DH says he'd rather carry toddler than deal w stroller. Let him?

[caitcance]

We are 40 days out from our week long trip with our 2, 5 and 6 year old children. We rented a City Mini double for the week but DH is saying he only wants to use it on our long days (MK and EP). He thinks it will be super annoying and not worth it on our shorter days at HS and AK. We are planning to be there 9-2 or so. Our two year old is super small and DH is fit, should I agree to no stroller or is that a mistake?

We have both been to all parks so we do know how big they actually are.

 

[Alesia]

He's a grown up, let him make his own decision.

 

[Traveliz]

Well I don't think I would like it but I would tell him that if you agree the carrying is all on him. The only problem would be if the child melts down at a point because they want you instead of dad.

Liz

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Sure. He can carry the 2 year old. I pretty much think that after doing that one day, he'll want to use the city mini on all days.

Sometimes you just have to let them try what they want before they realize it won't work.

 

[Redheaded Sunshine]

I would be afraid with my kids when they're that age that they can just bolt off so easily. I always preferred using a stroller and that was with just 2, not 3. I also used the little backpacks that have a strap on them so if they try to take off, they get about 3 feet before they HAVE to stop

 

[aejammers]

Is he going to carry the diaper bag too?

 

[bumbershoot]

Only if he promises he will not be complaining, 5 hours into a day carrying the 2 year old almost the whole time. No complaining, no rubbing his back, no sighing or moaning. If he hurts, he gets himself an ice pack or ibuprofen from First Aid and continues on with his grownup decision.

Unless you're bringing an Ergo and he's going to do a back carry with the little guy. That's what we did during DS's 2 year old trip to Disneyland and San Diego. Love the Ergo. Carrying a 2 year old? No. Ergo with a back-carry, YES.

But really, no, bring the stroller (along with the Ergo) for the 2 year old. DS still used a stroller at Disneyland (and only at Disney apart from when I jogged with him in the actual jogging stroller) until he was 6 or nearly 6. Brought it with us for our first WDW trip when he was 6.5 and left it up to him, and he chose no. But for a 2 year old (and 5 year old), heck yeah, stroller.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

Sure. He can carry the 2 year old. I pretty much think that after doing that one day, he'll want to use the city mini on all days.

Sometimes you just have to let them try what they want before they realize it won't work.

I would do this.

 

[nat8199]

I cannot imagine a worse idea. He needs to be willing to carry the diaper bag and the child. What are you guys going to do if the 2yo doesn't want Daddy to carry him for hours? Or insists that you carry him?

 

[Angel Ariel]

We are 40 days out from our week long trip with our 2, 5 and 6 year old children. We rented a City Mini double for the week but DH is saying he only wants to use it on our long days (MK and EP). He thinks it will be super annoying and not worth it on our shorter days at HS and AK. We are planning to be there 9-2 or so. Our two year old is super small and DH is fit, should I agree to no stroller or is that a mistake?

We have both been to all parks so we do know how big they actually are.

I personally don't think it's a mistake especially with a 2 year old. You don't have to keep the stroller with you at all times. In your situation, if your DH would prefer to carry the 2 y/o most of the time, I would park the stroller in 1 land (say Tomorrowland), then tour that land leaving the stroller parked. When you're ready to move on to the next land, retrieve the stroller and park it again in the new land, carrying the child as needed when you're touring that land. It's a good compromise between not being bogged down by the stroller *all* the time, and yet still having the stroller when you need it.

DD is only 27 - 28 lbs at 2.5 y/o, and unless she is in a backpack carrier (like a Kinderpack, Ergo or Beco Gemini), neither DH nor I can carry her for very long. She is too squirmy about trying to get down, and it makes it difficult to hold her for longer periods. I would much rather have the stroller - if for nothing else than the trek back to the hotel at the end of the day - than to not have one at all.

If your DH insists on going stroller-less, and you don't want to, I would tell him all the carrying is on him. And I'd have the phone number of one of the offsite stroller rental companies programmed into my phone for easy dialing when he got tired of carrying the child.

 

[Angel Ariel]

He's a grown up, let him make his own decision.

Having a stroller or not affects both parents, even if only 1 parent is doing the carrying. It should be a joint decision.

 

[lillyshula]

You could always bring the stroller to the park and leave it in a stroller parking area at an attraction and grab it when you need it. Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

 

[g8torphan]

Take the stroller and park it centrally at AK & HS.
If needed its there but wont be a burden unless needed

 

[smiths02]

FWIW, AK is a very large and HOT park (not a lot of shade) with a lot of walking.

 

[smiths02]

Also, are you planning on doing rider swap for some rides with your older children? It will be easier for one person to keep the 2 year old contained in a stroller, IMHO

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I made this mistake with my then 3yo. We couldn't fit a stroller in our vehicle and thought, no problem.
Toured Universal without it. OMG. Went on our Disney cruise. Checked into our DVC and then I spent $50 on one of those umbrella strollers in the gift shop at the Contemporary. The thought of not having one again....best $50 premium price we ever spent. Tight fit in the truck on the 14 hour ride home. And we still use that stroller.

But if husband is game, I would make him do all the carrying of the 2yo that will ultimately take place. My then 3yo was the size of a 2yo and simply Could not keep up a slow pace with the tall people in the family (by comparison as we aren't all that tall).

But I would say it is not the best idea to go without.

 

[asbyrneva]

So while I would use a stoller for the little one, maybe he just wants some extra bonding time

 

[PollyannaMom]

DS was also small when he was two, and I used a hip carrier at a lot of places. It's not as restrictive as a younger infant carrier, or as cumbersome as a backpack, but it still helps distribute the weight, and frees up your hands to some extent. Mine was from a company called One Step Ahead, and folded down to practically nothing (like a fanny pack) when he wasn't using it. I don't see it on their website now, but maybe someone else makes one?

I kind of like the idea of parking the stroller at a central location, but that means you still have to deal with it on the busses, and I'm guessing not having to fold the stroller up on the busses is one of the benefits of carrying from your DH's perspective!

What would sway me towards a stroller in your case is the fact that you are going with three kids, and the stroller is not only a place for any of them to rest temporarily, but also a place to put all the stuff that you bring or accumulate throughout the day.

Since you're going to have the stroller anyway, I would agree to play each day by ear. See how much you actually rely on it on your long days. (He might just change his own mind.) If not, and it doesn't go well without it on the first short day, you can always bring it on the other one.

 

[worm761]

DD is tiny. At 5 she is just hitting 32 lbs. At 22 months she chose to walk most of the parks. But she was not a stroller baby either. Once she learned how to walk that was it. She was walking everywhere and hated being in the stroller. I just held her hand and walked at her pace everywhere.

 

[BaseballMoM2007]

On our first trip DS was 2 1/2 and REFUSED to ride in his stroller so DH had to carry him the entire time and it was MISERABLE for all of us.