Double Stroller in Airport?????

[milmore104]

So DH and I were talking yesterday. This is the first time we will be traveling w/ 2 little ones and a double stroller. My wonderful hubby got me my Beautiful but VERY large and NOT compact stroller for Christmas. I have a Bumbleride Indie Twin . We were wondering for all that have traveled w/ a double how do you get it thru security? I know they always made a fuss w/ our large single and told us it had to go thru the x-ray machine. There is NO NO NO way this one will fit. And I'm not about to try and make it. So are you just pulled over to the side to have it inspected? TIA Only 35 more days until we can FINALLY tell our DD's we're GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!

 

[Sheepdog23]

I have a similar stroller and left it at home mainly because I was afraid about how they would manhandle it. I found a great used maclaren and took that instead. It was also a pain. I would honestly try to get two inexpensive umbrella strollers and take them instead which is what we do now. I highly recommend quinny's zapp as it always goes through the xray machine and can fit in the overhead. good luck!!!!

 

[MCsMommy]

they don't make wheel chairs go through the xray machine so i am sure it will be the same proceedure, take the kids out, they will wand it, check it etc..

 

[katied]

Just also think about what will happen to it once you gate check it. It could well get damaged by the airline, and they are not responsible for damage to a stroller (only if they lose it).

If you do want to check it, see if you can find any kind of bag to put it in once you gate check it to keep it safe.

Also, will you be using Disney bus transport/Magical Express - if so, it will need to be folded and held on the bus or be able to fit in the luggage compartment under the bus for Magical Express. (and there can be a lack of seats on Disney busses, which means you can be left standing trying to juggle stroller and kids).

Just personal preferance, we do prefer to travel with a Maclaren Twin - it folds up like an umbrella stroller, is much lighter and easier to handle through the airport, Disney busses, etc.

 

[milmore104]

Thanks but an umbrella stroller won't work for us as we have a six month old. We travel to Disney evry year. We have three girls so carrying a stroller on and off the buses isn't new to us.

 

[maxiesmom]

There is actually a size limit on the strollers you can bring into the parks, but I'm not sure how much they actually enforce that rule. The Disney web-site says they don't allow stroller larger than 36x52.

Just an FYI.

 

[Scuttle]

I didn't read all the responses, but I really wanted you to rethink the idea of taking your beautiful stroller with you. I took my favorite stroller with us on our last trip and it WAS in a bag, checked at the gate right as we boarded the plane, and it still got rubbed somehow and the seat has a unfixable hole in it.

It still works, but every time I see the rip, I get sick to my stomach, as it's right on the front where you see it every time you use it.

I tried to sell it, a $300 stroller, in beautiful condition, for $40 at a garage sale and EVERYONE would look at the hole and walk away.

IF you love your stroller, LEAVE IT HOME. It's worth the money to rent one from one of the stroller companies to protect your investment.

 

[Sheepdog23]

i used my maclaren twin with my 4 month old and it worked great. It came with a baby kit and could lie completely flat. I know that you can still get the baby kit so I would definitely look into it. Otherwise I would carry the baby in a carrier in the airport and rent one in orlando.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I agree - rethink taking this stroller on a trip. It will be an enormous pain. Get a smaller travel stroller.

 

[skitt]

I am going in a month and a half, have a 3 1/2 year old DD and a turning-1-year-old DS and I am pretty sure I'm bringing our Baby Jogger City Classic Double with us. I'm going to check it with our luggage though, and I'm buying the official bag for it. I may wrap additional padding around it before putting it in the bag. I can sling DS in the airport and DD can walk. DH promises he'll get it on the buses. After all, Orlando Stroller Rentals rents BJ doubles that aren't much smaller than the one we have, and it's not much different in size than the ones you rent from Disney. Just much much more comfy. I'm hoping the kids will nap in it.

 

[milmore104]

I am going in a month and a half, have a 3 1/2 year old DD and a turning-1-year-old DS and I am pretty sure I'm bringing our Baby Jogger City Classic Double with us. I'm going to check it with our luggage though, and I'm buying the official bag for it. I may wrap additional padding around it before putting it in the bag. I can sling DS in the airport and DD can walk. DH promises he'll get it on the buses. After all, Orlando Stroller Rentals rents BJ doubles that aren't much smaller than the one we have, and it's not much different in size than the ones you rent from Disney. Just much much more comfy. I'm hoping the kids will nap in it.

This is why I'm bringing our stroller. Our kids love it and they nap in it. Yes it may be a bit heavier than a more compact one but DH is strong enough to carry it on and off the buses. Plus we have a 10 yo DD who can help carry the bags while I'm helping the little ones. I just spent $700+ on this stroller I'm not going to shell out more for another one I will NOT be using again. I know the bus thing is a pain as I said we have 3 kids. But for our 5 min of pain getting on and off the bus will be well worth it knowing my kids are comfy in there stroller!

 

[twinboysmom]

I totally understand wanting to bring your stroller. Here is my suggestion. If you can buy or have a stroller bag designed for that stroller, pack it in that. Check it with carry on luggage when you first check in. Pray it is not damaged because honestly, they are very rough and they assume zero responsibility for damaged strollers. Bring a $20 umbrella for your older child for airport use, another if your 6 month old can sit up in it for short periods. If the bay can't use the umbrella then a carrier, used if you don't already have one. This gets you the good stroller at the parks and makes it a bit easier at the airport. I would call the airline first if you want to try to bring it to the gate. I could be wrong but I was under the impression that they had to be able to fit through the x-ray machine. Good luck and have a great trip.

 

[2girlsR2good]

I have twins who have outgrown the stroller stage now, but I know a bit about strollers in the airport.

Security can be a pain--in Albuquerque once, the TSA people refused to wand check my stroller until they proved to their satisfaction that it wouldn't go through the scanner. This included taking everything removable off it. I was traveling with two 18month olds by myself and it was miserable and the stroller was never the same. Nothing was broken, but it was impossible to uncollapse with one hand after that--it took two.

Another expensive double (NOT $700) was broken when gate checked. One wheel was gone when I got it back. Just gone. Not, I thought, a detachable wheel. No one could find it, no explanations were offered. How the heck did they do that??? The airline's liability is zero for your stroller. Luckily we were on our way home, and the kids were walking well by then.

I never did Disney with an infant, so I have nothing to offer there. We did do two umbrellas when the girls were 4 at Disney and that worked well.

Good luck!

 

[tms295psu]

We took my nieces (6 months and 3 yrs) and my daughter (2 yrs) to Disney. They stroller was nice for napping or having to move thru a crowd... but honestly we WASTED SO MUCH TIME GETTING KIDS IN AND OUT OF THE STROLLER & DROPPING OFF AND RETREIVING THE STROLLER as we went on different attractions. sometimes the exits is not near the entrance. I would definately put the 6 month old in a carrier/sling... and use the stroller only for breaks (for you and baby).

 

[Princess&JackMom]

Do you still have the box the stroller came in? Would it fit back into it now that it is assembled? You might have more protection checking it in if it is in a box and not just a bag.

My other suggestions would be to see if you could get a smaller, cheap used one (say for $35 or $40). We have "Once Upon a Child" stores near us and they have so many cool double strollers really, really cheap. I know you said you didn't want to purchase another, but it could be something worth checking out.

The first few times we traveled with our twins we took a used Peg Perrego front to back that we got at a garage sale for $35. It was tough to fold but it did fit through the x-ray machine, and since it was used, I didn't worry about it getting damaged.

Another suggestion would be to look up the Mother of Twins Club in your local area. They are a good source for used doubles.

If you do take your big stroller, please post back to let us know how it goes. We are going down again to Disney with our twins in May and I would love to be able to take our Double Jogger (which is huge, doesn't fold easily, and would never fit through the X-ray machine). My twins are almost too big for their Combi and we sold the Peg Perrego this summer (since they outgrew that, too).

 

[jpdeg99]

After having our stroller stolen last time we were at Disney (with our kid's shoes and pajamas in it, a half hour before we were to board the Magical Express), we now opt to rent, with theft insurance, from one of the outside companies.

This year we are driving, so not a problem. If we were flying, we'd buy a cheap double to use for the airport, and maybe rent a better one when we get there. You can get some nice doubles like McClaren pretty cheap on ebay.

 

[maxiesmom]

Be sure that if you bring a nice, expensive stroller from home that you also bring along a lock for it. While you cannot lock your stroller to anything, you can lock the back wheels together, making it useless to any would be thief.

 

[milmore104]

Do you still have the box the stroller came in? Would it fit back into it now that it is assembled? You might have more protection checking it in if it is in a box and not just a bag.

My other suggestions would be to see if you could get a smaller, cheap used one (say for $35 or $40). We have "Once Upon a Child" stores near us and they have so many cool double strollers really, really cheap. I know you said you didn't want to purchase another, but it could be something worth checking out.

The first few times we traveled with our twins we took a used Peg Perrego front to back that we got at a garage sale for $35. It was tough to fold but it did fit through the x-ray machine, and since it was used, I didn't worry about it getting damaged.

Another suggestion would be to look up the Mother of Twins Club in your local area. They are a good source for used doubles.

If you do take your big stroller, please post back to let us know how it goes. We are going down again to Disney with our twins in May and I would love to be able to take our Double Jogger (which is huge, doesn't fold easily, and would never fit through the X-ray machine). My twins are almost too big for their Combi and we sold the Peg Perrego this summer (since they outgrew that, too).

I do still have the box. That is a good idea I hadn't thought of that. I don't know however if DH will go for it as we use it in the airport to hold all our stuff.
I will be bringing my stroller. I do have a lock for it to prevent theft. I am also having nice iron on tags made for it. I will be sure to let you know how it goes thru the airport if we don't check it in our luggage.
I thank everyone for their advice but really I was just asking about getting a double thru security at the airport. As I have said I have been going to WDW for 9 years w/ a stroller. Never a compact one. Always our Peg-Perego Skate but now that we have 2 little ones we have a double. We know the drill on getting it on and off the buses yes it's a pain but it's not all that bad to have our kids have their own stroller. I feel as if they don't understand why they're not at home for 2 weeks. They should at least have their stroller they know and our comfy in. I could not sling my 6 month old for 9+ hours. No way and more power to you if you do. Carrying 15lb on my shoulders for that long would not make a fun trip for me. Plus I also have the 2 yo that will want to be held sometimes.
Thanks again for the tips.

 

[milmore104]

We're back... I wanted to fill those in that were wondering about getting our stroller thru security. It was not a problem at all. We just had to empty everything (including kids) out of it and they took it over to the side and checked it out. It was quick and esy. At either airport they didn't make us fold it. On our return flight it was so much nicer. MCO was really busy and the lines were HORRIBLE to get thru security. As we got up and handed the first check point guy our tickets he called someone over and they brought us to another line (no waiting) where they get you thru w/ double stroller and wheelchair that can't be run thru the x-ray. OMG it was so NICE. Seeing the sign said wait time from this point 25 min.

Put just a little added advice to my fellow mom's. DO NOT apply A&D to your baby before going thru security. If you do make sure you have NOT touched anything and you completely wash your hands 5x's to get it all off. I guess there is something in A&D that is also a component in explosives. I got searched and searched again. I was tagged w/ explosives which lead me to be pulled aside and patted down. They took one of my baby bottles becasue aparently it was testing positive. I wasn't to happy seeing the thing was $17 but whatever. They also patted down my 7 month old because I was holding her. It wasn't fun. It took me over an hour to get thru.