Stroller for a 5.5 year old?

[KateMW]

Am I crazy? Are we going to look like freaks?

It's my daughter's first trip, so I have no idea how she'll react to the crowds, size of WDW, etc. I rented a stroller from Orlando Stroller Rental, but the more I thought about it, I thought it would be a bigger pain to deal with the huge stroller then to deal with a wiped out 5 year old and I'll save $90! So I canceled it.

Well, today I found my old Maclaren umbrella {that I can carry on my sholder when it's not in use} and my daughter is in love with the idea of getting pushed around. She's got a bit of princess/servant obsession going on. So anyway, I'm back on board...I think. DD is very easy to get along with and a trooper, but when she's done...she's done! Another plus is that my mother {who has MS} will be using an ECV for the first time EVER, so I can contain DD while making sure my mother doesn't run over small animals and children.

What do you think? Stroller for a 5 year old or make her {and me!} rough it? I know I'm over thinking this, but humor me. Please?

 

[woodkins]

Stroller...you can always take it to the park and leave it in stroller parking area until you need it again. I personally like having a stroller to carry things etc.

 

[3boys4me]

Stroller...for sure, stroller.

 

[audrey13]

My son used our Maclaren stroller at Disney when he was just under 5 and again when he was 6.5. He walked most of the time but when he got tired it was great to have the stroller for him. It also allowed us to move a little faster than if he were walking (especially a tired walking) and, like the PP said, when he wasn't riding in it, we put our backpack and other stuff in it. Thankfully we have a new little one for our upcoming trip, otherwise I would have mourned the loss of the stroller. It comes in so handy!

 

[AKADrea]

another vote to bring it!

 

[Up_Is_Down]

My family took a trip to WDW last year- My brother was 6 yrs old at the time- My parents got a stroller for him- it was a lot easier than worrying about him wandering off or not wanting to walk anymore.
I would say definitely get a stroller

 

[Hannathy]

I wouldn't bring it. We never used one past 4. Why would you want another thing to have to maneuver along with an ECV? Your pace is going to be limited by the ECV as it is so it won't be hard to keep up. It is so freeing when you get to go without the stroller and all the junk you will not look back once you have tried it.


PS on a sidenote why would you ever want to encourage her obsession with being treated as a princess and you her servant? It may be cute at 5 it isn't at 12.

 

[KateMW]

PS on a sidenote why would you ever want to encourage her obsession with being treated as a princess and you her servant? It may be cute at 5 it isn't at 12.

Oh lord, relax. It was a joke. She's the sweetest kid you'll ever meet. The servant thing goes both ways and it's funny. Thanks for helping me make up my mind though. Stroller it is.

 

[princessmom29]

I vote for the stroller. For us it was a life save with DD6. We do 12 plus hour days every day and that wouldn't bwe possible without someplace for little legs to take a break. She gets to sit for a while, and everybody is happy!

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

Another vote for the stroller.

 

[cam&phoebsmom]

Go for the stroller! I loved being able to hang my backpack on it as we were walking-and my DS5 who had long since abandoned his strolelr here at home was happy to ride in it when he was tired. If you are going in Jan/Feb it will also be nice to be able to have a place for jackets if you get warm.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

You'll fit right in with all the other parents with older kids in strollers. It's a vacation so I'm all for the "let's stay and have fun and let the kids zone out in a stroller so we can have an adult conversation" scenario.

You may want to put your DD in the stroller at home and push her around outside first, though, before deciding on which stroller to use. The only reason I say this is that my almost 6 year old DS, while he technically still fits in our Maclaren, he weighs 50+ lbs so pushing him is a BEAR as the wheels are so darn tiny and get hung up on every imperfection in the pavement. But in the Baby Jogger City Mini (from OSR or Magic Strollers) it was a whole 'nother story and oh so easy to push my little giant so no stress for me.

So I'd say yes to the stroller but check to make sure you can still easily push your DD outside on pavement in the Mac.

 

[bumbershoot]

She might do great without the stroller, and that would be fabulous!

But she might not, so it's best to have it. We take our Volo to DLR, and he's 5.5. I sort of doubt we'll need it for WDW next year when he's 6.5, but I haven't written it out entirely. Poor dude inherited my nasty nasty deep bone leg aches, and being awoken at 2am by your child screaming in pain b/c he walked or ran or jumped far too much the day before isn't fun. (mine were so bad I was tested for juv RA, but it wasn't anything diagnosable, just sensitive legs)

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Absolutely go for the stroller - although expensive I found the Disney strollers to be perfect for my daughter on our trips when she was 5 and 6. Very easy to push. I had thrown away her stroller at home ages ago so that was not an option.

BTW you are never too old to be treated like a princess

 

[lucynme]

And yet another vote FOR stroller...I'll be there the end of April, WITH a (just turned-very big for) 6 year old...who will be tired but happy...looking silly-maybe-but won't be that whiney 6 year old you wished the parents had a stroller for!!!

Take it, use it if you need it, and for the love-ENJOY your trip!!!!!!

 

[Native NYer]

Bring the stroller! My brother and SIL brought a double for my nephews in August. They were 5.5 and 14 months at the time. My older nephew only sat in it when we were trying to get through large crowds or when he was tired. Both napped in the stroller while we walked around the World Showcase.

My parents and I are bringing my nephews to Disney in August while their parents have a much-needed adults only vacation. We're planning on bringing two Maclaren Volos. The little one will be 2 and the older one will be 6.5. If my older nephew doesn't want to use it, we'll just leave it in the room or leave it at one of the stroller parking places. We just want to have the option and not pay to rent one.

You'll fit right in with all the other parents with older kids in strollers. It's a vacation so I'm all for the "let's stay and have fun and let the kids zone out in a stroller so we can have an adult conversation" scenario.

You may want to put your DD in the stroller at home and push her around outside first, though, before deciding on which stroller to use. The only reason I say this is that my almost 6 year old DS, while he technically still fits in our Maclaren, he weighs 50+ lbs so pushing him is a BEAR as the wheels are so darn tiny and get hung up on every imperfection in the pavement. But in the Baby Jogger City Mini (from OSR or Magic Strollers) it was a whole 'nother story and oh so easy to push my little giant so no stress for me.

So I'd say yes to the stroller but check to make sure you can still easily push your DD outside on pavement in the Mac.

Is the seat in the Baby Jogger City Mini as roomy as the Maclaren? What about the double?

 

[mousebymarriage]

I vote for the stroller. On our last trip we rented a stroller for DS who was 6 1/2 and it was great. I wasn't sure he would be willing to sit in it but, he loved being pushed around. He did alot of walking and is normally a very very active child but, Disney is huge. When my DS was tired he just hopped in and even fell asleep a few times and he is not normally a napper.

Just remember your son has little legs compared to yours so he most likely takes 2 steps for every one of yours (that is ALOT of walking).

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

Is the seat in the Baby Jogger City Mini as roomy as the Maclaren? What about the double?

The seat on the BJ City Mini is surprisingly roomy and the canopy is quite high up so lots of headroom. My oldest DS is 48" and 54lbs. and fit comfortably in the seat. The canopy just brushed the top of his head when it was pulled out/down but he had no problems with it as he would lay his head against the side anyway.

We had the double BJ City Mini this last trip and I really liked that I could push any combination of the boys easily. The two oldest weren't too heavy and the oldest sitting with the youngest didn't make the stroller feel unbalanced.

Renting a Disney stroller is also an option but it gets pricey for more than a day or two and they are hard plastic so not that comfy and the seat backs are fairly low and upright which made napping hard for my boys (in past years).

Bringing your own stroller is definitely the most economical solution, just be sure that you can push a bigger kid easily on slightly rough outside ground. I saw lots of parents struggling with older kids in umbrella strollers which seemed to defeat the purpose of making life easier on everyone. So check ahead of time with a stroll around the block.

ETA to add pictures. This is the BJ City Mini double - the seat on the single is exactly the same size. Here's my oldest (5 yrs, 48", and 54lbs) and youngest (2 yrs, 36", 38lbs) and you can see my oldest has enough room to put his feet up which is how he likes to sit for some odd reason.

Here are my two youngest - 3 years old and 2 years old. They fit easily with lots of wiggle room.

 

[KateMW]

I pushed her around today in the Maclaren and she seemed pretty comfy. She watched tv in it for about a half hour. She's a goof!

 

[Native NYer]

The seat on the BJ City Mini is surprisingly roomy and the canopy is quite high up so lots of headroom. My oldest DS is 48" and 54lbs. and fit comfortably in the seat. The canopy just brushed the top of his head when it was pulled out/down but he had no problems with it as he would lay his head against the side anyway.

We had the double BJ City Mini this last trip and I really liked that I could push any combination of the boys easily. The two oldest weren't too heavy and the oldest sitting with the youngest didn't make the stroller feel unbalanced.

Renting a Disney stroller is also an option but it gets pricey for more than a day or two and they are hard plastic so not that comfy and the seat backs are fairly low and upright which made napping hard for my boys (in past years).

Bringing your own stroller is definitely the most economical solution, just be sure that you can push a bigger kid easily on slightly rough outside ground. I saw lots of parents struggling with older kids in umbrella strollers which seemed to defeat the purpose of making life easier on everyone. So check ahead of time with a stroll around the block.

ETA to add pictures. This is the BJ City Mini double - the seat on the single is exactly the same size. Here's my oldest (5 yrs, 48", and 54lbs) and youngest (2 yrs, 36", 38lbs) and you can see my oldest has enough room to put his feet up which is how he likes to sit for some odd reason.

Here are my two youngest - 3 years old and 2 years old. They fit easily with lots of wiggle room.

Thanks for the info! It looks much more comfy than the twin triumph that we used in August.