Double Strollers? Worth it or even practicle...

[clb79]

Would a double jogging stroller (the kind that also converts to a bike trailer) be too large to be able to navigate through the parks next week? I guess I had 3 things that game to mind regarding whether or not to even try...

1. Too much of a pain for us
2. Too much of a pain for everyone else
3. Too out of the ordinary or expensive looking to risk leaving it in the stroller areas (all though we did get it pretty cheap...)

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, DCA is wide. DL is not. I would think you would find it to be a pain. Especially if you found yourself trying to make your way along the DL parade path...that gets very very narrow.

I'd bring singles.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I answered you on MousePlanet too....We brought a double jogger and had no problem navigating, other than getting out of fireworks, F!, parades. But it's a mad house no matter what. It was a life saver for us.

 

[Brady's Mom]

We take a double jogging stroller when we go to DLR. Ours has a swivel front wheel and doesn't convert to a bike trailer. This is probably the last time we'll take it, since DS's are 5 and 7 and the 7 yr old is getting really big for it.

I actually like having the stroller when we are in super crowded areas or after a parade or fireworks since I know exactly where my 2 little kids are. I never have to worry that they are separated from us. DS 13 can stay with us and not get separated easier than a little kid - especially since he is taller than me now! We just accept the fact that getting out is going to take a while and try not to be impatient.

Park your stroller backwards when you leave it and maybe lock the wheels (with the stroller wheel lock things) and then it is harder for someone to just walk off with and easier for you to spot after you come out of a ride.

If you are going to take it on the monorail or the train or the tram from the parking lot, you will need to be able to fold up your stroller.

 

[leslie_537]

We have two side by side doube strollers and haven't had a problem with either one.

One isn't a jogger with a front swivel wheel I like this one the most.

Our other is a bike trailer one. The only thing I don't like about it is the wheels dont lock and it has a little truck (which is nice people dont realize stuff is in it) but is causes the stroller to be back heavy and without the kids in it it can tip backwords.

But with the both of our strollers we can navigate the park easily.

 

[ArvisoCa6]

We have used our double jogging stroller from both of our trips and found it to be a lifesaver. It allows your kids to remain safe out of the bustling crowds, it acts as almost a plow to get you through the throngs of people, and is great for the storage it offers, you can bring snacks and drinks and keep them in a soft sided cooler underneath. Plus when the kids get tired they have a good spot to ttake a break, or a nap.
The only down side is that it is not as easy to ride the 'tram' vechicles that travel down mainstreet, for the train we had to take the entire circuit so we could get back to our stroller. Also our 2 youngest dd's decided that they didn't want to ride this last trip so it was a bit of abattle to kep them in.
As for security, i was suprised at how many strollers there were. We had NO problem leaving our stroller in the stroller parking, well maybe except that apparently our stroller was a popular one. I would suggest marking yours so that you can identify it easliy. One dis'er suggested wadding up an unused diaper and tying it to the bars in a clear plastic bag so that everone can see it, kinda like an incentive to leave it alone. LOL

 

[MichaelColey]

About the only place I've had problems with our double stroller is the Magic Kingdom entrance gates, and I'm assuming Disneyland would be the same.

Will you be renting a car? If so, consider the space it takes there. We just got back from WDW and we had a hard time fitting our double stroller and bags in a small SUV.

We'll be coming to DL in a couple weeks and we'll be downsizing from our double stroller to one of our single strollers. DS6 can walk. DD4 can walk for a while and let DS6 ride for a while if he gets really tired.

 

[ArvisoCa6]

OO I forgot, at GCA, the current gates are too small for double strollers, so you have to have your tickets processed and then go over to the side gate and wiat for a CM to let you in. Kind of a downer and it can take a few minutes, but once you are in, there are no problems. Hopefully this will be rectified when they build the new entrances at GCA

 

[marcemc]

We'll be coming to DL in a couple weeks and we'll be downsizing from our double stroller to one of our single strollers. DS6 can walk. DD4 can walk for a while and let DS6 ride for a while if he gets really tired.

I would still consider bringing the double stroller. Even when they nap, our boys get so exhausted at the end of the day.

I wouldn't want to have a cranky 6 year old in the park with me! No sir, I'm not taking any chances!

Anyway, just my two cents

 

[caligirl stuck in va]

We had a double Maclaren and it worked very well for us. The turnstiles were not an issue (the CMs just opened those little gates and we went right through, no extra wait at all). We always had somewhere to put our waters and snacks, somewhere to put the kids in a crowd and know exactly where they are and that they wouldn't be stepped on or trampled. Yes, there were crowds at night, but it still worked for us. I know people complain about stroller users, but honestly, in my trips it is the non-stroller users who we had to watch out for! I am very sad that there will be no stroller on our next trip as DD8 and DD5 are both over 4' tall and won't fit!

 

[NMMickeymom]

We have used both a double jogger and a Maclaren double stroller. We liked them both but LOVED the double stroller. We purchased the stroller when my girls were a bit older and wished we had it from the beginning. It was downright dreamy. That said, I would absolutely bring our jogger if that is what the kids were comfortable in. Joggers are a bit more to negotiate meaning you may have to take turns going in stores and the likelihood of strolling a sleeping kid into dinner is slim to none. You will see tons of high end strollers and joggers I wouldn't worry too much about yours walking off.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

On our last trip two years ago (when our DDs were 4 years and 18 months) we bought a Joovy Ultralight Caboose to use while we were there. This was a bit of a splurge for us since I wasn't certain how much we would use it other than while at DLR (our 18 month old was pretty active and seldom wanted to be in a stroller and I usually just used a sling when she finally winded down). I still think the Joovy was one of the best decisions we made for our trip. It's really lightweight (only 21 pounds), folds up very quickly and really flat (making it easy to get on the DLRR and monorail), steers and rolls like a dream, and best of all?

The younger child sits in front and the older child can either sit or stand in the back and hop on and off really easily when needed. Because it's not side by side and it's not two full seats deep, it maneuvers like a single stroller through the crowds. We will definitely be taking the Joovy with us on our December trip. I considered briefly trying to dispense with dragging it out of the garage and getting it dusted off, but DangerMouse made me see the error of my ways (in a prior thread). Our oldest DD will be turning 7 on the first day of the trip and I don't know that she (or our 3 YO DD who is still very active) will be doing much riding in the stoller for the first half of the day, but I'll be very glad to have a place to let them rest for the later part of each day. And like ArvisoCA6 wrote, I really like to be able to keep the kids contained in a safe spot as we make our way through tight crowds. You can't lose two kids who are sitting in the stroller in your hands, but I would worry about losing a grip on a little hand in a very crowded space.

Now that I've finished sounding like a commercial for the Joovy , (honestly, no affiliation other than ownership of one) have you considered borrowing a sit and stand type stroller from a friend? If I weren't able to bring my own or borrow one from a friend, I would definitely bring any type of double stroller I did own just for that "too tired to walk" and containment factor at the end of the day.