Infant Stroller Question

[sbrotherton]

I have read just about every posting about strollers...still not sure what to do. We have traveled to WDW more than a dozen times, but for our next trip in June (just about 10 years ago to the date of our first trip together) my husband and I will take our baby daughter. We've traveled with infants before (just not our own...nieces or nephews) so the decision has not been ours.

DD will be just about 10 months old and I am concerned that the strollers you rent there just won't cut it for us. By the same token, DH is against dragging our Graco Metrolite worrying that it will be too heavy; he says he would rather rent one than drag ours, but I think the Disney strollers look pretty uncomfortable for a child this age. Any recommendations would be most appreciated...

 

[stacy6552]

Yes, bring your own. Your baby will not be comfortable in the rentals. You need one that she will be comfortable in all day and sleeeping in, so you dont have to stop often. You want to be able to keep going. The bulk of commutting with it will be far outweighed by the convenience. Baby Trend and Greco make inexpensive lightweight, full sized stroller that should cost less then rentals too. Just make sure its comfy, has a big basket for all your stuff, fully reclines for napping, a canopy and cupholders.

Also I recommend that you bring an infant farrier, not a back pack, like the Baby Bjorn. There are loads of rides and places that the baby can go that the stroller can't.

 

[brergnat]

I have a 10 month old son as well as a 2 1/2 year old son.

We have Disneyland APs (we live 15 min away) and go to DL very very often with our two boys.

I would agree to leave the metrolite at home! It is too bulky and awkward to carry on/off buses.

The rental strollers are not suitable for a 10 month old infant. They are hard plastic, with no recline and no real support. They are meant for older toddlers.

I would seriously consider purchasing a new stroller for your trip (and you can use it at home as well). I highly recommend the single strollers from Combi. We have a Combi Twin Savvy Sport and it is awesome. It is a double side by side and it folds up smaller than our single Metrolite. It is very lightweight.

Combi makes several single strollers that weigh around 11lbs and fold up VERY compactly, and even have a shoulder carry strap. Look into the Combi Cosmo DX. It is a great all around stroller. You could even ditch your Metrolite and use that one instead. It has the weight and folding ability of an umbrella stroller with the features of a full sized stroller. The full recline is great, along with the front bar, which babies your child's age love to hang onto (or chew). These strollers cost around $100, but they are more than worth it. They sell some basic models at Babies R Us, but I would also look into purchasing from Ebay, where you may find a great deal.

http://www.combi-intl.com

 

[glass slipper girl]

I agree that the rental strollers are not suitable for a baby. They do not recline and if I recall correctly do not even have straps to buckle them in. They are hard plastic and seated upright. Not good for a baby.

Bring your own stroller. I will disagree with the majority over not bringing a bulky stroller though. If the bulky stroller is what your baby is happy and comfy in, bring it. Yeah, it may be more of a hassle to bring on the bus but it's not like you won't be bringing a stroller at all, just a slightly smaller one. If the bigger one has the features you want or need and baby is happy and comfy in it, then it's worth the mild inconvenience. IMHO, a stroller on the busses is a necissary evil. What percentage of your time will be on the bus vs. what percentage will baby be in the stroller? Go with what works for the baby. you'll both be happier. If baby is happy in a smaller stroller, GREAT but if not, then bring what works. An unhappy baby is more of an inconvenience than a bulky stroller on the bus!

 

[stacy6552]

Note to self: I used to sell Combi strollers and they are great...unless you are tall. I have heard many a complaint that they are a bit short for pushing.

 

[NotUrsula]

Another option is to rent a lighter-weight conventional stroller from an offsite company such as ABBF. That will be more comfy for her, and let you use it outside of the parks.

If you will be flying but not taking your own stroller, you probably will want to bring a sling or something similar to help keep your hands free while navigating the airport.

You can usually get something like a Chicco Caddy for about $50 -- that folds umbrella-style and reclines. Those big strollers get to be a PITA very quickly once kids hit toddlerhood, you might want to think about investing in a lightweight.

 

[snugglepeas]

if you are tall you might look at the Chicco C5, it closes like a umbrella stroller only weights about 12lbs and has higher handles for tall parents, im 5'10 and it's good for me and I had my brother who is 6'6" push it around and it was good for him also. plus it comes with a rain cover and only cost $90, it's the stroller DH and I plan to use in April at disney with are then 10 month old. she sit's in it now and loves it, it has a 5 point harness system although we dont use the shoulder straps I do use them to hook toys to so that she cant toss them out and loose them.

 

[bellarella]

I bought a MacLaren Techno stroller for our trip. Personally I can't stand Combi strollers. I kick the wheels on it every time and the handles are too short. Actually every person in my family (DH, parents, sister, BIL) absolutely hated with a passion (as in refused to push) our Combi. I also tried the Chicco and unfortunately had the same problem with it. The MacLaren has a taller handle and is designed so it is hard to kick the tires. It is also only 11 lbs and folds up very small with a carrying strap.

I too had a Metrolite and just couldn't stomach bringing it. With only one child you might be able to get away with it. But I have 3 and getting all three on the bus with that stroller would be impossible.

 

[blessedby3]

I disagree with brergnat and stacy6552 about the Combi stroller. I bought one of these for our 3rd DD and while it was okay for a while, once she started getting bigger it didnt push well at all and was too small for her (and she is a petite child. She is 8 now and 50 pounds). I was very glad to get rid of the Combi. The best stroller I have ever owned in my 16 years of kids is the Maclaren. I only wish I had known about them years ago insteat of with my last child. She still fits well in it and it holds up to 55 pounds and pushes like a dream. The handles are also very tall which comes in handy for DH 6'1". It is also very lightweight and has a strap to sling over your shoulder to carry it. With your DD at 10 mos. there is no way you will want her in a Disney rental. That would be a nightmare. They are hard molded plastic and dont recline. A Maclaren is definately an investment, but with your baby so young you will be able to use it for years and years. I would check into a lightweight reclining stroller for this trip. Not a rental or your heavy big stroller.

 

[sbrotherton]

Thanks for all of the fabulous feedback. You have all helped convince DH that stroller rental at this age is not doable (why is it they never listen to their wife, but will listen to everyone else...is that jus me??? ). All of this info is great. Keep it coming. This is better than stroller reviews on retail websites! Thanks again.

 

[dsneygirl]

Another Mac fan here. We have a Quest and have used it twice for DS at 3 mos, and at 5 months at WDW. DS was a big baby and very strong so I felt very comfortable putting him in the Quest at 3 mos. FIL is 6'3" and had no problem pusing the Quest. It also reclines quite well. The only thing I missed about my Graco was the huge basket for all your WDW crap

 

[stacy6552]

This the stroller for you.....Its lightweight enough to tote with one hand. It has all the bell and whistles you need (cupholders, basket.....). The front trey snaps on and off which will be great in the future when your child starts climbing in and out by herself. The price is perfect, so you wont worry about it getting damaged or stolen. You can find a rain cover for it. It will hold your daughter when shes big enough not to need one anymore except at WDW. We had one just like it. It went to WDW 6 times, before we left it behind on the trip we knew would be the last our son used a stroller for.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/inde...83.2256189.2256203&view=all&parentPage=family

 

[NotUrsula]

The only thing I missed about my Graco was the huge basket for all your WDW crap.

And this is a good reason to never get into the habit of using the basket for this purpose. Really, there is great freedom is breaking the basket habit. Put a lightweight school backpack over the handles of your umbrella-fold stroller and you can just grab and go when heading for rides. No chance of accidentally leaving valuables in the basket to be stolen, and no scramble to empty the basket for the bus, tram or MK train.

If you buy in the parks, have your purchases sent to your resort, or if that isn't feasible, at least to the front gate of the park. Much nicer not to have to deal with lugging around extra stuff.

 

[Desnik]

Glad to see your DH came around! It is so helpful to have your own stroller at the airport and at the resorts. You'll love having it when strolling on the BW!

My 2 favorite strollers are the Peg Perego P3 and for an older kid the Maclaren Triumph. We have had every other brand and type of stroller and these have been by far the best! When looking for a stroller I always bring my kid along and try them out. It is really important to me with my back issues that the stroller fold easily, umbrella style, and not weigh a ton. Also I look for comfort, ease when steering, how it reclines, and how many pounds it will hold. The Pegs and Macs are the best for these reasons! I had a Combi in the past and sorry to Combi lovers but they just don't compare. The seats are narrow and if your kid is tall, forget it! If price is an issue try finding the 2006 strollers. The 2007's have come out and you can find alot of the 2006 models on sale. Our Babies R Us had the Pegs and Macs on sale. Also Burlington Coat factory has the baby depot section which has all kinds of strollers and great prices. I once saw the Mac Triumph in my local Marshall's store. I'm sure you can also find good deals on online stores. Good luck!!

 

[Desnik]

And this is a good reason to never get into the habit of using the basket for this purpose. Really, there is great freedom is breaking the basket habit. Put a lightweight school backpack over the handles of your umbrella-fold stroller and you can just grab and go when heading for rides. No chance of accidentally leaving valuables in the basket to be stolen, and no scramble to empty the basket for the bus, tram or MK train.

If you buy in the parks, have your purchases sent to your resort, or if that isn't feasible, at least to the front gate of the park. Much nicer not to have to deal with lugging around extra stuff.

I agree with you 100%!!! Great advice!!

 

[NY Disney fan]

I have a Combi and I LOVE it for my baby BUT my DH is 6'3 and he looks like he is pushing a dolly carriage. Not recommended for tall people. Otherwise I would recommend it. The seat is narrow. Great for babies (18 months and younger) but not for toddlers. I would definitely take the Combi to Disney because it has a carry strap for the buses. Very handy.

I also just purchased a 2007 Maclaren Quest Sport and can't wait to use it (DD is 16 weeks old).

 

[dsneygirl]

And this is a good reason to never get into the habit of using the basket for this purpose. Really, there is great freedom is breaking the basket habit. Put a lightweight school backpack over the handles of your umbrella-fold stroller and you can just grab and go when heading for rides. No chance of accidentally leaving valuables in the basket to be stolen, and no scramble to empty the basket for the bus, tram or MK train.

Oh I totally agree. We tried to streamline but in Dec we needed ponchos and jackets etc. Much easier is warm weather We're big fans of the Package Delivery service.

 

[sbrotherton]

Oh I totally agree. We tried to streamline but in Dec we needed ponchos and jackets etc. Much easier is warm weather We're big fans of the Package Delivery service.

I agree! We've been doing WDW for 10 years and we had it down to a science...right down to packing what we needed each day in the parks and it not weighing us down. We were the picture of efficiency up to our last trip over a year and a half ago. I'm almost afraid to see how much stuff we end up having to pack and drag each day. I know it will all be worth it when I watch her reactions to everything, but the whole idea of packing and dragging is going to take some getting used to!