Bringing your own stroller and a word about an afternoon nap....

[Mindemarco]

I just wanted to ad out experience with bringing strollers. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and when we went in September, I cannot tell you how much having our own strollers was worth.

If you are staying at a disney resort, then they drop you off outside and it is quite a walk for little legs (especially to the animal kingdom and epcot). Not only that, when we took advantage of the evening magic hours, the walk out seemed like forever (I think they fell asleep in their strollers more often than not on the way out).

I also wanted to mention the importance of a daily break for the kids sake.

We usually try to take advantage of the morning magic hours as well which means we get up early and stay out late. By about noon, we are all WORN out. We leave the park and head back to the hotel for a quick nap and dip in the pool (the hot tubs are good for sore feet). The kids (and adults too) are then ready to go and it makes the evenings so much more enjoyable.

 

[karenTX]

What stroller did you bring?

DH and I are debating if we should bring our Graco Q Tour or a Cosco Acella Alumilite Stroller? We'll be getting a town car to the resort but will be on Disney transportation after that.

Any suggestions?

 

[2poohbears]

We have 2 1/2 y/o twins and we just used these umbrella strollers:
http://www.happymothers.com/shop/product.aspx?ref=bizrate&sku=KOTSUS
They worked out great for us!

I agree that taking naps was a "must" for us. We usually ate lunch in the park, then hopped the bus back to the resort for naps before returning to the parks again in the afternoon.

 

[lauritagoddess]

I was so happy to have our stroller. It was great for the airport, the walk through the resort, and during the day at the park when my DS' energy started to flag. And I loved being able to easily locate our stroller from home among the sea of rented strollers.

With napping though, we never left the parks during the day. It was easier for us to rest at lunch and then at the parade and just finish our day early. My DS hasn't voluntarily taken a nap in a very long time and it just wasn't going to happen.

 

[budbeerlady]

It is 100% worth it to bring your own stroller! Dh was groaning about it when we left for the airport. (He didnt realize how massive the parks are and all the walking you do) But we took a small folding umbrella stroller, it wasnt hard to find in the mass of stroller parking. We had it once she got off the bus. We never had to worry if they were out of strollers. And I wont pay that much for a stroller for 7 days!!!!!!!! We are bringing it again even though she will be 6. And we do go back for naps, for me as much as dd. I am not used to walking that much, you dont sleep as well at night since it isnt your own bed and you just get tired.

 

[GoofyGirlie]

The more i read on this board the happier i am i bought our maclaren for the trip!!!
it was pricey but dd is big for her age and outgrew our other strollers,,and the maclaren she fits in great!! with room to move

it was a toss up,,spend the $10 a day to rent a stroller which would cost 40-50 bucks or spend another $50-60 and keep the stroller!!

my dh is also rolling his eyes and shaking his head that i want to bring the stroller,,he says our dd is more active than most 4yo's and i said SO WHAT,,,she is still gonna get tired and i'm not carrying her butt!!! and then i remind him of our zoo experience and how tired she was before our train tour!! she got her second wind!!!

anyways,,i just wanted to add that we are bringing our stroller thanks to all you ladies and gents who have given much needed advice on this board!!!!

dawn

2 MORE WEEKS TO GO TIL WDW

 

[Fish2girls]

We are bringing a stroller with us for our 12 month old, although we are not sure if we need one for our 4 3/4 year old. Any suggestions? We were also told by a friend to bring a light weight stroller rather than a heavy one with all the bells and whistles because they weigh 27lbs versus the 9lb umbrella's. - Do you think our 12 month old will really nap in the afternoon or will she be shocked by the whole experience and not want to sleep. The prob. is she will have to sleep in the pack -n -play they provide at the resort. I don't know if she will adapt. Any advise is welcome!!!!!!!!!!!Thanx a bunch!!

 

[tcolbert]

I'd bring a lightweight umbrella stroller for the 4 3/4 year old. My DS5 tends to complain about his feet hurting from walking around a lot, and it definitely beats having to carry them!! If you want to try without, you can always pick up a decent collapsable stroller at A Toy Story in the Disney Marketplace.

 

[Ali]

Practice it at home if you have never tried it because my DS wouldn't sleep in it at home, wouldn't even be peaceful playing on one at home, so sleeping in the one at DW didn't work at all. I wish I had tried to get him used to the pack and play more before we had to do it on vacation.

Do you think our 12 month old will really nap in the afternoon or will she be shocked by the whole experience and not want to sleep. The prob. is she will have to sleep in the pack -n -play they provide at the resort. I don't know if she will adapt. Any advise is welcome!!!!!!!!!!!Thanx a bunch!!

 

[Fish2girls]

Great idea! I will practice at home!! Will try hard, this one can be a pill at times. We want to have a happy vacation and not be too worn out.
Thanx again!!!!!!!!!!

 

[porterbl1]

I will have a DD8 and a DS41/4 that I will be bringing in oct/2007. Do I need a stroller for my DS? We are flying for the first time and I am not sure how things work. Can I carry an umbrella stroller on, or how would I check it? Thanks. Becca

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

I will have a DD8 and a DS41/4 that I will be bringing in oct/2007. Do I need a stroller for my DS? We are flying for the first time and I am not sure how things work. Can I carry an umbrella stroller on, or how would I check it? Thanks. Becca

I would definitely bring a stroller for your DS, WDW is a lot of walking. You can either put the stroller in a stroller bag and check it like you check any other luggage, or you can do what they call a gate check where you have the stroller until right before you board the plane and then it's right there waiting for you as you get off the plane.

 

[Mindemarco]

Our friend took her VERY ENERGETIC 8 year old daughter and before it was all over she was in a stroller also. They didn't get one for her until the last day and when it was all over the friend said she wished she had gotten one for her daughter the whole trip.

 

[gottalovethem]

I just bought the twin Jeep kolcraft umbrella stroller, mostly for the Disney trip. I have tested it out once so far, need to go for a couple more walks so both myself and the kids are used to it.