Need Stroller Suggestions for a big kid....Please!!

[pjlla]

I am thinking of bringing a stroller for my almost 6 year old. I know that he is big for a stroller, but he is not a "high-stamina" kid, like his sister. I think it will keep us all going better and happier if he is not exhausted and dragging by 1pm. We will be in the parks for 5 days at a cost of (I believe) $7/day for stroller rental. I thought for the same $35 I could buy a stroller and bring it along (and then have something to sell on ebay after!!). But all of the umbrella type strollers I have found, even the "better" ones with ATV type wheels, don't maneuver well with a 52 pound child in it. DOES ANY ONE KNOW OF A GOOD STROLLER FOR THIS SITUATION? Thanks for any help that is out there!... .............P

 

[risy]

My 2, 4 & 7 yr olds enjoy using the park rental strollers.
Since we have 3 potential "riders" at any time, we usually rent a double and bring a regular stroller.
The advantages of bringing your own are dictated by many factors.

Since you want to buy, I'll list a couple of advantages to using the rentals:
1. Not worried about it getting dirty, stained, ripped, worn.
2. It is a mess when you come out of an attraction only to find that there was a 10 minute Florida downpour and your cloth strolled is drenched. The hard plastic rentals dry easy.
3. Easy to push
4. Can turn it in at any time if you don't want to use it.

Hope someone gives a recommendation onn umbrella stroller for you!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Instead of pushing him around in a stroller to keep him from getting exhausted, how about taking a swim break or nap break at your hotel? The stroller will slow you down some in parking it, finding it after the CMs move it while you are in the attraction, riding the buses/monorails/boats, etc.

Could you do some practice walking with him at home before you head to WDW? Like at the mall or something to see if he could build up his stamina?

Our son is now 10 and we still leave the parks about lunch time or when the lines start getting long and return to the hotel for a break.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

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I too would recomend a rental stroller for an older child. I also have learned that we enjoy our trip a lot more with breaks. Even with the stroller (which I would still get for at least part of the day with a 6 year old), a full day in the parks get very long and several days in a row of this can take it's toll. just something to think aboout.


jordan's mom

 

[tricia]

I will be renting for my 6yr old DS. He also will not walk for even a half a day. He is in good shape, plays hockey, soccer, swims, but will not walk without whining. (even at Disney)

 

[pjlla]

THANKS for all the helpful suggestions. My DS does walk a lot with me (at the malls, etc), but like 'Tricia's" son, he just cannot (read as 'will not') walk around a whole day without whining about how tired he is. And I have found in the past that it is a nice way to keep track of him in the evenings when we are dealing with crowds all trying to leave the parks.

I also appreciate the suggestion of a break during the day, but we go in January when the parks are only open 9-6. That makes for a very short park day, so we choose not to leave during the day. But we definitely don't push our kids in the evening. I intend to keep to their usual 8:30 pm bedtime most nights that we are there. There were a few nights during our last trip where they were in bed, lights out, asleep, before 7:00pm!!

Anyhow, I will keep the stroller rental idea in mind. That way he could walk part of the day and maybe we would only need the stroller hassle half a day. Maybe if there is no stroller available he will just "rise to the occasion" and walk without whining!! (A mom can dream, right?)................ P

 

[BevS97]

my dd (6) borrowed the babys stroller a few late nights last week (the baby went in the sling). She managed to walk 90% of the time, but at the end of some long days she had had enough and it was easier to let her ride rather than ask her to walk.

Anyway - my stroller, a Chicco Trekking, coped just fine with her in it, BUT, it's not a cheap option. (Have to say I did notice the difference when I put her in compared to the 3 month old, but it did work), in fact, we had both of them in there sometimes, baby at the back and Katie perched in front

Bev

 

[MinnieGi]

We went stoller shopping before our trip in October. We have a 3 year old so still need one and wanted one that reclines. I looked through all the strollers available at every store I could think of and never saw one that surpassed a 45 pound weight limit. And some we tried out although it said up to 45 pounds DD's legs were practically hanging on the ground. I looked at all price ranges too. Now DD is only 32 pounds but we were buying this stroller for several years of Disney trips as I'm sure she'll need one for awhile there. So I think your best bet for your child would be a rented stroller.

 

[pjlla]

Yeah, I'm really starting to think that renting is the way to go.... don't have to worry about it fitting in the rental car, don't have to lug it to the airport.........only problem will be those late evening walks to the car. Guess DH will get his workout carrying our DS if he is too wiped out to walk to the car!! ..................P

 

[NotUrsula]

Technically, a Peg Pliko is rated to about 90 lbs., because of the ride-on-the-step option. Not that lightweight, though, and not exactly cheap, either. I don't find it hard to steer with #45 lbs.

The best stroller on the market for the larger child at WDW would probably be the Kelty Joyrider. It's an umbrella-fold jogger, really has to be seen to be appreciated. It's rated for 75 lbs. Of course, it retails for $300, so most people wouldn't want to invest in one for just a week or so. (They also make a double, the Deuce Coupe, 150 lbs. maximum, $400.)

 

[HaleyB]

Some thoughts... or options.

1)You can get used strollers cheap at resale stores, garage sales, and newspaper ads. Perhaps you know someone who could loan you one too. I still have both our strollers and my youngest is almost 6.

2)You can have your DH run for the car and pick you up. I have done this at other parks but never WDW, but I assume it is possible. Thus eliminating part of the walk.

3)Rent at the parks, or better yet scout for someone returning one later in the day and 'buy' it from them. I have done this at WDW. Not sure if some people might think this is unethical. Combine this with option #2.

-another rental perk is that Disney will replace it if it dissapears. So it is safe to leave it for long lengths of time in one of the stroller parking areas. When we went to DL last summer we parked Just inside of Toon Town and left it for about 4 hours because it was such a hassel in there (so many little people darting in front of you, plus gridlock). It was still right where we left it when we were ready to leave Toon Town, but if it had gone missing I could have hoped on the train and gotten a new one up front no problem (just keep your reciept on your body).

4)Buy a $10 cheapie stroller and use it to carry everything but your child, making it easier to carry your child. We have found this the best part of having a stroller. The other benifit to this option is if you don't need to 'use' it you can fold it up and just carry it saving yourself the hassel of trying to push it through crowds.

5) Use fast pass whenever you can. Even for rides with shorter wait times (some people only use fp if stand by is over 45 mins) because if standby is short then fp is really fast! It seems like the standing still in line wears my kids out 3 times faster than walking around. To avoid the extra walking and backtracking FP use can cause don't all go to get them, send DH on a missiion with all your tickets in hand.
We always do this. The kids can walk slowly and look around with you (and get autographs), DH runs to FP ride, gets FP's for all, and doubles back to meet up with you! For us, by the time we reach the FP ride it is often our return time already!

I hope this helps. I have two bigger/older children who are still a bit young for all that walking. We will be bringing our stroller when we go to WDW.

 

[castlegazer]

I use a Combi stroller and it is rated for heavier weights which I can't quote right now. But my point is that I picked it up as a floor model on sale at Baby Depot of Burlington Coat Factory - they always have floor models for sale for incredibly reduced prices. Don't hesistate buying one if you think its the right thing to do - just shop and find a good deal. They are out there to be had. Getting a loaner from someone you know is a great idea too. I know I have a feelt just sitting in my garage - especially now with the snow on the ground.

 

[bubbasmom99]

We have a Combi Travel Savvy, which is rated to 45 lbs but could probably hold a bit more. The problem is more with height than weight but you can remove the canopy and it is fairly comfortable. The nice thing about the Combi is that it has a strap so you can sling it over your shoulder when it's collapsed. This made it much easier to board the bus. I had the toddler on my hip, the stroller over my shoulder, and was holding my preschooler's hand.

 

[BevS97]

the only problem with the rental is that the main time we needed the stroller was after we left the park, particularly at MK where you have to take the ferry/monorail, and you definitely can't bring the car round there.
I don't think you could get the car to the front of any of the parks, but to be honest we never tried. I did want to 'run into' Animal Kingdom one morning to pick up a photograph, and we had to park in the lot and I took the tram in - it took about 1/2 hour just to get from the car to the photo place and back again.

bev

 

[Jestocost]

For what it's worth, we couldn't wait to stop using strollers for our kids (DD and DS, now 9 & 6). We used one with him when he was 2-1/2, but not when he was 5 or 6 and found that not having to mess with the thing was a real blessing. You certainly know your kids best, but I've always wondered how they'll ever learn to tolerate something uncomfortable or deal with a difficult situation when it really matters if they've never had to do so before.

 

[sdamico71]

Here's my suggestion....
Don't take your home stroller! I would spend the money on stroller rental. It is a lot easier.
We took our double stroller from home for a 5 and 2 yo. By the end of the 2nd day, I was ready to throw it out a window. Folding it up, and trying to hold it out of everyone's way on a crowded bus, was no fun.
By renting a Disney stroller, you have none of that. I find that their strollers are very comfortable and enough space. I recommend the double stroller because it gives more space for your bigger kid.
In addition, if there is a spill in your personal stroller, you have to wait for it to dry off, if it is Disney stroller, you just go swap it out.
So if money isn't tight, I opt for the Disney strollers.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm not sure what kind of stroller you could get to accomodate your son, but I just wanted to give you my support in terms of your choice to use a stroller for your child..

No one knows your child better than you do and I notice from your location under your name that a trip to Florida will be a drastic weather change.. That in itself can cause quite a physical drain on anyone - adults included!

I once read somewhere that over the course of a 5-day vacation in WDW you will walk an average of 15 miles per day - for a total of 75 miles.. Throw in the weather and the number of hours spent in the parks each day, and you can see where it would be quite taxing to a young child..

Hope you have a GREAT trip!

 

[cgcw]

When my older DS was almost 6, he had an accident at BB and hurt one of his toes. He couldn't wear closed toe shoes and was limited to a very old pair of sandles we brought just to go back and forth between the room and pool. Anyway, he had a hard time walking around the parks. So we rented a single stroller for him. He fit very well and the stroller was easy to manuver.

I wouldn't hesitate in your situation to use of the rentals.

Have a great trip.

 

[Schmeck]

You will not be able to pull your car up to the front of MK to pick up your son - you might be able to get pretty close at AK, and DS, but Epcot is a hike, even from the buses!

Rent a stroller, and take your child to the doctor to see if he's really just a whiner, or has a health problem. My cousin had growth plate problems in her knees, and long walks used to just about kill her. But she could play softball without a problem, and she was a gymnast for a while too! And my older daughter, who is a figure skater, cannot run for extended periods of time, because it hurts her knee, but it doesn't hurt when she lands her jumps on the ice... so we're off to get her knees checked out!

My younger daughter tends to be the whiner in our family - we try to take a lot of breaks at WDW, even letting my hubby and older daughter go on some rides while we rest on a bench. And sometimes the thought of her sister having fun, while we wait on a bench, gives her the extra energy she needs to stop whining, LOL!