Let's pretend it's not another stroller question

[wbarkhur]

Ok I know there are a ton of stroller questions out there, but I need some advice. I am going to Orlando for 16 days, and was looking at just renting a stroller, but for as much as it would cost me to rent I can buy one cheaper. I am looking for a sit and stand stroller, and wondered if anyone had one and what brand do you have, and what do you like and dislike about it.
I live over three hours from a store that sales them so going to look at them in a store is not an option, so I am really hoping that you will help me choose. The two I am leaning towards are the baby trend, or the joovy caboose. I am going to be using this for my boys age 2 and 5 and possibly my 6 year old to. Thanks any advice you may have would be great.

 

[mjaclyn]

I have the Joovy Caboose Ultralight which is great as a Sit n Stand because it is very light in comparison to other double strollers and folds pretty good. That being said, the Sit n Stand didn't work well for us at all. My DD was 2 1/2 when we got it and my son was an infant. With the infant seat in the front there was barely enough room for her in the back and the car seat was hitting her in the head. Now with the infant seat gone she can finally sit up straight but there is no 'back' to her seat and she can't recline. Also, since she knows that she can either stand or sit in the stroller she's constantly trying to get out of it and I have to keep stopping. Another problem is that the storage is underneath the seat in the back and you can't get to anything unless the second child gets out of the stroller. If you try to hang anything on the back of it, it's right in your child's face. I personally don't like the Sit n Stand and will be putting mine on Craigslist very soon. BUT if you have your heart set on a Sit n Stand I would go with the Joovy Caboose Ultralight because of the weight, especially if you're planning on taking it to Disney.

 

[amymeyer]

I got the baby trend for $130 from babies r us a few weeks ago. We love it! I used it at sesame place once already. Just be careful not to get the one for $170 - the 2nd canopy that is included does not fit well with taller kids. It was hitting mine in the face - or pointed the other way, she could not see a thing. Also, there is a BRU coupon code for on-line 20% off - 937070 - valid 5-21 - 5-27 ..... Have it shipped right to the hotel. Hope this info helps!

 

[ajjollie23]

It is really hard to suggest a stroller/buy a stroller without trying it out. I don't really like any of the sit and stands because in mho they are bulky and hard to push, and the baskets kind of stink. But some people swear by them and love them. I have had several strollers throughout the almost 6 years with my boys and one of my favorite double strollers was the Combi twin savvy. It has a huge canopy, it reclines all the way, they each have their own seat, it has good basket area, fits through standard doors, and the best part is that it has a trifold so it folds VERY compact and with the carrying strap it is so easy to get on the buses. Not sure if you are looking into side by sides at all but it worked wonderfully for us when my sons were 1 and 4. It is really all preference but for me the front back strollers just didn't work even the joovy ultralight.. Plus, I got my combi on Craigslist for $85... Bonus

 

[GrtWtNorth]

Hmmm.... interesting to read about the problems fitting older kids. On our last trip to WDW, we travelled with friends who had a folding double stroller (Graco?). The toddler sat in front, and the infant rode in the back. It worked, but the parents commented that it was very hard to steer when the toddler was sitting in it. It was also a bit challenging boarding Disney buses, with a tired toddler in one hand and folded stroller in the other. (The mom carried the baby and the bags.)

The only double strollers that fit a variety of kids sizes well are jogging / biking strolllers, but they do not fold well and would be a nightmare on Disney busses.

Based on this and the earlier posts, you may want to consider getting a reliable single stroller, preferably an umbrella stroller, and only renting a double stroller on the (hopefully) rare occasions when your 5-year-old is too tired to walk.

Select an umbrella stroller if you can fit all your gear into a small backpack (diapers, camera accessories, snacks and water). Select a full-sized stroller if you need more storage or can't cope without stroller cup-holders. Keep in mind that umbrella strollers may have lower handles, and your back will feel the difference.

Here's what we experienced taking different strollers to different parks with our DD (one kid only, so far):

My wife and I took our full sized folding stroller to WDW, and treated it like an SUV. (It has four cup-holders!) We carried our typical diaper bag kit, plus extra jackets, voluminous shopping bags, a handful of resort mugs, and a baby! We also cheated and used a rental car most days. (We rode the bus to MK because it's faster than driving and taking the monorail.) It was also faster for us to push our stroller between the car and the park gates than it would have been to empty the stroller, fold it, and use the parking lot trams.

However, we downsized when we visited Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea (and other sites around Japan). We used a Tigger umbrella stroller we found on sale for $15 at Zellers (similar to K-mart). We used one or two backpacks to carry our diaper kit, snacks and extra clothes. This was very convenient for getting on and off buses, and when we were in the parks, we hung our bags on the stroller handles. (Of course everything would tip over backwards if we took baby out without remembering to unload the handles.)

Which is better? It's like deciding between and SUV and a mini cooper. I'll pick the mini. My wife leans towards the SUV. DD doesn't care.

 

[HitchhikingGhost]

Hate the Sit n Stand.

Hate It, hate it, hate it, hate it.

All makes, all styles, all models.

Did I mention I hate it?