Check stroller with luggage?

[jessgood1]

Me again (travelling impared...) Can I check a stroller with my luggage. It's a double stroller, so rather large (not the little umbrella sort). Can I just bungee it up and put a luggage tag on it? I really can't imagine being at WDW without one. I know I can rent one in the parks but that doesn't help much for the non-park things.... (flying Southwest if that helps). My other thought was to just buy one once we're there but that's kind of a pain too!

Thanks!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Yes, you can check it with your luggage, but....why not use it to get to the gate? MCO is a large airport and it makes moving little ones much easier. They will gate check it for you and it will be there when you deplane.

 

[DemoBri1]

Gail,

Can you explain the get check procedure? When you say the stroller will be there when you de-plane, do you mean when you get off the jetway or are you talking about at luggage?

This will be the first time that we are travelling with more than my DW and I.

Brian

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DemoBri1
Gail,

Can you explain the get check procedure? When you say the stroller will be there when you de-plane, do you mean when you get off the jetway or are you talking about at luggage?

This will be the first time that we are travelling with more than my DW and I.

Brian

Sure. You take the stoller all the way to the gate, they will give you a tag, and you will fill in all your info. You even get to take it right to the plane door, you will fold it and leave it there and some very nice airport person will put it in the cargo hold for you.
When you arrive at your destination, they will have the stroller right there as you exit the plane. Don't try to be the first off the plane, , let them have a chance to get it up there. This does not count against your luggage, btw.

 

[DemoBri1]

Gail.

Thank you for the clarification. That seems to be the best way to go. You've never had anything lost doing this?

Brian

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by DemoBri1
Gail.

Thank you for the clarification. That seems to be the best way to go. You've never had anything lost doing this?

Brian

No, but, then again, I have never brought a stroller. The chance of loss this way is about equal if not less than checking it with the luggage. You will be happy if you do this, MCO is a HUGE airport.

 

[dlrhine]

We have flown once before when we only had one baby so we checked the stroller with our luggage since we had 4 adults that could carry her, now we have two little girls. I want to use the stroller and gate check it.... I have a stroller bag to put it in so that when I'm flying it doesn't get as beat up can I take it to the gate then fold it put it in the bag and then just have them bring the stroller bag up we will get it out and then use it? I love my stroller bag, it holds our duoglider and has a shoulder strap also has kept our strollers fairly nice seeing how they beat up luggage. Thanks

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by dlrhine
We have flown once before when we only had one baby so we checked the stroller with our luggage since we had 4 adults that could carry her, now we have two little girls. I want to use the stroller and gate check it.... I have a stroller bag to put it in so that when I'm flying it doesn't get as beat up can I take it to the gate then fold it put it in the bag and then just have them bring the stroller bag up we will get it out and then use it? I love my stroller bag, it holds our duoglider and has a shoulder strap also has kept our strollers fairly nice seeing how they beat up luggage. Thanks

That I do not know, but, I bet if you call your airline, they will.

 

[crazywig]

i have used my stroller bag to protect my favorite maclaren stroller. no problem on the way down. put the stroller in the bag at the top of the ramp (so as not to cause a traffic jam), put the gate check tag ON THE BAG. very important. and carry it down to the plane door, leaving it with the other strollers.

my bagged stroller was waiting for me at mco right outside the plane.

however, on my return i did the exact same thing and my stroller was not at the gate i was fairly annoyed as my ds was not walking and very heavy and we had the carseat, carryons and well, you know the drill. the baggage handlers had stuck my bagged stroller with regular baggage and i had to retrieve it at baggage claim.

next time i am going to write 'stroller' in big letters on the bag (a tip i got off the family board)

 

[TexMomma]

Gate -checking your stroller is the only way to go, in my opinion. Southwest is very good about it, and I never had a problem with it being there, through several flight changes and all. I also agree with the person who said to clearly mark your bag "stroller", but also watch to make sure they put a gate check tag on it and you shouldn't have a problem. Also, even if you aren't buying a ticket for your child, Southwest encourages you to bring your car seat to the gate, and if the flight isn't full, they will let you use it on the plane. As long as there are 2 adults, you won't have trouble carrying your car seat to the plane, but it is cumbersome to do so when you're flying solo with your baby. I was able to use it in flight about half of the time, and it was definitely worth having. Have a great trip!

Janet (who is counting the days -- 8 of 'em -- until we leave!)