bring stroller or rent????

[beebles]

Should I bring my stroller for my 4 year old or rent down there? Which is easier/more convenient?

 

[addicted2disney]

It depends...

I think its easier to rent a stroller. BUT when we go in January, the lastest we stay out is 9-9:30. Our Ds ( almost 4) wouldnt be sleeping by then.

If you are going when the hours are later, and your 4 year old will most likely fall asleep before you leave the park, then you might be better off taking your own. Its just the walking to the bus part thats tough if you have a sleeping heavy toddler. I might take mine this November, because the parks will be open later, My DH wont be there to carry him, and we are doing the Christmas party until midnight.

It really is just SOOOO much easier to rent one there though!! The hassle of folding them up and getting them on a crowded bus is a real pain sometimes!!

You can pay for the whole stay . and you get tickets.. each day you go to a park, you just take your tickets to where they hand you the stroller, and they rip off that days ticket. Its better than standing in the stroller line every morning and paying every day.

When I go in January, we wont be taking a stroller. We will rent!!

 

[beattyfamily]

I prefer bringing my own. My "Disney" stroller is lightweight and folds like an umbrella stroller.

I like having it for DTD and resorts etc... I like having it when it's late and my DD falls asleep before we leave the park.

I like that our stroller is more comfy then the rented ones and it has a basket. I like that the one I bought is cheaper then the rented ones. I like that we don't have to wait in any stroller lines.

Good luck deciding!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

When DS was 4 , we rented a stroller. He didn't need it anywhere other than the parks, so just as the other poster stated, for us, it was easier than lugging it around everywhere. Now with DD, she is just going to be 2, so I'll bring my own. She'll need it at the airport and other places. So it just all depends on your child.

 

[blessedby3]

I think it is easier to have your own stroller. We have always brought our own. You dont have to load and unload all your stuff in the parks, you can do that at your car. We never use the bus system, but drive our car on property. If you have a lightweight stroller- you wouldnt need much more than a umbrella type for a four year old- it is very easy to fold up and get on the busses if you use them. Also, when you have a sleeping child late at night it is nice NOT to have to carry them once you turn your rental back in. If you stay at a monorail hotel you can just roll the stroller right onto the monorail. That is EASY!! We bought a Maclaren Volo 2004 model (which is a very sturdy umbrella type) for our 6 1/2 yr old to take in Nov. It was only $64 with s&h which is cheaper than renting for our time down there and I can save it for our trip next year if DD still needs it. If not, I can resell it and not be out any rental fees. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

I'd say it depends on what you consider easier/more convenient. For me, since we drive to WDW, I think it is easier/more convenient to have my own stroller.

I think the ideal stroller for a 4 year old would be an umbrella style (smaller, less cumbersome) with a top/lid/canopy (I can't think of the word - what's that thingy that keeps the sun off their head? ), and a basket below.

Since your child is older, you probably won't need to carry around a lot of the "baby stuff" that you would have needed a few years back, so I think the smaller stroller works as well, if not better, than the larger one the parks offer (or do the parks have different styles to choose from?).

On our last trip in 2003 (with our next trip being in 3 weeks!! ), I found the most convenient thing about having my own stroller was this - at the end of each day, I did not fold up the stroller, I just stood it in the back of the van. When got to our hotel, I wheeled it into our room. I was able to unload it - you KNOW how stuff tends to accumulate there - clean it up a bit and then reload for the next day with camera, snacks, extra clothes, etc. This was a great time-saver for the mornings! Of course there was the one day that we went to Universal, and during my "reloading" the night before, I forgot to switch out our park tickets. We had to drive all the way back to the hotel (at Downtown Disney) to get our tickets. We were actually in the parking deck at Universal when I realized what I'd done!

Have a great trip!!

 

[alacazander]

It gets expensive renting at $10.00 a day. We do both rent and bring our own and that seems to work out well.

I thought it might be a pain getting our stroller on the bus, boat and monotrail but it was easy. I also loved having our stroller because it has a nice big basket on the bottom for our crap. Draw back is lugging it down to Orlando.

Renting was very easy too. No lines to rent or return. Draw backs I can see with renting one is: Not very comfortable for your child. Hard plastic and no storage space.

 

[Daydreamer]

I think the biggest question is how much will you be using the stroller outside the parks versus the inconvenience of loading and unloading the stoller on the bus.

For me it is easier to take the stroller with us. We have a small, easy to fold stroller that was purchased with Disney transportation in mind so it is easy to get on and off the busses, etc. We also use the stroller a good bit outside the park at Downtown Disney and around the resort. On top of that, it only takes one time trying to carry two children from the park to the bus after a twelve hour day in the parks to realize how convenient having your stroller would be.

Needless to say we will be taking the stroller with us for our next trip. Whether you choose to rent or take your own you will have a great time and will make the best of the situation. Have fun.

 

[jrjac]

Should I bring my stroller for my 4 year old or rent down there? Which is easier/more convenient?

We saw many many people frustrated getting strollers on and off the buses. To rent a double stroller (much more room for child and backpak, etc) it is 18 dollars per day.

 

[Skroops]

there's a pretty nice one at Target for $30. It is nice to use to carry things from the hotel to the buses etc. We keep a long handled diaper bag that we can pull on and off the stroller easily, and the stroller has that one hand fold up feature. It is so nice to have something to hold your stuff at the parks and on the journey!!
For the airplane, you can check your stroller at the airplane. Very easy.
Good luck!

 

[CleveRocks]

We saw many many people frustrated getting strollers on and off the buses. To rent a double stroller (much more room for child and backpak, etc) it is 18 dollars per day.

I was very happy to rent there, as well. I got a double for my 5 year old and 2.5 year old. In May they were $15 a day, but you also get a Disney Dollar back when you return it each day. There's also a 10% discount for multiple days' rental. For 7 days, I paid $95.20 up front. Sounds liek a lot of money to rent a stroller, but we really liked NOT to have to deal with stroller(s) and the bus, not to mention the steps up to our 2nd floor room at CBR.

-- Eric

 

[kizmac]

I would bring my own if you have a lightweight umbrella type stroller. Even if you don't have one, for the price per day, you could easily buy a Maclaren Volo for $99 (cheaper for the 04 model, but the lack the sunshades) and then sell it when you come home on Ebay and get most of your money back. If you plan on having other kids or needing a stroller again just keep it. It is the perfect stroller for an older child. It holds to 55 lbs and it weights like 9 lbs. I also has a very handy carry strap.

The rentals are great too, but since they increased their prices, I won't be doing that again.

 

[homer424]

We have had 2 trips with using a park stroller and one using our own. We brought our own my DD's first trip because she was 1 and we would be using it not just in the park but also anywhere else we went(DTD, attractions/stores off property, etc). On the trip when she was 2.5, we brought her stroller but something broke on the sunshade and it wouldn't stay open without falling on top of DD, so we rented one in the park and liked it. For our trip when DD was 3.5, she was used to not being in a stroller most of the time so we just left the stroller home and rented a stroller in the park.

I think it depends on your situation-if you antipcipate using it for the whole trip outside the park, in the airport, etc., then I would bring my own, just for the convienience. But if you don't anticipate you will use it more than at the park, then I would think about doing the stroller rental. Because even if you take your own, you have to fold up and unload the stroller when you take the tram to your car or get to the buses and to me I found that to be the biggest hassle of them all-especially if you got to the tram line right when one pulled up!

I like how the rental strollers are shaped so DD can stretch out and she often would lay back and nap. Despite how they look, my DD said they were very comfortable.

Also, another thing I thought of as I was reading the thread-how many kids would need the stroller. I only have one child and if she is sleepy/sleeping or just too tired, it isn't too bad for me to carry her. Whereas, if you have more than one, it may be a juggle. So in those cases, bringing your own stroller may be a benefit.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, remember there's a lot of walking not in the parks. From your room to the bus stop, if you go to the Boardwalk, if you go through DTD. I'd bring it.

 

[Atotty]

I agree with bring your own...if it folds up easily. At AKL our room was about 1/2 mile from the bus stop. At POR, it was about the same from the main bus stop.

 

[Msslaydbug]

I think this is the question that only you can answer for yourself. So many people have such diffrent opinions.

We have always brought our own stroller. I always look at those poor kids who fall asleep in those disney strollers and look so uncomfortable. They are hunched over and look like when they wake up they will have a kink in their neck. Not to mention those suckers get hot sitting out in the sun for awhile sometimes

I like the idea of having a recline for naps and a larger sun shade for that hot sun again. I have no problem at all folding the stroller on trams (and we always have a rental car).

This last time out 7yo was very tired the last day in the parks and was really dragging so we rented a stroller. He enjoyed himself being "chauffered" around the park. He LOVEd it. While it isn't something I would ever do on a daily basis, it worked for us at the time.

Whatever you choose will be right for you

 

[Jack's Mom]

It depends...

I think its easier to rent a stroller. BUT when we go in January, the lastest we stay out is 9-9:30. Our Ds ( almost 4) wouldnt be sleeping by then.

If you are going when the hours are later, and your 4 year old will most likely fall asleep before you leave the park, then you might be better off taking your own. Its just the walking to the bus part thats tough if you have a sleeping heavy toddler. I might take mine this November, because the parks will be open later, My DH wont be there to carry him, and we are doing the Christmas party until midnight.

It really is just SOOOO much easier to rent one there though!! The hassle of folding them up and getting them on a crowded bus is a real pain sometimes!!

You can pay for the whole stay . and you get tickets.. each day you go to a park, you just take your tickets to where they hand you the stroller, and they rip off that days ticket. Its better than standing in the stroller line every morning and paying every day.

When I go in January, we wont be taking a stroller. We will rent!!

How does the rental work when you park hop if you buy rental for the entire stay? I think we are going to rent- but just want to make sure I have that figured out for my Dec. trip.