Does a 4 1/2 year old need a stroller at WDW?

[crisi]

I have a 3 yo and I know he needs one..

but MNSSHP SOOOOO WORTH IT! my DS got to stay on goofy barnstormer like 3x w/o having to go back in like 15 min waits w/ characters AWESOME!

We did MNSSHP a few years ago, when it was cheaper, and I would never do it again. Busier than it had been during the day, expensive, long lines.....

 

[ktbugsmom]

It really does depend on the child - but we always found that a stroller was well worth it at that age. My DD has been to WDW many times, and we used a stroller up until she was 7! (She is now 8 and we took our first trip without a stroller on our last trip!) And trust me - my daughter is active - she plays hockey, is in dance and goes running with me. So - Disney wears them out!

So if you can, get something they can both use. We got a Maclaren and it was expensive - but worth every penny (at least 10 trips to Disney). They are built well and can hold some decent weight. My daughter is 70 pounds and the Maclaren still held up fine with her in it when she was 7. On other trips - my niece would hold my daughter on her lap at times...

Good luck with your choice and have fun!

 

[tzolkin]

My kids had never used strollers (we had to buy them specifically for the trip). They were a little over 4 and just shy of 2. We thought the strollers were wonderful and they actually enjoyed riding around in them. DH and I could walk at our own pace and never had to worry about them wandering off. When we were ready to move to another area, they hopped right in and were able to just look around at everything. We only went to a park for 3-4 hours at a time, so they probably could have walked but it was much easier and less stressful to use the strollers. We are going back in May (they will be 5 and almost 3) and we expect to use the strollers just as much.

 

[Jaymie]

My DS4 still uses his all the time. He hates to walk and I like having where I can see him at all times, especially in WDW. I wish I could get away with sitting a stroller most of the day at WDW.

 

[GoofyFairie]

My just turned 4 yr old went a whole week w/out a stroller. I was thankful that I did not have to lug one on the bus or push it around. At MK we made use of the train to get from one part of the park to another and that helped. We would sit and have a drink every couple of hours and that was usually enough. If your child uses a stroller alot ot home then you may need one. Or you can start breaking him in and having him start walking now to get used to it. You know your family best. Have an awesome trip!

 

[philnphyl]

It's probably best to have one instead of not having one. Or, you can always rest one when she gets tired. I always ask my DD (3.5) if she wants the stroller and she'll tell us either way.

 

[jesridge]

My DD was 5 on our last trip and she used a stroller, My Ds 8 (then) wanted to ride in it too. I'd bring it just in case.

 

[tlh0726]

Since you already have a sit and stand stroller, save your money and take that. Definitely take the advice from other posts about stolen strollers and purchase a bike lock to thread through the wheels while the stroller is unattended.
I have a dd4 and ds 2.5, we do Hersheypark at least once a week and we take a wagon each and every visit. There are times throughout the day that neither of the kids are in it and we are pulling an empty, but definitely a must have at the end of the day, when you are trying to get from point A to B in a rush (bathroom especially), and when you get to crowded areas.
My kids also know that we go directly to the wagon after each ride. My 2.5 year old was seperated from us by a family (both parents and kids) running and pushing there way through people while exiting a train ride. He was pushed right along in their mad rush. By the time, we got to the end of the exit area (and believe me we were pushing our way through to get to him) he was already sitting in our wagon drinking his drink
Since Disney does not allow wagons and my dd4 no longer fits in our tandem double, we have to purchase a new stroller (refuse to pay the $$ for a rental) I decided on the Schwinn PR150 bike stroller (holds up to 100 lbs) and a rectractable bike lock.
We thought about 2 seperate strollers, but nixed it. Not only are there times when I do the park solo with the kids, but there are many times that either DH or I stop to grab some drinks, snacks, etc, and while one of us is in line getting the stuff, the other one keeps the kids moving along to the next thing.

 

[TJA]

My twins are age 5 and we still take our double jogger to disney. They stopped using strollers here at home probably around age 3, but disney is a whole different story. It's nice to have at night shows when the kids are tired. Let them sit in the stroller/jogger and watch the shows, then just easily monorail back to the resort.

Speaking of monorailing back to the resort, I think OP is staying on monorail line, right? You don't need to worry about folding up your stroller on the monorail. Our double jogger is side by side and easily rolls right onto the monorail. When our kids were younger, we'd stay at CR or Poly and mainly just go to MK and Epcot. We'd go to HS and AK just one day each, so we rarely took a bus. We totally utilized the monorail. There were countless times that our babies/toddlers were sleeping in the stroller and we could just roll it right on the monorail and then sit and relax -- how great is that!!

 

[mrswh]

We're going to WDW next month with a 4.5 year old and 2.5 year old and will bring the double stroller. On past trips (last one to DLR in Sept.) we used it to go from one attraction to another (as well as to/from parking, etc.) - sometimes it was a long walk and not only would DD have gotten really tired, but we would have spent half the day just getting around. If your child is willing to sit in a stroller, I'd definitely say bring one. Worst case, you can use it to hold your bag.

 

[all4fun]

My thought was the opposite, a four year old in crowds can keep up (but your point is good, just not what I thought of) - when the parks are empty you can take advantage of the ability to MOVE....fitting a lot more into a day simply because it takes less time to get from point A to point B - little legs might not keep up.

The whole stroller thing depends on the kid, the circumstances of the trip, the parents, the touring plan - all sorts of variables. Patient parents can coax a slow four year old strollerless though the parks. An active four year old might not need one at all. Parents with a packed touring plan, a kid who doesn't tend to move fast and tires easily, who are spending the vast majority of their time in the large parks (Epcot and AK) - will likely want a stroller.

I actually do agree with you - one can move more easily through a crowd without a stroller. Also, whether or not one needs one really does depend on a lot of different factors. I probably should have clarified a little better, on past trips, we have gotten caught up in litterally a crush of people (ie, leaving the park) and it could have been a real nightmare to keep track of ds and make sure he didn't get trampled since people were shoulder to shoulder. Sometimes, those situations can be nearly unavoidable. In other situations, not having a stroller can definitely be an advantage.

The OP was also concerned about being in a monorail resort and having a stroller that folded easily. Tthis will only be an issue when not taking the Monorail, as strollers can be rolled right onto the monorail.

We have taken our jogging stroller to WDW in the past, once while staying at SSR, so we had to take the bus everywhere since we didn't have a rental car for the majority of our stay. I simply made sure the stroller was already folded and ready to go before the bus got there.

Sometimes, the bus is waiting when you arrive at the bus stop. Unless it's full already, I've found the drivers to generally be pretty patient and will wait while you get your stroller folded so you can board (I know I would tend to get stressed thinking I was holding things up but I probably shouldn't have been so worried about it). Another thing we did was before leaving the park for the day, was to take all loose items (like those refillable resort mugs) that were thrown in the stroller basket into a canvas tote bag which we looped over the stroller handle. That way, when we left the park, we could simply have ds hop out of the stroller, grab the bag off the handle, fold, and go. Dealing with a stroller can be a hassle, but if you have a system down, it's not so bad.
hth!

 

[karliebug]

Heck, by the end of the day I wish I had a stroller. Take one. Not only does it save the little one's legs, it allows you to keep track of them so much easier. You don't have to worry about losing them in a crowd and you can walk much faster. You won't regret having it. As my mom always says"better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it." Have a great trip!