How Much Did You Use Your Stroller w/ 2 yr. old?

[HannaLeAnn]

From what I am reading, it doesn't seem like there is much use for a stroller in the park if they are always parked outside and can't be used in multiple locations. Where did you find yourself using your stroller and how much time did you utilize your stroller versus have it parked somewhere?

Thanks!

Ps. Our little one will be 2 1/2 during our trip.

 

[sponica]

I went when she was 20 months old, and we used it a fair amount. I would say we used it the most at Epcot and Animal Kingdom. We didn't spend much time at hollywood studios. And I think we used it a fair amount in adventureland/frontierland/crossing to fantasyland. But in Fantasyland we left it mostly parked.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We have 5 kids and have been going to Disney yearly forever, so I’ve been there with a 2 year old (and every other age) 5 times (including last year with my youngest). I pretty much always used it, wherever I could. Was very useful for to and from the parking lot or bus stop, especially at the end of the day when everyone is exhausted. Usually we’ll park the stroller centrally in an area or land and do the attractions surrounding it then we’ll put the kid in the stroller and move on. It’s great for nap time, waiting for the parade, and let’s not forget the cup holders all the storage space! I couldn’t imagine doing Disney with a 2 year old without a stroller.

 

[Ben E N]

As was already stated, from your dropoff location outside the park to the rides you want to get to is a long walk, especially in reverse at the end of your visit.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My daughter is now 13 but when we first took her to Disney, she was 2 1/2. We used the stroller A LOT. Definitely a necessity for us. Especially for naps.

 

[SG131]

How much do you use the stroller, pretty much ALL the time. You’ll be walking a minimum of 6-7 miles a day. There are actually a lot of debates on here of whether or not to bring a stroller....for an 8 yr old. And there are a good number of people that do. Depending on where you’re staying just walking to/from transportation from your room can be a bit of a distance, especially for an exhausted kid at the end of the night.

A good number of the rides are spread out especially at animal kingdom so the kid hops in the stroller to go from one area to the next. It gets utilized a lot. Epcot and Animal Kingdom are especially large parks. Epcot is 300 acres and AK is even larger. Your post didn’t specifically say you were thinking about not taking one, but it sounds like you might be considering the necessity. It is 100% necessary for a child 5 and under. Ages beyond that are where the debate starts to occur.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

We use ours a lot. We park it, go on a few attractions (for example, park it and go on Dumbo/ Barnstormer, meet characters at Pete's) and then DS2 goes back in for the stroll over to the next set of attractions. If we need to cross the park, he usually goes in the stroller. DS2 also naps in the stroller, and it makes for a nice place for him to sit and have a snack so I don't have to stop somewhere with a seat or high chair for him. It's also practical in terms of getting him (all of us) somewhere quickly. I can't carry him everywhere and when we had to haul out of HS last summer in a downpour I was glad I didn't have to jog and hold a soaking wet, wriggly 2 yo at the same time.

 

[wendlle]

We used it for our almost 2 year old every second of the trip!
I would NEVER consider not having one for a 2 year old.
In Restaurants she would come out when eating and we would get a high chair or booster, and she also liked walking around a bit when we stopped but that was it pretty much.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We use it quite a bit and have on all of our WDW trips with the kids.

-Walking through heavy crowds. Feel so much safer having the kids secured in the stroller when moving through a heavy crowd. People aren’t always looking down. In January, a man literally jumped over my 2 year old to avoid knocking him over - he was rushing somewhere and didn’t see my son holding my hand next to me.

- Getting from transportation dropoff into the park can be a long walk depending on the park/transportation.

-At the end of the day, we are sometimes in the back of the park and it’s a long walk for tired kids to get out of the park (and a long walk for the tired parents who have to carry them.)

-We will park it, do the attractions in that location, then use the stroller to move to the next area we want to go to.

-During rainstorms, it’s nice to cover the kids in it.

-For naps/rest time.

My kids were 3 (a day away from turning 4) and 2.5 on our last visit. I will also bring a stroller on our next trip when they are 5 and 3.5.

Bring a stroller

 

[rdaky]

Our youngest was 2.5 on our last visit. We used the stroller all the time. There is SO much walking. Even my then 8 year old hopped in the stroller a couple of times.

My stroller is currently in the garage and we really haven't used it much since our last Disney trip, but on our trip in a couple of weeks (my youngest will now be almost 3.5) I will definitely be taking that stroller!

 

[KateMW]

We are going next year with a new 6 year old and because of the expected crowds from SW:GE I'm planning on having a stroller for him. He used it a bunch on his first trip over his 5th birthday.

 

[HannaLeAnn]

How much do you use the stroller, pretty much ALL the time. You’ll be walking a minimum of 6-7 miles a day. There are actually a lot of debates on here of whether or not to bring a stroller....for an 8 yr old. And there are a good number of people that do. Depending on where you’re staying just walking to/from transportation from your room can be a bit of a distance, especially for an exhausted kid at the end of the night.

A good number of the rides are spread out especially at animal kingdom so the kid hops in the stroller to go from one area to the next. It gets utilized a lot. Epcot and Animal Kingdom are especially large parks. Epcot is 300 acres and AK is even larger. Your post didn’t specifically say you were thinking about not taking one, but it sounds like you might be considering the necessity. It is 100% necessary for a child 5 and under. Ages beyond that are where the debate starts to occur.

Yes! Thank you! I was planning on renting one since we are flying, but everyone kept talking about the crazy hassle of parking it and finding it that I didn't want to slow us down having more things to lug around. Thank you for your time! We will continue with our plan. I like the idea of parking it in a land and then visiting the neighboring attractions, but using it for navigation purposes between lands.

 

[KrazeeK120]

The last time went, our son was a week away from his 3rd birthday. I couldn’t imagine not having a stroller! It’s a lot of walking for a fit adult, never mind a toddler. We took it pretty much everywhere. Sometimes we would park it in a “land” for a bit, but we had it most of the time.

We are planning a trip for next spring when he will be 4 and he never uses the stroller at home any more, but I plan on bringing it to Disney.

 

[Mmouse1588]

Our aon was a month past 2 year old bday we used it a ton.

 

[familyman123]

For a 2 year old? I would plan to carry them or push them. Your choice.

 

[mydisneyanytime]

We used a stroller until my kids were 8! We found that it kept them happier and more rested which led to a better trip. They could sit, nap, snack, etc. under a canopy. We could also keep up with them in a crowd better. I see people in the parks carrying their young child, in the heat, and am just glad that we didn't have to do that! I think, unless you have been there, you don't realize the amount of walking that you really do. I would put something on the handle of the stroller to make sure that it is easily recognized as yours when you look at the sea of strollers outside of attractions!

 

[TOBS2010]

I think you have to know your kid. With my oldest at 2.5 he hated the stroller---we brought it and never brought into the park. He walked 95% of the time. DH only had to carry him once or twice at the end of a long day back to the bus to the resort. Now my youngest at the exactly same age----he lived in that stroller for our whole trip, but he is almost 3.5 and still begs to ride in the stroller when we go places. Not using the stroller the first time spoiled us---we could cover more ground without having to back track to go get it after a ride. It was also nice not having to lug it back and forth on the bus.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I traveled with 5 year olds and was glad to have stroller seats for everyone for crowd control. When we were moving from one area to another, I wanted them in the stroller instead of walking so they weren't getting run into. So many people are looking down at their phones, out for where their next ride is, etc that they don't see a person whose height is below normal eye level. People were seriously just walking into my kids. And, for that matter, my kids wanted to be looking everywhere, too, which they could do more safely in a stroller.

That being said, it's three kids so thrice the chance of someone getting hit. If you've only got one, you can more easily hop that child out of harm's way when someone pushing a stroller doesn't see them.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

From what I am reading, it doesn't seem like there is much use for a stroller in the park if they are always parked outside and can't be used in multiple locations. Where did you find yourself using your stroller and how much time did you utilize your stroller versus have it parked somewhere?

Thanks!

Ps. Our little one will be 2 1/2 during our trip.

even though you have to park it a lot think about crowds leaving, after a parade ends or other crowded place. even holding hands with child could be hard with people pushing trying to move in a crowd. how much do you plan to carry your child and how hot will it be when you are there? how does your child do walking to the park? no way would I head to Disney or any major theme park with 2.5 year old without a stroller. if you would decide to rent there remember the stroller will not be able to go out the gate at end of long day so you will be carrying your child to car, boat, monorail and bus

 

[dragonfly57005]

We took a nearly two year old on 2 different trips. We rented the stroller at the park and just used it there. I can see how it would be helpful getting them out of the parks to the monorail or buses, but between 2 parents we could carry them for that. We also had an umbrella stroller we used around the resort.

In the parks - there are distances to cover. For instance, in MK, just to get from the entrance to Fantasyland is a haul. That is where the stroller is useful. We also found it useful when the legs were tired and we stopped to find a table at a QS. One could push them there and the other parent could go to the line for food.