Me and 3 kids alone- what stroller

[emmababy]

Hate to post another stroller question. I am taking my 7,5,3 alone those week. Could bring umbrella or normal size. Umbrella works because of weight and hie easy it is but my older 1 would break it!

Basket would be nice in other one but heavier to deal with.

We plan on taking easy and breaks if needed.

 

[tourguide81]

In that situation I'd either go w/ the easier umbrella or even consider renting a double.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

I would take the regular stroller or a double if possible. While they are heavier/bulkier, I hate umbrella strollers. IMO they are terrible to push, don't handle well, no storage, have to bend down to push, etc. I would rather have a comfortable stroller with storage. I would consider a double mostly for the fact that at some times it may be nice to put the youngest 2 in and only have your oldest to keep track of. Sometimes is gets really congested/crowded getting out of the Park. My DH insisted on our double for a while just for the walk down Main Street at the end of the night.

 

[emmababy]

We rented a double mini the last 2 times and was great. But I had my husband to handle the stroller and I handled the kids. Don't feel like I could do both and stay sane!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Will you be using the bus? If not, your own double will be nice to have and help keep two of the kids corralled if needed, but I think a double stroller and three kids on the bus alone would be hard. If you are using the buses, I would consider renting a double each day in the parks. If you take it really slow and easy, you might be fine to just take a umbrella for the little one too. DS did not use a stroller once he turned 5 but most of our friends kids did.

 

[Lilliputian]

There's no way I'd take an umbrella stroller. It could be a small stroller, but it needs to be easy to push and have a good basket.

I take my 5 kids to the parks sometimes. When I take the bus, I rent a stroller in the park. That would be super easy for you with your youngest being 3 and easily able to walk. When I drive, I take my favorite stroller. For me, that's a City Mini double, but I had a 3 year old and 1 year old on my last trip. Everyone age 4 and over walks in our family, but that's just what works for us. If I ever had a 5 year old in a stroller, it would mean I was pushing a triple stroller, and that's not going to happen. You may want a double so your 5 year old can have a seat.

People say that it's not too bad taking a stroller, even a double stroller, on the bus, and they're mostly right. It's not horrible, but it does assume that you have one adult to handle the stroller and one with both hands free to assist small children who can't get into and out of the bus on their own. You don't have that. Even your oldest isn't old enough to help a 3 year old out of the bus. I wouldn't attempt a stroller on the bus in your shoes. It costs extra to rent in the parks, but it's worth it sometimes.

 

[tourguide81]

I think the issue is my definition of an umbrella stroller is my maclaren that still reclines and is awesome to push - not some dinky, short handled, crappy thing. So, it depends on your stroller.

I still vote for renting a double.

 

[squirrel]

City Mini double. With the ages of the kids I think they can manage getting on/off okay. Folds easily and not too big. Pack one backpack with essentials.

I'd rent if you don't own. Having the stroller all the way to the bus stop is great when you are trying to get 3 kids out of the park. With the double there is enough room for the oldest to be holding on behind the stroller so everyone is together.

 

[emmababy]

Thanks all!! I think I will bring my standard stroller. If the first day kills them I will rent either at park or apple. How much are strollers at parks?

 

[WantToGoNow]

I would take the umbrella stroller for the youngest. The other two should be fine walking.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you think that your 7 yo is going to be a pest about trying to ride, too, then you also might consider adding a riding board to the back of it so that s/he can catch a short standing ride once in a while. It adds to the push weight, so you don't want to let a child ride that way for long periods, but it can be helpful at stressful points to have them all riding.

 

[Schmeck]

Hate to post another stroller question. I am taking my 7,5,3 alone those week. Could bring umbrella or normal size. Umbrella works because of weight and hie easy it is but my older 1 would break it!

Basket would be nice in other one but heavier to deal with.

We plan on taking easy and breaks if needed.

Car or bus for transportation? If car, then a larger double stroller. If bus, then lightweight single stroller. It can be very difficult juggling 3 kids and a stroller on Disney transportation, especially if the bus is full and you don't get a seat.

 

[squirrel]

Car or bus for transportation? If car, then a larger double stroller. If bus, then lightweight single stroller. It can be very difficult juggling 3 kids and a stroller on Disney transportation, especially if the bus is full and you don't get a seat.

You can always let others go onto the bus and wait for the next one if you want a seat. I've done it before when it was just my niece and I.

I'm not sure when the OP is going but I go during Free Dining and it's still quite busy in the evening when leaving the park. I'd much rather have a double stroller to keep all the kids together than have a single and worry that they are getting bumped, stepped on, etc. I also took my niece when she was 5 and we spend the whole day at the park so she needed a stroller to nap in. I guess if you don't spend the whole day in the park most days the 5 year old would be okay without a stroller. My niece was almost 4 when I took her to WDW the first time by myself. The younger one was just 4 on her first trip.

 

[smallstar24]

If you reant a stroller at one of the parks, do you have to return it when you leave the park that day? Or can you keep the same one for the duration of the trip?

 

[squirrel]

If you reant a stroller at one of the parks, do you have to return it when you leave the park that day? Or can you keep the same one for the duration of the trip?

The park strollers can't leave the park. You have to return them near the entrance each time you leave. You can switch parks and then show your proof of rental and they will hand you another stroller at the new park.

It's still a walk for tired children from the entrance to the bus stop area. That's why many rent or bring their own stroller.

I purchased a stroller and had it shipped to the resort as it cost a bit more than renting from Disney for the time I was there. I figured I could sell it for almost as much as I paid for it up here in Canada, but I still have it and used it another 3 times at Disney World. I purchased a Perego P3 from www.albeebaby.com

 

[marybrat]

I say rent a stroller everyday. No way will you be able to enjoy yourself having to fold and unfold a stroller, not to mention all of the stuff you will be bringing with you into the parks, along with worrying about all three kids while riding disney transportation. I went with a friend of mine when she had two little ones and her husband didn't come along. I helped her all the time with all of her stuff and the stroller. No way would she have been sane if she was alone.

 

[sweetlovin']

I have taken 3 kids by myself those ages and younger. MK is the toughest, but the rest of the parking lots should be ok, if you get there early. (MK too if you get there early. I took the double (one in front of the other)

The biggest problem I ran into (my oldest walked the parks starting at 4) so at 3, 5 and 1 if I didn't get a parking spot up front, walking back to the car was a pain. I could not fold up and pick up the stroller while holding the 1 year one and helping the 3yo and 5yo onto the parking lot tram. (seriously that was the biggest problem) By the time my kids were your ages, they knew we had to get there early because we couldn't take the parking lot tram. But that first time, I didn't realize the stroller had to be folded to get onto the tram, and I parked really far away. I'm not sure what to tell you if you are using the bus system. The best is to enlist the help of a nice person to lift the stroller on and off the bus while you gather your kids. The strollers have to be folded on the parking lot trams, boats (but those guys are so helpful), and busses.

Other than that, it's pretty easy to get around. You will have a fabulous time

Oh and I am tall, but that umbrella stroller is KILLER after a week if you are having to bend over all day to push it. If you go with the umbrella stroller, I would get one with taller handles or the extenders. My one behind the other stroller was higher.

 

[tloveswdw]

I took my 2,4,6,8 while 6+ months preggo and the double maclaren was perfect. I would also recc not staying anywhere so long that the oldest has to crash in the stroller, or at least try that as a strategy. I also took my Becco carrier

 

[squirrel]

Many people are very helpful when you are alone with a child(ren).

I only had my niece but I often had other people offer to help take the stroller off the bus when my niece fell asleep on the bus.