Cutoff age for strollers?

[mickeyboat]

I guess I would play it by ear, and if my girls got really tired and needed a rest, I would rent a stroller. But I also know they would need a rest mid-day, so we would plan that into our schedule.

Denae

 

[kfeuer]

I have a 4 yr old and he walks the mall with me now and we rarely use stroller ever. I am going to bring one to WDW because Im not going to carry him after a LONG day in the park and he wants to pass out and plus where the heck am I going to put all the packages
He will prob walk alot, but I want to have it if he needs a rest.
Since you have the double stroller you have a place to put packages. Id let the 7 yr old walk, but he gets too pooped you could rent a stroller.

I have a 4-year old and feel the same way. We rarely use a stroller around town, but DW is a whole other ball park. It's going to be busy when we go, and he walks slowly so I think it'll be easier on everyone to have it this trip. I fully expect he'll still want to walk alot, but it'll help us out when he doesn't. He's just too tall and too heavy for us to carry around! I'm not planning on renting a stroller for my 6-year old. We're planning on doing mostly morning and evening touring (with a break in-between) so I think he'll be fine.

 

[BelleBoo&AmisMum]

We didn't take one for our five year old on our last trip. We had a stroller with a step on the back that she could hop a ride on occasion, the rest of the time she ran. There were times her sister was out and she was sitting but it didn't last long!

 

[inaminute]

The last time we used one, our grandson was four. He only used it about 1/2 the time and usually when we suggested it. We took him the next year, at age five and he would have nothing to do with it. We asked him again when he was 8 and he looked at us like we'd sprouted extra heads.

Based on that experience, I wouldn't take one for a 7 year old, but would make sure I had enough cash to rent one should the need arise.

 

[Parkhopper]

My DS never used a stroller after he was three years old EXCEPT in WDW. DH does the parks commando style...we are going from the moment the parks open until the moment they close -INCLUDING any and all Extra Magic hours. It is not unusual for us to be in the parks from 8am - 3am for 7 days straight. I would get a stroller for my exhausted child at any age provided that my son wanted it because I know that at the end of the day, if I could get my large posterior into a stroller and convince someone to push it for me I would!

Suzi

 

[MamaLema]

My 5 and 7 year olds did the parks open-close without a stroller. We took breaks when they were tired.

They did great, however could barely walk from the car to the hotel at the end of the night

 

[mickeyfan2]

It is not unusual for us to be in the parks from 8am - 3am for 7 days straight.

::

 

[MamaLema]

It is not unusual for us to be in the parks from 8am - 3am for 7 days straight.

No offence, but how can this be possible? With the time it takes to get ready and go to and from the parks, you would be only be sleeping about 3 hours a night for a week.

Sounds like you need a vacation after your vacation

 

[RadioNate]

I'd play it by ear. It is real easy to say that a 7 year old is too old but there are a lot of factors.

I rented one last July for my 5 year old. He wasn't in it constantly but as the day wore on it was easier for everyone to let him ride.

Our friends rented a double for their 3 and 6 year old. The older kids did walk a lot but it was also easier to keep them from running off and getting separated with a stroller. They were more necessary for us at AK and Epcot.

I wouldn't bring a stroller from home but as the days go by if I found I needed to rent one to make life easier on everyone, I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[Parkhopper]

No offence, but how can this be possible? With the time it takes to get ready and go to and from the parks, you would be only be sleeping about 3 hours a night for a week.

Sounds like you need a vacation after your vacation

Oh we ALWAYS need a vacation from our vacation! Really, we ARE in the parks from open to close including EMH. I am just glad that they don't have the EMH at night every night!

Suzi

 

[meandtheguys2]

Just curious at what age you wouldn't worry about having a stroller at Disney for your kids.

When we go in December, we'll have a double stroller for our 10 month old twins. My wife thinks we'll need one for our 7 year old as well. I think he should be fine without one.

What would you do?

I would say your wife probably has a pretty good clue about what is best for her son. Whether he "should" or "shouldn't" need one is kind of beside the point, IMO.

 

[chobie]

How about just do what is right in your eyes.

What??????? And NOT run it by the Dis Parenting Experts first? You just can't go doing what is right for your kids without asking for permission.

 

[Luv'sTink]

How about just do what is right in your eyes.

I agree!

Do what YOU as the parent think is best for YOUR child. I hate it when I see parents dragging their children along and the kids are saying they are tired and want to sit. I personally don't think putting your child in a stroller is going to ruin them for life! Goodness people can be anal, some children are really small, weak or not as advanced as other children so this needs to be a personal decision, IMO.

Just wait you will get someone who says their 1 year old walked the whole day, open to close without even a whimper!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Just curious at what age you wouldn't worry about having a stroller at Disney for your kids.

When we go in December, we'll have a double stroller for our 10 month old twins. My wife thinks we'll need one for our 7 year old as well. I think he should be fine without one.

What would you do?

At age 7, my child would have been embarrassed for someone to see him in a stroller.

 

[chobie]

At age 7, my child would have been embarrassed for someone to see him in a stroller.

So would have mine --until the first time he we went there in the middle of July. The crowds and heat made him one miserable child. The stroller made everyone in our family happy again. And that is what WDW is all about for us.

 

[wendy46001]

I agree!

Do what YOU as the parent think is best for YOUR child. I hate it when I see parents dragging their children along and the kids are saying they are tired and want to sit. I personally don't think putting your child in a stroller is going to ruin them for life! Goodness people can be anal, some children are really small, weak or not as advanced as other children so this needs to be a personal decision, IMO.

Just wait you will get someone who says their 1 year old walked the whole day, open to close without even a whimper!

While i agree do what’s right for the kid
I think most parents need to stop and listen to their kid...
They are too tired....slow down....the vacation is supposed to be fun for the whole family...just throwing a tired kid in a stroller isn’t going to add to his enjoyment…

 

[chobie]

While i agree do what’s right for the kid
I think most parents need to stop and listen to their kid...
They are too tired....slow down....the vacation is supposed to be fun for the whole family...just throwing a tired kid in a stroller isn’t going to add to his enjoyment…

Maybe, but maybe it will. And if you have one tired kid and one or more kids who are not tired, you have to listen to their wishes too. So, I agree with you; it's all about making it fun for the entire family.

 

[wendy46001]

Maybe, but maybe it will. And if you have one tired kid and one or more kids who are not tired, you have to listen to their wishes too. So, I agree with you; it's all about making it fun for the entire family.

I agree

 

[Ciao Mickey]

So would have mine --until the first time he we went there in the middle of July. The crowds and heat made him one miserable child. The stroller made everyone in our family happy again. And that is what WDW is all about for us.

We went to WDW too many times to count in July and August. I can still remember the sweat dripping down my back as we walked into Epcot from the YC. And this was at 9 am!

My kids were tall for their ages and would never have fit into a stroller at the age of 7. We always went back to the resort in the afternoons for a swim and a nap. We never did the parks commando-style.

I should have added that a parent knows their kid, and should always do what is best for the family, and not worry what other people think.

 

[DawnCt1]

I haven't read all of these replies but I am amazed at the number of people who say absolutely that 7 is too old. My kids wouldn't be caught dead in a stroller....at home, but for Epcot, staying late at night, walking back to the Yacht Club, I would put the seven year old in the umbrella stroller and pile the 4 year old on top of him. It cuts down on exhausted kids who can't keep up with the older ones.