Should I bite the bullet and rent a stroller?

[jkcyoung]

I have 3 boys for our Nov trip will be 4(almost 5), 3.5 and 6 months, and I can't decide what to do about strollers. I had my mind made up that I was going to bring the double umbrella and when DS4 got tired I could always put the baby in the sling. Well took baby in for 4 month check yesterday and he is 18lbs 5oz! He is a very big boy and in 2 months if his brother gets tired alot mommy will have a broken back. I really don't want to lug 2 strollers on and off the buses. The easiest alternative is to bring the single and rent a double, but it is so expenive! What do you think, would it be money well spent?

 

[jfegan]

Strange for me to answer, since I am going in October and haven't actually been yet, but I have polled many friends and the consensus is rent. The strollers are sturdy, easy to push, easy to walk away from and my friends all felt it was worth the money. We are also three;3yrs, 5 yrs, and 8yrs. I have been warned that my 8 yr old will probably take a load off as much as anyone. We are bringing an umbrella stroller for the 3 yr old, so that is the only one we will have to transport to the park. I guess this isn't first hand knowledge I'm posting, but I hope it helps!!

 

[LegoMom3]

Budget the money and rent!!! On our last trip my youngest was 4, but WDW is so much walking that he got plain tuckered out and I ended up renting him a stroller for the last 3 days. Keep in mind YOU will be plenty tired, too!

If you do rent, and you park-hop, hang on to your receipt from the 1st park so you can get another stroller in the next park without paying again!

But yes, well worth the mini-investment for anyone with young kids!


.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

you could try to get in a stroller swap right here on the disboards. CHeck out the budget board, there is a sticky at the top.


eta .... okay just read you don't want to lug the two strollers on and off the buses. Then you would be best renting. BUT if I were you I would rather lug the strollers instead of paying the extra $$$$

 

[karliebug]

I would bring a single and a double stroller with you as long as you have another adult to help. You will need a stroller for the 4 year old and carrying a big baby is much too hard.

 

[james'mommy]

I only have one child 6 and I couldn't imagine doing disney without a stoller. All I can imagine is the whining that would take place if we tried. DS had a tough time walking from the back of Epcot to the Boardwalk.

 

[1hero2princesses]

Leaving in 2 weeks (yikes!) with a 4 year old (turns 5 while we are there), 3 year old and 16 month old. I have really, really wrestled with this issue. After trips to the local big zoo on a hot humid day and the local 6 flags, we are bringing two strollers. A single and a double. I did buy mcclarens on ebay. They fold like umbrella strollers and have carry handles (had old, heavy gracos). I will keep the single and use it with the baby at home. I will probably also keep the double for year to use with the two younger ones. Then I will sell it I guess. They seem to have great resale. It really depends on your kids personality, how long you are there, how hot it is. Some people will argue "well my kids walked the whole time since they were three".. and there may be some kids that can do that. I know my oldest is not one of them. He made it clear he is not walking the whole way. The day at the zoo was long and hot. After about 4 hours he wanted to ride. Out came the 3 year old. Half and hour later she wanted to ride. Out came the baby for mom to carry. About an hour later Mom wanted to ride! Rentals only get you around the park, not through the parking lots late at night. Not at your hotel. I loved the story of the parents whose oldest kept trying to lay on the side of the path to sleep. I just couldn't see spending 250 on a rental when I can spend the money on a stroller, have it at home or sell it and get part of the money back. We will be using Disney busses, staying at POR. My DH will probably carry the strollers and I will handle the backpack and get the kids on. It may not be super easy but seemed like the best choice for us. It just wouldn't have been worth the whining and fighting all day.

 

[amjg]

We went last year with 2 five year olds, a three year old and a 15 month old. We rented two double strollers and it was the best investment of the week. Our five year olds actually needed it more than the younger two. We also took two single umbrella strollers with us to get around resort for the younger two.

We are going again December 2009 and kids will be 7,7,5 and 3. I will not be surprised if we are renting two double strollers again.

 

[disneymoon95]

You might be able to get by with just a double rental. All three of our kids used it at the same time at times and they were 6, 5 & 3. Our 6 yo mostly walked but when he got tired he would climb in!

Just remember that if you rent because you do not want the hassle of lugging a stroller on the busses, you will have the hassle of lugging tired children out of the parks to the busses and off the busses to your room. You may want to bring some type of double stroller and rent a single.

You can also pay up front for a rental for your length of stay and get a couple of dollars off per day and not have to wait in the rental line to pay each day

Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

 

[maxiesmom]

Gosh, some of you are very brave and very strong. I can't imagine trying to juggle 2 strollers and 3 kids while on the bus.

Keep in mind while debating the rental vs having your own that while having your own is great for getting around the resorts and to the bus stop, everything has to come out of the strollers before you get on the bus. So if you push your sleeping child to the bus stop, you will still have to haul them out of the stroller once you go to get on the bus. If it was me, I would rather not have to deal with a stroller and have my arms empty to hold a tired child. Especially when leaving the parks at night when getting a seat on the bus is a bit like winning the lottery.

 

[jkcyoung]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I have decided (talked my DH into) bringing the single and renting a double. The cost is a little steep, but this time I think it will be money well spent.

 

[kileybeth]

Practice at home is my mantra. We had stroller folding to a science. We also found what could be left in our 2 maclarens and just folded up in there, what could hang off side and not get lost and what needed to be in the backpack.

It was so worth it to us to have our strollers after those late night ADR's or long resort walks so I do love having my own. going back to the world next week and will still take 2 macs with me even though our little ones are now 5 (rarely uses a stroller at home unless we are at the mall and then after one trip around he is begging for a ride) and 3 (thinks her stroller is her royal coach).

Getting umbrellas on and off the buses has never been an issue or problem for us. Even back in the days of a toddler and premmie on a very heavy heart monitor with wires and that monster Graco Duo. It's all about the practice!

Happy travels everyone!

 

[Jenvenza]

We are going to be there for 6 days and it was actually cheaper for us to buy a stroller. Now that they raised the prices. I didnt want to bring our big, heavy stroller, so we bought a lightweight one at BRU when they had a good sale.

The other reason I wanted to buy it was to walk to and from the busses at the resort. I am not sure how far away we might be and they dont rent strollers at the resort, as far as I know.

And the strollers they rent just dont look comfortable to me! I could be wrong, but for a 13 month old, they just didnt look like the right choice.

 

[Triz]

Anyone with experience with the strollers at DLR, let me know if there is room for diaper bag storage or is it a small umbrella like stroller?

 

[davidsprincess]

Anyone with experience with the strollers at DLR, let me know if there is room for diaper bag storage or is it a small umbrella like stroller?

they are like jogging strollers. there is a basket at the bottom for diaper bag or anything else you would like to throw in there (water bottles). they are also very easy to manouver. I loved them! I think that I will bring my own from home though as we are staying farther away from the parks and I don't want to carry DD after a long day.

 

[Triz]

they are like jogging strollers. there is a basket at the bottom for diaper bag or anything else you would like to throw in there (water bottles). they are also very easy to manouver. I loved them! I think that I will bring my own from home though as we are staying farther away from the parks and I don't want to carry DD after a long day.

Thanks for the reply, thas what i needed to hear to keep me from bringing my home stroller

 

[FreFam5]

My kids are 5, 7 and 8 and we will probably rent a double. I know we'll get funny looks in the park and people on the board will probably say my kids are too old -but Disney is a lot of walking and I'd rather spend the money than listen to the whining wonders about how tired they are, how hot they are, how their legs hurt.......

We went 3 years ago, my kids were 2, 4 and 5 plus we had another 5 year old with us. We bought our stroller from home for the 2 year old and rented a double. At times, all three boys would sit in the stroller and it made it easier to move from one side of a park to another at grown up pace if we had a ressie or something.

 

[bamata2]

Leaving in 2 weeks (yikes!) with a 4 year old (turns 5 while we are there), 3 year old and 16 month old. I have really, really wrestled with this issue. After trips to the local big zoo on a hot humid day and the local 6 flags, we are bringing two strollers. A single and a double. I did buy mcclarens on ebay. They fold like umbrella strollers and have carry handles (had old, heavy gracos). I will keep the single and use it with the baby at home. I will probably also keep the double for year to use with the two younger ones. Then I will sell it I guess. They seem to have great resale. It really depends on your kids personality, how long you are there, how hot it is. Some people will argue "well my kids walked the whole time since they were three".. and there may be some kids that can do that. I know my oldest is not one of them. He made it clear he is not walking the whole way. The day at the zoo was long and hot. After about 4 hours he wanted to ride. Out came the 3 year old. Half and hour later she wanted to ride. Out came the baby for mom to carry. About an hour later Mom wanted to ride! Rentals only get you around the park, not through the parking lots late at night. Not at your hotel. I loved the story of the parents whose oldest kept trying to lay on the side of the path to sleep. I just couldn't see spending 250 on a rental when I can spend the money on a stroller, have it at home or sell it and get part of the money back. We will be using Disney busses, staying at POR. My DH will probably carry the strollers and I will handle the backpack and get the kids on. It may not be super easy but seemed like the best choice for us. It just wouldn't have been worth the whining and fighting all day.

We are going in 24 days and decided long ago to just buy a Maclaren and sell it on EBAY when we get home. DD is 5 and won't need one after the trip. Ours was about $100 but research shows we can get about $75-$80 for it on EBAY...that equates to about a $25 rental! The Maclarens are light, easy to operate and have GREAT resale value. Just my opinion. Hope it helps.