Stroller Help PLEASE!!!!!!!!

[DizkneeDad]

First off, hello everyone!

I've been to Disney many times but never as a father. I've never really paid attention to what people were using for strollers and such but in 46 days (woo hoooo) my wife and I are taking our young daughter there and I'm so torn on what to do.

We love the Maclaren Quest Sport stroller. It's perfect in every way except that it doesn't have a snack tray. There is also another stroller we like (Graco MetroLite® Stroller) with a fast fold. It's not much heavier and very easy to fold and it has more storage and snack tray.

My thinking at first was get something small and light but after thinking about it more, the amount of times I actually need to fold that thing up will be limited to getting on and off trams and such so is small and light really that important? Especially when one is 12 pounds and the other is 20? I work out, I can handle it LOL. But I've also read the maclaren can get tipsy when you remove the child. (then again, so could I if you give me enough time in epcot

They both recline.

They cost difference is approx $100. However, I can't think of this as a disney purchase. It's something we will want to continue to use after which is why I lean more toward the Maclaren...but the snack tray is a huge issue. My daughter needs that. I've seen people mention a babytrend child tray so I'm going to explore that option when I can get in touch with customer service. You can no longer order parts online because it's a retired product.
If there is anyone that would want to sell the child tray I'd be open to buying it.

Anyway, anyone have any ideas, comments, suggestions. Maybe even a different stroller type that means all our needs?

Ps. My daughter will be 16 months when we leave. A bit young for disney but it's ok. A family trip that other members bailed so we decided to go anyway! She is already prepped and can say minnie and mickey...doofy (goofy), duto (pluto), donah (donald) lol so stinkin cute. She will have a blast at parades and such.

 

[alexb]

We've been to Disney with a variety of strollers over the years. A larger single stroller, double stroller and the last trip with a Maclaren. Now that I think back, the Maclaren was so much easier and I wish we would have had one for earlier trips. Getting the first two on and off the buses, trams, monorails was doable but because of their size folded up sometimes I felt like I was wrestling with them. The Maclaren was light and compact and took up little space and could be easily moved around. Because the Maclaren took up less space open or closed, we could get into a lot of tight places (full monorail cars, thru crowds) a lot easier. Also, depending on where you are staying, you may not want a stroller to occupy a lot of space in your room.

Of course their are trade-offs, you mentioned the tray, storage underneath and the size can also be a shortcoming if you want something bigger and roomier for her. They may also not recline enough if you want your daughter to be able to lay down a bit.

Oh, the other thing I liked about our Maclaren was the rain shield that came with it (or that we bought as an extra), it worked like a charm on a couple of occasions at WDW. We didn't have to rig something up.

If I were to do it again with a 12-24 month old I would go with the Maclaren.

 

[Jktrush]

I have been through this same stroller decision before. I have four kids and have had a variety of different strollers of the years! The one stroller I have that I have always loved was my maclaren. I have had it for over eight years and it still works great. It is very light weight and steers great. What I would suggest is looking at the reviews of both strollers and seeing if that helps in your decision. I understand about the snack tray but I bet you could find one to fit the stroller. That being said my sister bought a graco stroller like the one you described and loves it. So I think you would be happy with either one.

 

[rascooby]

We got 2 Maclaren strollers specifically for Disney when our kids were 2 ans 1. I really, really love them. My husband was able to easily take care of both strollers by himself while I got the kids on and off the buses. I don't know what kind of snacks you're thinking about, but we used snacktraps with a leash type thing that attached to the stroller. They also have them for sippy cups. They can still drop them, but they don't hit the ground and the snacktrap doesn't spill.

 

[Wadecool]

First off, hello everyone!

I've been to Disney many times but never as a father. I've never really paid attention to what people were using for strollers and such but in 46 days (woo hoooo) my wife and I are taking our young daughter there and I'm so torn on what to do.

We love the Maclaren Quest Sport stroller. It's perfect in every way except that it doesn't have a snack tray. There is also another stroller we like (Graco MetroLite® Stroller) with a fast fold. It's not much heavier and very easy to fold and it has more storage and snack tray.

My thinking at first was get something small and light but after thinking about it more, the amount of times I actually need to fold that thing up will be limited to getting on and off trams and such so is small and light really that important? Especially when one is 12 pounds and the other is 20? I work out, I can handle it LOL. But I've also read the maclaren can get tipsy when you remove the child. (then again, so could I if you give me enough time in epcot

They both recline.

They cost difference is approx $100. However, I can't think of this as a disney purchase. It's something we will want to continue to use after which is why I lean more toward the Maclaren...but the snack tray is a huge issue. My daughter needs that. I've seen people mention a babytrend child tray so I'm going to explore that option when I can get in touch with customer service. You can no longer order parts online because it's a retired product.
If there is anyone that would want to sell the child tray I'd be open to buying it.

Anyway, anyone have any ideas, comments, suggestions. Maybe even a different stroller type that means all our needs?

Ps. My daughter will be 16 months when we leave. A bit young for disney but it's ok. A family trip that other members bailed so we decided to go anyway! She is already prepped and can say minnie and mickey...doofy (goofy), duto (pluto), donah (donald) lol so stinkin cute. She will have a blast at parades and such.

We have a Maclaren and absolutely love it! It may not carry as much gear as the others but it more than makes up for it by being much lighter and easier to maneuver.

 

[pumpkinmomma]

I agree with others, I have had a Graco and a maclaren. Hands down the maclaren is my favorite. Its easier to steer, fold, and maneuver. The lack of a snack tray is not that big of a deal IMO. You can do the add on trays or like pp suggested, attach a snack trap.

Another thing you may want to consider is handle height. The maclaren is easier for my dh to push because the handles are higher, he doesn't have to stoop.

 

[snoopy5386]

We've had a Maclaren as our primary stroller now for almost 6 years and 2 kids. I've never had the snack tray and I don't miss it. As your child gets older you won't miss it either. In fact I own like 6 or 7 strollers and none of them have a snack tray. Get a snack trap instead!

 

[blessedby3]

We have 4 kids (21-4) and have used many strollers over the years
I have the Mac Volo, Mac Quest, and the Baby Jogger City Mine right now. We have used them all at WDW. For a 16 mo old, I would definately want a bigger stroller than the Macs. She will be napping in it, as well as just spending a good deal of time in it, and I would want her to be super comfy. The Mac Quest reclines some, but our BJCM is hands down the best WDW stroller we have had. It has a complete recline, the sunshade it amazing (Macs dont have a great shade), I got the snack tray for our BJCM and it has the quickest and easiest fold ever! It is a bit more, but if you are going to be using it for a long time its worth it. We just got ours a couple of years ago and its been to WDW twice with a 3rd trip on the horizon...not to mention all the use we got out of it at home! This is the stroller they rent from Orlando Stroller Rentals at the top of the page. Macs are great, I just think they are better for the 2 1/2 age range and up...when you are talking about being in the stroller for a good part of the day

Here is a video clip of the BJCM and the quick and easy fold
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ksK4NXnEsk

Edited to say that if you did end up going with a snacktrayless stroller....they have no spill snack cups that you can buy and attatch them to the stroller sides with a "bottle strap".....as well as attatching a bottle/cup that way too. But I do love my snack tray for a younger baby!

 

[Jennygt]

You will need more than the mac for a 16month old for sure. We love our mac quest and brought it for the airport , but we rented the gracco from abbf for the week at wdw. you will need the cup holders and the extra space underneath. Plus you will need the extra sun coverage. Good luck, you will have a ball with the little one!!!

 

[RooRach0906]

First off, hello everyone!

I've been to Disney many times but never as a father. I've never really paid attention to what people were using for strollers and such but in 46 days (woo hoooo) my wife and I are taking our young daughter there and I'm so torn on what to do.

We love the Maclaren Quest Sport stroller. It's perfect in every way except that it doesn't have a snack tray. There is also another stroller we like (Graco MetroLite® Stroller) with a fast fold. It's not much heavier and very easy to fold and it has more storage and snack tray.

My thinking at first was get something small and light but after thinking about it more, the amount of times I actually need to fold that thing up will be limited to getting on and off trams and such so is small and light really that important? Especially when one is 12 pounds and the other is 20? I work out, I can handle it LOL. But I've also read the maclaren can get tipsy when you remove the child. (then again, so could I if you give me enough time in epcot

They both recline.

They cost difference is approx $100. However, I can't think of this as a disney purchase. It's something we will want to continue to use after which is why I lean more toward the Maclaren...but the snack tray is a huge issue. My daughter needs that. I've seen people mention a babytrend child tray so I'm going to explore that option when I can get in touch with customer service. You can no longer order parts online because it's a retired product.
If there is anyone that would want to sell the child tray I'd be open to buying it.

Anyway, anyone have any ideas, comments, suggestions. Maybe even a different stroller type that means all our needs?

Ps. My daughter will be 16 months when we leave. A bit young for disney but it's ok. A family trip that other members bailed so we decided to go anyway! She is already prepped and can say minnie and mickey...doofy (goofy), duto (pluto), donah (donald) lol so stinkin cute. She will have a blast at parades and such.

Our daughter turned 16 months during our last trip. We used our Graco MetroLite and it was a great decision, it was fine to fold and it was nicer to have in the parks then our smaller fold up stroller... I will admit I dont own a Macleran. Our daughter napped in the stroll often just falling asleep w/o us knowning until we looked down. Having the snack tray was awesome for her cup and occansional snacks. I am gonna give you a tip... Characters can be overwhelming we had our daughter watch Disneyland Fun Sing Along Songs and the ones on the video (main characters) she had no problems and LOVED them and ones like Oso and Pooh that looked like big oversized Bears, but Handy Manny and others with big heads she was still timid around. 16 months is a awesome time to take them to Disney just remember to let them run your day (if they need a break take it and so on) If you have any more question just ask. Hope this helps.
If you decided to go with the Maclearn.... we have this snack tray for our smaller stroller
http://www.amazon.com/BRICA-53002-S...OU/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1328393130&sr=8-13

 

[Vixster]

My daughter was 18 months when we went 2 years ago and we used our maclaren have always used them for my kids great easy to use pushchair

 

[DizkneeDad]

Thanks everyone! Great feedback!

I am still a bit torn but I think I'm going to go with my initial instinct which is the Maclaren. The mini jogger was a great suggestion, it just seems like it's too short. I like the height of the Maclaren. Now if I could stop thinking about all that dough I'm going to spend going to disney, it might make buying the Maclaren easier. LOL

I don't know what's more exciting, watching my daughters face when she see's the magic of disney or mine when I see my first (of many) churro.

 

[rascooby]

I was able to get a Maclaren Triumph for $75 and a Maclaren Quest for $50, both on Craigslist. I had to watch it for a few months, but if you have time, it might be worth it. They were both in great shape.

 

[blessedby3]

Thanks everyone! Great feedback!

I am still a bit torn but I think I'm going to go with my initial instinct which is the Maclaren. The mini jogger was a great suggestion, it just seems like it's too short. I like the height of the Maclaren. Now if I could stop thinking about all that dough I'm going to spend going to disney, it might make buying the Maclaren easier. LOL

I don't know what's more exciting, watching my daughters face when she see's the magic of disney or mine when I see my first (of many) churro.

I think the Baby Jogger has a very high handle. My DH is 6'2" and he pushes it easily. The handle hits right above his waist. He says its the best stroller as far as height and pushing we have ever had.

 

[twinboysmom]

My suggestion is to purchase neither the Maclaren or the Graco. We have a Mac double at we purchased just for our WDW trips and we don't like it. We got a fantastic deal on it (50%off new) but I would have been very upset to pay full price. One of my biggest complaints is the sunshades or lack of. They offer very little protection. I like the height of the handles (we are tall) and it folds well. At barely over 2 my boys heads are already over the top of the seat and by age 3 I can't imagine they will be that comfortable in it. But I am in the minority and most Dis boarders like the Mac's. I just don't and do not recommend them.

I would look into the britax b agile stroller. It doesn't come yet in a double and I don't need any more but I have been drooling over it. I would recommend you also look at baby gizmo's review of it on you tube. She is my go to person for stroller and baby/toddler gear reviews. You cam buy this stroller now on sale at many places (amazon has the red one for under $200) and the add on snack tray is $16. It pushes better than the Mac, has a fantastic fold, and a great sunshade (you will appreciate that at WDW). It is a similar stroller to the baby jogger citi mini in overall features.

We brought our boys at 18 months, 24 months, and 26 months so your 16 month daughter will have a great time. Just take things at her speed and you will have a fantastic time!

 

[englishteacha]

Ok, so I'm not yet a mom, and also I'm very frugal. This is the stroller we registered for: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jeep-Cherokee-Sport-Stroller-Siren/17783191

It folds up very easily and is very easy to push. We won't use a stroller very often at home because we don't have anywhere safe to take baby for a walk. We wanted something that is easily portable, because we won't be using it from home.

 

[naomi78155]

We love our Macs. We have a Volo and a Triumph.

Two suggestions: ankle weights on the front lower "legs" of the stroller will help with the tipping issue.6
Also, I just got a clip on snack/drink holder at Target for $6!

 

[FunkyDuck]

Maclaren, Maclaren, Maclaren!!

We bought ours for our DD when we went in 08...she was 18mos. and it worked perfectly for us...no regrets.....took it again in 2010!!! I have nothing but positive reviews for it!!! Enjoy your trip!!

 

[Elise79]

Thanks everyone! Great feedback!

I am still a bit torn but I think I'm going to go with my initial instinct which is the Maclaren. The mini jogger was a great suggestion, it just seems like it's too short. I like the height of the Maclaren. Now if I could stop thinking about all that dough I'm going to spend going to disney, it might make buying the Maclaren easier. LOL

I don't know what's more exciting, watching my daughters face when she see's the magic of disney or mine when I see my first (of many) churro.

The height of the baby jogger city mini handles is the tallest we have ever had and we are onto stroller number 4! It is also my favorite Disney stroller by a Long way!

Could you go to a local stockist to have a look?

 

[Anya22]

You might want to consider the UPPAbaby G-Luxe. My sister has that one and the sunshade is great for an umbrella stroller which would be nice at Disney. Also the recline is really good for a napper and it is lightweight like the Mac.

I have a Maclaren and I love it. It is a little tippy if you have anything on the handles and then take the kid out. I would have bought the G-Luxe if I had not found such a good deal on the Mac (found a clearance sale). Not to mention that my husband already thought I was nuts for buying another stroller.

I will also add that my sister had a MetroLite and hated it. Too bulky and big and they ran it into the ground. I had a different Graco and it also didn't last.

I would think you'd be able to find some sort of snack tray type thing. I went through that same dilemma. I have one that you clip onto the side of any stroller. Can't recall the brand...