How old is too old for a stroller?

[Cinderelli]

We'll be in the world just 4 weeks from today starting our Spring Break vacation (YIPPEE!!!). We are trying to decide whether or not to give up on the stroller now that our youngest turned 6 in December. I actually think she would do OK with all the walking. It's my 7 yo DS I worry about. He had surgery in May, 2001 for a brain tumor and still goes to Physical Therapy once a week. He's doing great (plays neighborhood football every afternoon with the "boys in the hood"), but still gets very tired in the heat. He just can't handle it, gets very red in the face and exhausts easily in hot weather.

I know I shouldn't worry about what other people think, but I seriously wondered how old have your children been when you gave up taking your stroller? We got some funny looks a year ago when he was 6 and his sister was 5.

Thanks alot!

Lissa

 

[Pirate Mickey]

I'm one of those who believes that it doesn't matter what the other people think. It's your vacation! You do whatever it takes to make it easy for you and fun for them!

If your son tires easily in the heat then by all means, take the stroller or rent one there. Another option is to plan the day around good cool breaks. Don't try to "commando" the parks during the hottest part of the day.

Still, the end result is do what you need to do for your family.

 

[Alice Sr.]

I guess I either didn't care or was oblivious to stares. The last time I got a stroller for my DD she was probably 8 or 9, not the whole trip but a couple of days. She would drive us over the edge complaining and I got tired of giving her piggy back rides. It can be a lot of walking and if they get tired and grouchy it's not for a very fun vacation. Hope you have a great time.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I agree with Pirate Mickey. It's nobody else's business. You can always see how it goes and rent one later in the day if needed.

We just got back and I was tempted to get one our first day when we were at Epcot for my son who just turned 7 last month. But then I figured out that when he seemed to tire, he needed something to eat. BTW, I couldn't believe how much my boys (7 and 9) ate on this trip! Come to think of it, I can't believe how much I ate on this trip! LOL.

 

[goofyernmost]

I think that if it is a question of health then it is no ones business if you use a stroller. However, to ride a kids butt around just because they don't feel like walking is offensive to me.

Yes, I know it is none of my business but it is a bigger question than just riding in a stroller. It is how we raise a bunch of soft kids overwhelmed with the feeling of entitlement. If your child is capable of walking then let them whine. It will stop when it becomes obvious that it isn't doing any good.

My children were 6 and 8 when I first brought them to WDW. The thought of a stroller never even entered our minds. Yes, they, as well as myself, got tired and foot sore but it was a good tired. When I read this question I had the occasion to speak with them about it. They told be that they would have felt like little babies if I had even suggested that they ride in a stroller. The blow to their self-esteem would have been huge.

In this sedentary world we live in it seems to me that a little bit of exercise while enjoying WDW is just another plus in the adventure. Based on the reports on obesity in children it is obvious that this would be a good opportunity to help the cause.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I say do what ever makes the trip better for your family! I have seen children much older than 7 or 8 in a stroller. I even tried to talk my then 8 year old into a stoller one night that I wanted to do the WS and he was so tired and had no intest in doing it. He however would not even consider it and as my DH said he would have to have a stroller too if we went much longer we called it a night.
My son has a few issues that cause him to tire a little quicker than some children but with pacing and rest he does fine. I would never consider however making this trip in anyway difficult for your son for the sake of what anyone else thinks.Have a great family trip.


Jordan's mom

 

[higgin704]

We will continue to use a stroller this June for our DD ages 3 and 5.

First, I feel that the amount of walking is often a bit much for adults to handle (given the heat), much less children. Although I agree that exercise is good for them, I don't feel the need to push a five year old to walk 10 miles a day in 90 degree heat.

Second, I use the stroller as a safety measure. When they are buckled in the stroller, I know where they are. I would like to say that, after five hours of touring and partial exhaustion, that I would still have both children firmly by the hand, but I just don't know. It only takes that one second for you to itch your nose for them to spot something that interests them and wander off.

For me, I really couldn't care less about the looks I get. If the worst thing I do is let a five or six year old in a stroller to keep them safe in a mass of 20,000 people, then that's okay by me.

angie

 

[crazymomof4]

My kids have always been very physically active, skinny rather than obese and healthy. BUT no amount of backyard play or sports can prepare a kid for walking all day, day after day, park after park. It does not mean they are "soft". Let's keep things in perspective. This is vacation, not boot camp. The point is for everyone to enjoy themselves, not to see how far we can push our kids by ignoring their discomfort until they finally shut up. Adults can endure the out-of-the-ordinary exercise largely because our bodies are not in the state of steady growth. A good percentage of a child's energy simply goes to growing. That is why kids need 10-12 hours of sleep each night and adults can get by w/ 6-7. My 2 youngest will be 6 & 3 when we go to WDW. I'm sure they will be walking a good amount of the time but you can be sure I will have at least one stroller to give them a break now and then. If anyone finds this offensive then, rather than giving me funny looks, I'd welcome them to share their feelings with me. They just better be prepared to go home with a piece of my mind as one of their souveniers! Besides, when you have kids there is always a bunch of junk that you need to haul around w/ you. I like to have a stroller to dump some of the junk onto when my back starts to hurt. And guess what? It doesn't blow my self esteem in the least little bit to do this!!!
Cinderelli: My best to you and your family. I cannot even imagine the strain of having a child treated for a brain tumor. Enjoy your vacation, you deserve it. Don't give a moment's thought to what others think because no matter what you do, people will always have their opinions.

 

[momof2OH]

crazymomof4 ~ I loved your post and the comments about someone going home with a piece of your mind as their souveniors.LOL I feel the same way.
When we went last year for the first time, I rented a stroller on several days for my son who was 11 (small for his age). He has several medical problems and some of the medication he takes makes him very weak. We have to really watch him in the sun. He would walk as much as he could and when he knew he had had enough he would ride in the stroller for awhile. It made for a much more enjoyable trip for both of us. When we go down this coming Nov. we plan on renting one again.
Cinderelli ~ If you feel that having a stroller is best for your son and your family, then I say go for it. Don't worry about what others think...your there on vacation and to have fun! Enjoy yourselves!!

 

[katiemegcz]

How old is too old for a stroller? Well, after 9 days at the World, I almost got one for myself!! The important thing is that your son enjoys the magic without risking his health. My 11 year old niece crawled into my 2 year old daughter's stroller at the end of a very long day, and we pushed her across Epcot to transportation. We had no commetns or funny looks. We even had a few grown-ups comment that they wished they could fit in a stroller!

Take a stroller, use it to carry stuff when your son isn't in it, and let him climb in for a break.

Hakunamata!

 

[onceuponadream]

On our last trip with our 4 kids we had planned on just a stroller for the 2 year old and letting the 5 and 7 year olds walk. After about 4 hours trekking across Epcot we ended up renting a double stroller. It's usually because 1. we are park commandos and have a "plan" which includes a lot of backtracking to avoid lines, 2. they walk soooo slow and 3. it is really tough to keep track of 4 kiddos in those crowds. It is possible to do it without a stroller but for us it was not an option. Our kids made it happily all day at the parks, had the opportunity to rest when they needed to and had really great memories of Disney rather than me having to drag them along. I know a lot of folks have kids that didn't need the stroller and as posted previously mine are physically fit and quite active but in the sun and the crowds the little 3 were overwhelmed. Why don't you go and see how yours do (you'll know pretty quickly what the best choice for your family will be). There are tons of rental strollers available.

This year the kids will be 4,7,8,11. We plan on renting a double stroller and hauling around whoever needs a break (the strollers are extremely lightweight and easy to navigate) and when it's empy it will have my stuff in it (I don't know what I would do without a place to stick our "stuff"). I don't think we received any "funny looks" on our last trip about us pushing the kids. We get more funny looks for having 4 children (we look very young) and are really used to it .

 

[Cinderelli]

I so appreciate all of the responses. We're taking the stroller and we'll use it as needed. I really needed to get the right perspective and that being: it's our vacation and we certainly want to have the most enjoyable time we can, while looking out for the needs of our son. I hear you about storing all the stuff. With 3 kids and 2 adults, we have tons of "stuff". The stroller will be a huge help in those times when my son just needs a break (or the other two).

Thanks for the words: pro and con. It's always great to see everyone's differing opinions. That's what makes the world go round - no pun intended, ha!

Happy vacationing!

27 days and counting!!!!!

 

[eeyore0062]

If your child needs a stroller, then age really shouldn't matter. Some kids have more stamina than others, and WDW is brutal, even to the strongest adult.

Don't worry about age, if your child is getting tired and cranky, then get the stoller! My DD who was 6 when we 1st went thought that she would be fine without one... she was over it by 1 pm. We got the stroller and it saved the day!~ Not to mention, it is great for hauling those backpacks. They seem to get heavier and heavier as the day goes on!

 

[Chloesmom]

My daughter (4) never uses a stroller anywhere but I know she will when we hit Disney in May. Her sleep schedule will be off, she will be exhausted from everything, and frankly, it will be too hot to carry her when she collapses. We are renting a stroller for her and to haul our stuff around in. It is her vacation too...I will do my best so that she is enjoying it too.

 

[winniedapooh]

We took our double down there in Jan. We have 5 Dcherubs with the youngest 5 and 7. 7 yo DS said no way he was too big for the stroller don't bring it. 5 yo DD told me not to forget the stroller, lol. Mom always knows best because I brought it and was a blessing. 7 yo DS took naps in it and both were in it all the time. It saved time because we did not have to wait for them to catch up with us and we had a nice storage bin for our stuff. Bring it with you and enjoy!


Faith, trust, and pixied dust to you all!

 

[SueM in MN]

According to Safari Steve and some of the other WDW Cms who come on the DIS Boards, WDW has several sizes of rental strollers, that largest of which will hold up to a small 12 yr old. So, your 7 yr old probably won't be the bigggest child in a stroller.

 

[MELSMICE]

I have not used a stroller since my youngest DD twins were 4. However, I think your situation is different. It is more of a health concern.

Have you thought about renting a small wheelchair for him. Actually, my mom got one right at their Disney resort (All Star) free of charge.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

I actually don't consider the WDW rental strollers as "Strollers"
I refer to them as "Kiddie Movers"
DD7 and DS4 rode in a double one this past trip and they loved it.
Agree with the other posters - kids are safe, you know where they are (as older kids tend to wander off as much as younger ones) and you can move around the parks much faster. It's the "jump in, we're off to the next ride"
If one gets tired - into the kidder mover - for a bit of a rest. It avoids "grumpy kid" problems later.
If they don't want to ride, that OK too, we have somewhere to store all the "stuff"
I also find them really easy to push around. I know they cost a bit, but to me it's worth ever penny!

 

[SueM in MN]

Have you thought about renting a small wheelchair for him. Actually, my mom got one right at their Disney resort (All Star) free of charge.

The wheelchairs available from the resorts are "as available", whcih some DIS posters have written means that if you need a regualr one and all they have is an extra wide (or vise versa), you are out of luck unless they can find one for you.
They WDW wheelchairs are also adult sized - not comfortable for a 7 year old. IMHO, he would be much more comfortable in a WDW stroller. If you choose to rent a wheelchair for him, there are outside rental places that can rent a child size wheelchair to you.

 

[disfanRN]

Stroller or no stroller- that totally depends on the kid. My soon to be 8yo DD will definately want a stroller when we go in OCt. Between the heat, less than usual sleep, and unbelievable amt of walking, we are all much happier with the stroller. I could care less if anyone thinks she is too old, and have never gotten comments or looks. This is vacation, and anything to enhance the fun and minimize misery is key!!!