stroller dilemma

[pwoodham]

I want to be on the design team for that big stroller, too. How about this - we'll just make one or two and pass them around for each of us to use the week we're in WDW?

My 7yob is SOOOOOOO SLOWWWWWWW we'd be waiting for him everywhere (my 4yob is much faster) and losing him alot, so I'm planning to rent a stroller for him and a double for my 4yob and his 5yo cousin.

I looked (hard!) for a double stroller that was affordable, would hold over 40 lbs in each seat, remained easy to push with a somewhat uneven load (cousin is about 15 lbs lighter than my 4yob), and that we could get on and off buses, boats, airplanes, etc. without taking completely apart. No luck. If someone has such a thing, please let me know.

An expensive (>$300) jogging stroller looked like the best fit, but how do you get those things into a bus? And where do you get enough $$$ to afford one for a week's worth of use?? Even if I could sell it and get 1/2 my money back, it's still cheaper to rent (we're only there 7 days).

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Hay Themeparkcommando, we were there for the Praise weekend and are going for Mother's day weekend too. Too bad Disney isn't as close as SDC is. I love a good theme park!

 

[skeezixspud]

... and I was really just being whimsical, I wasn't really thinking about setting up shop with a fleet of Major Buggies! (Though I didn't know AAK had them available; that's interesting news.)

As to a large double stroller that will hold over 40 lbs. each seat and still fit on a bus, yes, there is one. It is the Kelty Deuce Coupe, and it doesn't come cheap. REI sells it for $400. (To my knowledge, this and Kelty's single model, the Joyrider, are the only big jogging strollers on the market with umbrella-fold handles. Here is a link if you are curious: http://www.kelty.com/index.cfm?section=Kids ) I've tested the fold, it's amazingly compact. Also, Kelty's webpage doesn't mention it, but they do recline.

I think if I really were going to set up a service like that, it would have to be in a place like Orlando, where there was significant demand for such an unusual product. Let's see, I could probably get a quantity discount on Kelty if I bought enough of them.

 

[RHarnish]

Originally posted by pwoodham
I want to be on the design team for that big stroller, too. How about this - we'll just make one or two and pass them around for each of us to use the week we're in WDW?

Hey I love this idea...now, how do we get them to each other...leaving it under the train depot with a sign saying next use : June 9-18 , The Harnish Family, might cause a few problems....

Berta

 

[skeezixspud]

"Disney Vacation Stroller Club" of course!

We pro-rate the cost of a collection of strollers, then sell usage points. There will also have to be an annual maintainance fee, of course, to cover repairs and storage.

Now, we just need someone in Orlando to be our onsite manager!

 

[Erikarate]

That is hysterical!!! You guys make me laugh.

 

[RHarnish]

You're not going to believe this...but I actually also thought of having the Vacation Club add this perk...Deluxe Stroller Rental!!!! We could trade points...and make reservations when arranging our stays...

I'm thinking its not that far from the realm of reality...maybe we really should propose it!

Berta

 

[Ratpack]

We are staying at CBR in July and taking stroller for DD4, any problems getting stroller on bus to parks? It is not an umbrella, but a regular that folds in half.

 

[RHarnish]

Originally posted by Ratpack
We are staying at CBR in July and taking stroller for DD4, any problems getting stroller on bus to parks? It is not an umbrella, but a regular that folds in half.

Our stroller also collapes in half also. You shouldn't have any problem. I have found it useful to collapse it before the bus arrives, rather than wait until its pulling into the bus stop.

Have a great time!
Berta

 

[FFerret]

Ok, this may be silly, but--

We're probably going to stay off site and have this huge double stroller that can be folded in half--barely--

When we park at Disney don't you have to take a tram or something into the parks? Anybody had any trouble getting their stroller on the tram?

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by FFerret
Ok, this may be silly, but--

We're probably going to stay off site and have this huge double stroller that can be folded in half--barely--

When we park at Disney don't you have to take a tram or something into the parks? Anybody had any trouble getting their stroller on the tram?

Yes - you have to fold the stroller very small to fit on the tram. IMHO its more difficult to get the stroller on/off the tram than it was the bus or monorail - and we have a small single stroller!

The other option is to walk rather than take the tram but depending on how busy the park is and which park you visit that could be a VERY long walk.

TJ

 

[FFerret]

I see--thanks, TJ! We're going in December so hopefully it won't be that bad to just walk. So just how bad is it from the lots to MK, MGM, and AK? Considering how much we'll be hiking in the parks anyways I probably shouldn't even be fretting over this! I just can't pay 12 for 5 days when we already have a stroller...

 

[sunnymommy2]

I wouldn't bring a stroller. If needed, you can always rent one.

Just my vote.

 

[skeezixspud]

We've done it in the middle of the day when it seemed the trams were not running at good intervals. We've also walked over from the Contemporary, and walking from there seemed shorter to me than walking from the second section of the MK lot.

The MK lot is HUGE, and most of the closer-in section is reserved for off-site hotel busses. There is a drop-off site near the Poly, and I suppose if the stroller is really THAT big, you could drop off one adult to walk up with the stroller while the other parked the car and rode the tram up with the kids.

 

[tjmw2727]

Quite far actually, we have usualy found decent parking at Epcot but never at MK. The AK parking lot is HUGE and they park it in such a way that we always have a far hike or tram ride. I don't know if there are "drop off lanes" perhaps one adult can drop of the other with kiddos and stroller and then park and hop on the tram? I don't remember how old your children are but perhaps you can consider a single to share or the park rentals. FWIW we did well with the park rentals and I found them easy to push. The good thing about the park strollers were when my dd was about three she could hop in & out easily at each attraction etc. wdiwg.com has a great section on the rentals and the pros/cons on bringing vs renting.
Have fun
TJ

 

[barbnbrian]

Well my girls are almost 6 and 8 years old and I'm taking a double umbrella stroller I picked up at a tag sale for $5 bucks!! I'd rather spend the $14 a day for a double at Disney on extra treats for the kids. This stroller has a canopy and a big basket and is in great shape. I couldn't pass it up. I don't care if it gets trashed or even if I decide not to even bother to bring it back home, I might just leave it there for only costing me $5.00!!!! The only place I use a stroller for my girls is at Disney. I don't want to have to deal with the whining and in the July heat, they'll be happy to be pushed around the park. Plus I get even more exercise!

 

[BounceyOne]

I guess I am the minority here, my children are 1 1and 3. The 11 you hasn't had a stroller since he was 2 and my 3 you hasn't either. Even at WDW. The exceptopn being if we are going to epcot at night. If we are doing the world showcase in the Pm I will rent one for her, if not she has done WDW the past 3 trips with no stroller
In the MK I find a stroller more of a hinderance than a help. Just my opinion.