Disclaimer:
My boys are strollerless 51 weeks of the year and have participated in a 5k walk this spring in which they basically ran because they didn't know any better.
Last year I took our Sit n Stand LX, but with both boys then 3 and 5 it was too heavy and cumbersome to turn so that one is in the box in the garage. I highly recommend this stroller for children that meet the weight requirement, but we were pushing the limits last year.
After much research for our trip this year, I purchased the INSTEP Safari TT (Turn Technology). It is a jogging type stroller, with 16" rear wheels and a 12" front swivel wheel.
I tried it out at Baby Depot by placing my 59 pound 6 yo DS in it and pushing him around on the aisle and the carpet. I have a bad wrist and this stroller was very easy to steer with little effort.
We drove to FL. so we just put the unopened box in the van and my DH assembled it when we arrived. The assembly was easy as the wheels are quick release.
We used this stroller everyday. With both boys sitting cross leg the older child could ride in front and he's 51 inches tall. Not recommended at high speeds or for long periods, but for strolling the parks, it was a nice option as we had a couple of scorchers and you always want to know how much stress your stroller can take in extreme conditions should your babies have a meltdown.
The most extreme situation we had was after Blizzard Beach when they both fell asleep at the same time while waiting for the bus. Both boys were able to lie on their side and nap and the stroller was still easy to maneuver and turn. Mind you, this is a single stroller just roomy. It is very difficult to time naps since my Kindergartener does not take naps at school (we used to!) and my preschooler does.
Therefore the Preschooler goes to sleep after lunch and the 6 yo goes after school, around 3 p.m. This was pretty much their routine during vacation too, so having the stroller allowed them to nap at different times. As you know, sometimes all a child needs to recover is a short nap of 30 to 60 minutes and even with Disney Transportation, you can spend that much time getting out of the park especially if you are not staying at a monorail resort or spending the day at MK, as the other parks are served by buses and boats. (I think the term "Park Hopper" is very deceptive)
I checked the stroller daily for stress fractures and tears due to the abuse and it showed no signs of wear. It was definitely worth the $127 we paid (shipped) and performed so well that I have decided to keep it (as opposed to yard saleing it) for next year's trip. We saw quite a few of these strollers at WDW so use in the parks is not an issue. The front wheel sits under the leg rest, more like a traditional stroller. The swivel front wheel allows for easy turning (it also locks) and rolled easy even on sand at the Y&B Club. I was able to store 2 insulated medium sized insulated coolers in the basket under neath no problem. There is also a pocket on the back that closes with velcro that I was able to place cameras and autograph books and cell phones in.
The handle adjusts to several positions although there is no height adjustment. My Dh is 6'2 and he did not complain about the height or weight of the stroller. There is a lever that goes across the handle and when pulled back on, it collapses the stroller in half. There is a carry bar underneath. The back wheels are large but we were able to get on the trams, monorail and busses fairly quickly without releasing them. We like to take the ferry over to MK so we could leave the stroller upright and keep our stuff in the basket.
The tires are Pneumatic (bike tire inflatable) so we carried a small air pump that I bought at the $1.00 store but we didn''t need it.
I would recommend making sure the tires are properly inflated if you plan on placing a heavier child in it.
The pro's of having the stroller, greatly outweighed the cons of packing it and carrying it on transportation. Using FastPass has changed the way we tour the parks and when you are at Space Mountain and need to get to Thunder Railroad for your fast pass time, the last thing you want is your 4 yo to have a melt down.
The few times we were in a hurry to get to the other side of the parks to catch a show or fp time the stroller worked out great.
My DH commented on the many spankings he witnessed at MK last monday (IT was HOT!). Not saying that this stroller will stop you from beating your kids (only child welfare can do that)LOL but we were a much happier family with it and our kids were free to ride any time they wanted.
Thanks to all who have posted their stroller experiences, as I scoured the boards when shopping for mine. I hope this helps someone else.
My boys are strollerless 51 weeks of the year and have participated in a 5k walk this spring in which they basically ran because they didn't know any better.
Last year I took our Sit n Stand LX, but with both boys then 3 and 5 it was too heavy and cumbersome to turn so that one is in the box in the garage. I highly recommend this stroller for children that meet the weight requirement, but we were pushing the limits last year.
After much research for our trip this year, I purchased the INSTEP Safari TT (Turn Technology). It is a jogging type stroller, with 16" rear wheels and a 12" front swivel wheel.
I tried it out at Baby Depot by placing my 59 pound 6 yo DS in it and pushing him around on the aisle and the carpet. I have a bad wrist and this stroller was very easy to steer with little effort.
We drove to FL. so we just put the unopened box in the van and my DH assembled it when we arrived. The assembly was easy as the wheels are quick release.
We used this stroller everyday. With both boys sitting cross leg the older child could ride in front and he's 51 inches tall. Not recommended at high speeds or for long periods, but for strolling the parks, it was a nice option as we had a couple of scorchers and you always want to know how much stress your stroller can take in extreme conditions should your babies have a meltdown.
The most extreme situation we had was after Blizzard Beach when they both fell asleep at the same time while waiting for the bus. Both boys were able to lie on their side and nap and the stroller was still easy to maneuver and turn. Mind you, this is a single stroller just roomy. It is very difficult to time naps since my Kindergartener does not take naps at school (we used to!) and my preschooler does.
Therefore the Preschooler goes to sleep after lunch and the 6 yo goes after school, around 3 p.m. This was pretty much their routine during vacation too, so having the stroller allowed them to nap at different times. As you know, sometimes all a child needs to recover is a short nap of 30 to 60 minutes and even with Disney Transportation, you can spend that much time getting out of the park especially if you are not staying at a monorail resort or spending the day at MK, as the other parks are served by buses and boats. (I think the term "Park Hopper" is very deceptive)
I checked the stroller daily for stress fractures and tears due to the abuse and it showed no signs of wear. It was definitely worth the $127 we paid (shipped) and performed so well that I have decided to keep it (as opposed to yard saleing it) for next year's trip. We saw quite a few of these strollers at WDW so use in the parks is not an issue. The front wheel sits under the leg rest, more like a traditional stroller. The swivel front wheel allows for easy turning (it also locks) and rolled easy even on sand at the Y&B Club. I was able to store 2 insulated medium sized insulated coolers in the basket under neath no problem. There is also a pocket on the back that closes with velcro that I was able to place cameras and autograph books and cell phones in.
The handle adjusts to several positions although there is no height adjustment. My Dh is 6'2 and he did not complain about the height or weight of the stroller. There is a lever that goes across the handle and when pulled back on, it collapses the stroller in half. There is a carry bar underneath. The back wheels are large but we were able to get on the trams, monorail and busses fairly quickly without releasing them. We like to take the ferry over to MK so we could leave the stroller upright and keep our stuff in the basket.
The tires are Pneumatic (bike tire inflatable) so we carried a small air pump that I bought at the $1.00 store but we didn''t need it.
I would recommend making sure the tires are properly inflated if you plan on placing a heavier child in it.
The pro's of having the stroller, greatly outweighed the cons of packing it and carrying it on transportation. Using FastPass has changed the way we tour the parks and when you are at Space Mountain and need to get to Thunder Railroad for your fast pass time, the last thing you want is your 4 yo to have a melt down.
The few times we were in a hurry to get to the other side of the parks to catch a show or fp time the stroller worked out great.
My DH commented on the many spankings he witnessed at MK last monday (IT was HOT!). Not saying that this stroller will stop you from beating your kids (only child welfare can do that)LOL but we were a much happier family with it and our kids were free to ride any time they wanted.
Thanks to all who have posted their stroller experiences, as I scoured the boards when shopping for mine. I hope this helps someone else.
