Stroller advice

[daisy_77]

Hi, all!

I will be traveling to DL with a 3 year old in a few weeks. I am trying to figure out how I am going to lug around DD, a suitcase, a carryon and two backpacks. I am taking the DL Express which will drop me off in front of the BWPPI and I will have to walk to our hotel which is about 2-3 hotels down Harbor. I am not sure how I am going to do this...I am thinking of leaving our stroller at home and renting just to give myself an extra arm to carry our stuff.

How are the strollers at DL?
Is the walk back to the room a nightmare without a stroller?

I have always brought a stroller from home so I am not sure how well the rentals work.

Any advice would be great!

 

[Just2DisneyKids]

I think I would still bring my own stroller! Perhaps you can let the stroller do some of the work for you by letting your DD hold the backpacks in the stroller with her while you push. If she's in a walking mood, maybe you could put most of the luggage in the stroller and let DD hold onto to the stroller when you have to walk to the hotel. Remember you can also gate check the stroller which may be easier in the airport as well. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[Pamb]

I would defiantly take the stroller! What better way to get to the hotel from the drop off point with all the other gear? If your child does not want to use it, then throw the back packs in it. You can also check your stroller at the door of the airplane and have it back as soon as you land. It will help you get through the airport better.

Good luck and have a wonderful trip!

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

We always stay at the hotel next to the BWPPI, and the walk back without a stroller is doable, but we do end up carrying the kiddos sometimes for part of the way. We love renting the DL strollers. Part of it is because we have free rental from Disney Visa, but they push very easily.

Another suggestion is to bring your own, and put everything else in it (or as much as you can) when the shuttle drops you off. The 3 year old can walk to the hotel upon arrival. Then you will have your own stroller with you to take into DL. It would be nice to have something to carry a tired 3 year old, as well as anything you may have picked up, back to the hotel.

I guess I sound indecisive. As much as we love DL's strollers, I guess I would suggest you bring your own for your situation. Good luck deciding, and have a BLAST!!!!

 

[cccdisney]

I think I would still bring my own stroller! Perhaps you can let the stroller do some of the work for you by letting your DD hold the backpacks in the stroller with her while you push. If she's in a walking mood, maybe you could put most of the luggage in the stroller and let DD hold onto to the stroller when you have to walk to the hotel. Remember you can also gate check the stroller which may be easier in the airport as well. Good luck and have a great trip!

I agree! I would bring your own stroller. If she doesn't want to ride then use the stroller to hold some of the other "stuff".
We have done this many times at the airport and it helps! I think you will also find it helpful for the walk back to the hotel at night.

 

[daisy_77]

Thanks you guys! I appreciate your advice! YOU ROCK!!

 

[zukeeper]

I bought a $6 stroller from the thrift store because it had a cupholder and I wanted it for the airport. And I took it for my 5yo . I intended to leave it at the hotel since we had a free stroller rental with Disney Visa, but we did end up using it. Also, would you consider spending a little extra to get a taxi? From Longbeach, it was only $40, although the return was $60. The Disneyland Express is ok if you are staying onsite (we waited 30+ minutes to catch it), but it is a pain if you are at a good neighbor hotel. However it works, the stroller is a great luggage cart! And if you live near Seattle and need a free stroller, send me a PM!

 

[amyamya]

One thing to remember if you are bringing your own stroller is that you have to empty it, fold it up, and carry it on the Monorail and DLRR , if not going all the way around the park...

 

[brenda1966]

My first thought is: why are you taking so many different bags??

I've travelled solo a lot with a small child and it was always one suitcase and one carry on plus our stroller. Child and carryon went in the stroller. I could pull the big suitcase on wheels behind me. When DD got old enough to carry her own small backpack of toys, we brought that as well. All my valuables go in a fanny pack.

I found having the stroller with me was very, very helpful. DD could ride and the carryon could ride too! No way I wanted to carry it.

So, I'd try to pack light and condense.

 

[daisy_77]

My first thought is: why are you taking so many different bags??

I've travelled solo a lot with a small child and it was always one suitcase and one carry on plus our stroller. Child and carryon went in the stroller. I could pull the big suitcase on wheels behind me. When DD got old enough to carry her own small backpack of toys, we brought that as well. All my valuables go in a fanny pack.

I found having the stroller with me was very, very helpful. DD could ride and the carryon could ride too! No way I wanted to carry it.

So, I'd try to pack light and condense.

Very good advice! I really appreciate it!

The big suitcase was for my stuff and most of DD's. The backpack has nighttime pullups and Maddie'e Belle gown and all the goodies. The little backpack with wheels is her own "on the plane" goodies and my small bagallini backpack is my purse for the trip.

 

[silence]

if you don't mind paying for a rental or get a cheap one...

i recommend taking a cheap stroller.

we used to take our cheap umbrella stroller just for the trips back to the hotel at night. once we got to the park, we would get our rental (so much nicer!) and "park" the cheap one either near the train station or in tomorrowland.

we never had a problem with anyone stealing it or bothering it, and we got to use the nicer one at the parks during the day. then, we'd have one to take back to the hotel so my DD wouldn't have to walk or DH wouldn't have to carry her.

 

[daisy_77]

I bought a $6 stroller from the thrift store because it had a cupholder and I wanted it for the airport. And I took it for my 5yo . I intended to leave it at the hotel since we had a free stroller rental with Disney Visa, but we did end up using it. Also, would you consider spending a little extra to get a taxi? From Longbeach, it was only $40, although the return was $60. The Disneyland Express is ok if you are staying onsite (we waited 30+ minutes to catch it), but it is a pain if you are at a good neighbor hotel. However it works, the stroller is a great luggage cart! And if you live near Seattle and need a free stroller, send me a PM!

I looked into a taxi and a private car but it was more than I wanted to spend. The towncar was 94.40 one-way!

Our stroller is really lightweight and it folds up nicely. Only weighs 11 pounds. Thanks for the stroller offer anyway!

 

[daisy_77]

One thing to remember if you are bringing your own stroller is that you have to empty it, fold it up, and carry it on the Monorail and DLRR , if not going all the way around the park...

The folder folds up like an umbrella stroller, I will just be using it to cart around DD when she is too tired to walk (like back to the hotel at night). Thanks for taking the time to answer!

 

[daisy_77]

if you don't mind paying for a rental or get a cheap one...

i recommend taking a cheap stroller.

we used to take our cheap umbrella stroller just for the trips back to the hotel at night. once we got to the park, we would get our rental (so much nicer!) and "park" the cheap one either near the train station or in tomorrowland.

we never had a problem with anyone stealing it or bothering it, and we got to use the nicer one at the parks during the day. then, we'd have one to take back to the hotel so my DD wouldn't have to walk or DH wouldn't have to carry her.

If my stroller was cheap, I would probably consider this. This is a good idea and I will consider this one day when our stroller has seen it's last days.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Let's see... I just did this trip... and it wasn't easy, but it was doable...

I brought our cheapo umbrella stroller and we didn't check bags... so the trick for me was to keep the umbrella stroller folded, and had dd hang on to it with me, and we pulled it along on its wheels... on my back was the pac-back carrier with dd's britax car seat, I had the umbrella stroller in my right hand, and dd hung onto it with her left hand... with my left hand I pulled our carryon bag (the largest one that they still consider carryon... and I had used one of those attachment things to hook our backpack to the carryon... on my left wrist (which wasn't comfortable) was the small bag for the dvd player for the plane (next trip I am leaving that at home!)--I had to put my wrist through the carry handle...

We did it though... as soon as we arrived to the gate we got a gate check tag for the stroller so we could just drop it off at the bottom of the ramp, and dd and I preboarded with all the other crap...

I had one lady take a look at me and say that "Arnold Schwarzenegger would be impressed with everything I was handling--good job!"



--Lisa

 

[avalon451]

If my stroller was cheap, I would probably consider this. This is a good idea and I will consider this one day when our stroller has seen it's last days.

I agree with this. Get a cheapie WalMart umbrella stroller. Check it at the airport, and use it for to/from airport and hotel. Park it at park entrance and rent a DL stroller. On the last day, when you get to BWPPI, look for a family with an exhausted child that doesn't have a stroller. Tell them, "Hi, we are done with this stroller and don't want to take it on the plane on the way home. Would you like to have it?" (read about giving away your cheapie umbrellas here on the boards, and thought what a great idea!)

BTW, DL rental strollers are really good. They are large and very steerable joggers, with a canopy and a bin underneath. My almost 6 y.o. DD was very comfortable in one, and it enabled her to last a lot longer in the parks. We tried our first day with our old umbrella stroller, but she was too big for it and it was starting to break down. When you rent one the first day, hang onto your receipt; if you go back to the hotel and come back later, you can get another one no charge. You can also rent for multiple days, and bypass the rental line on the subsequent days, just showing your receipt to the CM handing out strollers. Much faster. Or, if you are coming back in the afternoon, just grab one of the abandoned ones by the security checks in the esplanade. Keep your nametag from your earlier rental and stick it in there and you're set. Be sure and put some identifying thing on the handle like a bandanna or a bright ribbon. It will make it very fast and easy to identify your stroller in a sea of identical ones outside the rides, and less likely someone will walk off with yours.

HTH!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I'm against cheapie umbrella strollers! They're teeny ~ they look like doll strollers ~ I'm not tall and I have to bend over to push 'em. Our Disney stroller is our Mac Volo. Besides looking like doll strollers most only hold up to 40 lbs and I'd assume the closer to 40 lbs a child is the harder it is to push.
DD's travel seat is a Cosco Scenera (I'm not gonna haul her Britax Marathon all over ~ Big seat) I carry it on my back (I need to post photo's of that) DD uses the car seat on the plane and I gate check the stroller.

 

[daisy_77]

Let's see... I just did this trip... and it wasn't easy, but it was doable...

I brought our cheapo umbrella stroller and we didn't check bags... so the trick for me was to keep the umbrella stroller folded, and had dd hang on to it with me, and we pulled it along on its wheels... on my back was the pac-back carrier with dd's britax car seat, I had the umbrella stroller in my right hand, and dd hung onto it with her left hand... with my left hand I pulled our carryon bag (the largest one that they still consider carryon... and I had used one of those attachment things to hook our backpack to the carryon... on my left wrist (which wasn't comfortable) was the small bag for the dvd player for the plane (next trip I am leaving that at home!)--I had to put my wrist through the carry handle...

We did it though... as soon as we arrived to the gate we got a gate check tag for the stroller so we could just drop it off at the bottom of the ramp, and dd and I preboarded with all the other crap...

I had one lady take a look at me and say that "Arnold Schwarzenegger would be impressed with everything I was handling--good job!"



--Lisa

Holy smokes!
Amazing that you could haul all of that and a child! I am going to do a trial run with all the stuff I have and see if I can do it.

 

[daisy_77]

I agree with this. Get a cheapie WalMart umbrella stroller. Check it at the airport, and use it for to/from airport and hotel. Park it at park entrance and rent a DL stroller. On the last day, when you get to BWPPI, look for a family with an exhausted child that doesn't have a stroller. Tell them, "Hi, we are done with this stroller and don't want to take it on the plane on the way home. Would you like to have it?" (read about giving away your cheapie umbrellas here on the boards, and thought what a great idea!)

BTW, DL rental strollers are really good. They are large and very steerable joggers, with a canopy and a bin underneath. My almost 6 y.o. DD was very comfortable in one, and it enabled her to last a lot longer in the parks. We tried our first day with our old umbrella stroller, but she was too big for it and it was starting to break down. When you rent one the first day, hang onto your receipt; if you go back to the hotel and come back later, you can get another one no charge. You can also rent for multiple days, and bypass the rental line on the subsequent days, just showing your receipt to the CM handing out strollers. Much faster. Or, if you are coming back in the afternoon, just grab one of the abandoned ones by the security checks in the esplanade. Keep your nametag from your earlier rental and stick it in there and you're set. Be sure and put some identifying thing on the handle like a bandanna or a bright ribbon. It will make it very fast and easy to identify your stroller in a sea of identical ones outside the rides, and less likely someone will walk off with yours.

HTH!

This does help and it is something I am considering. I am sure that giving a stroller to a family in desperate need of one makes you feel pretty good and it makes the family feel the Disney magic just a bit more!

I'm against cheapie umbrella strollers! They're teeny ~ they look like doll strollers ~ I'm not tall and I have to bend over to push 'em. Our Disney stroller is our Mac Volo. Besides looking like doll strollers most only hold up to 40 lbs and I'd assume the closer to 40 lbs a child is the harder it is to push.
DD's travel seat is a Cosco Scenera (I'm not gonna haul her Britax Marathon all over ~ Big seat) I carry it on my back (I need to post photo's of that) DD uses the car seat on the plane and I gate check the stroller.

We have a Volo, too! I love it! That is why I am having a hard time leaving it behind. We are not needing a car seat this trip (thank goodness!) so I will have one less thing to haul. I think all in all, I am going to be alright. It may just be a pain in the rear when I arrive at DL and when we leave for home.

 

[amyamya]

A couple of things...

We have a Volo, too, but my DS20 mos. HATES riding in it. (laughing cause it looks like I still push my 20yr. old kid in a stroller) so we are risking it all and bringing the Joovy Caboose so my DD3 can hop on and ride back to the hotel w/out incident. I am seriously considering putting the fake dirty diaper on the handle so it doesn't walk. Kinda scared after reading about double joggers getting stolen.

The WDW board has a mega post about strollers and have you seen the kind they get to rent? They have double strollers, too which are really cool!

I will be really glad when the car seat/stroller days are over, altho the little ones who use them seem to appreciate the Magic the most so no complaints!!