Stroller for 6 and 8 year old?

[rotlex]

Father of an 8 and 2 year old here.

While we don't rent a stroller, as we have a 2 year old, we take a hefty umbrella along, Wendy Bellissimo, that CAN support the weight of our older daughter. (Although the 2 year old of course, uses it most of the time).

With that said, our daughter will take a ride occasionally, especially at the end of a long hot day, when my son is being carried etc. My wife and I would rather enjoy a late day stroll around World Showcase, then heading back to our room due to an over tired 8 year old with sore feet. Personally, I see nothing wrong with it. I think sometimes people need to remember what it is like to be that age, and be tired. I mean, 7-8 years old is 2nd or 3rd grade. Give them a break, and you'll get one too.

 

[katie111]

We just went with our 3 kids ages 3, 7 & 8. This is the first time I didn't take a double but I did buy a used Peg Pliko 3 to bring. It was great as it has a footboard on the back that the older kids could use if they were tired. Also for part of the trip I was alone with the 3 kids so it was great to be able to corral 2 of them when we were in a large crowd trying to get out of the parks. My two youngest are very light (28 & 38 lbs) so pushing them was not a big issue. However, if one of the kids tried to get on the back & I knew they were just being lazy I would make them get off as it wasn't fair to me. I don't think there is any "magical" age where kids do not ned a stroller anymore. My kids are not lazy by any means but they do get tired, as do I! I'd love to sit in a stroller & get pushed around if I could! I think you just need to do whatever works for your family & don't worry about what other people think. I too want my trip to Disney to be as easy for me as possible. I find daily breaks a total pain especially when the parks close early so we do pretty long days & my kids do eventually get tired. So they sit in the stroller or get a ride on the back & everyone is happy. Doesn't hurt anyone else at the park, does it? Would they rather listen to my kid whine, because I certainly wouldn't!

 

[Hannathy]

I don't think any child but a child with special needs, needs to be in a stroller over 5 at the latest.

Mine never used them past 4, and we spend very long days at Disney. Kids have more energy than adults and if this middle aged non athletic person can walk it then there is no reason a child in prime shape can't. Disney isn't a marathon it is walk some stand some sit a lot walk some more and repeat. Plus why should I be more worn out than they are from pushing a kid who is big enough to walk around all day?

I don't understand the whining part. Why is it allowed? do you tolerate whining for other things? If you are tired we take a break, have a drink etc, if you are that tired then we must need to go back to the room. I don't do whining.

I also don't understand how these older kids even think about using a stroller, most kids I know think strollers are for babies or toddlers so why would the even think about using one? It should be out of their train of thought.

So no I would not even think about taking a stroller for kids 6 and 8. They don't need them. It is also a royal pain to maneuver a stroller in crowds, it is so freeing when you don't have one to try and push. Kids 6 and 8 can stay with you when walking.

 

[ma2nojo]

Yeah, I'm really not worried about what everyone else thinks. I was curious as to what other families do with children this age. It sounds like this issue is common and families go either way according to what works for them. I'm not the only one that wants to avoid whining and crankiness.

As for whining, yes they do whine for other things as children cannot be entirely controlled at all times by parents. All cHildren are their own people, not robot-like regardless of parents "tolerating" whining or applying any sort of research based parenting strategies. You must are a lucky parent to have fantastic strategies if your kids don't whine at all or you have a fantastic tolerance level. Congrats.

 

[Mickeyherewecome123]

I want my 7 year olds (they will be 8 when we go in Nov) to want to ride in a stroller...but they both told me NO WAY!! I was kinda bummed, for my own selfish reasons. Ieven had one of my DS sit in our McClaren and he did look ridiculous....just way too big for it!

We brought our 2 McClarens when we went last time and they were almost 6 and they both did use the strollers later in the day when they got tired. I like to go go go go...while in Disney. And its much easier to travel with a stroller for the kids when they get tired.

So I'm thinking that you 8 year old is NOT going to want to ride in a stroller for fear of being embarassed.

Good luck in your decision. HOpe you don't get flammed too much. Its a very touchy subject here.

 

[ma2nojo]

Good Lord, if people feel the need to "flame" over this topic then they might have too much negativity in their lives that they feel they need to be rude. I hope that changes for them. Anyway, it really doesn't matter. I'm pretty sure most people on this board really could care less for the negativity. I'm also not talking about opposing opinions (I like looking at issues at all angles), just the rude comments.

I hope no one starts a thread about politics or religion! ha!


My ds will probably not want to ride in the stroller at all so I'm not going to expect or request that he does so. My ds6 will probably be exhausted and might need one at the end of a day. IF it's not humid to the max we might just not need a stroller. That would be fantastic.



I love snow days!!!

 

[Leajess99]

You are so right about the whining and coming up with better strategies. My daughter is sooo dramatic right now and I hope it's just a phase-it's been a real lesson in patience. I really don't want a stroller and really the crux of the problem is dealing with the whining. Uhggg! I'm just not ready for it. Last time my children were younger and it will probably be different this time. I has to be! The heat and humidity will probably be a lot less...right?

Anyway, we will just take breaks and I will have to really be hardcore with ground rules before entering the park. DIsney is supposed to be the happiest place on earth!

I know this may not be what you want to hear but why not leave the park if she starts whining?? Take her back to the room and make her take a nap. If there are 2 adults and the other child is not whining than leave that child with an adult in the park so that child is not punished. It will hopefully teach the whiner that there are consequences and they are missing out on fun.

I have never been in July but our trip the first week of June last year was not really hot. Or at least it was not any hotter than the first week in October which is when we usually go.

 

[lil mermaid]

We just got back on Tuesday with a 3 1/2 year old and 6 1/2 year old. I brought one Maclaren stroller and my younger child spent about 50% of his time in it and walked the rest. My 6 year old did just fine and never complained about being tired except for the end of one very long day at Epcot. She rode in the stroller while my son rode on Dad's shoulders. She did get a tiny bit of chafing on one thigh from a seam on her pants, but I brought some Bodyglide and that took care of it.

Honestly, I can't imagine paying $32 per day (or whatever ridiculous amount they charge) to rent a stroller for 6 and 8 year olds just so they won't whine.

I don't put up with whining though.

 

[jedijohn]

I don't think any child but a child with special needs, needs to be in a stroller over 5 at the latest.

Mine never used them past 4, and we spend very long days at Disney. Kids have more energy than adults and if this middle aged non athletic person can walk it then there is no reason a child in prime shape can't. Disney isn't a marathon it is walk some stand some sit a lot walk some more and repeat. Plus why should I be more worn out than they are from pushing a kid who is big enough to walk around all day?

I don't understand the whining part. Why is it allowed? do you tolerate whining for other things? If you are tired we take a break, have a drink etc, if you are that tired then we must need to go back to the room. I don't do whining.

I also don't understand how these older kids even think about using a stroller, most kids I know think strollers are for babies or toddlers so why would the even think about using one? It should be out of their train of thought.

So no I would not even think about taking a stroller for kids 6 and 8. They don't need them. It is also a royal pain to maneuver a stroller in crowds, it is so freeing when you don't have one to try and push. Kids 6 and 8 can stay with you when walking.

Amen :

Seems like OP has a comeback to everyone who says not to use the stroller...so I guess she didn't really come here for advice, just people to support her decision to put here children in a stroller even though they are too big for it. If that is the case she came to the wrong place.

 

[ma2nojo]

You are absolutely right! Different points of view bring up different thoughts people haven't thought about which helps to veer someone is one direction or another. I would like thank everyone for their advice or opinion. I do love honesty- even if some of it is opposed to my opinion.

Trying to attack parenting styles.... that's completely different. If you take the time to notice I responded to people that agreed and those that didn't on the issue of a stroller. The issue of parenting and whining..... those few people that were rude got responses as well and it had nothing to do with whether they thought a stroller was appropriate or not.

I didn't realize that some people were so negative on a Disney board of all places. Good Lord! Please spend some more time at Disney- the happiest place on earth! You guys really should vent your frustrations where it really matters or become passionate about how our society treats the homeless, or how we are going to make things better for children with special needs, cure cancer, or the economic situation in the country, or a dozen other things that really matter. I bet if you put all of that energy of being negative into something like that- and were positive about it- we could really solve some issues.

I'm sure that a few of you will respond with negativity and that's okay. Whatever gets you through the day.

 

[Amy5000]

Next trip my kids will be 6 and 8 and I'm not sure if we'll get a stroller or not. But I was talking with my Dad about renting an ECV on the next trip. My dad will be 85 and, as good a shape as he's in, he does not get around like he used to. My mom uses a scooter and can keep up with us. My dad basically would be embarrassed to ride in one. Anyway, Disney requires an abnormal amount of walking. I'll just have to figure it out when I get there. I probably not going to plan to start the day with a stroller, but if I think it will make the day easier I might give it a go later. Good luck and have a great trip.

 

[Hannathy]

I would like someone to explain to me why kids now NEED a stroller when they never used to?
Seriously why in the last 5 yrs have 6-8 yr olds suddenly needed strollers?

If you went 20 yrs ago you never saw anything but preschoolers in one, 15 yrs ago you almost never saw a kid older than 4, 5 tops in a stroller,
10 yrs ago a few more 5 yr olds still very few older kids; 5 yrs ago strollers everywhere with old kids! why?

MK is still the same size mostly, EPCOT same size as when it opened, Studios same size, AK same size. It isn't physical kids have been walking long distances for hundreds of years.

I have really wondered this and can't come up with a legitimate reason why kids in the last less than 10 years now need strollers when they didn't in the past.
Kids haven't changed so it must be the parents?

Disney has had all 4 parks for better than 10 yrs so it isn't just an additional park.

I honestly would like to understand this because Disney was so much nicer without the massive amount of strollers.

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

my kids have been made to walk from age 4/5 on up. they KNOW when we go there is no whining about being tired. Please just tell us you need a break. We will stop.
my kids would never have fit in a double stroller. Too tall. And too heavy. my just turned 9 year old DS weighs 90 lbs. I would be dead by the end of the day pushing him and another kid, plus the stroller around.

tell them the deal is there is NO WHINING at Disney.


Sarah

 

[kohlby]

My oldest was 6 for our last trip. If our stroller had a higher weight limit, then we would have given him the option of taking turns with the middle child, who was not quite 4 years old. (I also had an 11 month old in the sling so I did not want another stroller). It turned out that the nearly 4 year old liked the security of the stroller so she was in it the whole time. It wasn't laziness, it was security around all the people for her. But a 6 year old would likely not need that security.

My oldest normally complains about walking. We told the kids that we would stay at the parks until someone acted like they needed to go. It's amazing how that cuts down on complaining! ODS did a great job walking and we're go, go, go type of people. He didn't want to leave the parks so he rose to the occassion. When we left the parks, it was due to the almost 4 year old needing to leave instead.

I do think a double stroller for a 6 and 8 year old is overkill in most cases. If you really think you need a stroller, I'd do a single and make them take turns. Another option is to not use a stroller the first couple days in the park and see how they do. You can always use one for just part of the trip. My oldest did not use the stroller the first few days at 3.5 years old, but really needed it by the end. He's not an incredibly superman type of kid either.

 

[Brina]

there is no way that I would rent a stroller for a child that age. For us, 5 was the cut-off. My children were told ahead of time that any whining would result in a return to the room for a nap. We went at park opening each day, returned to the hotel for pool time late in the afternoon and a return to the park around dinner time.

 

[shelby101301]

OP - I love how everyone feels they can call your kids, having never met them, nor knowing their normal routines, lazy. Constructive opinions are fine, people, there is no reason to call names or pass judgement in mean ways. (see below comment about growing pains)

I sometimes rent a double stroller later in the week, when they have been walking for 4 days, for a day here or there when they are starting to get really tired. It saves the vacation. Why spend all that $$$ just to lose the last 2 days or so to exhaustion?

Also, little kids (and yes, I consider 6 and 8 little) do not have the stamina, nor the judgement of adults when dealing with issues like heat stroke.

For those of you whose children can "tough it out", that's awesome, really. Glad you get to save the ridiculous cost of those strollers. However, please be aware that some kids experience growing pains at that age (mine does) and all that walking can really be quite painful. Yes, it is possible that they are not being just lazy.

 

[3boys4me]

....and it was uphill both ways!!!!!!!!!!!

in the snow

 

[Hannathy]

OP -

Also, little kids (and yes, I consider 6 and 8 little) do not have the stamina, nor the judgement of adults when dealing with issues like heat stroke.

I will actually say kids have more stamina cause they play more actively more often and longer than most adults. I certainly couldn't play 3 soccer games in one day in July!! then come home and go swimming.

As far as Heat stroke, aren't you going to be there? They aren't alone, parents can make sure they are drinking and if you are walking and they are walking you just monitor them like you do yourself. so it is your judgment that is important.

 

[3pletprincesses]

Best advise I can give is Do what is best for your family. If you think it will help your family vacation to have a stroller, then go for it. the other thing to think about is will they want to use the stroller. Would the 8yo want to sit in a stroller. If the answer is yes, then rent the stroller at the bigger park and hell with everything that everyone has to say about it. We, as grown ups, find it hard to walk all day at Disney and get cranky, it's the same for kids. If you go stroller-less, plan smaller days with pit stops for the kids

 

[marmalade]

We are going the end of August and I have been dealing with the same issue. To stroller or not to stroller? My kids will be almost 5 and 6, both very active, healthy, physically fit children.

But I like the convience the stroller brings:

1. Kids are contained in large crowds, like after fireworks when 13 billion people are heading for the exit.
2. For a nice stroll around WS for some adult cocktails
3. A place to store your junk, because I hate to carry a bag in the parks.
4. And if you bring your own, for the walk to the bus, or boat and then thru the resort.

I have been telling my kids all along that our next trip there will be no stroller to get them prepared but I am sure I will have one because it is easier. And like OP said I am on vacation and I want easy.