Stroller Age

[MommeeOfAPrnzess]

My friend and her son (5 then) went with us 2 years ago and I mentioned to her about her bringing a stroller for her son and she laughed at me! That was until she took him to a local amusement park (which is smaller then DW) and he didn't make it until noon!
Needless to say she went out that weekend and got a 3 wheel stroller for him!
(I got it now and will be taking it will us for my dd who's 4)
If she doesn't want to take on then she can rent one but they are hard and uncomfortable and they may not have any!
If he's not used to walking that much it might be a good idea to get one. Better safe then sorry!

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

One of my DDs is 6. She has the boundless energy that most kids at that age seem to have and is very physically active at home. I can't tell you the last time she was in a stroller. We live in the middle of our town and we walk everywhere we can-church, the store, library, etc.

While we will not be bringing her a stroller, we will be renting one for her in the parks. There have been times that I wish I had stroller for myself after spending days walking around WDW parks, and I do cardio and weight training on a very regular basis and run 5Ks.

Rent the stroller!

 

[glass slipper girl]

We are just back from a trip. I had planned to have my 4 and 6 year olds walk it this trip given the shorter park hours and low crowds. Our first night we were at the Pirate and Princess Party so we had a free stroller. The next day at MGM they walked. After that we decided we needed to rent a double for them. COULD they have walked it...probably. Would it have been pleasant...absolutely not. They are big kids (DS 4 is 48" and around 60 lbs, DS 6 is 53" and 67 lbs) and they fit into a double fine together and it was easy to push and steer. My husband was resistant to renting because that $16/day (for the prepurchase price) adds up fast but even he ended up saying it was worth the $. They still did a lot of walking outside the parks and were both complaining or sore legs and feet at the end of the day.

Here is a pic to give you an idea of how 2 kids of that size fit in the double...

 

[loopner67]

My boys were 5 & 7 last March when we went there. After the first day of walking, they begged for the double stroller the second day. LOL. We rented one every day for the rest of our trip.

They are 6 & 8 this year and I'm sure they'll want one again. My 8 year old is on the smaller side, though.

Don't discount that the 6 year old might want a "ride" in Disney because of all the walking involved. Those little feet start hurting!

 

[perdidochas]

My boys were 5 & 7 last March when we went there. After the first day of walking, they begged for the double stroller the second day. LOL. We rented one every day for the rest of our trip.

They are 6 & 8 this year and I'm sure they'll want one again. My 8 year old is on the smaller side, though.

Don't discount that the 6 year old might want a "ride" in Disney because of all the walking involved. Those little feet start hurting!

Our last trip to Disney was the first theme park trip that we didn't rent a stroller. It was wonderful. While the strollers make things easier, they also complicate them. It was nice to be able to leave a ride and not find the stroller. It was especially nice to take the train around MK, and get off where we wanted, instead of having to go back all the way to get the stroller. Admittedly, I did have to carry a little one on my neck for quite a while leaving the park after a commando day (from opening to closing during T'giving weekend), but for us, it worked. That said, we were prepared to rent a stroller.

 

[disneyfreak74]

DS is 7 and he have to get a stroller for DD3 anyway so we always get a double. A lot of the time DS walked, a little bit of the time he wanted to ride, and a little bit of the time we had to fuss because he didn't want to ride but I wanted to be able to keep up with him. All in all, every child is different. Play it by ear. A stroller is not something that we would definately get for just him everyday. But I would suggest it for late nights and Epcot.


See? He KINDA fits!!!

 

[kileybeth]

For us, we debated the year ours were almost 6 and almost 9 (!yup,9) and decided not to take it. Younger one had not used a stroller in almost 2 years.

bad decision. rectified on day 2 of trip by a quick trip to wally world for a then $9.97 umbrella stroller. Both kids took turns in that thing!! It was great for the bags as well as everyone states and (please do not flame me) for making sure after waiting for over an hour in a spot for a parade, no one walked in front of my very short children!

the benefits outweigh the liabilities in my mind ever time I think on it

renting was not a financial option for us, at $18 a day or something like that (do not know the going rate but it is on these boards someplace) we could have bought a new umbrella everyday of trip! hehe

anywho, now all th eparks/resorts have that $40 one available for purchase if you want to "wait and see". I tlooked decent enough for a week or twos use?

good luck and happy vacation magic!

very very very glad I will not be bringing our own double this year. . .what a monster that was to drag around, very glad by afternoon though when older kids wanted to keep going and both of little ones would just lay back and sleep for over 2 hours shaded and comfy. . .while Mommy shopped

 

[taximomfor4]

we must be quite in the minority...Last trip, we did 8 straight park days with 12yo dd, VERY VERY SMALL for age dd8 (size of a 5yo), petite ds6, and dd (turning 4 and VERY VERY SMALL as well). We bought a Maclaren Quest, because the 3 younger kids were all still under 50 lbs, so would be under its weight limit. Well, lo and behold, we pushed an empty stroller for 8 days. Nobody rode in it, not for a minute, not one single day. It was a great place to put the diaper bag and any purchases, and water bottles. Otherwise, we pushed it for absolutely no reason. We did not train the kids, or condition them, we never go for walks. We just take the parks at a child's pace, sit and take in the ambience once in a while, etc. We didn't even go back to the hotel for a nap mid-day. We did, however, take it easy in the afternoons -- catch shows, etc.

Every child is different. We didn't have any "tired-child" meltdowns, no blisters or complaints of sore feet. It just depends on the individual child, I guess. None of my 4 have ridden in a stroller anywhere after about age 3. I don't know why not, they just don't need or want to.

Have a great time. Perhaps rent one as needed, I bet you won't need it every day.

Beth

 

[Nienor]

I'm not the only oddball. Everyone seems to be renting strollers for older kids. But mine will walk from 10 am til midnight at an amusement park from the age of 3. I guess it depends. But I enjoy not having the stroller. Especially since Disney loves to neaten them up and they are never where you left it.

 

[beattyfamily]

It can also depend on the child and what kind of touring plan they do.

My 10 year old stopped after age 6 and my younger DD stopped after age 7. Even after my 10 year old stopped, she'd whine, complain and be jealous of her younger sister having the stroller but she got by alright. She got blisters once so far.

My younger DD has always tired much easier than the rest of us. She also gets lost (in her own little world) easily so that's why she was in the stroller longer.

I'd say though that at after age 5 you could just play it by ear and rent if you have to rather than bring one. They are usually too big for regular strollers by age 6 anyway but the Disney strollers can fit bigger kids.

Disney is SO exhausting (especially in August!!) even for adults, let alone kids.

 

[Briar_Rose]

I would recommend playing it by ear and renting one if needed. Every child is different. My DD will not sit in any of her very cushy strollers for more than half an hour and she is only 17 months, and unless we are going to be out for hours we just let her walk. I can't imagine her at six. My little sister was the same way at 4 on our first trip to WDW and never used a stroller and we definately went commando for a week. Other kiddos though may tire quickly and enjoy the being pushed around. What is his personality like? How active is he?