Great Stroller Debate - Tandems for Disney

[NorthernGrl]

I had a Sit n Stand when #3 was born and #2 was a runner. It was really hard to push and was clunky. #3 was 23 months and had only been walking for a few months (low muscle tone) when #4 was born. When I was pregnant with her, I found a Graco Twin Ipo stroller (the one in my profile pic) at a store liquidation for something like $40 on clearance, and the matching single for $20. I bought them both and adore them. The wheels turn so easily, and the handles are taller, which I love, so many strollers seem so low to me and my back aches, and I'm only 5'6". It went to Disney twice as well as on other trips and worked really well. Once my son was walking more often, I pulled out the sit n stand again, thinking he'd do well on the jump seat, but it was awful to push. So heavy and like others said, it was finicky to fold etc. I ended up selling it and going back to the Ipo. In fact,the Graco went with a few other families to Disney and all said it worked great.
Ds is now almost 6 and my baby is nearly 4. We don't go many places that don't allow a wagon, and we don't even keep a stroller in the van on a regular basis! We won't be back at Disney with the kids for another couple of years, and when we go, we'll probably only take the one single stroller with us.

 

[Lupeix]

I am also considering buying a sit and stand, since I am due with baby #2 soon, so for our next trip to WDW I will have DS 5 and DD 10 months. My DS is tiny and gets tired if walking around too much, so in know I will need someplace for him if going to a park or zoo. I am torn between buying a tandem or just the standing board for our current stroller and then renting a double when we get to Disney. I do need something to push DD through the airport....will folding the tandem by myself at the gate while carrying a baby be an impossible task?

Either double or tandem seem sort of a pain in the buses. If you will have a car anyway I will seriously consider driving to the parks, you will spend at most 1/4 tank (we rented a car and payed for the whole tank and were kicking ourselves hard on our last trip). With small children I think it is worth it. Folding a big stroller won't be an issue, and you won't have to wait in line for the buses, which at the end of the day is a blessing with toddlers. You can generally park close enough to avoid the tram in all parks except MK. In our recent trip we Valet parked at the contemporary to go to MK and it was worth every cent.

 

[Momof3WDW]

....will folding the tandem by myself at the gate while carrying a baby be an impossible task?

I am 5' 6" and cannot fold and carry our sit n stand while carrying a baby. The stroller is just to bulky and heavy. I can flip it over so it is rolling on its wheels while pulling it. But doing this and carry a baby is not ideal to me.

 

[Lupeix]

I am 5' 6" and cannot fold and carry our sit n stand while carrying a baby. The stroller is just to bulky and heavy. I can flip it over so it is rolling on its wheels while pulling it. But doing this and carry a baby is not ideal to me.

Thanks! I think I am leaning towards not getting a tandem, unless I see a cheap one at a yard sale
does anyone have any experience with the standing boards that attach to regular strollers? I may still need to rent a double when I get to Disney, but the standing board may be a good alternative for the airport and day trips, so DS has a place to ride if he gets tired

 

[gabriellewatson]

I found a great Joovy scooter (double side by side) at our local children's consignment store for $75.00. I didn't buy it mostly because my husband hates double strollers, especially the side by sides, so we will definitely be purchasing a tandem sit N stand style. The consignment store (Once Upon a Child) says they get a lot of Joovy Cabooses, so I'm going to hunt them down each week for one of those. I have some clothes to drop off there, so I might have some store credit saved up for when I purchased a nice used stroller. They also had a lightweight combi which was a side by side. It was nice too, just not what we need for a big girl and active preschooler/toddler.

 

[Nathansmommy]

Also in the market for a sit and stand stroller. Our older kids are the same size, but my younger is over 30lbs. We're still in a city mini double.



I bought this when DD was born. I would not recommend it. It's clunky and heavy. Maneuvering is as good as the city mini, but it's just so heavy and awkward when folded. Also the front seat is VERY small. The length of the seat is really meant for 1yo. My 36in 3yo would have her legs dangling and probably pushing on the side while I'm pushing the stroller. And if the front seat is reclined, DS would not have much room to sit in the back. He could stand, but most times he'd want to sit.

this! DS is 3, 37lbs and 38in, and the front seat was extremely small for him, our next trip isn't til November, but we went ahead and bought a new stroller already, we got this one http://www.gracobaby.com/products/pages/fastaction-fold-duo-lx-click-connect-stroller-piazza.aspx
and so far I love it.

 

[nalajms]

...will folding the tandem by myself at the gate while carrying a baby be an impossible task?

The Graco that OP listed is a one hand fold. Really easy. Of course you're folding it down towards the floor You have to decide how important it is because your baby won't be 10m old forever We were in WDW in early May. DD (2) was having a tantrum while we were waiting for a boat. She wouldn't let go of me and I could not fold our double city mini with her hugging my leg (tried it once and she got knocked over = bigger tantrum). Another guest waiting was kind enough to fold it for me and stow it at the front of the boat for me. Boy did I wish for a one hand fold that trip!

 

[austinsmommie]

Thanks! I think I am leaning towards not getting a tandem, unless I see a cheap one at a yard sale
does anyone have any experience with the standing boards that attach to regular strollers? I may still need to rent a double when I get to Disney, but the standing board may be a good alternative for the airport and day trips, so DS has a place to ride if he gets tired

We had a standing board for our stroller before. I found it a little strange when using it. We had to walk a little wide legged with your arms extended. It may be different depending on which stroller you attach it to. We did use it at Disney, but we had to take it off to fold the stroller to get on the bus. We did have a sit and stand first, it was so bulky and heavy, we sold it and got the buggy board. I much preferred the board over the sit and stand.

 

[HoosierTinkerBell]

We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. Some of our friends were telling us that we should get strollers for our boys. We will be staying on property but not sure we will need one at their age. We plan on taking mid-day breaks. Recommendations?

 

[ah1126]

We have a Joovy Caboose that we took last Spring to Disney. My DS was 16 months old and my DD was 4. It was perfect that he could be strapped in and she could hop in and out. It wasn't the best for napping, but DS did nap in it every day and DD even got in a nap or two in the back. It was hard to push at times, but my kids are bigger and it was still much easier than carrying them. I bought it from a friend, so I got a great deal!

My kids have out grown it now, so I'm not sure what we are going to use for our trip this fall. I wish I could give someone here a great deal on it!!

 

[DznyPrnces]

We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. Some of our friends were telling us that we should get strollers for our boys. We will be staying on property but not sure we will need one at their age. We plan on taking mid-day breaks. Recommendations?

It's really personal preference. I will say that I rented a double when we went 2 years ago. At the time my son was 8 months and my daughter was 4. She hadn't used a stroller in over a year at that point, and no longer napped. However, she used the stroller for at least a little bit every day, and she took naps 2 of our 4 days. I was definitely glad I had it.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Currently our 6 year old gets tired from walking around the mall for a few hours, so I know that Disney is going to wear her feet out, and our 3 years old will likely nap frequently in the stroller.

Thanks all!!

We got to Disney with a five/six year old having growing pains in the legs. We bought the $50 Disney red/black folding stroller with a canopy and it worked out great. We went four trips that year and it held up. Especially getting through the airport when we flew.
A lot less cost then renting and buying now for a down the road baby. Sometimes he walked when he was older and not hurting, but it held a small cooler, jackets and a set of blnky lights for the night.

 

[tabistar]

We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. Some of our friends were telling us that we should get strollers for our boys. We will be staying on property but not sure we will need one at their age. We plan on taking mid-day breaks. Recommendations?

We used a stroller for our 4 year old and 6.5 year old last year and plan to use one again this coming trip. We rent a City Mini GT and love it. Sometimes, we do end up leaving it parked for a while, but we always need it on the way to/from the buses! It also gives the kids a comfy spot to sit while watching parades & fireworks.

 

[MommyofaPrincess2010]

We got to Disney with a five/six year old having growing pains in the legs. We bought the $50 Disney red/black folding stroller with a canopy and it worked out great. We went four trips that year and it held up. Especially getting through the airport when we flew.
A lot less cost then renting and buying now for a down the road baby. Sometimes he walked when he was older and not hurting, but it held a small cooler, jackets and a set of blnky lights for the night.

where did you find the stroller, or what brand is it? I am looking for options for my almost 5 yo, but she is tall for her age and weighs just under 50lbs now, so a lot of the stroller will probably be too small for her, and I don't want to spend a fortune!

 

[MunchkinSweetPea]

I'm not a huge fan of tandems but I've used two of the ones you mentioned for trips to the zoo, aquarium, etc when we had my nephew in tow. The baby trend sit-n-stand lx was a heavy pain-in-the-butt to push, especially uphill, and took up significantly more space in the trunk than the joovy ultralight. Also I find the shade on the joovy to be better. The only thing I didn't like about the joovy was that the parent console was fabric and not sturdy enough to hold a parent drink other than bottled water. Good luck.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

where did you find the stroller, or what brand is it? I am looking for options for my almost 5 yo, but she is tall for her age and weighs just under 50lbs now, so a lot of the stroller will probably be too small for her, and I don't want to spend a fortune!

I think it was just a Coleco or whatever that name is with a C. I got ours as we entered MK, in the gift shop just outside the entry. I did see them in gift shops at the resorts and in the parks. Our guy was very tall for his age but it worked out well. For the $50 to not need to worry about returns or bulk of travel it was one of our best investments.
It was nice that it was Disney color theme and by the follow up trips we decked it out. It really allowed us to spend the nights at the park and not have to carry a kid to the parking lot or bus.

 

[MunchkinSweetPea]

The brand of umbrella stroller they sell in the parks is kolcraft. Here is a link to an article containing a picture. http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/10/30/frequently-asked-questions-strollers-disney-world/

 

[gabriellewatson]

The brand of umbrella stroller they sell in the parks is kolcraft. Here is a link to an article containing a picture. http://blog.touringplans.com/2013/10/30/frequently-asked-questions-strollers-disney-world/

Kolcraft makes a good stroller. We currently have the lightweight single contours stroller. I believe it is a Kolcraft brand. I would take it if it had an extra sit and stand option like the Joovy or the Graco. Just stalking all the resale shops for the stroller I want. I see a lot if sit n stands but I don't like how they maneuver when compared to Graco.

 

[Jey12]

When we were in the market for a double stroller I spent a lot of time comparing the sit n stand and the joovy. After putting kids into both the joovy won hands down. I haven't tried a Graco since the one we owned with DD's travel set as an infant. I hated it so much I haven't bought another Graco stroller, but of course I'm sure things have vastly improved in the 9 years since then.

To be honest I had no pros to the sit n stand vs. the joovy caboose. The cons are
1. More difficult to fold and heavier.
2. Has a drink holder which we thought was a plus but in reality your kid will hit their head on it non stop getting in and out.
3. More difficult to push. Like a lot more.
4. Did I mention the cup holder on the handle is surprisingly annoying?

Pros we found with the Joovy caboose
1. Easier to fold. Flip the little lock thing and push down on a thing and push it closed. Done.
2. Fairly light for a double.
3. Basket size was comparable but the joovy seat slides back and forth and this made getting into the basket easier. When the older child wanted to walk we could pull the seat back and it gave us more room in the basket that was pretty secure.
4. The canopy is fairly small but I have never had an issue positioning it to where we could block the sun.
5. The seat doe not recline back very far but most toddler will sleep when exhausted standing up so it never was a problem. The little recline was just enough to keep a head from falling into the tray and lean back, sleep and seem fairly content.
6. When getting on and off of the Disney buses we didn't have an issue with this stroller.
7. With a 2 and 6 year old in this stroller I could still one hand push.
8. You do have to buy a drink holder for the bar but it's neoprene and the older kid never smashed her head into it like she did testing the sit n stand. Maybe she learned? Maybe it was just easier because we could slip it off when not in use.

Only complaint I have with the joovy is the padded handles on the back part of the stroller. Kids tend to pick at this.

I had friends come with us last time who loved the joovy so much they bought an ultralight. It's been through 2 disney trips and 3 kids now and they have no complaints. Only difference I have noticed is the shade is a bit bigger and the stroller as a whole is a smidge shorter. Weight wise it wasn't enough for me to notice.

I found my joovy caboose on craigslit for $40 complete with the tray and infant bar in great condition.

If you are considering a single stroller I cannot recommend trying to track down an older Peg Perego Aria enough. Single hand fold and unfold is actually single hand. It has the weight and convenience of a umbrella with the features of a full sized stroller. The seat is comfortable and leans almost completely back. The shade can cover the entire front of the stroller. The basket is almost as big as a full sized. One hand steering. I was able to fold and unfold this stroller while still walking on and off of the bus. It's that easy. When folding the stroller folds into itself and has a carrying handle on the side to make life even easier. When unfolding an easy push, twist and flick of your wrist and it snaps into place. I have found several for friends on cragislist around the $20-$50 range. Held DD at age 4 for the Halloween party and even briefly at age 6 without an issue.

 

[Dominion]

I went about 18 months ago with a 3.5 and 6 year old and opted to rent a city mini double from one of the local companies. Worth every penny. The kids were comfortable - the older child would have complained about not having a "real" seat when she got tired for sure!! It was easy to push no matter what the terrain and easy to fold up. My only complaint is that the buses have no stroller storage areas!! Its ridiculous actually. And you have to fold it to ride on the bus. And its a pain on the trams if you drive and park yourself. I wouldn't have survived that trip without the stroller so it wasn't an option but I was surprised they don't have a better way to accommodate strollers on the transportation.

My brother used a joovy caboose tandem and he had a much harder time navigating it around the park with both his girls on it (same size and ages as mine). Not having the inflated rubber wheels made it harder. he opted to leave it at the hotel and make the kids walk the last two days!