Folding stroller

[Alysa]

Okay Moms. Question for you. We have rented a very cute car but there is no way our monster stroller will fit. Anybody ever use one of those little folding ones? How would they be for the little monkey? Uncomfortable? He'll be turning one on the trip.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Angel Ariel]

I assume you're referring to small umbrella type strollers that generally don't have much of a recline or storage underneath?

With a one year old, it is nice to have a stroller that has a full recline for stroller naps. DD is 14 months, and we're renting a City Mini stroller from Apple Strollers while we're there. It looks like they're still doing their free rental promotion, where you just pay the insurance. THe total for our rental was about $50 for 8 days (we added a rain cover and a parent console, which were $5 each). The City Mini is an awesome stroller for Disney...full recline, VERY easy fold (good for getting on/off buses), and very comfortable for the little ones

 

[rachael95]

I bought a three different cheaper strollers and finally bit the bullet and bought a City Mini GT. SO GLAD I did. It folds really easily and it fits in the back of my Kia hatchback. Even the Jeep Cherokee sport ($70) took up more room than the City Mini does when it's folded.

I bought a couple of those $20-$40 cheapie umbrella strollers and even when my DS was only 20lbs, he was uncomfortable and tight in them. He hated riding in them and it looked like it cut off circulation in his legs. Not to mention, very little storage space and you can't really get a good protection from the sun with the small umbrella they have.

I'd definitely rent a City Mini in your shoes if I didn't have one.

Plus, I think the cheapie strollers are designed for women who are no taller than 5 feet. I always had an awful backache with those and DH hated trying to push it. The City Mini, you can adjust the bar and it's much easier for taller people to push.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The City Mini, you can adjust the bar and it's much easier for taller people to push.

The CM GT has an adjustable bar, but the regular City Mini (which is what most rental companies rent) does not. Regardless, I'm 5'3" and DH is 6" and we both push the regular CM very easily.

 

[rachael95]

The CM GT has an adjustable bar, but the regular City Mini (which is what most rental companies rent) does not. Regardless, I'm 5'3" and DH is 6" and we both push the regular CM very easily.

Oh yes, that was one of the reasons I went with the GT over the regular Mini. That and the better tires.

 

[wiigirl]

Oh yes, that was one of the reasons I went with the GT over the regular Mini. That and the better tires.

totally agree!

 

[englishteacha]

I was going to recommend the Jeep Cherokee Sport stroller. It's $50 at Walmart (though they show up on CL around here for $20ish pretty regularly). We have one and I love it. I've reviewed it on both Walmart and Amazon's websites.

I like the Jeep one. There's some storage, cup holders, a tray for the wee one, and it reclines about 45 degrees. Not completely flat, but Z has used it since 6 weeks old and she's always been comfy and likes to ride in it. It rolls really well. It doesn't do well on gravel or loose sand, but most strollers don't.

If I were buying an umbrella stroller, I'd get a First Years Ignite. It has fantastic reviews and is around $70ish.

The cheap umbrella ones really aren't very comfy (Z is 1 now) and we've been through 2 that broke in some way or another. Not worth the $8 and $12 I spent, respectively.

 

[rachael95]

I was going to recommend the Jeep Cherokee Sport stroller. It's $50 at Walmart (though they show up on CL around here for $20ish pretty regularly). We have one and I love it. I've reviewed it on both Walmart and Amazon's websites.

I had the Jeep Cherokee Sport myself for several months and then the mechanism for folding it broke. I was no longer able to get it to always fold and if I could get it to fold, it would only fold about 1/2 way. Also, even folded, it took up more room than the City Mini GT I have now. (Granted, I could buy multiple Cherokee Sports for what I paid for the CM GT.)

The other thing that really ticked me off about that stroller though was that the cup holder was so tiny it wouldn't fit my son's sippy cup. It's like it's designed for skinny water bottles.

But I will say that before it broke, I liked the stroller. And it is WAY better than the cheapie umbrella strollers.

 

[Haley]

The Britax B Agile is very similar to the city mini but cheaper and has some improvements. We took our then 19 month old to WDW in it and it was amazing - it reclines completely flat so she took some great naps and the sunshade fully shielded her from the sun. It's lightweight and folds pretty small.

 

[amylevan]

I have the Chicco Capri umbrella stroller - goes for about $80. It has a minimal recline and a small under-storage. Lightweight, easy to fold and carry around.

Cons: The sun shade doesn't provide a lot of shade and the way the wheels fold mean that it gets dirty almost immediately.

DS used it until he was about 4, and now DD (9 months) is using it.

 

[lovetogowdw]

Love, love, love my Maclaren Volo stroller for theme parks, the zoo, etc. This stroller has been to WDW for 8 multi-day trips, plus has made it through six years and two kids at many, many events and outings. And it is still going strong. Best $100 I ever spent. (I've given away all of the other strollers.)

It folds easily with the push of one foot and the pull of one hand in one little swoop (VERY important when you are trying to get on the resort bus with a sleeping kid in one arm while trying to hang on to another kid AND fold the stroller at the same time). And when you are on the bus, it tucks out of the way easily, which is also important when you are trying to hold on to two sleeping kids and a stroller and the bus is packed.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We have rented a very cute car but there is no way our monster stroller will fit. Anybody ever use one of those little folding ones? How would they be for the little monkey? Uncomfortable? He'll be turning one on the trip.

I'm a Dad, but I'll answer anyway.

When we went in 2002, stroller rentals at WDW were still inexpensive, so we rented one. In 2009, our youngest was nine, but we had my wife's sister and her family with us. Our two nieces were 4 and 2, and they decided to bring a folding stroller.

I hate strollers. Hate them. Especially at WDW. Big, bulky things that slow you down and make it hard to get through crowds (unless you want to use it as a battering ram). This folder stroller was manageable. It was small and light. On the rare occasion it was actually sat it, the nieces seemed OK with it.

 

[Alysa]

Thank you to all of you! I have husband researching and searching Craigslist for all these brands!

Thank you Flightless, do you know the brand you used?

Anyone think their choice would be good as a running stroller? Because if I do end up spending $$ it would be nice if I could use it for both.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Goldilocks07]

Okay Moms. Question for you. We have rented a very cute car but there is no way our monster stroller will fit. Anybody ever use one of those little folding ones? How would they be for the little monkey? Uncomfortable? He'll be turning one on the trip.
Thanks in advance!

My DD actually prefers the little pink cheapo umbrella stroller. We got it from Babies R' Us, I pay $30 for it. It was actually $19.99, but for $30 we got a mesh bag on the back for minimal storage (definitely worth the extra $10).

However, these umbrella strollers, at least the cheapy ones, have NO storage, so for Disney I think I would find it annoying. I really rely on my stroller to be my rolling suitcase in the parks.

There are other umbrella strollers as people mentioned, that have better storage. Definitely check Craigslist. Good luck.

 

[amylevan]

However, these umbrella strollers, at least the cheapy ones, have NO storage, so for Disney I think I would find it annoying. I really rely on my stroller to be my rolling suitcase in the parks.

We actually hang this off the back of our umbrella stroller to double storage. http://www.amazon.com/Childress-Cargo-Stroller-Organizer-Black/dp/B000X2HC9W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1379485664&sr=8-4&keywords=stroller+storage+bag It adds a place to hold drinks, plus most of it is see-through so going through security is easy.

 

[Goldilocks07]

We actually hang this off the back of our umbrella stroller to double storage. http://www.amazon.com/Childress-Cargo-Stroller-Organizer-Black/dp/B000X2HC9W/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1379485664&sr=8-4&keywords=stroller+storage+bag It adds a place to hold drinks, plus most of it is see-through so going through security is easy.

Wow that is good to know! Thanks!

 

[rachael95]

Thank you to all of you! I have husband researching and searching Craigslist for all these brands!

Thank you Flightless, do you know the brand you used?

Anyone think their choice would be good as a running stroller? Because if I do end up spending $$ it would be nice if I could use it for both.

Thanks again everyone!

The City Mini GT would make a good exercise walking stroller. We use it for walking around the neighborhood, in parks, etc. They do have a jogger version of the stroller if you plan on going over trails. The GT works really well on pavement and some grass (if you're just walking, not running.) It can be pushed one-handed easily.