Bringing a double stroller

[ADKSPiette]

I have two kids (18 months and 5).
Last year the baby was in the Graco stroller and the older DD used a rented stroller at the parks.

DH and I have thought about whether or not we should use a double stroller. We looked at the MacLaren Twin Techno, which fits through the doorways and is pretty easy to maneuver.

Has anyone else used one? Do you find it relatively easy to use or do you think it's easier to use singles again.

 

[AnastasiaTremaine]

We have the Maclaren Twin Triumph and it's a great stroller - very easy to manuever, easy to fold down and it's relatively lightweight for a double, too. That said, I'm not sure I want to take it with us! I think that my kids (who will be 18m & 3y when we go) will be really into being out and about (esp. the older one) and I don't want to be pushing an empty double around the parks 1/2 the time! The double you can rent at the park seems much more user-friendly, for some reason - it's built like a bucket and we could easily just throw all our stuff in there, with or without kids. The Maclaren, on the other hand, does not have deep seats, nor much basket/storage space in it, so I would not feel good about bags and jackets staying put in there.

Just to be difficult, I'm also considering if 2 cheap-o umbrellas might be the way to go...for getting in and around shops & restaurants, I would imagine a single is FAR less impeding and restricting of where you can and can't go.

So....that wasn't much help! But I hope you get some good answers from other more knowledgable folks than I, and I'll be watching!

 

[AnastasiaTremaine]

Oh - one more thing. My three year old is very petite & can snooze in the Triumph...which is an important consideration for me, as I know if I *did* bring it, it would be for end-of-day passing out on the way back to the hotel. Have you tried sitting your 5y/o in it? Because it's not a big stroller...just a thought!

 

[goofygal531]

What resort are you staying at?

I used a side by side stroller (similar to the Mac Twin) on our Nov trip AND HATED IT!!!

It was a last minute Thanksgiving week trip and we had to stay at a moderate resort (which we're just not fans of to begin with). It was a nightmare with the double stroller! I did not fit anywhere in the gift shop, difficult to push around the food court and don't get me started how the baby just so happened to nap every time the bus would arrive! Never again. Never moderate resort and never double stroller!

Thankfully the airline broke my double stroller upon our return and I ditched it. A sign from up above!

I immediately ran out and purchased a Joovy Ultralight Caboose. Which we simply adore! This was really purchased for our WDW trips and for malls, local theme parks, etc... I keep it in the car. I don't really use it frequently at all. We live in NYC and I use my Bugaboo with a kiddie board daily.

My DS4 does nap still midday but we're at a monorail resort and planning midday breaks so he can nap at the resort. My DS1 can nap in the Joovy the recline is slight enough that it's similar to a carseat.

If we we're not staying this close to the parks (DH would not go ) then I would have taken two Maclaren Quest umbrella strollers. I would probably take one out during the day and take the two out in the evenings.

I'm just not a fan of side by side strollers after our last vacation.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

We have a Graco side by side. It bigger than the Macs. WE LOVE IT!!!! WE have taken it on every single trip and have never ever had a problem. It fits through every doorway and in the shops. If anyone is being honest here any stroller is going to make shopping a little more difficult- single or double- when it is crowded. Seriously- sometimes you can't even walk in the shops but that is when I don't want to shop anyway. We gate checked our strollers at the airport and we have used the buses and monorails. I do not like the Mac doubles at all. The seats are way too small. My kids are big (not monstrous but high on the growth curve) and they did not fit in the Mac doubles very comfortably. We have a huge basket in ours and you can fold the stroller if there is stuff in the basket. It does not fold as small as a Mac but it is worth it to me. We love our stroller and never leave for WDW without it!

 

[becca011906]

we just back from a trip with our double twin traveller (same as techno but older modle) and it worked awsome!!! We loved it, two strollers isn't practical when we have an older ds who needs us to go on some stuff with him how is the parent left with the 2 kids supose to push 2 strollers?? it wouldn't work if one or both were sleeping. it fit everwhere it needed to no trouble at all w/ it. Pushed like a dream... now we didn't ever take it out of the van while at our resort (Port Orleans) we were on the top floor so we always just carried the sleeping 3 y/o up to the room (and one night dh had to carry the 5 year old after the P&PP) Other then that it worked great!

 

[jenniferhornsby]

We're looking into a Baby Trend Sit and Stand Deluxe. It has the sit and stand bench, but if our oldest wants to take a nap we can attach a back to the bench and he can recline. It seems to be the perfect option. When the back isn't in use it can be stored in the basket underneath!