Stroller for 4 and 6 year old?

[WELUVDISNEY4]

Hello everyone!
I have enjoyed reading all of the informative posts, but now I need some help. We are traveling to Disney in September (5th trip) but the difference this year is that my children will be 4 and 6 and too big for the strollers we have. Their little legs will not be able to make it all day, does anyone have any suggestions, other than renting the strollers at the parks (the lines to return them are always so long at the end of the day )
Thanks!

 

[Perditamarie]

Hello and welcome to the Dis!!! Finding the right stroller is always a dilemma!! Check out the Maclarens. They are umbrella strollers, fold up small, push great, even w/heavy kids and it holds up to 55 lbs. If you can, take a test drive to see which model has the right fit to ensure the seat is deep enough and there is enough leg room. They have singles and doubles. Also, a sit and stand type model may work for you, but I find them hard to steer and heavy. Please post your resolution!

 

[WELUVDISNEY4]

Thanks so much for the info!!! I will definitely check them out and post my opinion.
Thanks again!!!

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

We just returned from a week at WDW and rented a double for our almost 4 and almost 7 year olds. It was the best for us, no doubt about it. We bought all of the days that we needed on our first day so that we could just pick up after that. The lines to return at the end of the day were non-existent and never an issue. We barely broke stride leaving them off at the rental place. Sure, it cost more than buying a stroller, but the rental was so, so easy to navigate and push with two older kids in it. Just our experience.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hello everyone!
I have enjoyed reading all of the informative posts, but now I need some help. We are traveling to Disney in September (5th trip) but the difference this year is that my children will be 4 and 6 and too big for the strollers we have. Their little legs will not be able to make it all day, ...

So why not take some breaks so you don't put their little legs to that test? Heck, my legs have a problem going all day long, too, and I'm sure I'm a lot older than they are. Go at their pace, take a break back at your resort (swim/nap) and then go back to the park for a little more fun.

 

[wen774]

My kids are the same age and we rent a double at the park. We've never had a line to return them at the end of ther day and on occasion we just passed the stroller off to a family on their way in since we prepaid for the rental for the whole trip. I would rather pay the money that have to deal with getting strollers on the bus!

 

[italianfamilia]

We just returned from a week at WDW and rented a double for our almost 4 and almost 7 year olds. It was the best for us, no doubt about it. We bought all of the days that we needed on our first day so that we could just pick up after that. The lines to return at the end of the day were non-existent and never an issue. We barely broke stride leaving them off at the rental place. Sure, it cost more than buying a stroller, but the rental was so, so easy to navigate and push with two older kids in it. Just our experience.

I have decided to rent, crossing my fingers they don't run out of strollers when we go to each park. The cost of a maclaren double, which is really the only one that can work with the size of my kids 6 (60) and 4 (40) I don't see how spending 250 on a stroller that might not get used too much at home compared to multi-day rentals of 65. I'm on board for the rentals! YEAH. One less thing now that I don't have to stress about. Did see a great tip on getting S hooks to hold water bottles, bags, etc. and not risking too much of the stroller tipping over when they are out. Just have to hold it when they get out to make sure it doesn't tip.

 

[mama4]

I have decided to rent, crossing my fingers they don't run out of strollers when we go to each park. The cost of a maclaren double, which is really the only one that can work with the size of my kids 6 (60) and 4 (40) I don't see how spending 250 on a stroller that might not get used too much at home compared to multi-day rentals of 65. I'm on board for the rentals! YEAH. One less thing now that I don't have to stress about. Did see a great tip on getting S hooks to hold water bottles, bags, etc. and not risking too much of the stroller tipping over when they are out. Just have to hold it when they get out to make sure it doesn't tip.

I recently noticed on Busch Gardens website that you can pre-order rental strollers by the day or week. I wonder if there is any way to do this at Disney??

I agree with renting for kids that age. I know OP said not interested in renting but I wish you'd rethink that. I've used their rentals several times and never had a problem with lines when returning them. I would just love to not have to deal with the stroller on the buses- but since dd is still a baby, I won't be stroller free for the next few trips. I will always rent for my boys though (now 3 and 5)

 

[belle&beast]

My kids will be similar ages for our trip this winter and I just puchased a Combi side by side at a consignment sale. We tried it at the mall and it was great! The stroller is originally around $300 and we paid $75, so it will be well worth it! We thought about renting, but I'm sure we will need it at the resort after a long day, there is no guarantee our room will be close to the bus stop. I also thought about a sit and stand, but this way they each have their own seat and both recline individually. It seems to be a great stroller!

 

[CampbellScot]

My step kids will be 8 and 5 on our August trip and we are definitely renting a stroller. Both my step kids are very athletic, would rather run than walk...little energizer bunnies, but the Florida heat and humidity zaps the energy right out of them. They are always thankful for a shaded place to ride after an hour or two. Sometimes we start the day out walking, other times we get a stroller right away. The kids always do better and have more fun when we have a stroller.

don't worry about their age or their size. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them being in a stroller at Disneyworld! (were we clocked AT LEAST 9 miles daily..that is a lot of walking for anyone!)

 

[tonyolily]

We used to bring our stroller from home, but now that my DS is 5, he's too big for the umbrella stroller, yet gets tired from the heat & walking all day.

Disney's Strollers are perfect for what we need. They are big enough to seat him and our backpack and they roll really smoothly. (Well, at least they did the last time we were there!)

The parks are huge! You can't expect a child to keep up with a grown up's pace all day long.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...The parks are huge! You can't expect a child to keep up with a grown up's pace all day long.

You are exactly right. That's why adults need to move at the kids' pace instead of their own pace. You'll have a much better time.

 

[Vovoa]

We visited Disney last November. Three grandkids - one two year old and two four year olds. I went to kids r us and bought three umbrella strollers (cheap - $12.00 each). Park strollers are nice but if the kid falls asleep, carrying a four year old from the park to the monorail or bus and then waiting in line can be tough - especially on a fat old gramma like me! Anyway, because the strollers were so inexpensive I just left them at the hotel - as a matter of fact, when the bellman came to pick up our luggage and saw them, he asked if I would mind if he took them as he had several grandkids that could use them. Worked out great.

 

[dhardawa]

I think you might be surprised. My daughter had just turned 4 the first time we took her to DW. I took a stroller the first day or two thinking she would wear out. HA! At the end of the day we were dragging and she was bouncing all over the place from excitement. After the first few days, I stopped dragging the stroller in and she was fine. We went again when she was 6 and a stroller was the last thing on my mind.

 

[auntie]

My kids were 4 and 7 for one trip..and we figured we might need the umbrella stroller(hard back) for the little guy. Only it was my then 7 year old daughter who used it more than he did! What can I say...she had no shame. Didn't care one bit if she was tired, she gladly would sit and be pushed. I would definetly take one..it won't go to waste. Maybe someone has one you could borrow if you don't want the expense at this point. Coming back from a long day at the parks..one of them is going to want to use it.

 

[U2_rocks!]

We don't own a stroller anymore, so we were going to try and do without one. We tried 2 days, but they were so tired by the time we left the park (after just 4 - 5 hours) that we had to practically carry the younger ones to the car! Then we tried renting one because it was going to be a late evening (fireworks), and it allowed the kids to take turns being off their feet for a while. We found there was a big difference in the kids' stamina when we had a stoller, especially when the adrenaline that was there at the start of the trip started wearing off. We were so grateful for the rental double stroller!

I thought the stroller was going to be a pain to collect, park, maneuver etc., but it really wasn't.

I would have brought from home if I had had one, though, because there was still a lot of walking from the stroller return to the car (or tram). But we don't need one at home, and I liked the rental ones anyway - very sturdy, very easy to push. In the end the cost of the rental was approximately the cost of a good double stroller from a store. I wouldn't have bought a cheap double umbrella stroller - I hate to push those things, and they just would have driven me crazy! In hindsight I could have bought a good double stroller and sold it after the trip, but I wasn't really thinking that all the way through. I thought our kids would be OK without the stroller most of the time .... until the weather got hotter and we discovered just how great the stroller was when the kids were sapped!!

 

[badblackpug]

None of my kids EVER used a stroller after the age of 3, in WDW or otherwise. I am pretty sure I am more tired than the kids after a day in the parks. The only complaining I ever heard from them about tired feet/legs was on the was to the bus stop. They never even noticed being tired until faced with leaving the park! I definitely wouldn't buy a stroller. I would rent one, but only if needed.

 

[kinntj]

My 2 will be 4 and 6 when we go next spring and we plan on renting when needed. I figure with taking breaks to eat and in between rides, that would be enough for them. We also plan on taking afternoon breaks at the room/pool to relax before going to a different park/resort for dinner.

I just hate the thought of hauling a stroller around when we don't use it here at home.

 

[Along4theRide]

We've decided to rent too. Mine will be 6 and 4 too, and I know they can't walk that whole way. Heck my (almost) 4 yr old asks to be picked up if we're just walking into the store!!