Graco Quattro or no?

[annantuonio]

Hello~ DD will be 23 months on our upcoming trip~ I am looking into a new stroller as my midsize graco has had it! I am drawn to the Quattro b/c it seems to ride like a dream!!! Am I crazy to think about bringing this stroller to WDW given its size etc?? We are staying at POP and using the bus to get around~~~ Any insight will be greatly appreciated!

 

[brergnat]

Yes, you're crazy to think of bringing that stroller for an almost 2 year old.

IT'S HUGE!!!!

You want a stroller that rides like a dream, is about 12lbs, folds like an umbrella and comes with a reclining seat, sunshade, rain cover, carry strap, and padded seat? Get a MACLAREN TRIUMPH. GO to www.albeebaby.com, they have the 2006 models on clearance and free shipping.

I have a 3 year old and 14month old. Both LOVE to ride in our Maclaren. We have a Quest, but will buy a Triumph before our first trip to WDW so they can both have a Maclaren.

I can't sing enough high praise for this brand. I struggled against buying it for SO long, because I just couldn't justify the price tag, but after owning piece of garbage after piece of garbage, I just dug in and bought one and I will NEVER suggest another brand to anyone again.

Graco's are G-A-R-B-A-G-E. They are cheap for a reason. The ONE time we took our Metrolite on a plane, it returned from the gate check broken and from then on, the basket would not stay up.

 

[PrincessA]

If there was one piece of advice that I could tell new moms, it would be ignore the Graco and Evenflo strollers. They are two bulky, heavy and have none of the features that the European (not all are european like Zooper) strollers have. I started out with the Graco Quattro Tour. Bought a Zooper for travel because the Graco was too huge and I hated the steering. Then really started to hate the Graco after having the Zooper. Then found a Peg Perego P3 at Babiesrus for about 170.00 for around town strolling. Loved it!!! I used the heck out that stroller for 2.5 years straight. Well worth the money. Once son was getting older, I bought a Maclaren Quest off Ebay. Love it. The Graco is still in the basement. LIKE NEW. Invest in a better stroller, you will love it. Plus, there are sooo many different stroller companies out there. Find a specialty baby store in your town other then Babiesrus and test drive other strollers. I confess I am a baby gear stalker. It is a sick obsession that almost rivals my Disney obsession!

 

[SaraMc]

Please dont flame me. I have a graco quatro tour, its heavy at first, but Ive found as my son has got bigger its not such a problem. He was only 6 months old when we went and for him it was perfect since we were able to lay him down in it for naps. When we go next year depending on his weight we may use it again. It wasnt too bad carrying it onto the newer busses at Disney, but the older ones that DH had to lift it over his head almost to get past the first 10 rows of seats was a pain.

 

[Debbiebee68]

If you need to carry a heavy diaper bag, the basket on the Maclaren is TOO SMALL- I should know, I have 2 of them (great for quick trips to the mall- one for each car)! I always figured that I should wheel the bag than carry it for miles in the parks! The Quattro is like a Cadillac Escalade. Yes it is huge, but we have to remember, it is for the KID's comfort! My son was totally comfortable and the sun protection was good. He sat up nice and high like a king! It steered beautifully (even through the bumpy AK) and the basket held all of our things. We loved the drink holders, clock, temperature gage and cell phone holder on the Quattro. In the Maclaren it is hard to access the basket if the seat is reclined. The Maclaren will tip if you hang much of anything off of the handles when you take your DD out. If you get a deal on the Quattro it should not cost you a bundle (Toys R Us has a 10% coupon right now). I rationalized it by how much it would cost me if I had to rent everyday. At least this way I came home with something I could sell to recoup some of the money if I wanted to. Also, the Maclaren does not have a child tray- my DS still liked to eat his snacks off it and have a place for his sippy when he was your daughter's age. Yes, it is a little cumbersome for the bus, but unless you are going to spend your day park hopping, it just has to be carried on the bus for the trip there and back. The airline let us check it at the gate, no muss no fuss. My son has gotten big for our Quattro now (my only complaint- the child tray does not give as much clearance as other full sized strollers for the legs as the child grows) , so this will be the first trip with a Maclaren. I think I am going to miss the Quattro terribly.

Comfort for my kids , not my convenience, is always my first priority. Even on the longest bus ride, sucking it up and dealing with the stroller was no big deal in my opinion. Nothing about Disney is overly convenient, so it has always boggled my mind as to why people stress over a bigger stroller. Good luck- get what you think will work for you!

 

[toesmom]

Yes, you're crazy to think of bringing that stroller for an almost 2 year old.

IT'S HUGE!!!!

You want a stroller that rides like a dream, is about 12lbs, folds like an umbrella and comes with a reclining seat, sunshade, rain cover, carry strap, and padded seat? Get a MACLAREN TRIUMPH. GO to www.albeebaby.com, they have the 2006 models on clearance and free shipping.

I have a 3 year old and 14month old. Both LOVE to ride in our Maclaren. We have a Quest, but will buy a Triumph before our first trip to WDW so they can both have a Maclaren.

I can't sing enough high praise for this brand. I struggled against buying it for SO long, because I just couldn't justify the price tag, but after owning piece of garbage after piece of garbage, I just dug in and bought one and I will NEVER suggest another brand to anyone again.

Graco's are G-A-R-B-A-G-E. They are cheap for a reason. The ONE time we took our Metrolite on a plane, it returned from the gate check broken and from then on, the basket would not stay up.

Sorry but I have to disagree about the gracos.

I own a Maclaren Quest, but I also own a Graco lite rider. The graco will not die. I have filled it with about 60 lbs of groceries (including big watermelon in basket, about 4 heavy bags of sea salt for my ds eczema, and milk bags and fruits etc etc.). The stroller just will not die. In fact, I take it grocery shopping every week just hoping it will stop working properly (also more convenient than getting shopping cart).

My dd who is almost 9 still fits in it (we were at our local amusement park on sunday) and still pushes no problem. Comparitively speaking, my graco pushes as well as my Maclaren. But Maclaren looks much nicer of course.

The gracos are much much larger than the maclarens. But they are not as bad quality as people seem to think. The Maclaren are great, I love mine. I tried to kill my graco before I bought the Mac, but I tell you, short of running it over...

Just keeps going and going.

So if you don't mind folding up large stroller on bus, I say take it, little one will be comfy. But, Maclarens are much better in quality, and have higher resale value so you can always sell it when kids get older and no longer use it.

But my almost 9 year old couldn't keep up the pace on Sunday and even asked to sit in a stroller. So you may be using stroller for a while.

 

[brergnat]

Well, there's the thing about Gracos. They are NOT a reliable brand, quality wise.

For every Graco that will "not die", there are probably 3 that die within the first year of use.

Our had the basket break (probably the airline's fault), but then the hood snapped off, and finally, one of the front wheels stopped swiveling (it got stuck). We took it straight to the dumpster, and keep in mind, although we had it for almost 2.5 years, I hardly used it.

I've read far more stories about Gracos breaking immediately than of Gracos that go on and on.

You just got lucky!


As for the diaper bag thing, with a kid who is almost 2, I can't imagine needing much more than a few diapers, some wipes, a sippy cup, and some snacks, plus room for a hat and possibly sunscreen. Don't overpack for a day at WDW. Too many people do this. Think about what you will need for a few HOURS (yes, you will return to your room at some point). Don't pack like you are going to be gone for 3 days. We take a JanSport backpack when we go to Disneyland for the day (with 2 toddlers). We take 2 umbrella strollers and we hang the backpack over the handles while the kids are in the stroller. When we get in a line or go to eat, one of us wears the backpack. It's not a big deal. We use the under seat storage on the Maclaren for water bottles (which also fit in the holder on the backpack) and a blanket for my younger son. If you overload the basket under the stroller, what are you going to do with all that stuff when you have to fold the stroller to get on the bus?

A 2 year old does not need a "cadillac" stroller. They will be out of it as much as in it, and if the stroller is easy for the CHILD to get in/out of on her own, she will like it more. Just get a lightweight stroller with a good sunshade and a recline and you will be set.

 

[welovedisney7778]

I own a Quattro, MetroLite, and a Mac Triumph. I love, love love the MetroLite. We actually bought it to use as our Disney stroller, and now I use it all the time. The other two are in the garage. It has everything we need, a tray for the baby for snacks, cupholders for me, a huge basket, a sunshade/bug net, it reclines all the way, and it swivels like a dream. It is also light and easy to fold, and my son is so comfortable in it. It makes a great Disney stroller, I highly recommend it. The Mac is okay, but the basket stinks, and it doesn't recline enough IMHO.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I confess I am a baby gear stalker. It is a sick obsession that almost rivals my Disney obsession!

Okay I will confess now too I am a baby gear stalker. I know what I like and what works for what situation at least for me. My oldest dd is 6 and have owned at least 10 strollers.

1~ evenflo trendsetter- it was okay but didn't recline far enough for my liking and the first time I used it dd6 was about a month old I went to the mall and after going through my first department store the wheels squeaked so bad my dh turned it around and was pushing it backwards. this one went to good will I couldn't even bring myself sell this one and that was after evenflo sent me several replacement wheels b/c they didn't want to do anything else.

2~ graco chauffer~ I upgraded to this stroller this one I can promise you is bigger that the quattro and fold bigger than one too. I have used it for all but one trip to disney and I will continue to use it until dd out grows it.

3~ combi savvy~ I love the features of this stroller but in the end it is not functional I see people all the time going on about getting of for cheap you would be better off buying a 10 dollar umbrella stroller than buying this stroller. the single ones are on the flimsy end and one your child hits 3 its no good. I sold this one for disney money last year on ebay.

4~ safety 1st~ don't waste your money on this brand the seats are not made well at all on any of them they don't recline I used it once. this brand truely is garbage. I sold this one on ebay last year for disney money.

5~ graco literider~ I bought this one for 30 dollars on ebay and has been the best money I have spent for what I use it for. I took this one to disney last july and decided I wouldn't bring it back. when dd was sleeping her legs were hanging over the front and that had to be uncomfortable. we use this one at dd's school since she doesn't walk it is small enough to be in her preschool class but I am on the verge of garage saleing it.

6~ graco euro duoglider I barely even used it this I will admit was and unnecessary purchase but worked well for around town. this one will be in my garage sale I didn't want to have to ship this monster.

7~ jeep side by side umbrella~ this was a great investment for my dds this quickly replaced the graco duoglider. I sold this for disney money last year although dd6 asked if we could get another one for when we go to disney in oct cause she likes sitting next to her sissy.

8~ mothercare pink princess pushchair~ I actually had this one shipped form the UK and it truely is a great stroller it similar to a mac but the back doesn't come up as high. I use this one for quick runs doc and therapy appointments and we took it last year for dd6 in disney.

9&10~ kolcraft umbrella stroller~ I have one in dh's truck and one for when I am in others vehicles for dd3 we also use it is disney for dd6.


When it comes to us going to disney as a pp said I am all about my kids being comfy if they aren't and they are miserable than I will be too. We don't want to have to carry anyone especially dd3 (i know that sounds mean but you carry 3 ten pound bags of potatoes and see how you like it). I like my chauffer and all of its feature now I will say this if I could have made a different choice it would have been for the peg perego it offers all of the same features that my chauffer does is just 30 pounds lighter. I am somewhat ready to get rid of my chauffer and get a mac techno XLR b/c I need the weight limit, but I am very hesitant b/c I like all of the options of the one I already have especially the parent tray that is one of my biggest draw backs on the mac.

I go for comfort for my dd's b/c we go for 9 plus days on each of our trips and so I want the max comfort I am going to get even if that means ugly looks from people on the bus and if you don't want to be hit by a stroller that you already know is in line walk all the way to the back of the bus or let strollers on first. If the stroller works for you than go for it if you don't think it works for you get out and try every brand and model you see till you find the one that works for you. Also if it is too much for you to ride the bus w/ you stroller than drive to the park and you have nothing to worry about.

 

[T16GEM]

Hi,
I had a Quattro Tour when my DD was born and have had no problems with it- it has been on numerous flights and road trips and is still in use now for DS when DD is walking. I also have a Mother care Tandem Stroller which is actually made by Graco - it's the same as the Stadium Duo and it drives like a dream! I must disagree with those who are flaming the Gracos!
Also if you have the Graco infant carrier that you get with the Quattro then you can use this on the double stroller too!

 

[mom2aredhead]

For real life, I LOVED my Quattro Tour, and still use it at home if we are going to be out for long periods of time. My son is 3.5 so we're slowly phasing out the stroller altogether as he wants to walk "all by himself" most of the time. It is heavy, and for the 90 seconds it will take me to lift it in and out of the car, that stinks. But for actual USE, it has a huge basket, tray for my son, tray for me, and one hand (NO FEET NEEDED) fold. I bought the hooks at Babies R Us and have 4 of them hanging on there. Shopping bags, diaper bag, whatever you want and it doesn't tip over. I've taken the cover off too many times to count and it has always come out of the washer fine. Large sun canopy, wheels that will run over almost anything. I love it.

Some of the lighter strollers seem to be more useful when they're not being used. I'd rather have a huge basket, extra storage, all of the bells and whistles and lift a little heavier stroller than have an smaller stroller that is light and easy to store, therefore convenient mostly when my child is not in it and when it is in my closet. But like I said, that's for real life. I also have a Combi and a Kolcraft, both of which I hate and will be on ebay soon.

For Disney life, it is heavy. And for the amount of times you will need to empty it out, fold it, and carry on/off the bus, it may be a hassle. We got the Safety First Acella stroller and took it on our last 2 trips. The parent cupholder is too small, but other than that, it worked fine. Best part was that it only cost about $50, so it already paid for itself vs. renting one there.
BTW, I have a feeling this thread will slowly become a Mac advertisement as is usually the case when this question is posed. It's as if you cannot go to Disney without a Mac stroller, while wearing crocs and carrying a baggalini.

Bottom line, your little one needs to be comfy. If you can deal with the bulky stroller on the bus as a tradeoff for her being able to nap in it for 2 hours, go for it.

 

[tiggger1]

we brought it to Disney last year and my daughter was almost 3! I love the storage underneath and the shade moved so whatever direction the sun was in, she got covered. She even napped in it a few times! We currently use it now for the new baby and will take it Disney with us next time ( as well as the twin jogger in case Emma needs a stroller... ( we are camping at the fort)