stroller ?, anyone with all terrain types or sbs

[MCK588]

I have been reading what I can on the boards about the pros and cons of strollers. I have to bring at least a single for my 23mo but am trying to decide if I should bring a double since I also have a 4yo. He is used to riding when we go to the mall, etc just so I know where they both are but he just turned 4 and I would like to give him some independence and I know that he can handle the freedom now by not running off.

That doesn't mean he won't get tired after running around for an hour, so I want to be prepared. I can bring 2 singles, but then I think either DH or I will end up pushing an empty stroller for a large part of the day while he walks (or worse yet, he ends up on DHs shoulders and DH still has to push the empty stroller).
That is why I think bringing a double is better since one of us has to push DD anyway.

Here's my question:

I don't have the usual Graco tandem type of double. I have a side by side (SBS) called a Mountain Buggy. I could also take another double I have called Phil & Ted's E3. Does anyone have experience with bringing either one of these to WDW?

If so, which one did you bring and would you bring it again? What was your experience on trams/buses/monorails? Was it possible to navigate through crowded areas?

I would like opinions from anyone who had a sbs double with them. My MB is very narrow and can fit through any doorway (so is the E3), so that's not an issue, but I'm concerned about crowds on the parade route, etc. I wonder how easy it is to get through the crowds even with a double rental stroller? Any advice would help, this is driving me crazy!!

 

[my2tinkerbells]

When we went last year, we took a Safetech double jogger with swivle front wheel. We could not have lived without it! I searched for a while to find the right one to buy before we went, my kids were 7 and 3 then. I knew my 7 year old would not make it with out something to ride in! And the safetech ended up being cheaper to buy than to pay to rent a hard stroller for 9 days, and since I love to buy strollers, well it was a much better option, lol! I am familiar with the mountain buggy urban double (we have the urban single, love it!) Space wise, I think you will do fine, I think the safetech might be a little wider than your mb. We didn't find any door we could not fit through, and yes it is a bit heavy to lift on to the bus, we just had the driver open the back door, but for the amount of time you are on the bus or monorail, it is WELL worth it. I think you and dh would get tried of pushing 2 strollers. We also gate checked it on the airplane with no troubles at all! Good luck with your decision! Have fun at the world!

Jill
mommy to Lizzy 8, Hailey 4 and little peanut due 9-5-05

 

[MCK588]

Thanks! The Safetech is similiar, you're right. It's good to know you didn't have a problem on the plane (I am worried about that) or on the WDW transportation. Did you take the monorail? Did you have to fold it? What about during the parades? Was it helpful to have the maneuverability of the swivel wheels? Or did you have a problem getting past people? What about in the shops, etc? Were there places that even though you fit through the door, you were cramped once inside?

The kids love the MB and will sleep in it no problem so I hate to take a stroller that isn't comfortable for them just because it's inconvenient for us!

Thanks,
I'm Jill too!

 

[crazywig]

i took my e3v1 in june '04, i was pregnant then so i was only using it in singles mode. this was a test run for our january trip when i would have two kids. it was a bit of a pain on the monorail because it was fairly crowded and i couldn't always get a handicapped car. the e3 will NOT roll right onto a regular monorail car, it is too wide, dh and i would lift it over the middle handrails.

it was also a pain on the bus (although we stay at BWV and only bus to MK), as you know the fold is awkward plus you'd be taking the doubles seat off and carrying that as well.

but i did love having the air tires in WDW...so easy to push.

2 weeks ago i brought a double maclaren (instead of the e3 in doubles mode) and had no issues (roughly same width as an MB), of course it's low season. i had no trouble getting a handicapped monorail car and it's easy to fold and use on the bus. no issues getting around shops etc.

i saw several MBUD's while there, and shared a monorail car with a dad pushing one (silver! very nice). i would take that over the e3 for sure.

i was thinking if you want to take 2 strollers, get a volo for the older child and you could sling it on the back of the other stroller when he wanted to walk.

 

[MCK588]

I can't thank you enough for that info! That's exactly what I needed to here. NO matter what, I guess I would have to fold the MB to get on the monorail though if the E3 didn't fit. I've been on the monorail tons, but I guess not since I bought the MB/E3 and those things go unnoticed when it's of no concern at that moment...so I can't imagine the E3 being too wide for it. Do you have the pannier bags attached? The last time I went I brought 2 singles and it was low season so we went on the handicap monorail and that's all I have a mental image of now. The regular monorail cars must be pretty narrow.

Thanks so much!

 

[crazywig]

glad i could help! the e3 is such a rare stroller i love to respond to people asking about it (actually i just sold mine because my ds who is almost 3 hates it and won't ride in it anymore. i however love it. i consoled myself by buying a teutonia klikk for my dd ).

the MB will roll right on to a handicapped monorail car, saw it with my own eyes as i rolled right behind him with my double mac . the cars are marked and i think there are 3 on each train. ask the attendent and they'll tell you which ones.

i did have one pannier bag attached, but the problem was the wheels. they are just a tad too wide to roll right on to a regular car.

 

[my2tinkerbells]

Thanks! The Safetech is similiar, you're right. It's good to know you didn't have a problem on the plane (I am worried about that) or on the WDW transportation. Did you take the monorail? Did you have to fold it? What about during the parades? Was it helpful to have the maneuverability of the swivel wheels? Or did you have a problem getting past people? What about in the shops, etc? Were there places that even though you fit through the door, you were cramped once inside?

The kids love the MB and will sleep in it no problem so I hate to take a stroller that isn't comfortable for them just because it's inconvenient for us!

Thanks,
I'm Jill too!

Sorry it took me a while to respond...this pregnancy thing is wiping me out, lol! Anyway, we did take it on the monorail, and just folded it up, there was plenty of room in the car, we didn't even look for a handicap car it was no big deal to fold for us. The swivel front wheel was a life saver! I honestly don't know how people take fixed wheel joggers to a place like Disney, we had no trouble at all getting through the crowds, and I don't remember ever being cramped in any shops. Especially in the magic kindom on main street, they leave pleanty of room in the store to get around. I almost bought a e3 myself a few months ago, but decided on the mbus instead. I love the look of the e3, but it seems like it would be more of a pain to fold and unfold with the doubles seat on. Sometimes when that bus is there, you need to do a quick stroller fold to make the bus, lol! Hope this helps a little, if I were you I would definatly take the mb!

edited to add: with the crowd situation, we were there the first week of Feb. last year, and the crowds were non existant! We just parked the kids right up front for every parade! I mean the parks were so dead, we rode Buzz lightyear 5 times in a row with out getting off! Same thing for Kali river rapids, we could have stayed on all day, lol!

Jill
Mommy to Lizzy 8, Hailey 4 and little peanut due 9-5-05

 

[MCK588]

Thanks all! I think I will bring my MB. The kids love it so much, DH loves it so much, and for the bit of inconvenience it might be on the plane and WDW transportation, I know I'll be happy to have something the kids are comfy in and will sleep in.