Families with an infant: BYO-stroller?

[matilda_z]

We're leaving next week and I've read so many comments about people who bring their own strollers. Why? Are the strollers at DW that awful? Our DC is going to be 7 months and I plan to wear her most of the time in a wrap/sling/carrier.

I'm considering ordering an inexpensive umbrella stroller through babiesrus and having it delivered to POFQ so we don't have to lug it from Ottawa.

Give me your advice, please!!!

Jenny

 

[surfer_ed]

I do not think you want to put a 7 mo in the Disnet Rentals. The are little more than shopping cart. Also Disney only has strollers in the parks and none at DTD etc.

We went on October with DD, then 12 m and took our own stroller. We took our bigger one and it was good since it carried lots of stuff etc but it was a big pain on the buses.

A smaller umbrella type might have been a bit better but you will need to carry all the other stuff with you. On the cruise that is what we are doing, only trouble is I am over 6 ft and the small strollers are not easy to push because they are built for shorterm people...hard on the back.

If you are going into the parks don't forget the infant care centres. A great place to escape the heat.

 

[SandraC]

When ds was 15 months old, I bought the perfect stroller from Toys R Us. It's bigger and stronger than an umbrella stroller, but smaller than a "regular" stroller. It serviced ds well for two WDW trips. It held all our stuff and was easy to bring here and there. We rented a WDW stroller for dd, but she was a preschooler. We bought an umbrella stroller for dd at Kissimmee Walmart and loved it! Strollers from home are great. You can bring them right to the airplane door and they are stored easily so when you leave the plane the stroller is waiting for baby. We are heading to WDW in 6 weeks ~ first time with no strollers, diapers or car seats! Where am I going to put all my stuff ~ heeheehee. Sandra

 

[Buzz & Woody]

we got one from Bonnie Togs. It was $100.00. It was an umbrella stroller that had a nice basket, canopy and reclining seat and lift up leg rest, so DS could lie down for naps. We loved this stroller, plus we could bring it right to the gates when we flew. It was awesome. It was comfy for DS from age 7 months to 3.5 years and great for us to use at all the parks and at Downtown Disney. One year we also brought a backpack carrier and DS loved that too

 

[KerriMc]

I also say bring your own stroller! We travelled to WDW twice since we have had kids. The first time we had an almost 3 yr old and a 7 mos old and we brought strollers for both. The next year we brought just one for the 20 mos old and rented for our older dd. We ended up investing in an $80 Graco stroller that would recline, had a basket and had a sun visor. It wasn't as big as our regular Graco one.

The WDW strollers are ok for older kids (like 3 and up), but if your child wants to nap and recline they can't do it in those big plastic blue ones comfortably (same goes for a cheap umbrella stroller). You at least need a stroller that can recline for naps, has a basket underneath for your diapers and "stuff", and has something on the top for some sun protection.

Plus if you go anywhere else, you have your stroller - the mall, DTD, walking in the airport right up to the gate, evening walks, etc. If it is very hot, it will be even hotter if you are carrying a baby everywhere you go. That can sure make for a cranky baby Plus travelling around WDW in their stroller they can see everything ... it is so entertaining for them!!

This year we are travelling with an almost 5 yr old and a 2.5 yr old. We are talking a stroller for the younger one again and will rent for the older dd. We will need the stroller to contain our youngest in the airport this time!!!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!!

Kerri

 

[TreesyB]

I agree with the others. Bring your own stroller.

As a single mom it was very important for me to take a lightweight stroller for ds. And having extensively travelled, I found the Peg Perego Aria to be a great solution to space and weight for travelling with a little one. I've been on one-two vacations per year with my kiddo (alone) from the time he's been 1 to this year at 5. And this was the first year we didn't bring the Aria.

But definitely don't use the MK or AK strollers for a 7 month old. I found the MGM stroller looked more comfy (they are those jogging strollers). But I did see a family with a rented stroller at DTD, and it even had the DTD initials on its side.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[DisFan2]

I agree with the others,

BYO. We took a cheap umbrella stroller, fully intending to leave it for anyone we encountered who might need it. We wound up bringing it home - no big deal "lugging" it for the drive down and back.

 

[tigger2on]

We took our kids on our annual WDW trip in Oct. Madigan was 8 months and we took our stroller. Things to remember.... get one that reclines, has a canopy, don't forget a rain cover (Just in case). You can lice without a basket as a napsack fits great on the back if slung over each handle. Babies at this age still nap and the heat makes it hard to have them close to you all the time. You will thank yourself for bringing a stroller!

 

[mbb]

Ditto everyone else...BYO

We took our 9 month old niece last winter in hers..worked out great.

Tip if you forget the rain cover..an adult WDW poncho works great, covers the entire stroller, and your little one can pop their head out too, if it's not raining too hard


Have fun!

 

[disney funseeker]

Bring your own stroller for a 7 month old for all the reasons already mentioned.

You can gate check it too when you board the plane and it will be there when you disembark.

 

[Daisy Duck 5]

I disagree with the other posters. On the family boards they were talking about a place you can rent a stroller from. They deliver it to your hotel on the day of your arrival. Then they come pick it up on the day you leave.
Here is their website. http://www.abbf.com/
You can also rent other equipment from them such as cribs, toys and bathtubs.

 

[TreesyB]

Hey that's great! They rent wagons! Thanks for posting.

 

[disney funseeker]

That single stroller looks very comfy on the rental site.

TreesyB, if you're thinking about using the wagon for the theme parks, I don't think they are allowed. I'm not sure about DTD, they are probably okay there, although I've never really noticed.

 

[TreesyB]

TreesyB, if you're thinking about using the wagon for the theme parks, I don't think they are allowed. I'm not sure about DTD, they are probably okay there, although I've never really noticed.

Well that's too bad. My 6 year old sure was tired when went this past Jan. and he's almost too big for those strollers.

It's a good thing we recently became DVC members so I don't have do Disney so rushed anymore.

 

[pkitty]

When our daughter was in a stroller, we drove to the local Wal Mart in Kissamee and bought an umberella stroller for about 20 dollars. We got great use out of it in all the parks and decided instead of bringing it back to Canada on the plane we gave it to somebody outside the Magic Kingdom gate. We enjoyed the Wal Mart. very big and lots of Disney Stuff. plus we loaded up on junk food and pop etc for the week.

 

[surfer_ed]

A little OT but anyone find the umbrellas stollers too short. We are taking out "Cheap" umbrella stoller on DCl becuase we do not want to bring our regular large stroller. Only problem is that the handles are not built for anyone over 6 feet to push it. Major back pain so DW ends up pushing it all the time.

 

[TreesyB]

Yup, I have to really stand far back. And I'm 5'6".

 

[hipmaman]

We brought 2 single umbrella strollers (Maclaren Volo) for the kids last year to DL. These strollers are 8lbs each, with sun shade, basket, a breeze to push/steer.

For various reasons, we'll be bringing our own this time too - but it will be a light weight double. Dh will have the kids by himself for part of the trip at WDW. I don't want him w/ 2 tired kids, no space to sit/stroll for the kids, spend $70-80 for 7-8 days rental, no stroller outside of the parks, etc. Bottom line for us is that the kids get tired easily and still ride when they can.

For infant, sling if you can, but each day can be long, hot/sweaty so mom/dad would need a stroller. The cost for renting is not cheap. If you don't already have a light-weight stroller, then just get one so you'll have something to use for quick errants when returning to home?

Then again, I'm a bad one to talk to when it comes to strollers

 

[CharlesTD]

We took our own stroller but only to use primarily at the resorts. We would just rent one at the parks it was much easier than carting it around with us on the busses especially once we had the double stroller to contend with.