Stroller for seven year old boy

[beautybelle]

Well to be perfectly honest renting a stroller does triple duty for my family. My son who is a very small 8 and has joint problems has to ride and pushing the stroller keeps my hands from swelling up and throbbing and it also carries our goodies. So it definatly benefits us to rent one.

 

[MamaLema]

I would not a rent a stroller for a 7 year old but that is just me.

My kids, 1, 6, and 8 did just fine without one (except the 1 year old of course )

All depends if they tire out quickly, I guess.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I don't have a problem renting one for my DD6. Sometimes she rides and sometimes she likes to walk. We use it to carry our backpack and odds and ends. I don't care what anyone else thinks when they see her. If she is happy we are all happy. If she is tired and cranky than everyone gets cranky. Plus it is hot out it gets her out of the sun and she can relax.

Do what you feel is best for your Child.

 

[oogieboogie]

It's kind of funny now that I think about it, but WDW is the only place that my kids want to use a stroller and it has to be the MK/Epcot/AK strollers. They don't want the MGM stroller cause it looks like a stroller!

These are kids (7 and 4) who have never liked being in a stroller. Ever since they started walking that was it, we never went with a stroller anywhere. I never even had a stroller when DS2 (the 4yr old) was born. They hated strollers with a passion. But get them to WDW, and suddenly they want to be in a stroller but it has to be the plastic ones.

 

[cepmom]

No offense, but I think 7 is WAY too old for a stroller.

I think it depends on the child and also the time of year. We are going in August with our 3 DD's (15, 8 and 5). The 5 year old will definately need one (can't walk around the mall without whining that she is tired) and I'm seriously considering whether the 8 year old will need one at times too. Will she need to be in it all day, every day? Absolutley not. But she does have asthma, it will be hotter than Hades while we are there, we only have several days to spend in the parks so we will be trying to get a lot done in a short amount of time (going to the parks at night etc). If we were going during a cooler month, I wouldn't even consider it for her. I think the combination of the heat and her asthma will make a stroller a necessity for her. So if she needs one to rest her legs and take a short break, what's the harm?

Every child is different and I see nothing wrong with letting a 7 or 8 year old sit in a stroller at WDW if they need to.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

It's kind of funny now that I think about it, but WDW is the only place that my kids want to use a stroller and it has to be the MK/Epcot/AK strollers. They don't want the MGM stroller cause it looks like a stroller!

These are kids (7 and 4) who have never liked being in a stroller. Ever since they started walking that was it, we never went with a stroller anywhere. I never even had a stroller when DS2 (the 4yr old) was born. They hated strollers with a passion. But get them to WDW, and suddenly they want to be in a stroller but it has to be the plastic ones.

My DD doesn't like the MGM ones either. Only because that top thing keeps falling on her head.
Plus I like the hard plastic ones myself. Sometimes when we are waiting for something I sit on the edge and take a break myself.

 

[MNT568]

I just returned from WDW with my 7yo DS. In the past I have always rented a stroller. Our first day at MGM this trip, we didn't rent a stroller. That night we went to Epcot and my DS asked me to get a stroller. I rented a double. It worked out perfect. He wasn't too tired and when I wanted to pick up the pace, I would. The rest of the trip, I got a stroller. If the child doesn't mind being in the stroller then I say rent one. I would rather push my DS in a stroller than have a tired cranky child.

 

[CATMANDO]

My ds has asthma also. His is exercised and allergen induced. I had not even thought about that one.We went when it was cool (Dec.) last trip.

 

[leanne11]

the most important thing to me is to know where he is, ALL the time.
June is very busy and i feel better when he is in there if he wants to walk i let him. but we save his energy for the attractions. people always get crazy about this topic and i see parents dragging there 6 or 7 yr. old thru the entire park and then expecting them to stand 15 min. at each ride, sometimes i see them carrying the poor things on there shoulder, they look like there dead, but god fobid if they rent a stroller..

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Mine was just an opinion. I think 7 is way too old for a child to have a stroller unless the child has a condition or disability of some kind. Kids are exactly that- KIDS! Let them walk, for goodness sakes!! If they get tired, find a bench. If they need a nap, go back to the hotel.

Obesity among children in rampant in the US and one reason is because the kids are sitting on theirs rears and not exercising at all. Disney is a great place to walk, so I say let them get their exercise.

 

[robmary]

It sounds like a lot of us are getting to the tough age. To stroller or to not stroller. Our kids are 6 and 4 turning 7 and 5 this year. We are going in 9 days and we drive. We are bringing the double stroller and plan to use it all the time. As we explain to them, if you ride we get to places a little quicker and then that means we can go and see more attractions. So from that perspective they don't mind riding at all. Otherwise, we could hear it now. I'm tired of walking, my feet hurt. They already have to stand in the lines, we feel that's enough at these ages.

 

[chobie]

the most important thing to me is to know where he is, ALL the time.
June is very busy and i feel better when he is in there if he wants to walk i let him. but we save his energy for the attractions. people always get crazy about this topic and i see parents dragging there 6 or 7 yr. old thru the entire park and then expecting them to stand 15 min. at each ride, sometimes i see them carrying the poor things on there shoulder, they look like there dead, but god fobid if they rent a stroller..

I still get a stroller for my perfectly healthy, height-weight proportionate 7 yo. It works for our family and I could really care less what other people, especially people who do not even have children, think about it.

 

[TerriBelle]

I'm always amazed at how much people LOVE having the strollers! I guess my family is odd but we could not wait to get rid of ours! We feel that our trips have been much better without it. I admit that we have not gone during the heat of the summer and I'm sure this makes a difference. We take breaks when the kids need to and some days we break things up by going to the pool.

 

[meandtheguys2]

It is hard when a kid isn't used to the physical activity level necessary for Disney. Maybe it is a boy thing, but my boys run and play hard whenever possible. DS5 just didn't need one for anywhere but epcot, and he used that begrudgingly! He wants to be a big guy like the bros.!

 

[kpk89]

I wholeheartedly agree with the poster who used the stroller as containment, to know where the kids were. When we went into MK to see Spectro and Wishes, we put the 4 & 6 in the stroller, and I carried the 2 yo in her sling.

Judging by how they did this time, I think next trip we'll bring a single umbrella for the baby (ok, she'll be nearly 3 ...) and only rent for the big kids if we really feel they need it. Epcot would probably be a good place -- it's just so huge!

 

[skiwee1]

I'm always amazed at how much people LOVE having the strollers! I guess my family is odd but we could not wait to get rid of ours! We feel that our trips have been much better without it. I admit that we have not gone during the heat of the summer and I'm sure this makes a difference. We take breaks when the kids need to and some days we break things up by going to the pool.

We never go in the heat of the summer but I still love the stroller. LOL! WE use it to hold our water or drink in the holder, our bags of stuff that we buy, and our backpack and ponchos. I am dreading the day that DD doesn't want to ride in it anymore.

 

[DisneyTeasers]

We're driving down and will definitely bring the stroller. DS5 is tall and is a little squished in his old stroller, and has told us he wants to walk "like a big kid", but we are still going to use it - for stuff and for the end of the day when he's pooped and we are too tired to carry him!!

And I don't think he'll end up obese because we let him spend a few hours on vacation in the stroller!

 

[vhoffman]

I'd say if a stroller helps, then by all means use one! However, you might get some odd comments from "strangers" about older children in strollers. Recently, my dd (age 8) cut the bottom of her foot. She used crutches but found it too exhausting to go through a grocery store on crutches. We just put her in the cart and pushed her around the store. It was amazing at the comments we got from people--"you're too old to ride" "only babies ride in carts" etc. My dd even said "what business is it of their's? " She has better manners at age 8 than many adults do. She would never question or challenge why a person chooses to ride in a storller, cart, wheelchair, etc. She realizes they have their reasons and its none of her business! However, the comments made her so self-conscience she preferred to walk and exhaust herself rather than take the "easy way". That is ,until I pointed out to her, when was the last time someone else put themselves in physical pain for your approval? Then she went back to using the cart, or whatever made life easier for her. Nothing says we have to make things hard on ourselves to please someone else--they wouldn't do it for us?

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

When my DD was 4 she ran around the parks in Dec. without a stroller.

When she was 7 and we went in May, the HEAT zapped her. I quickly came to my senses and rented a stroller. She was much happier at the end of the day.

She did look funny with her long legs coming out of the stroller. We got lots of stares but no comments.

Lori

 

[C.Ann]

Ask your son how he feels about it.. If he says yes, then by all means get one.. If he says no, then play it by ear.. After a day or two he may change his mind and decide that he wants the stroller afterall..

More importantly though, don't let ANYONE intimidate you into thinking he's "too old" for a stroller.. At the end of the day he's going home with YOU - not the rude arrogant people who are passing judgement on your parental decisions..

Hope you have a great time!