Cheap Umbrella stroller or City Mini?

[Ptarmigan6]

Greetings!
We're trying to decide whether we want to bring an inexpensive umbrella stroller (think $20 special) or just haul our faithful City Mini. We'll be staying offsite and driving each day. Our little guy is about 2.5 and loves to walk, but we imagine he'll be strollered most of the time. We plan on driving back for naptime, so we're not so worried about stroller naps.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[AKL_Megs]

Umbrella! I hated the footprint of the bigger stroller. Our umbrella zooms through crowds and shops! It turns on a dime!

 

[Heidi K]

Does the umbrella stroller have storage? I'd definitely go with a stroller with a basket underneath--2 year olds tend to have a lot of baggage

 

[Dancemomof3]

How tall are you? My brother in law was pushing his daughter around in an umbrella stroller this past week. He's 6 foot and it about killed him. His 5'6" wife refused to push it because it hurt her back. My12 year old (5'2") and I (5'4") had an easy time with it though

 

[cel_disney]

Greetings! We're trying to decide whether we want to bring an inexpensive umbrella stroller (think $20 special) or just haul our faithful City Mini. We'll be staying offsite and driving each day. Our little guy is about 2.5 and loves to walk, but we imagine he'll be strollered most of the time. We plan on driving back for naptime, so we're not so worried about stroller naps. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!

I would go for the citi mini HANDS DOWN! It's much more comfortable, has a real sunshade, is easy to push, reclines, and is familiar to everyone!

If you don't want to bring yours, maybe rent one down there?

 

[monagh10]

I also would go with the City Mini. We rented one last year when my son had just turned 2. We are returning for his 3rd birthday and will be renting one again. My husband would kill me if he had to lean over and push the umbrella stroller but he didn't have any problems with the City. We were there during 8-9 crowd levels last trip and it wasn't super horrible navigating around with it.

 

[maxiesmom]

How tall are you? My brother in law was pushing his daughter around in an umbrella stroller this past week. He's 6 foot and it about killed him. His 5'6" wife refused to push it because it hurt her back. My12 year old (5'2") and I (5'4") had an easy time with it though

THIS!

If you use an umbrella stroller, make sure it is comfortable for whoever is pushing. Walking around all day long hunched over to grab the handles is not comfortable.

 

[JoeyEmmaMomma]

City Mini

 

[Ptarmigan6]

I'm 5'2", but my husband is taller. We both love our City Mini, but I was worried that it would be too bulky. The biggest negative we've heard is that it's a pain on buses, but we don't plan on using any.

This is our first trip with a stroller, so stroller parking etc is all new to us. If anyone has any WDW stroller tips, we'd be most appreciative!

 

[monagh10]

Definitely make your stroller stand out in some way - balloon, bright ribbon, etc. It can be hard to find your stroller in a sea if similar strollers, especially when CMs consolidate the strollers & it gets moved to a different spot!

 

[Habbott]

Definitely not a cheapie umbrella stroller. I'm 5' and there are a few that even I find too short! Plus, if you're expecting kiddo to be pushed and happy about it, then you want him to be comfy. Umbrella strollers offer little support, and tend to be rather uncomfy. Plus, the lack of sunshade and recline is a deal breaker.

The city mini isn't that cumbersome, and would be my preferred choice. Another option is a $40-50 umbrella that will have a recline, taller, better comfort, etc. I believe the first years jet is right around $40.

 

[texasroni75]

If you don't have space issues in your vehicle, and don't plan on taking buses to get around between parks, I'd just bring your stroller from home. If, however, space is a priority (have more room for your luggage), I'd go with a slightly upgraded umbrella stroller.

We have a Jeep All-Weather Umbrella stroller - new they are about $45, but you can likely find one on Craigslist for half that or even less. They are so much easier to navigate than the cheap umbrella strollers (sturdier with better wheels and easier to steer), and have a sunshade, cup holder, and are super easy to fold up. We hang a dollar-store mesh bag on the back of ours for storage. I'm 5'9" so cheap umbrella strollers leave me hunched over trying to push them. The Jeep one is perfect for tall people LOL. We bought one specifically for our trip to WDW in 2009, and couldn't have been happier.

 

[MichaelaF]

There's honestly no way I'd take an umbrella stroller to WDW, for all the reasons given. It's too short to be very comfortable for either of us to push very long (we are both 5'10"), and we need the storage space. (We usually have a backpack for snacks and various items for me and my husband, a diaper bag that clips onto the handles of the stroller, and we still need the space underneath for merch, jackets, blanket, etc.)

Plus, I hate not having the cup holders! I realized on a recent trip to the zoo that I have become dependent on those cup holders. Hahaha.

We took a pretty bulky Graco last year and took the buses and it wasn't really that big of a deal.

 

[MandiC]

I am not sure if you have any Shopko stores near you but I just (last week) found a First Years Ignite there on clearance for $40! Our youngest is 3 so I hate to buy a new stroller but our double is cumbersome and our youngest is the only one who uses a stroller anymore. It navigates very well, the front wheels can lock if you want, the seat can recline, the sun shade is a nice size, it has a basket underneath and a cup holder/storage by the handles for mom/dad. Just about the size of an umbrella stroller with all the perks of a big stroller!

 

[AKL_Megs]

^ Ours is an Ignite, I love it!

 

[cattywampus]

Citi Mini