and is very short for her age. We are not using a stroller. For me 6 was the cut-off. We will take breaks and go at her speed.

 

[Disneychick75]

Our kids stopped wanting a stroller when they reached 5 years old. They wanted to be "big kids".

 

[RedStars]

We went last year with the boys when they were 2.5 and 5. We rented a double and I was so glad because they BOTH slept in it on multiple occasions, even though they both gave up naps and strollers at home.

Never underestimate the amount of walking! Plus, I like having the option for them to sleep so we (DH and I) can stay out a little later.

 

[sunkissed4]

I think it also has to do w what time of year you go. Could my 5 year old make at WDW in Jan w cooler temps and shorter days without a stroller? Sure! Did she need one a few weeks ago when we were at MK and the heat index was 102? Yes! It was hot, crowded, and I wish I had had a stroller honestly. Now my 2 year 10 month old DS walked more but needed his stroller at times to nap and get away from all the stimulation of DW.

This exactly! We live here, we know the heat, and my soon to be 5 year old DS still melted last weekend and wanted his stroller.

 

[Harleydottie]

has anyone even attempted dw without a stroller? Early October, 3.5 YO who honestly hasn't used a stroller in... at least 6 mos. I hesitate to bring a giant stroller just to lug our crap - but if it's the best way to lug crap, that's cool. DH wants to buy a cheap umbrella stroller but I told him that negates the crap-hauling capabilities. 4 adults, 1 kid...

 

[HardShell]

has anyone even attempted dw without a stroller? Early October, 3.5 YO who honestly hasn't used a stroller in... at least 6 mos. I hesitate to bring a giant stroller just to lug our crap - but if it's the best way to lug crap, that's cool. DH wants to buy a cheap umbrella stroller but I told him that negates the crap-hauling capabilities. 4 adults, 1 kid...

YMMV, but our "cheap umbrella stroller," a Jeep-branded double unit for our twins, survived 7 WDW trips in six years plus a few to the beach, a couple to DC, and one to Dallas and we hauled a ton of "stuff" on/in it with or without the kids in place. I suspect it would have made it through this one as well... but I am SO enjoying not having to schlep a stroller on and off the busses for the first time this trip.

 

[Crl1817]

Obviously it depends on the kid. We have only been once and dd was an infant and was either in the stroller or the ergo baby carrier. Ds was seven and I never even considered a stroller for him. He wen from rope drop until ten pm at night with no rest breaks and only quit for the day because whichever adult was with him couldn't keep up anymore. He did that for five days straight. I knew he would be fine though, he's always been non-stop motion and plays hard outside at every opportunity.

(This trip he will be eleven and dd will be four. I'm actually thinking I need to buy a stroller for her as I don't have a lightweight stroller with a decent canopy anymore.)

 

[Crl1817]

has anyone even attempted dw without a stroller? Early October, 3.5 YO who honestly hasn't used a stroller in... at least 6 mos. I hesitate to bring a giant stroller just to lug our crap - but if it's the best way to lug crap, that's cool. DH wants to buy a cheap umbrella stroller but I told him that negates the crap-hauling capabilities. 4 adults, 1 kid...

Fwiw, I think I'm going to buy a used baby jogger city mini off Craigslist. Cheaper than renting, plus I can keep it or sell it at the end of the trip. A huge canopy and a little better basket than most umbrellas. It's what a lot of the off-site stroller rental companies rent out so I figure it must work out okay at the parks. I found one this weekend listed for $90, waiting to hear if it is still available and if they will take $80.

 

[AZMermaid]

We are going to Sea World next month and will rent a double for my 2 and 3.5 year olds. If my older one spends any serious amount of time in it, we will get a double again for Disneyland next Feb when they are just shy of 3 and 4y 5m. That will be the last time my older one is offered a stroller. He's tall (42 inches at 3.5) and active. I'm not sure he will even need it in Feb. my daughter is much more of a rider and I could see her using one until 5 or 6.

 

[laughinplace199]

I think my older two were about 5 when we stopped using their strollers.

My youngest was 6, but he has low muscle tone and tires more easily than other kids his age. We actually went to WDW twice when he was 6 and we knew that we wouldn't be using a stroller after that. So on the last day of our trip, as we were leaving AK to go to the airport, we gave the stroller to a family on their way into AK. They were so happy and grateful, you'd think we'd given them a million dollars!

 

[katie111]

I used one until my youngest was 6. I think strollers are great Gives us somewhere to hold all of our stuff. Sometimes the older ones would hop in it if they were really tired. We just did our first theme park without a stroller (non Dinsey) and I hated it. My DH ended up carrying around a giant backpack all day, it was such a pain! I have no idea why people are so eager to get rid of the stroller. If my youngest (now 7) wanted one on our next trip I would gladly bring one for him. It's a ton of walking & he has little legs. And we love to go commando. Just makes everything easier for us.

 

[scrappinginontario]

My DD will be 5 1/2 this trip and I will be bringing a stroller. I never use one anywhere for her now except at Disney. We're in the parks for long hours each day so it gives her a place to rest when she needs it. She's also a kiddo who will fall asleep when she's tired (including 3 times in the middle on Wishes and Illuminations) so for my sake I'll take one again or else I'll end up carrying a 40 lb dead weight to the bus and that would never work!! I may try to go without on AK day to see how that goes.

 

[Dragonfly_34]

Oh wow....this thread is making me re-think my plans.....I was going to rent a double-stroller for my 2 yr old twins (they will be almost 3 when we go), and was going to have a 5 yr old walk. We were going to bring our cheapie twin umbrella stroller for the airports (for the twins) but now I'm wondering if I should rent a single one for him as well. He hasn't used a stroller in well over a year and I'm not concerned about a long walk in the airport but 8 days at WDW might be too much for him since we don't plan on going back to the hotel for breaks.