Need stroller, don't want to waste time from MM, go after?

[Snow Orange]

Hi. We need to get a stroller -- and first time buttons for the babies -- but I don't want to waste the time from MM.

Does it make sense to do MM for the hour then
me run to get a SM fastpass and
send DH with babies for buttons at City Hall then
get the stroller?

Do they ever run out of strollers?
I imagine they run out of buttons.

My DD10 turns 11 on day 4 of our trip, can I get that button at the same time and don't have her wear it until her birthday?

 

[avalon451]

If you don't mind having your toddler and preschooler walk or be carried that first hour, I think that's a good plan. They won't run out of strollers the first hour. Otherwise, it's true that you'll be behind for Peter Pan or Nemo, while waiting in line for your stroller. I would just head back to the rental place and get your stroller maybe 10 minutes before regular opening, to beat the rush.

Also, you can get buttons any time, and often the hotels even have them, especially the Disney hotels. Sometimes some of the souvenir shops around DL have them, too. I don't think City Hall will run out. Just stop by and get them sometime during your first day, you don't have to have them the very first thing. As for your DD's birthday button, you can certainly get it at the same time, but hey, you're going to be celebrating it all week-- she can go ahead and wear the button all week. CMs know it's not always exactly your birthday, but that's what you're there to celebrate, right? At least partly. Many people wear them the entire trip. Look at it this way-- we wore our "first visit to DL" buttons all 5 days-- but it was only true on the first day!

 

[Queenbillabong]

My DD10 turns 11 on day 4 of our trip, can I get that button at the same time and don't have her wear it until her birthday?

You can get the birthday button whenever - but if you are getting her the free gift card or pass, whatever she chooses for her birthday, that has to be done on the actual day of.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Are you going into the park prior to your MM day???? The reason I ask is, you can pre-purchase your stroller rental tickets. We did this & on our MM, we walked up to the CM that hands out strollers & had our stroller & on our way within 2 minutes. We didn't have to wait in line to "pay for the rental". Just a suggestion if you go before that morning. It also speeds up the process for the rest of your visit.

I wouldn't stop at City Hall for your buttons during MM.....you can come back & get those anytime. Even a lot of the sit-down restaurants have them....just ask.

 

[ksdisneyfan]

Do you have to wait in line if you are using your Disney Visa to get the free stroller rentals? I've also been debating stopping for a stroller first thing on our MM day.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you have to wait in line if you are using your Disney Visa to get the free stroller rentals?

Yes. Every single day. They are free, but you'll have to wait in both lines (for the cashier and the actual stroller).


I'll second the "get the multi-day ticket" suggestion. You wait in line the first day for the cashier, but every other day you just go up to the stroller-hander-outer, hand over that day's ticket, and get a stroller. Even quicker if you save your stroller ID card at the end of each day (b/c they don't have to make one for you).

But you can't do that with the disney visa free offer. Gotta wait in line every day.

 

[fairycat]

You can get the buttons at the ticket windows, hotels, and at most any shop in the park. Honestly if you pick up the stroller with the pre-pay or even go back go to one of the shops instead why faster and easier. I find the Emporium an easy place to get our buttons.

 

[brenda1966]

Getting a stroller takes a while. We'll be doing our MM and then going back for a stroller if we need one later. We're also using our Visa to get a free one.

This will be our first time not bringing a stroller from home and I'm a bit nervous. The time we really need the stroller is getting back to the hotel after a long day!

 

[bumbershoot]

The time we really need the stroller is getting back to the hotel after a long day!

Then bring your own! Seriously, that IS the time you usually need them...and even though hojo isn't terribly far, if you're carrying a toddler or beyond after your own long day...you're going to bemoan the lack of your own stroller.

I have rented for one-day trips, and I rented in Dec of '07 when hubby convinced me that gate checking the stroller would be too big of a pain. Well, he wasn't even there for that (was flying in later), and what WAS a pain was carrying the 3 year old back to the hotel every night!

If you want, bring your own and then have them store it (we've never done that but trustworthy dis'ers have said that the stroller rental people will store yours) for the time you're in the parks...then turn it it and get yours back for the walk back (and to the parks in the morning).

 

[Lakewood]

First off I don't have a kid... So take it for whats its worth. Could you each carry a kid in one of those baby backpack things for a few hours? Then you can come back and get a stroller.

 

[avalon451]

...but every other day you just go up to the stroller-hander-outer...

Stroller-hander-outer! Love it!

If you want, bring your own and then have them store it (we've never done that but trustworthy dis'ers have said that the stroller rental people will store yours) for the time you're in the parks...then turn it it and get yours back for the walk back (and to the parks in the morning).

Yeah, what Molly said! Bring a cheap umbrella stroller. You can gate check it at the airport (nice for transporting your kid down the long terminals) and then use it for getting back and forth to the hotel. But they're too flimsy to be good for all day-- the Disney strollers are comfy and manueuverable, and they have a canopy and a cargo bin.

 

[brenda1966]

My toddler is 7. LOL. Mostly our stroller has been used to hold our carry on bags at the airport. She won't ride in it there anymore. Time for me to kiss the stroller goodbye. Hard as it is, for me! Just not sure how we'll make that walk back to Hojo's. Maybe we'll take a cab.

 

[MichaelColey]

Sometimes the stroller line is long. Other times, there's no wait at all. I would wait and make the call when you go through the gate. You can also split up and have one person go on to the rides while the other gets the strollers, buttons, fast passes, etc.

 

[Snow Orange]

Ok. Thanks. My new plan is to bring the umbrella strollers to the park (because we need them for the airport anyhow) then do MM plan, split with DH and get to the stroller rental before main gates open at :50. Ask them to store ours.

Thanks for tip on Emporium.

Is it any easier getting strollers at DCA?

We are using our VISA.

 

[DahliaRW]

When we were there I never saw them run out of strollers. They have TONS. Even mid-day we could get a replacement and there were still tons back behind the ropes.