Stroller for 3 and 5 year old - sit and stand?

[WooPigScientist]

Yet another stroller question - sorry! My husband and I will be going with our kids, who are 3 and 5. The 5 year old would likely be fine walking the whole time, provided we took breaks pretty often, but the 3 year old will definitely need a stroller. And once the 3 YO gets in the stroller, guess who else wants a stroller? Me! No, no, the 5 YO.

Well, me too.

After thinking about it a while, I've decided that a sit and stand stroller is probably our best option. 5 YO would likely be fine standing so he can see better anyways, if he gets tired he can sit, 3 YO can take nap in it if needed, and it's not going to be 8 feet wide. Unfortunately, we don't own one.

I'm hesitant to buy one since 3 YO is pretty close to being okay with walking at smaller locales (zoo, etc).

1. Do any of the stroller rental companies in Orlando have sit and stand strollers to rent? I've looked a bit, but haven't seen any offered. Although since there are several available to buy in the $125-150 range, maybe it makes more sense to buy even if they are offered for rent (we would need 7 days rental).

2. Any recommendations for sit and stand strollers? The kids both weigh 40ish lbs (the 3YO looks like she's 4-4.5 YO). My requirements are that it be semi-easy to fold (as easy as double strollers get anyways), easy to turn/navigate, and have some storage (not tons, enough for small backpack maybe). So, basically, the perfect stroller!

Thanks for any help! Anyone out there with similar age kiddos? What do you do?

 

[MunchkinSweetPea]

My kids are 2 and 6 and we've never used a sit and stand because when my eldest was 4 and my nephew was 2 it was a nightmare. IMO the actual stroller seat isn't designed for any child bigger than an 18 month old baby. The seats are narrow and short, not very comfortable, and the shade is a joke. We tried both graco and baby trend, and although joovy has a model with a better shade the bench on the back is still really hard and awkward for the bigger kid to ride comfortably on. It was a monster to push and although it didn't weigh a ton it was heavy enough that I wouldn't want to constantly fold/unfold it and lug it on a bus; or in and out of the car trunk either. Last year at Disney World we used a Combi Twin Sport stroller and this year we'll be using a Maclaren Twin Triumph. They hadn't hit the weight limits yet but my eldest barely sat in it so it wouldn't have made much difference anyway. Check your local children's consignment store which may have some strollers for a significantly lower price since it seems like it'll only be used for your vacation. Scrub it down, some strollers' fabric even comes off for machine washing, and you're good to go. You'll also be less worried about loss or damages if something happened to it in the parks because it won't represent a big investment.

 

[m&m_mom]

I personally don't like the sit & stand strollers. We had the Graco grow with me stroller for awhile. It worked ok when my daughter was still in the infant seat attached to the top seat and my son was 2.5/3 years old in the front seat. It is super long, like driving a bus, and really heavy. It would not be fun to fold up and carry into buses or monorails. The front seat is really short. My daughter's legs were nearly dragging on the ground by the time she was 18 months. You can not recline the front seat for the child to nap without covering the bench seat. The bench is awkward to get in and out of because the child has to duck down under the parent tray that is attached to the handle. The sun shades are barely big enough to cover their faces. The storage basket is also very difficult to get into. You have to pop the bench seat up to access everything.

My kids are 4 & 2 now. This will be our first trip to Disney so I can't say how it will work out but our plan is to rent a City Mini double (we own a single & love it) and bring a carrier or two (we still wear our kids). The City Mini is pretty narrow & light weight as far as doubles go.

 

[amandaleigh2]

I would also advise against the sit n stand for a long trip like Disney. We have one we use at home for our 2 and 6 year old for day trips to the zoo. As other posters have said, it is not super comfortable for either child, but is especially uncomfortable for the child sitting on the bench seat in the back. We rented a Citi Mini Double last year when we went to Disney and will be renting one for upcoming trip in January. I would highly suggest renting it for your 3 and 5 year old over the sit n stand.

 

[WooPigScientist]

Thanks for the replies! Sounds like a sit and stand might not be my best option after all. Sigh. It seemed like a good idea! Looks like renting a double is probably the way we'll go.

Anyone tried the Summit X3 Double (or similar style) from Orlando Stroller Rental? Seems like a lot of folks really like the City Minis, but hubby has it stuck in his head that the bigger wheels are best (and they may be, I haven't tried one) and since he's the one likely pushing it, he'll probably pick that one!

 

[buzznina]

Our DDs and us love our BabyTrend sit-n-stand and we could not imagine not having it with us when we went to WDW. Our oldest DD did not have any complaints when getting in and sitting and it gave her some rest while we could keep moving. We bought a used one off craigslist and it was a great investment for us. I have no issues folding it up and taking it on the buses, but I have seen soooo many parents wait until their right in front of the bus door to start and fold the stroller up Of course it's going to be heavier then a regular stroller, but we do not have any issues pushing it in the parks. I guess different strokes for different folks

 

[andiraye]

I would skip the sit and stand and rent a double instead. We live in Manhattan so basically our whole life is like WDW in the sense that we walk everywhere, miles everyday. We had a boogie board for a while and if my older one was tired enough to ride he inevitably sat down on the boogie board.

I also found that when kids get tired at WDW they get TIRED and they need a real rest. The ability to have them take the rest while moving from place to place kept them in a much better mood and made our whole trip smoother. WDW is a big place and it can be exhausting. Anything that helps kids not burn out makes the trip better for everyone.

 

[ainmemphis]

Another vote No for the sit n stand. It is just not fun to push with all that weight so awkward! I'd get a double jogger they are so much easier to push and much more comfortable for both kids, they can even nap in them! I have a 2 year old and 6 year old and they usually take turns in the single jogger but this year I am looking into renting a double as the 2 year old is too big for the backpack carrier we have used previously and I know they will both need a break!

 

[Kelly014]

We really like the sit and stand. I know it will be harder to push, our trip last year was just with our then four year old in a umbrella stroller, but it's the best option for us. This year DD is 5 and DS is 8 months. DD wouldn't nap in the stroller anyway so we didn't really need the double, and I was worried DS would be napping and DD getting in and out would wake him (we tested one at BRU). If you have heavier kids (both my kids are under 25% weight for their age so it's a bit easier to push) or if your younger one is older it probably wouldn't work as well, the front seat really isn't huge. But if you have one younger one (probably under 2) and the older one won't nap in strollers then it may work better. For the record DD loves the sit and stand, she doesn't have any issue climbing in and out and thinks the seat is comfortable.

 

[wed100105]

I loved my Joovy Ultralight Caboose. If recommend it in a heartbeat!

 

[Stubbzilla]

We've taken our Joovy Ergo three times and it's been really great, I have really preferred it over a side by side. Now that my youngest are 5 and 3, I think I'm just taking our Britax (really similar to a single City Miny) and a Volo. I'm also taking a ringsling to be able to easily carry my 3yo if she falls asleep at a random time and we all want to go somewhere that a stroller can't go.

 

[ilovefh]

I'll echo others and say that for us, we don't like the sit and stands.

DS is 4.5 but has some special needs and is prone to some serious meltdowns. After the new baby is born I'll be taking both of them alone every now and again. We needed something that would enable me to buckle him in if he melts down. We tried out a sit and stand both in the store and used our friends. Even though DS is short for his age his legs are long enough that his feet drag on the ground. Plus they're also harder to maneuver.

I'd definitely rent something instead of buying if you won't use it regularly at home.

 

[Dominion]

I went 2 years ago with my 3 and 6 year olds and rented a Citi Mini Double GT. My brother brought his 4 and 7 year olds and his sit and stand. He abandoned it by the 3rd day because it was such a pain to push around. The side by side with the rubber tires is so much easier to push around the parks. Ours was so easy to use and worth every penny to rent it for the week!

 

[quagmire0]

I would *strongly* vote against a sit 'n stand. When both kids are in it, it is an absolute BEAST to move. I highly recommend going with one of the double jogging strollers that various companies (We've used Kingdom, and would recommend) rent out. They'll deliver to and pick up from your resort (even off-site). The double is wide, but I find it MUCH easier to maneuver than when we brought our Sit 'N Stand.

 

[unrequited23]

I love my Joovy Ultralight Caboose too! My 3.5 yr old has fallen asleep on the back bench while his 1 yr old brother was munching fish crackers at the zoo. It is about 10 lbs lighter and folds smaller than a lot of the sit and stands on the market. I can steer one handed with both kids in it on level ground. All of that praise aside, I would probably just rent a double stroller unless I found an awesome deal on craigslist.

 

[ellecg]

When mine were 3 and 5 we knew that the 5 year old would demand some stroller time if he didn't get one. So we picked up two cheap walmart umbrella strollers--and that was the best purchase. Your 5 year old may be too old for strollers under normal circumstances, but we had the best results with our child in the stroller as we navigated large crowds or were trying to get from point A to point B quickly. You can always leave the stroller parked in the large stroller parking areas for an hour or two while you do some rides and then take it to another area as you move along. With the inexpensive stroller I wasn't going to be too upset if it got stolen/damaged/etc and was the same price as renting one stroller for one day.

 

[celina14]

We own a city mini double Gt and it's an awesome stroller. My kids are 1 & 4 and combined weigh 65 lbs but this stroller drives so nice and is so easy to push. It is a little heavy which is the only downfall. But it's not super wide, it fits through a standard doorway. The kids are comfy in it, the sun shades are pretty generous and we can fit enough in the basket. I highly recommend it!

 

[Chelle's Belles]

Sounds like you've already decided, but like the PP, my recommendation is two smaller umbrella strollers. I just like the extra maneuverability of being able to wiggle single-file through crowds.