Stroller for 5 and 3/4 son? Sorry, I know this comes up a ton...

[FirstDown]

Hi All, he hasn't used one in years, so we would have to buy one at a consignment store or rent one there. We are going in April, but will not be doing any rope drop to close days. Has anyone's child ever done OK this age without one?

Also, I've heard about a Facebook group where strollers and such are posted for donation after someone's trip is over. Anyone familiar?

Thanks!

 

[maxiesmom]

You know your son best. Is he ok being on his feet and walking for hours at a time? Are you going to go at a slower pace, or are you going to try and see as much as you can cram in? How many days in a row will you be in the parks? All of these things make a difference.

 

[FirstDown]

On our previous visit, we only did MK and EP. We will have 6 days in the parks, and 1 day away from the parks. MK will be split into 2 or 3 days, so not going to run from place to place.... more like stop when we need to. Good points to consider! Thanks!

 

[maxiesmom]

You may not need a stroller at all, or you may end up needing one only some of the time. It is pretty common for kids to use them in Epcot and the Animal Kingdom, and not in the other parks. It sounds like you can play it by ear. Set aside the money to rent one, and if you need it you are all set. If not, you can get a few extra treats.

 

[disney world dreamer]

this is a personal judgement call.

for me that is plenty old enough to not need a stroller especially if the child has not used one in any day to day activities in years.

if he gets tired take a break.
grab a snack and sit on a bench for a little while or do an air conditioned attraction like ellen or the hall of presidents.

if you find that a stroller does become necessary for your child then rent one from the park.

its just much easier to go without if you can.

 

[FirstDown]

Thanks again!

 

[MinnieGi]

A child that old will probably not need a stroller provided you are taking cues from the child when they need to rest. Heck in my experience the adults needed to take a sit down break before a 5yo child!!!

Both our kids walked Disney at 5. We took breaks and all was fine. Even when they were 3 they walked much of the parks because they were excited to be there but it was way easier to get places if they rode in the stroller.

And at least they do have strollers in the park if you absolutely need to rent one.

Have fun!

 

[disneymom0104]

I have taken kids to WDW at 5 and 6 and didn't use a stroller. Last year my 3rd 5 year old went to DL and didn't use a stroller. That child will be 6.5 when we go back to WDW in Sept. and we opted to get a double stroller (also have a 2 year old) so he can rest if needed. He just doesn't do well with the extreme heat (we live in a much cooler and dry climate overall) We are going for 10 days, which gets to be a lot for anyone that many days in a row. I also have 2 older kids (14 and 12) and they are going to want to push the limits and be in the parks longer than my 6 year old. Again, when they were 5 and 6 they did fine- but we were on a 5 and 6 year old schedule. My current 6 year old will be pushed further than they were at that age so we decided to get a double stroller for the times when he really needs to sit or we will have a meltdown. I anticipate him walking 98% of the time. I think it is more than just the age, but the group you will be with, and how much that particular child can take, and how long the vacation will be. I wouldn't blink an eye at getting a stroller if you think it will make things easier

 

[roseaster]

We use 5 as our cut off. At 4 you can use a stroller, at 5 you walk. All 5 kids have walked from 5 on. No problems.

 

[FirstDown]

I keep leaning towards no stroller. Prob won't mess with it. One less thing to keep track of! My older son is rather excited to carry his own bag for some reason

 

[Baklava]

I would be inclined to skip it for a physically healthy, neurotypical kid that age. Our family standard was always that once you started school, you didn't get a stroller.

That said, in the interest of full disclosure, we *did* get one for Cupcake who was 5.5 and might even on our next trip when she's 7. It's her sensory retreat and it's the best way to cope with her special needs.

 

[merina888]

Last year, we rented a City Mini Double GT for both of our kids. Past experience was that my oldest, who was 7 at the time, would need to sit for at least some of the time. We are just not used to the humidity. He actually walked quite a bit. So next trip to WDW, we will bring just one stroller for my daughter who is 5 years old. She was born with a congenital heart defect and although she is not on any medications or restrictions, she tires quickly. She also has sensory issues so it's a good retreat. We actually bought a City Mini GT when they went on sale (plus it was a floor model) because we knew she'd need to be in a stroller much longer than my son. We are taking it to Disneyland in 2 weeks (we are spending 2.5 weeks in southern California). We do quite a bit of traveling and use public transportation in larger cities so I'm sure it will get a lot of use.

Only you know your kids and what's best for them. I personally prefer a whine-free vacation and that's what I get with tired kids.

 

[Hans Olo]

I say bring one. Better safe than sorry.

Last year my kids were 4,5,7 and 9.
We had a double side by side stroller for the two little ones. My 4 year old fell asleep in it many times, even with taking breaks and such.

What we did was bring it and park it in the general area we would be in. If we needed it we'd grab it. If not then we'd move onto the next ride/attraction.

Never felt it was a hassle and since I had bought it used for super cheap we decided to leave it at the campgrounds for another family to use

 

[Sunnyside]

My oldest turned 6 on our trip and we used a double for her and her 1yo sister. Both girls fell asleep in them many times. I was glad we had it.

 

[Thing 1]

The year DS was that age we went with the plan that if we needed on, we would rent in the park and not worry about it. He was fine and did not want or need one BUT many kids that age do. As long as you would be willing to rent if you need to, I would not take one. DS was tall and thin but we had looked and could not find a stroller to purchase that would fit him well and still be easy to push. Park strollers do fit that bill.

 

[AshleeH]

We rented from an outside company when my son was that age because they are great about having bigger weight limits - it was such a relief not to have to carry him to the car or the hotel room at the end of the night. We didn't use it in the actual parks much, so we would park it and then go get it when it was needed or when we were leaving.

 

[JenLT]

A child that old will probably not need a stroller provided you are taking cues from the child when they need to rest. Heck in my experience the adults needed to take a sit down break before a 5yo child!!!

This is funny because in the rumors board there was a thread about them removing benches (perhaps connected to a refurbishment) and how there are less benches overall in the parks.

If you don't get a stroller, you will definitely need to take some rests. But a nice treat or drink in a quick service restaurant might do the trick. I don't know how the weather is in April. The hotter it is in April, the more likely he'd want a stroller. When my daughter was 5 we went in September - super hot! I liked the stroller because of the canopy. I was able to have her rest for awhile and have shade on her head.

 

[MelissaBee]

When DD was 5 we went with no stroller. She was fine for all the walking, but what I didn't see coming was the standing and waiting. We went to MNSSHP and we had a steady drizzle the whole night. That meant we had to stand to wait for all the parades, shows, fireworks, etc. She didn't want to sit on the wet pavement. So, while walking was fine, that standing was not. I wished we had a stroller (but wasn't going to rent one for three hours)! The standing and waiting thing might also apply for germaphobic parents who won't let kids sit on the ground.

But, that issue can be solved without a stroller, too--get a vinyl tablecloth and cut it into rectangles that will fit the bottoms of each family member. When you need to sit on a wet or questionably clean surface, spread the tablecloth piece out, vinyl side down, to sit on. The vinyl can be easily wiped dry or cleaned with a saniwipe. And they fold up super flat and fit neatly into the bottom of a backpack when not in use.

Another thing to consider--strollers are also an awesome place to store stuff and I truly never found them irksome to push, park, go back for, etc. If anything, I felt more encumbered without the stroller since we had to carry EVERYTHING.

 

[Tucker24]

More than likely the kids will do fine without one, but it's nice to have one just in case they get tired or get fussy after walking so much. Touring is easier without a stroller because it's a pain to lug around and park it everywhere you go, but at the same time it comes in handy to carry your stuff especially with kids. We always end up bringing water, snacks, ponchos etc.. So I think our next trip with a 4 and 6 year old will be worth it. I always dream of the time where I don't need it but it often bites me in the *** when REALLLy need it for naps or rest time. I of course always carry more stuff than what we actually need but I also will leave the back pack parked with the stroller with stuff that if someone ends up stealing no big deal

 

[blackpearl77]

We rented one from an offsite company when we went in June. My son is 5. He only used it twice both times were at night. The other times we just left it in the room or I ended up pushing around an empty stroller the whole day while he walked. I don't think we would have needed it. I think the only reason I liked having a stroller was it held all our stuff! Next time we won't get one.