City Mini GT, easier to push for a bigger kid?

[MommyMK]

I spent yesterday pushing my hefty (44 lb, 43 inch) 4.5 year old around Hershey Park in my trusty old Maclaren Quest and it was far from the easy glide I remember from her younger, lighter days. I'm wondering now if I might be better off renting a City Mini GT for our upcoming Disney trip. Are they really easier to push around than my Maclaren is? Or is it just going to be hard because she is heavy. I'd hate to spend the money rent the stroller only to find out it's just as hard to push her around anyways. Who out there has rented the GT or the regular mini for a bigger kid? Tell me about it!

 

[erin327]

We have rented city minis before at WDW. I do think they are much easier to push than our maclaren. We love the Maclaren at home because it is lightweight and folds up so small, but I think the rented city minis push so much easier. We haven't used a city mini gt before.

 

[msmama]

My Citi mini wasn't AS EASY as I'd hoped with a 50 lb kid in it, but not terrible either. (I would have said exactly what you said, "far from the easy glide I remember").

Do you have a babies r us you could go and try it out?

The citi mini's may be taller than your maclaren which could make it easier on your back though.

 

[epsmith921]

I just pushed my almost 40 pound 40 inch tall 3 year old around in a city elite (very similar to the GT, just the stroller is heavier and holds more weight than the GT) and I can still do it one handed. Oh and I'm 7 months pregnant and we were at cedar point in Ohio.

My husband wanted me to bring our smaller new baby jogger vue but I packed the car so I picked the stroller and it was great. She fell asleep in there around nap time and I was grateful for the space for her.

I would definitely try the GT or perhaps the elite. They are heavy for sure, but for me they are so functional and easy to use it's lovely. I don't mind carrying the stroller folded either since I figure it still weighs less than my daughter so it's not too bad.

Edited to add that the handlebar on both the GT and elite is adjustable so it's useful if you need a new position.

 

[MommyMK]

Thanks all. I have a jogging stroller that is much easier to push with her in it than the Mac, unfortunately she doesn't fit in it any longer or we'd bring that to disney, but that is what led me to believe the City Mini GT would be easier to push, since it's more jogger like. We're staying at the boardwalk and plan on walking back and forth to HS several times over our trip, I want an easy push stroller.

 

[QueenQueso]

See if there is a Babies R Us nearby where you could try one out. I loved the City Mini GT double stroller that we rented last year, it was so much easier to push than any of our strollers at home.

 

[cattywampus]

I think the City Elite will be easier to push (75 lb weight limit) and was $5 more per week. May seem counter-intuitive since it is bigger, but it will keep the weight distributed correctly, which is what makes it easier.

I have our old jogger and pulled it out one last time at Disneyland last month. It is very small for him and I had to keep reminding the rider to sit back. He kept leaning forward to look at things, and that was enough to shift his weight forward onto the single front wheel, making it noticeably harder to push. It was over 100 degrees with humidity, so any extra effort was less than appreciated.

I spoke with rental company at WDW and they confirmed that the Elite would be better for us - more room for child and much easier to push because weight will be better balanced. When you approach or exceed weight limit (and probably height too), that's when it gets harder.

 

[sbarisch]

Thanks all. I have a jogging stroller that is much easier to push with her in it than the Mac, unfortunately she doesn't fit in it any longer or we'd bring that to disney, but that is what led me to believe the City Mini GT would be easier to push, since it's more jogger like. We're staying at the boardwalk and plan on walking back and forth to HS several times over our trip, I want an easy push stroller.

We just were at WDW in September for 9 days and rented a GT for my daughter who is 62 pounds. It was soooo easy to push and steer one-handed - I couldn't believe it! We haven't used a stroller at home for a few years, but with all of the walking at Disney we have there every year. I found the GT to be a great choice.