Stroller and parking lot trams

[bangzoom6877]

In which parking lots is it impossible to avoid taking a tram from the car to the main entrance? We will have 2 small kids with us and will have the double stroller (a side by side double rented from A Baby's Best Friend). I have read that at MK, it is near impossible to avoid the tram unless you get there super early for extra magic hour. Problem is, we are doing MK twice during our trip, and the first time is the day of arrival. We will be in Boca Raton before going to WDW, so it is about a 3-hour drive. With leaving early in the morning right after breakfast, checking into the hotel and quickly picking up our tickets (I assume I will not be able to get into the room until we return from MK since it will be earlier than 3PM when we get there), I anticipate getting to MK around lunchtime (noon-ish or hopefully a little earlier). How bad is it taking a stroller onto the tram? The plan is to have lunch at MK, walk around and enjoy some of the attractions, see the afternoon parade, have an early dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern, and go back to the room to go to bed early and start the next day early. ON our second day at MK, we will go early, take a nap break in the afternoon and return for dinner at Crystal Palace and the SpectroMagic parade.

Questions...as I asked above, how bad is it to take a stroller onto the tram with 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 1 and 3)? Is the tram from the lot to the main entrance very crowded around noon? Is there usually a long wait (either from lot to entrance or vice versa...coming back would be after dinner, like 7 or so)? On the day we arrive early for extra magic hour, how likely is it to find a spot where we could walk instead of take the tram? How long is the tram ride?

Now, at the other parks, what is the situation? We will be getting to The Studios early since I am going to try and make and ADR for the Hollywood & Vine breakfast for the earliest possible time to get an early start. For EPCOT and AK, we plan to go for the extra magic hour early in the morning. We will be staying at the POP Century hotel. What is the most likely parking situation for us at these other parks very early in the morning? Have to take a tram or just walk? Don't mind walking at all, since the kids can ride comfortable in the stroller so we can walk faster, plus DH and I are in good shape anyway and love to walk. Not planning to utilize the Disney transportation because we will have little ones with us and in a pinch, we can leave the park and drive to the hotel much quicker (IMHO) if we just drive and park at the theme parks, not having to wait 15 or 20 minutes first for a bus.

One more thing...we are going in the middle of July, yes I know, the hottest part of the year in Florida...but we are teachers and our big one is in pre-school, so we have no choice but to go in the summer if we want to do what we are doing (driving down from NYC to visit family in Boca Raton then go to Disney...2 week trip total). Wanna take our time, not rush it and then go right back to work. So that will give you experts out there an idea of the crowd I can expect that time of year (I am anticipating it to be super-crowded, though probably not as crowded as Christmas week I would think).

Any info would be appreciated!

 

[becca011906]

we have packed around 3 differant types of stollers on trams... not to big of a deal... first time i had my almost 3 1/2 year old and my 18 month old and i was 5 months pregnant... i was incharge of the two kids and dh was in charge of the backpack, stroller, and cameras. be sure it's folded up before the tram pulls up, be sure you can get it to fold fast... walk out of the way of the trams before trying to unfold, reload, ect.
At noon i don't see the trams being to crowded at all, in the early morning in July it probably will be. now after you ride the tram at MK then you have to take the ferry boat or monirail to the MK park....usally you don't have the fold the strollers up on either, i've never been asked to anyways. but i think somtimes you could be asked on the monarail to make more room... not sure.

 

[rk5798]

We never ride the trams. This will be our 3rd time going with children(1st time using a double stroller) and we have always managed. It can be a pain at the MK but we just put it in our minds that we are going to have a long walk and if we get parked in one of the closer lots, then it is a bonus. We just don't like fighting the crowds pushing as fast as possible to get on while also trying to get kids and the folded up stroller on. That is a bigger pain to us. We do usually arrive early(before 10AM) just because the crowds are so large this time of the year. But just know that it can be done, and like I said, we have never used the trams at any park(even last year when I was 6 mos. pregnant). So when you see the crazy people walking from the back of the MK lot, that will be us. Give us a wave!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Thanks for the advice! I have no problem walking. Neither does my hubby. Kind of sounds like when you go to a concert but do not have the VIP parking pass, and so you have to park in the lot that's basically in a different zip code than the concert! Anyway I have done that and survived. Sounds similar.

LOL, we will probably be the ones walking right next to you from the back of the lot!

 

[LISAVWL]

that's us too! In 7 trips to WDW with the youngest kids (& strollers) we've never folded up the strollers to take the trams from the parking lots to the entrance at the parks. I really don't mind the walking -- it's much better than fighting to get on the tram with little ones, bags and strollers!

 

[bangzoom6877]

Okay, so I can walk to the monorail or boat and wheel the stroller right on? That would be so convenient and the kids would probably get a kick out of the monorail and boat. Do I have a choice of which one to take, or will a CM tell me where to go? Since we are doing MK two days I would love to do the monorail one day and the bolat the other day.

 

[becca011906]

oh you can take which ever you please!!! take one there and one back !!!

 

[MSSANDRA]

I would at lease try the bus service from POP. We have found it to be the best of any resort we have stayed at and have never waited more than 5-10 min. for a bus. The advantages are being dropped off quite close to the parks, as well as exiting the parks mid-day and getting on a cool bus rather that a hot car with hot car seats that you have to get sleeping/ hot children into. Perhaps try driving in the am, then try taking the bus back for your noon rest and then drive back at night to at least avoid the hottest part of the day in the car.

 

[bangzoom6877]

MSSANDRA: That might be a good idea. The only thing is, I think it would be really hard to bring 2 sleepy little ones (ages 1 and 3) onto a bus with a folded up double stroller, then have to walk back to the room at the POP. So I am not sure. I know the car will be hot, but having the car with us just makes me feel like we can leave the park more at a moment's notice if the kids need to leave the park for a rest before we planned on it. Since they are so little, we are playing everything by ear except for ADRs, one TS restaurant a day. I think even with the heat that the car would be more comfy for them.

I like the idea of taking the monorail to MK and the boat ride back to the lot. Sounds great to do each one! On which one do they give you fewer problems with wheeling the stroller right on, the monorail or the boat? Just curious.

Thanks again,
Bonnie

 

[becca011906]

I agree with Bonnie on that as well, we won't be taking busses b/c of the POR reports saying how long waits can be... We also HATE the idea of being w/o our car! Although we are going early march so last year our car wasnt' so hot by night time when we left, but in July mostlikely it still will be HOT! But still start it up it won't take any time at all to cool it off.

 

[rk5798]

I have never had any issues at all with taking the stroller on the boats or the monorail. You really should have no problem. You just take whichever mode of transportation that you want to get to the parks. You decide but most people take the monorails because they are straight ahead of you when you go through the gate after where you buy tickets. You don't actually give your tickets until after your ride on the monorail or boat, so don't panic when go through the first set of gates.

 

[jessica52877]

We have ridden the tram and walked with a stroller and all the stuff. Neither is easier for us, just depends on what we feel like doing. It is not a big deal to get on the tram with a stroller, one person gets the kids, the other the stroller and bag, I set the stroller on my lap.

Same with the monorail, done both, monorail is much more better in the middle of the afternoon, on that I usually fold up the stroller to give others plenty of room.

I just make sure all strollers are folded ahead of time.

 

[dis-happy]

I just scanned the responses, so not sure if someone mentioned this or not:

if you don't want to deal with the tram and double stroller at MK, have your dh drop you off at the drop-off point. You follow the resort loop around the parking lot, look for it on the right where all the taxi's are. It's a short stroll to the monorail from there and you can meet up w/ your dh after he parks the car and takes the tram. We use this method at least once every trip.