Being really cheap: a ? about stroller

[FatCow]

We are considering in buying a stroller (those $20 cheapies) from Toronto and use it at WDW instead of renting one.

Questions:

1. How's the strollers' quality at WDW? Much better than those $20 cheapies?
2. Anybody had their personal stroller 'stolen'?

TIA

 

[dzneprincess]

1. The strollers at WDW are larger and therefore have more room. There are upsides and downsides to this. The child will have nore room to stretch out, and they are easy to manuever because they have 4 wheel drive! LOL However, when you leave the park, it is a real hassle if you have a sleeping child or a tired child, as the stroller must stay at the gate.
2. I have NEVER had my personal stroller stolen, nor the personal effects that I may leave in or on it.

 

[Debbie]

Yes, we had our personal stroller taken 9½ years ago. Luckily, it had served all five kids, was on our last day, and Guest Services gave us a stroller to use for the rest of the day.

My sister had hers stolen just this past year. She even found it later, but the British couple insisted it was their's (even though it had both French and English-Canadian, eh?- on it, and her little boy's "stain" right where it should be.)

Bottom line: Would I take my own and risk it? ABSOLUTELY! but learn from our mistakes.

1. Have your name <u>prominently</u> displayed AND hidden as well.
2. Take a picture of it with you.
3. Tie something to it so it is easily found outside each attraction.
4. If you are just going to "junk" it after you are finished with it, pass it on to someone who looks like they could use the stroller inside the park.
   [/list=1]
   
   Have a wonderful time!!

 

[ceecee]

We bought a cheapie $12.99 Walmart with a basket, put a tied bag on the handle to indentify easily plus it was bright red...who would bother stealing a cheap stroller??? It was MUCH easy to manuver around than the larger Disney rentals, we also got to use it at the resort and the airport. Our DD was 5 the last year we used a stroller (not really small). I had every intention of junking it, but it was still in pretty good shape so I sold it at my garage sale for $7.00.

 

[disneysteve]

I definitely vote for bringing your own. You will want a stroller outside of the parks - at your hotel, at downtown Disney, etc. As for what to bring - we always brought our regular stroller. It was sturdier, more comfortable, had a good sized basket for stuff and reclined for naps. The cheap ones just didn't seem worth it to us.

Steve

 

[FatCow]

One thing for sure, buying a "better" stroller is not an option.

My daughter don't use stroller since she was around 3 yo.

So if I buy one, it'll just be for Disney and not for before nor after.
Also I don't think I'll rent more than 3 days out of the 6 days we're going to be there. Therefore buying anything more than US$40 equivalent will be warranted.

I'll try to find a cheapo stroller that'll fit my daughter rather comfortably. If I can't find one that's cheap, I'll just rent one over there.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by FatCow
My daughter don't use stroller since she was around 3 yo.

How old is she now? If she has outgrown needing a stroller at home, you probably won't have much need for one at Disney either. In that case, I'd change my advice. Go without a stroller. If you find at some point in your trip that you need one, then rent one for that day. If she doesn't use a stroller normally, you should be fine around the resort and at DTD.

Steve

 

[FatCow]

My daughter is 5yo past October. She'll be 5.5 by the time we're going to WDW.

Maybe I'm just overly concerned that she may be too tired from walking all-day for 6 days

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by FatCow
My daughter is 5yo past October. She'll be 5.5 by the time we're going to WDW.

Maybe I'm just overly concerned that she may be too tired from walking all-day for 6 days

My DD was also out of a stroller by then. It was a pleasure going to Disney finally without worrying about a stroller. She was fine without one. You know your kid best but she'll likely have little need for the stroller. I wouldn't bother taking one. You can always rent one if if becomes necessary.

Steve

 

[melee]

Hi,
We took a $10 Walmart umbrella stroller on our 2001 trip, with a 4, 6 and 9 year old. It turned out to be a great help. In the airport it was a place for the kids to put their little daypacks and stack their coats. Throughout our stay it was great for giving short legs a rest. if the 4 year old wasn't taking a break, the 6 year old was! It was better than renting because sometimes the kids need a break outside of the parks. It was also very easy to take on the transportation. We travel light in the parks with just one backpack. The stroller was a good place to stick the backpack while we were sitting down. Our kids were too old for naps so we didn't require a comfy, shaded stroller. We tied a bunch of irridescent curling ribbon to one handle in order to distinguish it from the tons of identical "cheap wheels" parked outside the attractions. Have a great trip!!

 

[jaclark]

mmm, we kept getting a stroller for my oldest until he was 9!! We tend to be commando Disney people and we have three kids and would rent the double for the oldest 2 and bring one for our youngest. OUr oldest would walk and ride intermittently throughout the day... Again, someone wrote about knowing your child. depending on how long your day will be, the heat, etc. do what you feel comfortable with. We usually go in the fall when crowds are at a minimum. this past year we went in August (never again) and he walked that trip for the first time BUT we didn't do nearly as much as we normally do.

Have a great trip.

Annette

 

[horseshowmom]

We've had two of our own personal strollers stolen and also had stollers that we rented at the park stolen. Yes, we did make sure they were all very visibly marked, so they were taken on purpose. The park will give you another stroller to replace theirs (with your receipt), but you may have to walk all the way to the other side of the park to get it (which can be pretty far sometimes when you're a little tired).

I'm sure this is a no-no (I'm normally a stickler for the rules, but enough was enough), but we started taking a bicycle lock with us and locking our stroller to a fence (or something of that nature). We didn't leave it with the other strollers where you go in, because they move them to the area where you come out. We just picked an easily accessible site in that area. We never had another problem after that.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I know alot of parents look forward to the day they no longer need a stroller, but we really enjoy having ours.

We have had ours moved, but not stolen, but someone did take a fanny pack off of the handle while we were on Buzz one year.

We did our last trip in Sept. without our stroller (forgot it) and even though we took afternoon breaks, we missed our stroller. Neither of my boys (6 and 4) use strollers outside of theme parks and they did a 5K walk with me last January but at WDW they are so excited they don't pace themselves very well.

They want to run, skip or hop from the time we leave the room! By the time we got to Main Street, the little one was tired! A stroller allows us to pace them better, and to keep up with them in crowds.

I did purchase a Safari TT single stroller specifically for our Theme park trips so that DS's could ride even when they are older. The tires are pneumatic and it was a dream to push and when in a pinch, both boys could ride without weighing it down.

It was also nice to have a comfortable place for the little one to nap when we returned to watch Spectro. We are not Commando's but there is alot of walking just to get to the front gate of the parks, once you leave your hotel room and I've also had mine fall asleep on the bus back to the hotel and it is difficult to wake them and have them be coherent enough to walk and at 65 pounds they are too heavy to carry.

So as long as we have our Safari TT (hopefully no one will take it)we will continue to take it and use it.

 

[lilsonicfan]

best way to hang on to your stroller...

take a plastic bag, put a diaper in it, or some wadded up paper towels, and pour some coke or root beer inside as well. Tie the bag to the handle of your stroller. You'll probably never lose it...

 

[bigsis1970]

Hi , we rented on our 2001 trip ( Ds was 5 and DD 8 ) got a double most of the time and they loved it - went back in 2002 and No stroller just took it slower when little legs were tired . in 2003 went with friends let them borrow our outgrown umbrella stroller and someone stole it on a rainy day outside of its a small world ( it was folded up with a rain poncho on it ) it never was found ! my friend ended up rent for the last 3 days . Best of luck with your decision. Michelle

 

[FatCow]

I just don't understand people.

If you don't come in with a stroller, how can you "forget" and grab a stroller?

If you don't come in with an umbrella, how can you "forget" and grab an umbrella?

 

[horseshowmom]

Unfortunately, the point is that they don't "forget". Furthermore, the individuals doing this don't have a problem with stealing from a child either. Kind of makes you sick, doesn't it???

Lilsonicfan, you just may have an idea there! LOL

 

[welovedis]

If you would like to pay nothing for the use of a nice stroller, check out the stroller swap thread:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=361259

It might be available for your dates!

If not you could either get a a cheapie, but depending on your daughter's size at that age they can be a bit difficult to steer since they are built for younger children (usually 40-45 pounds). Sounds like the rental strollers might be a better option for 3 days and easier to manuever. Just my .02!

 

[edie w]

My SIL bought a $10 stroller from Walmart in Kissimmee. Didn't lean back but was great for my nephew (nearly 4) when his little legs were tired.

We had intended leaving it in the rental villa for the use of future occupants but it was stolen from outside Mission Space on our last day. There were no others like it, so it wasn't a mistake. Not sure if the diaper bag and root beer trick would have worked if someone is deliberately stealing. The CMs didn't want to know.

Although DNe was fine walking (we mostly used it for bags and a large Dora the Explorer!) it really cast a cloud over our last day.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

We ended up using a stroller 3 or 4 times this past December for DD who just turned 8! By the time evening rolls around, those little legs get TIRED! Even with breaks during the day, and a slower-than-Mom-prefers touring pace, she was just plain exhausted! I'd plan on a stroller myself - it's just no fun for anyone to drag a tired child thru the parks.