stroller for 4/5 yr old ok? opinions?

[daisylove]

Hi guys
My DD is almost five. (she will turn in Disney in 10 days! Yea!) She is also tall for her age so everyone thinks she is older. I always bring a stroller for her in the parks. Yes her knoees stick out and she really could walk but she is still a kid and gets tired. I find with the crowds and etc that it isn't just a tired kid thing but a safety thing as well. I intend to bring a stroller for her until she just doesn't fit anymore. Is this wrong. I hear people muttering about strollers are only for babies and how bad it is to have one for her. Am I missing something? I am always a careful driver and close it up and prepare ahead of time for busses so no one is ever made to wait for us. What do you think?



9 days until Disney World!!!!

 

[sam1971]

You know your child best... take the stroller if you think you'll need it.

I'm just back from WDW with my 3 year old DD. With the amount of walking we did, the stroller was a necessity. The heat also made her tired. And no matter how young or old people are, a nap can sometimes be needed.

One thing I would mention though, and this is only my opinion - the rented strollers might be best for older kids. As you say, your DDs knees stick out of your stroller ... but the rented strollers seem bigger and longer to me. It might be more comfortable for her to take a break in.

Have a great time!

 

[llp479]

Take your stroller. DD will be 7 in April and we're taking her stroller for one last trip. DH is 6'2", I'm 5'8", and her twin sisters are just about 5', her little legs just can't keep up! Heck, half the time I'm walking 2 steps behind DH. Plus, I can no longer carry her. It also makes a handy place to keep the water bottles and various things.

Have a great trip!

 

[sbrown]

I don't like the hassle of getting your own stroller on the busses - if you are using them. My 3 yr old walks unless we're in the parks - then we rent one, and I will continue to do that until she's at least 5 or 6 - there's a lot of walking for little legs. I would recommend just to rent as needed, but you know your daughter best, and if she needs one other than when you're at the parks, I would bring your own.

 

[tjmw2727]

I agree with the others that you know your family, child and park touring stye best and if the stroller works for you go for it!

The only thing I might add is that by 5 my youngest really only needed the stroller for the parks and primarily at the end of the day. So rentals worked best for us after about age 4. I found it great not to have to deal with the stroller on the bus and the rentals easy to push and more comfy for a bigger child. The added plus is not having to worry about keeping it dry as you could easily wipe off or exchange for a dry one.

We would usually start the morning off without a stroller - and pick one up after lunch or early evening when her legs started to tire. Fantasyland IMHO is so much faster without having to worry about backtracking and parking the stroller.

Epcot and AK are the parks we were most likely to rent the stroller as well as an evening at MGM.

HTH
TJ

eta - its also nice to have during parades and fireworks etc.!

 

[disney4evr]

I would agree. My DD was 6 when we were there last year and I got her a stroller (rented). It was perfect. I always knew where she was and if her legs got tired she had a place to sit and we could keep moving. I would definately recommend the stroller, maybe renting one, they are a little bit bigger and her legs could stretch out better. Either way do the stroller and have a great time.

 

[HappyMommy2]

Do whatever you think will work best for your family. Just be courteous with your stroller, as I can tell you are.

I think some people who see older kids in strollers at WDW automatically assume that those kids also ride in strollers all the time at home. My friend was pushing her 5-year-old in a stroller at WDW and a man said loudly, "No wonder kids are so fat these days--they ride around in strollers all the time till they're teenagers!" Of course this 5-year-old rarely, if ever, rode in a stroller at home (nor was she overweight, BTW), but a week at WDW in the summertime is an extreme experience physically and her little legs needed a break!

Have a great trip!

 

[Hillbeans]

Happymommy2, wow, that was a very rude thing that person said. I had my just turned 3 YO in a stroller for parts of our trip and he got so much exercise this trip, probably even more than he would at home since we had snow on the ground.

Many of the rides are "exercise" for a 3,4,5 YO and making them walk on top of that is insane. People like that obviously don't have kids and should mind their business.

 

[dmonroe]

Our oldest ds will be 5 1/2 for our next trip, and I'm taking the stroller! He hasn't ridden in a stroller at home since before he was 3; but WDW is a different story. That is a lot of walking for little legs! Last December he did walk in Sea World, and by the end of the day he wanted to be carried. We'll just keep strolling him until he can walk the parks without getting so tired that it takes away from the "magic"!

 

[laughinplace199]

I would bring the stroller. You are obviously very considerate of others (careful driving, folding your stroller up ahead of time, etc.). If you feel that your DD will need the stroller, you should bring it.

Our DD will be one month shy of her 5th birthday when we go to WDW in May. If she still fits in the umbrella stroller (she's on the small side), we will bring it with us. If she is too big for it, we will rent a stroller in the parks. There is so much walking to do in the parks. Little legs need a rest sometimes. Also, I like knowing exactly where she is as we're walking through the parks. It's hard to get lost when you're strapped into a stroller!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do and happy Bday to your DD!

 

[daisylove]

Thanks everyone. I am going to take the stroller this time and until she grows out of it. So "nah" to those who mumble. Between her well being, safety and my back (for when she would want me to carry her for miles to the bus stop) I am decided. Thanks again!

 

[chrisn]

That's too many steps for those short little legs! My DS was 5 1/2 last year and "rode" the entire time. I had a comment made to me too. "isn't he a little old to be riding in a stroller?" I just replied "would you like to carry him?". We are park commandos. Arrive 45 minutes before opeing and close the place down. We don't leave for pool breaks or naps so he needs this. As a matter of fact, I am renting a WDW stroller for him next February and he'll be 7 1/2. I've seen a lot bigger kids riding in them too. I don't care what others think as long as he's happy and I'm ok with it all is right with the world.

 

[cyiland]

The Unofficial Guide to Disney probably sums up most of the opinions expressed here. They basically say to rent a stroller for any child that can still physically fit into one. My 6 yr old daughter was 4 last time we went. She isn't the least bit self-conscious about the stroller this time. She KNOWS how far we went, and how TIRED she was at the end of the day, and SHE wasn't even WALKING that much. I'm SURE I'll have a pointed comeback to anyone who decides to offer their opinion on our decision to use a stroller! (I'll hope not to run into anyone so bold, though...).

 

[lentesta]

Daisylove, unless those muttering folks are willing to lug your DD around Frontierland, ignore them. I brought a stroller for my DD5.5 this past January and wouldn't even dream of doing otherwise. Heck, she can ride in that thing as long as she fits.

BTW, the stroller we got specifically for Disney was a Maclaren Volo (in iris - it matches her eyes ). It's an umbrella-type with a mesh seat. It weighs around seven pounds and has a nice carrying strap, folds quickly, too, and is durable. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

Hope this helps!

Sincerley,

Len

 

[wdwnutze]

I rented a stroller for my dd a month after she turned 5. She started out saying she was too old for a stroller and didn't want to ride in one but after a while she gave in. She never rides in a stroller at home but the amount of walking at WDW is too much for the little legs. I really don't care what other people think of my dd in a stroller. They aren't the ones dealing with her or having to carry her. Do what is right for your family and your child. Have a great time.

 

[Desnik]

On our trip this past Nov. DD was 5yrs almost 6yo. My DS was 8mo and I had his stroller. I didn't even think of having one for DD. Well, let's just say thank God I had the Baby Bjorn for my son! At night DD was so tired and never made it back to our resort awake! We usually went to Epcot at night to watch Illuminations. We would then walk back to our resort, BWV. She would be dosing at Epcot. Also, it was a seat for her to watch Illuminations. The baby fell asleep on me and DD in the stroller! She fit perfectly too! She is petite, but the stroller was great. It is a Peg Perego Pliko, love it!

So if you feel your DD needs one, go for it. On lookers aren't going to offer to carry your sleeping child for you so who cares what they think!LOL!!!!!

 

[momof3disneyholics]

my son is seven and we always rent a stroller for him, because that much walking is just so hard on little feet.

 

[carone0318]

Just wanted to add that when we went last year in May we brought a stroller for our dd (6), she turned (7) in Sept. This Aug/Sept trip will be her first trip without a stroller and the one who is not happy about it is her, she will just be shy of (8). She doesn't want to walk. Realize that my dd is a half-pint, she is 47.5" and weighs 42lbs, so she is smaller than some 5 yr olds. If I had a stroller that could accomodate her still, I would bring it. Disney is different, it's not like home. Besides, I don't want to hear her whine the whole time because she is tired See deep down the stroller really would be for me, not her, but I'd never tell her that!!

 

[BevS97]

we did the same as Desnik -took the stroller for the baby, and had the 6 year old walk - late in the evening the baby went in the sling, and the 6year old in the stroller.

i don't thing a rental would have worked for us, the main time we needed the stroller was after we left the park, she had tons of energy in the park, but as soon as we left, she just collapsed and slept all the way back to the hotel

 

[KevinFSU]

Our youngest (she'll be 6 in June) hasn't used a stroller in a long time. I miss mine being that small, but one thing I don't miss is the stroller.

Rides are exercise??? Come on now..........