Should I bring my umbrella stroller or rent?

[KimWDW]

We're taking our 3.5 year old to WDW in Oct. Should I bring my umbrella stroller? On the one hand, it will be kind of a pain to bring it to the airport, check it, bring it on the Disney buses to the parks, etc (it's just one more thing to bring). But, on the other hand, if I don't bring it I will only have access to a stroller where they rent them. So, not at the hotel, not if we go to Downtown Disney, etc. We're staying at Pop. I don't know how much a 3.5 year old would even need a stroller.

Any opinions?
How much does it cost to rent a stroller at the parks? Are there long lines to rent?

 

[dtsaos]

you can rent one from www.abbf.com for the entire time you're there. Lots of people on the dis boards use them-we did last year and would definetly recommend!

 

[megatann]

I wondered and wondered what I was going to do. My son is 7, and I knew he wouldn't be able to walk all day. We didn't park hop, so we were at the same park each day, all day long. I decided to get my jogging stroller out of the attic and bring it with us. Well, it didn't fit in the car. I thought we would be ok, and would just rent one if we really needed to. But, I really didn't want to spend the $8 or $9 a day to rent one.
On our first night there we went to Down Town Disney. On the way back to the car he said, "My feet hurt."
I was not about to listen to him whine all week about being tired, so we made an emergency trip to Walmart, and bought a $10.00 umbrella stroller. It was the best $10 I spent!!! We wrote our name on the back in black marker (there were about 100 just like it at the park.) I also cut the straps out because they were in the way. He would just hop in it after each ride. It made it easy to keep up with him.
He's about 56 pounds, so it wasn't easy to push him around, but it was good exercise
We folded it up and wheeled it with us until we actually entered the parks. It really wasn't a pain.

 

[Kuffam]

We did the same thing. When we went last year we just brought one umbrella stroller (DD 3.5 & DS 1) after looking at the price to rent, we decided to buy the $10 one at Wal-Mart, it pays for it self in two days. Taking two umbrella strollers through the airport isn't as bad as dragging two car seats.

What is the age that children can sit in their own seat on a plane without a car seat. I really don't want to drag them with us this year.

 

[rileyroosmom]

I believe 3 is a good age to stop using a car seat. Just use a seat belt.

 

[all4fun]

What is the age that children can sit in their own seat on a plane without a car seat. I really don't want to drag them with us this year.

It's recommended that children up to 40lbs use a car seat on the airplane. (see http://www.faa.gov/fsdo/phl/tipsfor.htm) It has to be a car seat approved for airline travel and have an integrated harness, since airline seats only have lap belts.

Also, if you have a child under three you must have a car seat if traveling by car in Florida:

What is Florida's Child Restraint Law? Children through age 3 must be secured in a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child safety seat. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child safety seat, or a safety belt may be used. (FL Statute 316.613).

Florida law

hth

 

[all4fun]

To the OP, I personally would still bring my own, but that's just my own personal feeling about it. Why spend the money on something you already own? If you do decide to rent though, Downtown Disney does have rental strollers available.

hth!

 

[Maureenmouse]

Glad to see that I'm not the only one who bought umbrella strollers from WalMart. I'm now looking into the stroller connector to use with them. I know my 2 yo and 5 yo wouldn't walk far and we're not carrying them all day.

 

[KimWDW]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm definitely going to bring my own umbrella stroller. I didn't know I could check it at the gate. That's convenient!

Thanks.

 

[Daxx]

You will find that you'll appreciate that umbrella stroller the most when your child has passed out on the bus and you get off and have a "mode of transportation" to put them in, instead of lugging them on your shoulder or waking them up to walk to the hotel room!

With having your own stroller, you can whisk that sleeping child away to the room and be comfortable yourself. I can't tell you how many times that stroller has come in handy immediately after getting off the bus! You know what it's like to lug a child who is dead weight when they're asleep. The stroller is a godsend at that point! For that alone, a $10 umbrella stroller is certainly worth it!

DS is 8 yo and too big for a stroller ... but there are times on that late-night trip back to the resort where I wish I could put him in a stroller and wheel him right to the room.