Going strollerless...feels so liberating!

[delgrec]

So we just made the decision not to bring or rent (unless we end up really regretting it) a stroller when we go in August. We have a 4 1/2 year old DD and a 6 year old DS. DD is the one I am slightly concerned about but we are hopeful that with going out their pace and taking breaks as needed, we should be okay. I can't wait to experience disney without a stroller to worry about! Just wanted to share!

 

[nalabell]

So we just made the decision not to bring or rent (unless we end up really regretting it) a stroller when we go in August. We have a 4 1/2 year old DD and a 6 year old DS. DD is the one I am slightly concerned about but we are hopeful that with going out their pace and taking breaks as needed, we should be okay. I can't wait to experience disney without a stroller to worry about! Just wanted to share!

Your not the only one feeling the same way. We have 3 kids and our youngest DD will be 5 1/2 when we go. Glad to have that bulky thing gone. However I am a little nervous we might not make it and need to rent one, but I think we will be ok. I do like the stroller for holding "stuff", so we are going to need to re plan for that fact. Congrats on the freedom. We can't wait either!

 

[masim]

I think you will regret not bringing a stroller for your DD. We are going in Sept with our DGD who will be 4 1/2 and we will use one for her. We just went to a water park last week and after it she fell asleep in a booth in a restaurant We were so glad to have the stroller to put her in so we did not have to carry her. WDW is a lot of walking over multiple days and I think you would be happy you have a place for her to crash, even with planned rest and naps. Have a great time.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

That will be the case for our next trip in four years. Youngest will be 6.5 and the other two 9 and 12. As the PP said, the issue will be where to stash all the stuff we pack in. I guess we've got time to figure that out.

OP - for this trip you may want to take a small umbrella stroller to give the little legs a rest now and then. Or you can see if you can get by without one and then rent if you need to.

 

[cobright]

Man... I like having my kids on the march and I'm willing to pitch them up onto my shoulders for those walks out to the bus stop when I ask too much of them.

But 4 1/2... That's asking a lot.

Can your girl kiddo walk 1 mile non-stop at any speed? That's the test. 1 mile, no breaks, any speed. If she poops out on that she will never survive a day at WDW.

The exertion is cumulative. Even taking many breaks, exhaustion will build up until the kiddo melts down.

 

[freckles04]

Just my opinion here: I would still bring a stroller to WDW for a 4 year old. Eek!

 

[Kae]

DS first trip he was 4 and we hardly used a stroller. We rented one at Epcot it was the 3rd day & Epcot just seem biggger. also a few times at night.

kae

 

[BensWife]

We went stroller free on our last visit and it was divine!!! However, it wasn't by choice. I just totally forgot to bring ours! Duh! So, we decided to see how things went and would rent in park if we needed it. We have a 3 yo and a 6yo, so we totally thought we'd need to rent one. We only got a stroller 1 day (at Epcot) and the rest we didn't have one. It was fantastic. I was really surprised how well our 3 year old did with walking. He was amazing! In fact, the only day we really had any sibling fights was the day they were in the double stroller!

 

[Marthasor]

My DS is 5 1/2 and I still rent a stroller for him. (Yes, we get looks. He is big and I have to get a higher weight capacity stroller for him. He also has ASD, so the stroller helps him take a break when he needs it) He walks a lot, but it's really helpful when we need to do a long walk in a short amount of time. For instance, if we are in FW and need to get to Italy in WS for an ADR or we are back in Africa in AK and we want to leave the park. He just gets tired and I would rather he sit, while I navigate the crowds and get us where we need to go.

We did one park, once, without a stroller and that was EP when we entered in FW, made our way back to WS, had lunch and then left through IG and got a cab back to our resort.

All children have different stamina levels, so you may be fine! If you find it isn't working well, you can always rent a park stroller, call an Orlando stroller rental company to see if they have availability or buy an umbrella stroller at the park. Either way, you will be fine!!

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

So we just made the decision not to bring or rent (unless we end up really regretting it) a stroller when we go in August. We have a 4 1/2 year old DD and a 6 year old DS. DD is the one I am slightly concerned about but we are hopeful that with going out their pace and taking breaks as needed, we should be okay. I can't wait to experience disney without a stroller to worry about! Just wanted to share!

My DS at that age was used to walking but due to the heat and humidity, it did him in. I believe August is still pretty hot and humid. Just something to think about.

 

[delgrec]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I totally realize that 4 1/2 is iffy, especially in the heat of August. We have mostly half days planned and she does have great stamina so I am thinking we may be okay. If not, we will rent one. I am prepared for that. We were originally going to bring our Maclaren quest but she is super tall and sitting in it her head was pushing against the sun shade. That got us talking and we were also concerned about the fact that if we do have it she will expect to ride all the time and my son will probably complain that he doesn't get to ride. This will eliminate the option and the fight. We will see how it goes!

 

[RysMomma]

When we go next summer we will have a 4 year old and a 6 year old. At first we thought no stroller but we know how hot it gets there in August and even though neither kid has been in a stroller for a while now, we made the decision to rent a double stroller from an outside company. We just figure it'll be good for both of them to be able to sit down and be pushed for a bit if they want it. I know I want that too sometimes!

 

[Jennifer124]

My daughter will be almost 6 when we go in October, and we are totally renting her a stroller! She's tiny, though, so hopefully we won't get a lot of looks

 

[freckles04]

Sometimes by the middle of the day @ WDW I would also love a stroller
My DS at age 4 (or 4 1/2, however you wanna put it, lol) still took naps and easily fell asleep when in motion (such as in the car). We did not get to visit WDW until he was 8 but we did rent them when he was younger for zoo trips etc.

Either way at least as you say you can rent one and so it's really not an issue! Have fun!

 

[princessap]

Just my opinion here: I would still bring a stroller to WDW for a 4 year old. Eek!

we went in March and our middle DD had just turned four and she walked all day! we were there from 815am to 10pm. Only stopping for lunch and then dinner at BOG. she did awesome!! I think if you think your kids can handle it they can. No one knows them better than their mom

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Ah yes, the sheer joy of being strollerless is quite wonderful. Our kids are 16 and 13, but I remember that magical trip when we first went without strollers. These days we don't carry backpacks or anything. Everything we need fits in our cargo shorts. We often feel like dolphins swimming among a pod of whales as we tour.

 

[mrsltg]

The joy if being strollerless is akin to passing through the bag-free line - AMAZING!!! Everything goes in DHs cargo shorts' pockets. Kids carry what they need. It is great! Have a wonderful time, OP!

 

[kpapiezjhbk7211]

We just got home from cedar point tonight. I decided not to bring our double stroller for DS5 and only bring the single stroller for my DS1. While he did fine, on the way out of the park my DH had the baby on his shoulders and my 5 yr old was in the stroller. I will be so glad to have that double stroller in disney! Although, I am envious of those dolphins in the pool of whales!!!

 

[gtpoohbear]

We hardly even used the stroller with my 2.5yo DS in April. Only one day, because we skipped his nap back in the room so he slept in the stroller for an hour or so. It was such a pain to deal with, I was so glad we didn't use it any other days! We might have been able to go a little faster at times with it, but maneuvering it through a crowd and having to deal with the whole park it/find it later thing got old really fast.

FWIW, my ODD did not use a stroller on her first trip at 4yo and never had any issues with walking at all, and it was in the heat of summer. Honestly it just wouldn't have occurred to me to use one with her since she hadn't had a stroller in years by then.

I know some kids will whine about walking a mile even when they are 10-11 years old, but if you know your kid is walking a lot regularly and fine with it, then a stroller really isn't necessary.

 

[MomofIndigo]

Let us know how it goes!

We are almost there, almost... DD will turn 5 on our next trip. DH was debating about it since we are staying at the WL and we are doing MK alot. Last year we took it and parked it and did a land and then re parked it somewhere to do another land. But by the afternoon, she went looking for her stroller to ride in LOL. And I want to have it for the evenings on days we do not go back to the resort to rest (do monorail "rest"). But I am thinking this will be our last stroller trip. HA sooo close.

Good Luck!