Should we rent a stroller or bring our own?

[skyfaith]

We have 2 DD and I was wondering if we should rent the Disney stroller at the parks or bring our own. The rental fees are expensive.

 

[AJKMOM]

A lot depends on the kind of stroller. We had a cheap umbrella stroller that folded up nicely. I wouldn't chance it with an expensive one. Make sure you figure some way to be able to pick your stroller out of a crowd at the end of the attractions, ribbon or something.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

Since your dd is still little, I would definetly bring your own or rent for the length of your stay, so that you will have the stroller when walking from your hotel room to the bus/car/boat/monorail, and from any or these to the parks, also to be around your hotel.

My will turn 3 a couple of days after our Disney trip, and we are renting one for her from a baby´s best friend.

Julie

 

[slo]

I'm a real fan of the WDW strollers. My DD finds them comfortable and I find them easy to push. They have an overhang for shade and you can get them with one seat or one with 2 seats. I recommend them!!

 

[luv2nascar]

its a long walk to the bus stop at the end of the night and then from hotel bus stop to your room. Especially if you are each trying to carry a child. We need the stroller for more than just the parks - no renting for us. We take our own.

 

[Eeyore's Girl]

If you will have your own transportation, I vote for bringing your own stroller. The last time we were at WDW I brought the stroller into our hotel room each night. Doing this gave me a chance to unload it and get it ready for the next day (reloaded with extra clothes for DD, snacks, camera, etc.). This was a great time-saver for the next morning. If you're driving a van or SUV, you can put it in the back, unfolded and ready to go. Of course, if you're using some of the Disney transportation, there may be times when you need to fold the stroller, but I gotta think this is easier and less expensive than renting one.

Have a great trip!!

 

[hipporina]

Definately take your own. On our last trip, we decided to buy one for DS (almost 3 at the time). We bought a lightweight stroller that collapsed easily for about $40. It was cheaper than renting one for the week. We loved being able to leave stuff in it all the time, something I could not have been done if we had been renting. We took our expensive stuff with us, but left our water bottles and panchos in it all the time. We even folded it up with them still in there when it was time to get on the bus.

 

[my3princes]

I just read in the Mousesavers newsletter that the rental prices at WDW have increase to $10/day for a single ($8 for lenght of stay) and $18 for a double ($16 for length of stay). Because of those prices we are going to buy a new Maclaren for our trip. It will end up being cheaper than renting and I'll have it for years to come.

 

[slp87]

I recommend bringing your own as well. My 3 requirements for our stroller were that it drove easily, had a shade, and the seat would recline. Our first trip when DD was 2 we took an umbrella stroller and while it folded up nice and small for the bus trip, we were miserable in the parks. The wheels were too small and we couldn't manuveur well, my DD was roasting in the sun and her head looked like it was going to snap off when she was sleeping. Lesson learned the hard way.

 

[mommykds]

I was just thinking about this too when I saw the new prices for a double per day ($18?? ). My 9 year old walks but the 4 & 6 year old would better if we had a stroller for those times they are pooped & we are running up the ramp to catch the monorail! Our old double stroller got ruined so we had to throw it out & I hate to buy a new stroller this stage in the game (as we do not use stroller anymore but just for WDW or other walking vacation). Anyone know of a good umbrella stroller that has a cover for the shade that could hold a 4 year old & a very skinny 6 year old who looks like he's 4 ? Doesn't have to be double, 2 singles would be good too. Thanks

 

[my3princes]

I have been looking into higher end umbrella strollers for a couple of months now. I am impressed with the quality and easy of pushing the Maclaren Strollers even with my 45 lb 7 yr old in them. We tried several models out at a nice store and as I have posted previously there was no comparison between the Mac and the other brands of strollers. Albee Baby has some great clearance prices on the 2004 models. I think that we are going with the quest. It will work for the 7 year old now and for the 2 yr old for many years to come.

 

[vicceja]

Hi!

We just got back on July 7th and I would advise you to bring a stroller if you can. We rented a double stroller every day for my 9,7 & 4 year old boys - we paid $15 per day.....ugh! And I heard they are going up to $18 per day for the Double Strollers!

Have fun!

 

[jj1403]

I was just thinking about this too when I saw the new prices for a double per day ($18?? ). My 9 year old walks but the 4 & 6 year old would better if we had a stroller for those times they are pooped & we are running up the ramp to catch the monorail! Our old double stroller got ruined so we had to throw it out & I hate to buy a new stroller this stage in the game (as we do not use stroller anymore but just for WDW or other walking vacation). Anyone know of a good umbrella stroller that has a cover for the shade that could hold a 4 year old & a very skinny 6 year old who looks like he's 4 ? Doesn't have to be double, 2 singles would be good too. Thanks

If you don't want to buy a new stroller remember to check out garage sales and your "Buy and Sell".

 

[pooh4evr]

We rented a side by side from a Baby's Best Friend for our trip in May for $75 for 8 days- it was comfortable, had a good canopy and good storage. The kids (DDs 2 and 4) could lay back and nap too so we did not return to our hotel. WE were able to take it on the monorail in the wheelchair car and had no problems gettting around the parks, in stores- plenty of room! Their website has pictures of all the things they rent.

 

[YCFAN]

Another plus for your own stroller is that you can fold it and are allowed to take it on the train at MK and the train going to Rafiki's Planet Watch at AKL. If you have a rented stroller you can't take those are on the trains and if you get off at a different point of the park you must walk back to where you started to get your stroller.

 

[kizmac]

UGH! $18 a day! $15 was bad enough......When does that price change go into effect?

We have usually brought our own double stroller and rented a double. I was going to bring a single this year and rent the double but at that rate, I am going to reconsider my plan. I do love their strollers, especially for the 3 & 5 & yr old. They are so roomy and handle nicely.

For the price alone, I'd say bring your own. I am with the person that said not to bring a real expensive one also. I just picked up a Graco lightrider on sale at Toys R us for $49.99 for our trip. It's really light but has a huge basket underneath (a total must for us and why I don't go for umbrella strollers) sun canopy and cup holders. One hand fold and a snack tray. Pretty much everything my $200 stroller has!

 

[sassydisneymom]

We were just there two weeks ago.
We brought our own. And glad we did so. First of all, we saved alot of money. (more to spend), we never had a hard time finding our stroller in sea of stollers either.
One time, we decided to go magic kingdom at night, so we got in about 8pm. I decided not to take it that night because we weren't planning on staying very long. And a nice family stop us on our way in, and gave us their stroller rental to use the rest of evening. I'm telling you, the magic is really there.
IMO, bringing your own is the better way to go.

Karen

 

[vicceja]

Hi!

The cost for renting strollers at the parks will change effective July 10th

Single/Infant - $10 per day
Double - $18 per day
Wheelchairs - $10 per day

 

[YesI'mObsessed]

its a long walk to the bus stop at the end of the night and then from hotel bus stop to your room. Especially if you are each trying to carry a child. We need the stroller for more than just the parks - no renting for us. We take our own.

Totally agree. We would have been lost without ours. The only con is that you do have to fold it up on the busses. However, not on the monorail or the boats!

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I recomend bringing own especially if flying.
We rented a double stroller ocaisonlly if we knew we we going to do a lot of walking that day because we have 61/2 year old. THe other day we used an umbrella one we bought from home for 2yo.
But to rent double each day comes to a lot so we did it selectively on how much time and which parks we were going to.