Rent a stoller at parks or bring my own??

[litlbitofpixiedust]

Here is my dilemma, I have a 9 month old son, and a 5.5 year old daughter. I am trying to decide whether to bring my own graco carriage that can fit everything we might need or want at the park. Or whether to bring my own umbrella stroller so that it is easy getting on and off the various transportation. Or option 3 renting a double stroller at the parks becasue my 5 year old is probably going to get tired. The one time I actually wish I had a sit and stand.

 

[Carrie772]

The rental strollers are really not appropriate for a little baby. There are no straps and the seat is really just plain ol' hard. Bringing one from home might be the better deal. Is there a consignment shop near you where you could get a used double?

We borrowed one and our kids loved it. A little rough on Daddo though because it didn't exactly turn on a dime!

 

[Hopefully]

If you bring your own you will have it for the long walks to bus stops or parking lots, as well as around the resorts too.
Will you be using Disney transportation or driving your own car? Getting a folded up stroller and 2 little ones on a crowded bus at the end of the day looks challenging.
Another option would be renting a stroller once you arrived in Orlando. There was another thread today about this and I copied this link. I have never used them, but I did look at their web site.
http://www.abbf.com/index.html

 

[jhugge]

We actually bought a sit and stand stroller by graco prior to our trip and did not regret it. It folds up into a fairly compact position and is perfect for people with a baby and a 4-6 year old. It runs about $120 and can be found at Target or Babies r us. Considering it is $15 dollars to rent a double stroller per day at Disney now it doesn't take long to make your money back.

 

[mom22princesses]

Ahhh ... the stroller dilemma. I had one both times we've gone. When we went 2 years ago my DDs were almost 2 & 5. I brought a smallish regular stroller for DD (almost 2). It was great to have the room to store everything and nice for walks to bus, monorail etc. We rented a stroller in the park for my DD5 a lot of the times. Some days, she didn't need it. This year I wasn't going to bring one at all (DDs are 4 & 7 now). But, we ended up bringing our larger umbrella stroller (has a sun shade & a very small storage area underneath). It was great for the airport, bus runs etc. for DD4. On our 2nd to last day we rented a double stroller for both DDS. We did WorldShowcase & SpectroMagic & Wishes. I was really glad we brought the umbrella stroller, though.

Well ... if I were you ... I might bring my big stroller for the 9 mnth old and rent one for 5.5 yr old when needed. If you have 2 strollers instead of a double, it gives you the ablility to split up for a bit if needed, too.

Good Luck!!

 

[jenniferma]

We are having the same problem too. We decided finally that we are going to bring our own double stroller. Our girls are 2 and 4.5 and I just know that DD4 is not going to last all day walking. We considered renting the double-- but it doesn't look comfortable for a nap (for dd 2)... and we didn't want to pay extra.

Our other concern was having to carry a sleeping kid from the buses to our room at POR, and through the airport, to DTD etc..

If I had an infant, I would defnitely bring your own-- I agree with the above psots... the rentals don't look very comfortable for naps. (we stay in the parks all day).

good luck-- we leave Saturday, hopefully that double won't be a hastle!
jen

 

[bcsmom]

I brought my stroller, & it was wonderful. It was a umbrella, but it reclined so DD could nap comfortably. Umbrella stollers usually fold up pretty quickly, so we had no trouble getting on the bus. They let us wheel it on the boat's & the monorail. I just thought the park stroller looked pretty hard, & my little one would escape

 

[4lilpoohs]

I bought a double at a consignment store for my 2 and 5 year olds. That was one of the greatest purchases!

 

[Lorelai]

We always bring our own. Primarily because it's so good to have it in the airport, in the Disney parking lots, to and from the resort monorails, at Downtown Disney and oh yeah - in the parks! We bring it pretty much everywhere. If we didn't have it, we would each end up carrying one of the kids most of the time. It just seems more convenient for us personally.

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

I would definitely bring your own stroller for the baby, preferably one that reclines and has a sunshade. The big Gracos are hard on the bus, but not impossible, I used to do the bus with a Graco double, but that would probably be the most comfortable for your little one and you wouldn't have to buy anything else. Maclaren makes some great lightweight strollers that are still full- featured, but they are expensive. If you will have dh or someone else with you, you could bring the Graco for the baby and the umbrella for the 5yr old, that way she has somewhere to sit when she gets tired, because she probably will get tired. I am bringing a light weight umbrella style stroller for my dd when we go at the end of this month and she will just be turning 6. You could rent a single for your 5yr old for when she needs it, but I wouldn't use a park stroller for the baby, they aren't that comfortable for infants, really more made for bigger kids. If you are going to be by yourself with the two kids, then I would strongly suggest buying or borrowing a double or a sit n stand type stroller so both kids have a place to sit. Even if you're not by yourself, that type of stroller would be helpful, but if by yourself, I'd consider it essential! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[ImagineEar]

Atleast Bring one of your own. You'l be sorry if you don't!
The previous posts ar right - the rentals are not made for infants. It will be a pain getting on and off the transportaion, but you'll be in good company...
we've all had to do it for the greater good.