Stroller for a 40 lb. 4 year old

[txmomto1]

We will be going in September, and my DS is currently 38 pounds, so I assume by then, he will be 40 pounds. I know he'll need to be in a stroller some, as we spend most of the day at the parks. Can someone recommend a umbrella/travel stroller for that weight limit. I'd prefer not to rent one of the disney strollers.

I'm also looking into getting one of the attachable stroller fans for him. We will also have the neck ties, and portable misters. Does anyone have any experience with the stroller fans?

 

[sunlover13]

I do not have experience with the stroller fans, but I bought the Maclaren Triumph for my 4 yr old for Disneyworld this year. It was the best decision I could have made. They are pricey, but worth it. I bought a 2006 model which was cheaper than the 2007's. I paid $119 for it. Pushes easy, plenty of room for DD, umbrella fold-up, lightweight, holds up to 55lbs. The only negative is the basket underneath is hard to get to and there is no cupholder. So, I also purchased the Universal Maclaren organizer which has 2 cupholders. Hope that helps!

 

[disnut1149]

Hi
My DD bought a $20.00 umbrella stroller at BabiesRUs last year for Disney and it was great. So lightweight. My DGD will be 4 1/2 when we go in August and she is already 43 pounds. We're planning on taking the stroller again. So far, she still fits in it. It might be a little small, but she won't be sitting in it the whole time. We parked it in Fantasyland and walked to the different attractions.

 

[Dancemom03]

DD just turned 6 and is 44 pounds. Normally she walks but her feet do still get tired so in wdw we proudly sport a Maclaren Quest. I bought it just before last summer's wdw trip, used it again in wdw in March, here at home for a festival last weekend and happily anticipate getting to use it again during this summer's wdw trip.
My oldest is 29 so I never imagined that an umbrella style stroller would one day cost well over $100 but I can honestly say it is worth EVERY penny to me. It pushes without effort even on rougher surfaces, turns easily with one hand, folds compactly and is light to carry, has a basket, an adjustable seat w/canopy, a rain cover that snaps on in mere seconds while still looking tidy, and a pocket on the back of the seat large enough to fit both my wallet and a diet coke into since there's no cup holder.
We bought it new on ebay from a powerseller and I think shipped it was still under $130. At Babies-r-robbing-us the same stroller was selling for $229 at the time so there are deals to be had out there.

We've used a stroller fan for years but always lugged along a full size evenflo stroller. I was concerned about where the fan would clip on the mac quest and how it'd stay in place so the air flow would be directed to DD but it was not a problem.
Our clip on fan is one we bought from one step up when DD6 was a baby. It's was very reasonable and simple. We've always traveled to wdw in the summer months though for DD17's dance nationals. DD6's first trip was when she was 5 months old and I remember being very concerned about keeping her cool and comfortable while still keeping up with the older kids. Our clip on fan worked great for that, especially in conjunction with the stroller's rain cover. During rain storms people around us would always look at the stroller and say they wished they had one. There she'd be napping all cool and dry with the fan circulating "her" air while we pushed, dodging puddles and dripping.

 

[blessedby3]

Get a Maclaren. They are well worth the money. They are built to last. I have the Volo and the Quest. Love them!! The cheaper strollers just dont push well when you get heavier children in them plus bags hanging from the handles.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

Definetly go for a Maclaren Quest. I prefer this model over the Volo and the Triumph because it has a deeper seat, much better for older kids.

And ditto about the Maclaren Universal Organiser.

And the stroller storage underneath can hold a lot more than it looks like, but you won´t be able to fit an odd shaped bag in it, so we usually put our stuff in a few ziplock bags, and that in a backpack or shoulder bag, and when we are in the monorail of ferry we fold the backpack or shoulder bag and put the ziplocks under the seat. It only takes a minute and we don´t carry anything, it also helps weight down the stroller so it won´t tip that easy.

 

[toesmom]

check craigslist.org in your community or other local online selling/buying site like buysell.com, you can find good deals on used maclaren strollers rather than buying new.

my ds is about 40 lbs now and is 3 yrs old. He is HEAVY. In the Maclaren, I don't notice his weight at all. I tried a cheapie umbrella stroller, and found it noticeably difficult to push and steer with his weight

 

[bibbity bobbity boo]

I also jusy bought a Maclaren Triumph for our upcoming trip on Friday. Ill give you a review when we get back!

If you do go with a Maclaren I just wanted to suggest this wonderful Gate Check bag that someone linked me to. I bought it and the stroller fits perfectly in it and its EASY to use. Make sure you get a cheap bag to protect your expensive stroller. LOL http://www.happymothers.com/shop/pr...roogle&zmam=8563630&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=JL2111

 

[Schucraig]

The Maclaren Volo is great! I don't know about the fans.

 

[Denine]

I really like my Kidco stroller. It is less expensive than the Maclerran (sp) strollers and just as nice.
DD is 4-1/2 and somewhere around 40 pounds, probably less.

 

[txmomto1]

Thanks for all of your great replies. I found a 2006 NIB Volo for $68 + shipping. I don't know if it comes with the sun shade or not. Do you know if most do? It has one in the picture on line.

 

[toesmom]

Thanks for all of your great replies. I found a 2006 NIB Volo for $68 + shipping. I don't know if it comes with the sun shade or not. Do you know if most do? It has one in the picture on line.

2006 models come with sunshade. And that's a good deal for a volo.


when you are done with it, list it on craigslist.org and you'll make most of the money back

 

[txmomto1]

So I bought a 2006 Volo on Ebay. I got it with shipping for under $85 dollars, so from what I can see it's a pretty good deal. I saw it on another site before shipping and tax for $90.

It's hard to spend that much on a stroller since he never uses one at home, but if he's more comfortable and it's easier to push, then I think it will be worth it. Plus it looks like I could post it on ebay or craigslist, and get a lot of my money back.

Again, thanks for all of your responses! It's also good to know other 4 year olds need a push while at WDW. I'm glad he's not the only one.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

You made a great decision Amber.

We have a Volo and have used it for 3 WDW trips already. My girls are 6 and 8, well beyond strollers by a few years. WDW is the ONLY place they ever sit in a stroller.

While it is really for the 6 yo. DD8 actually shares it with her when she is extremely tired. The Volo was a life saver our last trip when our flight home got cancelled AT the airport and DD8 wasn't feeling well. My 37 lbs DD6 was able to push her 65 lbs sister in the Volo all by herself while I handled all of our luggage!!! DH stayed home that trip.

We went back to WDW via ME for another 2 nights. Thank goodness for DVC.

We will be keeping ours to use until DD6 is at least 8 yo or until she stops asking to be carried whichever comes later!!