Stollers

[Picabo]

Our kids will be 2 1/2 and almost 4 when we make our first trip to Disney!! I'm guessing we should have a stroller to accomodate both of them...even though the older one doesn't use a stroller much I imagine a day at Disney will mean tired legs and wanting to ride some of the time...better safe than sorry.

Do you take your own double or just rent from Disney? $27/day seems steep to me to rent a double stroller when I OWN one but then I figure it saves me from lugging it on the plane (and probably paying a fee to do it these days) and I hear the disney ones are very nice, easy to push, etc. Is it worth spending $150+ for the week on renting the stroller from them???

Is there storage space on there for backpacks, etc?

Did you find that kids (that age) use the stroller much or would it be a waste of money?? Should we maybe take our single umbrella stroller and just rent a single Disney stroller if necessary?? What's best?!

melanie

 

[james'mommy]

I love the disney strollers. They may be expensive to rent but they are well worth it. They are sturdy and great for the kids climbing in and out of on their own. There isn't a bunch of storage space but we leave the backpack on the top and then throw it in the seat when we are on rides. They are really lightweight when it comes to pushing and much easier to deal with than an umbrella stroller. We always use one for DS5 and probably will for the next 2 years. There is no way he would be able to walk all day in the parks. I figure as long as I can cram him in a stroller it's easier to use than listen to him complain.

 

[all4fun]

Whether or not your older child will "need" a stroller depends a lot on the child and on your touring style. Personally, we will still be using a stroller on our next trip and my ds w/b 5-1/2yrs old. We go to WDW often enough that we invested in a good jogging style stroller to take down there with us. We would have spent far more renting one each time so it works for us. If you have a double that works you may want to take that. Ours always comes in handy at the airport too, we just gate check it. www.allearsnet.com has pictures of the rental strollers here. They don't have very much storage but you could use large carabiner's or stroller S hooks to clip to the handle and hang a bag off the back (may make it prone to tipping). I see people throwing their bags on top of the canopy all the time too.

This website gives info for most of the major airlines baggage fees: http://www.expedia.com/daily/edit/alerts/Feb2008/baggage_fees.asp

Note that for most airlines, things like strollers, car seats, pack 'n plays are still free.

hth

 

[jack hannah bananah]

YES! YES! YES!
You will want a stroller. My 7 year old was begging to sit in a stroller by the middle of a long day at MK.

We have done both. Brought our own and rented.
The stroller is actually very convenient in the airport. It is a great way to keep the kids close and save.
It becomes difficult on the busses - but not impossible.

The WDW strollers are great. We went last year with one of our own and rented a double for a couple days (3 kids). My husband and I kept trying to beat each other to the double. It was actually easier to push a 7 and 5 yr. old together in the WDW stroller than to push one 2 yr. old.

I hope this helps.

 

[Picabo]

YIKES now I'm more confused than ever. I started thinking (as I was reading) of just taking TWO umbrella strollers....it sounds like you cannot take the strollers from the parks to the hotel and I cannot imagine a 2 and 3 yr old being too coorperative about walking back to the hotel/bus, etc at 11pm at night after a long day. And I'm sure DH and i will not be thrilled about carrying them for any distance either. So if that is the case...I was all set to bring 2 umbrella strollers (also for the airport...great thoughts!)

THEN I read that it was easier to push 2 older kids in the DW Double than a 2 yr old in an umbrella stroller! YIKES! I guess we can take the 2 umbrellas and if we find it too hard to push around, then we can rent as we need it while we are there.

Are LOCKERS at Disney big enough to hold a folded up umbrella stroller??

THANKS!

 

[Elmo888]

If you have the double already, I would bring it.

Saving money is one benefit.

The other benefit...there is a lot of walking outside the parks, where you don't have the rental stroller, which you only have in the park. Walking from your resort room to the transportation (bus/monorail/boat), from the transportation to the park, and back out again. At the end of the day, when everyone is tired, you will be happy that you don't have to hold a tired, cranky 4 year old in line waiting for your transportation and carry her from from your transportation to your room.

And like the other poster said, having a stroller at the airport is handy (and I don't think that they are charging...yet).

I know that every 4 yo is different, but we met a family on one trip with a 2 yo and 4 yo who bought a nice stroller while in Orlando for the 4 yo. They had brought one for the 2 yo and were so happy that they spent the money on one for their 4 yo. When we met them, the 4 yo was sound asleep in one stroller and the 2 yo was happy and awake in the other.

Have a great trip!

 

[belle&beast]

We have gone twice with our kids, the first time they were 2 and 4 and the second time they were 3 (almost 4) and 6. Both times we brought our own double stroller and we could not have survived without it! We stayed onsite at POR and ASSp and we needed the stroller there, especially after a long day in the parks.

There is another stroller thread and someone posted a stroller rental company in orlando that will deliver to your room. I think it is orlandostrollerrentals.com

 

[Love_Goofy]

Personally, we will still be using a stroller on our next trip and my ds w/b 5-1/2yrs old. We go to WDW often enough that we invested in a good jogging style stroller to take down there with us. We would have spent far more renting one each time so it works for us.

What jogging stroller did you get? I have been researching jogging strollers and am having a hard time deciding. I havd DD 4.5 when we go to WDW in Oct. I know I will need something as she get tired. The other stroller thread recommended the McLaren Triumph but my DH is 6'3 and I am 5'8 - umbrella strollers are not our friend! As we are slumped over to push it and always kicking the back - same problem with the Triumph.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

here is all the info and photos you can get on the rental strollers from disney http://allears.net/pl/strol_faq.htm but I personally like bringing my own b/c you can leave the park w/ it. If you don't want to buy a stroller but would like one outside of the parks you can check out www.abbf.com or www.orlandorentals.com I think you would do better renting from the second site b/c the stroller has a good high weight and is somewhat light weight the first site has a good jogger that would accomodate a high weight but is more likely much bulkier.

 

[Elmo888]

What jogging stroller did you get? I have been researching jogging strollers and am having a hard time deciding. I havd DD 4.5 when we go to WDW in Oct. I know I will need something as she get tired. The other stroller thread recommended the McLaren Triumph but my DH is 6'3 and I am 5'8 - umbrella strollers are not our friend! As we are slumped over to push it and always kicking the back - same problem with the Triumph.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not tall, so I can't be a lot of help. Did you try the Mac Quest? I just wonder if there is a difference.

I do a lot of walking and love my Mountain Buggy Urban Single, but it is pricey. It isn't a true jogger since it has a swivel wheel (which I love). And I don't know how it would be for tall people, since I'm not! It does have an adjustable handle (mine is a 2005 model).

Try this board for many, many stroller experts (maybe try doing a search)...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StrollerSWAP/

Good luck!