Our youngest are 6 & 8. Would you recommend a stroller?

[FamilyGuy]

Leaving in a few short days - as yet to surprise the family. . . .

Question that crossed my mind is about our youngest girls. They are 6 and in age 8. My six yr old is less than two months away from 7. I think they can ride just about anything and very independent / self-sufficient and would probably look at me weird if I suggested a stroller or wagon to take with us or even rent one as needed at Disney.

What are your experiences with 6-8yo kids and getting to tired to tour by the end of the day?

 

[SEA333]

Leaving in a few short days - as yet to surprise the family. . . .

Question that crossed my mind is about our youngest girls. They are 6 and in age 8. My six yr old is less than two months away from 7. I think they can ride just about anything and very independent / self-sufficient and would probably look at me weird if I suggested a stroller or wagon to take with us or even rent one as needed at Disney.

What are your experiences with 6-8yo kids and getting to tired to tour by the end of the day?[/QUOTE

I would absolutely take one. Kids these days get too much exercise. They need a break at Disney; how are they going to hold their ice cream, chips, and funnel cakes while walking??!! . As a matter of fact, I think piggy back rides should not be ruled out, either.

Just KIDDING!!! These threads get ugly really fast, along with kid leashes or boys in the girls bathroom, so I thought I would insert a little humor....

Seriously, I don't think your kids will need one. My 7 year old did just fine keeping up with us in November, although he WAS very tired by the end of the day since he is a shortie and had to keep up with his 9 and 13 old brother.

 

[VAfamily1998]

We stopped bringing a stroller with us when our youngest was 3 (his birthday is in May, our trip was in Nov., so he was close to 3.5). We also had a 5 year old, an (almost) 8 year old (would turn 8 the following month) and a 9 year old.

We DID end up renting a stroller ONE time when we attended the MVMCP--and our kids were exhausted---but just regular park days? A stroller was COMPLETELY unnecessary for our kids.


I will say that Dh and I are very willing and able to carry a tired kid on our shoulders for a whle. So, I think it really depends on the physical condition and expectations of both the kids and the parents.

 

[amym2]

My feet give out long before my kids' do! Our kids managed multiple days at WDW at 5 and 7 just fine. As long as your kids are pretty active, I wouldn't bring a stroller. If need be, you can always rent one.

 

[dsneygirl]

we let my 7 year old ride at MNSSHP and MVMCP (past 10pm) that's it. At 6 he was done with the stroller.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

Our first trip, the kids were 6 and 8 - we never considered a stroller and didn't need one. We did a lot of walking, but also a lot of rides, shows, meals, etc. so it wasn't like they were just walking all day.

 

[MSSANDRA]

DS never used one after 4. We were willing to rent one the trip he turned 5 but he looked at us like we had three heads......nope, no way. Did not need it. I would be willing to rent one in the parks if needed but doubt you will.

 

[librarymom2007]

We first went when DD was 4 and didn't even take a stroller then.

 

[letsgoreds]

Just chiming in that wagons are not permitted...nothing that you pull-behind is. Strollers, wheelchairs, and ECVs only.

You know your kids best. If they get whiney when tired/etc. then I would consider it. Strollers are GREAT for holding waters for everyone, backpacks, etc. At 6, my DS could go from open to close without a stroller. We did stop and eat/snack more frequently to accomodate him...so something to consider, given that your younger ones will need to keep up with your older ones.

 

[Daley]

My younger siblings were 5 and 6 the last time we were at WDW, and we never felt the need for a stroller. In fact, the last time we've used a stroller was when the youngest was 3. To be honest though, I do understand you wondering about this. Sometimes the kids do need to just stop for awhile and rest, away from all the excitement, and I highly recommend letting them go back to your room for a rest or for lunch, even if they say they aren't tired.

I hope you have a great trip!

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I found the greatest use:
Using the stroller for jackets and small cooler with water.
Getting a sleeping 6 year old out of the park.

Besides that, I had something to lean onto easing pain on my injured lumbar.

 

[laughinplace199]

I would say probably not.

My 6 yr old did use one in March, but he has low muscle tone and tires more easily than your average kid. Plus, it was Easter and super crowded, so not worrying about him getting lost in the crowds was an added bonus.

We went again in August and did not use a stroller (we actually gave our stroller away on the last day of our March trip). DS did fine. It was really hot, so we took things slower and stopped for lots of water and ice cream breaks.

I once tried to get DD14 to ride in a stroller when she was 8. It was really humid, which makes her asthma a lot worse. She was horrified at the thought of being in a stroller, as I would think most 8 yr olds would be.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Once our kids were 6, they didn't ride anymore. Yes, they got tired sometimes, but we'd sit and rest for a few minutes and they were good to go.

Once you go stroller-free, you never want to go back to dealing with one!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Our son's last trip in the stroller was his first trip in the stroller at 4. We took frequent breaks and headed back to the resort for a break at the pool or a nap after lunch at the parks. Then we headed back to the parks for dinner later on.

As long as you aren't running or walking at an adult pace and the kids aren't dragging (which means take a break) or the kids don't have some sort of disability that makes walking difficult, you won't need a stroller at those ages.

By the way, wagons are not permitted at WDW. Nothing that drags behind you.

 

[lvillotta1]

My youngest is 6 and we were there this Jan. I did bring my Maclaren for her. We like to use it to carry our bag as it has a nice storage basket underneath. At the end of a long park day she hopped in and i knew we could get out of the park faster with her not walking. It is also nice to have in case she gets tired. It works for us.

 

[AZMermaid]

Maybe the 6 year old... Maybe. Although I wouldn't do it myself. But the 8 year old, no way! I like to say have them ask a friend who recently went what stroller they used, if that's embarrassing, that's the answer.

 

[Momoftwins+1]

Too old IMO. Our kids never used strollers after 3 years old at home ( if they were old enough attend preschool, no stroller was needed!) and when we took them to Disneyworld at 5, 5 and 8 they never batted an eye about walking for hours on end. We didn't rent a stroller when we took our oldest to Disneyland for 4 days when he was barely 4 either. 6 and 8 year olds have legs that are perfectly fine to be walking unless a medical condition is an issue.

 

[cheshireqt]

IMHO - they are both way too old for a stroller. We stopped using strollers by 3 years of age, though. We went with a 6yr old, and a 9 year old - no problem with the walking. My advice, take a cue from them and take breaks as often as necessary to keep everyone in good humor. A Mickey Bar can do wonders for anyone's mood!

If you are truly concerned about their stamina, start walking around your neighborhood with them daily until the trip. Call it training for Disney, or something cute. We did that to prepare (just in case, after reading scary posts and books about how much walking is involved) and had the double bonus of me getting in shape, plus we had lot of fun discussions about our upcoming trip on our walks.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

No stroller. IMO they are too old AND it is much easier navigating the parks, buses, monorail, etc without one. You can get around in crowded areas much easier. You don't have to go find your stroller after exiting rides. While I miss having a place to stash stuff, I definitely do not miss pushing one around the parks.

 

[Deb & Bill]

To add, if you are going real soon, skip the stroller. Have you seen the crowds in the Magic Kingdom? You won't be able to move with a stroller.

Then you have to consider the bus and hauling the stroller on the bus.