Stroller Help - Sensitive Subject...

[scanne]

Hi.

We are currently planning and highly anticipating our upcoming trip to WDW.

We have two kids: DS6 and DD4.

This will be the first trip without the aid of a stroller and I'm nervous. It's a lot of walking in the heat and sun. I would bring a stroller in an instant, except that my DD exceeds the weight limit on all the strollers you can buy (with the exception of the uber-expensive, jogging stroller types).

I cannot see spending $31 per day to rent a double stroller at the parks, though.

Can anyone recommend ANYTHING to make the trip more enjoyable for my kids, my DH and myself?

I am so sad that my DD's weight is a factor - which is another topic altogether - and I'm hoping that someone out there has some experience with an overweight child and strollers and can offer advice.

Thanks so very much!

 

[HGD24]

Have you looked into renting a jogging-type stroller from an offsite company such as Orlando stroller rentals or a baby's best friend? I hope you can find something to make your trip a little easier and more comfortable for your DD.

 

[brymolmom]

Just be sure to go slowly, take lots of rests and honestly do NOT put much on the 'must do' list. Go back to the room for afternoon breaks (out of the hot sun and into the pool or even a nap).

If your pediatrician has cleared her for normal exercise, this is a great way to show the whole family getting into an exercise routine together. You can all start walking before the trip to 'train' for the big day!!! What better reward at the end than a trip to WDW??

That said, if it got down to it and she had been a trooper for hours or days and was just wiped out - I would personally rent a stroller at least for the last hours of the day OR the last couple days of the trip. A single would likely be fine and a lot less expensive. And maybe you wouldn't have to do it every day.

Have a great time!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have well exceeded the weight limits in the strollers and they are fine. Heck my dh had 3 of our kids in our double many many times in WDW and I don't have a jogger. If you can get a Mac then go with that. At least for the 4 year old. You can always sell it on Craigslist when you get back. If you don't want a Mac then just get something she can sit in with her legs up. It may not push as easily but as least she can have a break.
If that is not an option then just take it slow and don't plan commando days. Really enjoy the trip. Sit and have a drink and people watch. Talk about what you have seen so far and what you still want to see. Make sure to stay hydrated. Those little breaks can end up being some of the best parts of the trip. Don't stress yourself out. Just take it slow and you will have a ball.

 

[daisy2jae]

Will a sit and stand stroller work? I just bought one for $120 at ShopKo and love mine. Although I use it for a 2 yr old and 4 yr old

Hi.

We are currently planning and highly anticipating our upcoming trip to WDW.

We have two kids: DS6 and DD4.

This will be the first trip without the aid of a stroller and I'm nervous. It's a lot of walking in the heat and sun. I would bring a stroller in an instant, except that my DD exceeds the weight limit on all the strollers you can buy (with the exception of the uber-expensive, jogging stroller types).

I cannot see spending $31 per day to rent a double stroller at the parks, though.

Can anyone recommend ANYTHING to make the trip more enjoyable for my kids, my DH and myself?

I am so sad that my DD's weight is a factor - which is another topic altogether - and I'm hoping that someone out there has some experience with an overweight child and strollers and can offer advice.

Thanks so very much!

 

[Mommy2JulietJocelyn]

We did WDW with a 9month old, 3yr old & 4 yr old with only a single stroller for the baby. Just like the others were saying - go slow and relax. They did fine and I am sure your will too. We actually liked it better because we HAD to slow down. It made us grown-ups enjoy our vacation a lot more.

 

[brergnat]

Hmmm...I can't see how a 4 year old can go without a stroller for an entire vacation, assuming she's already overweight for her age. It's probably not in anyone's best interest to make her walk the entire time.

I'm sorry, but I think you'll have to resort to renting at least a single stroller for the duration of your trip. They are much less expensive. If you rent for the duration, it is cheaper than renting by the day. I know the cost of those double strollers is insane, but it maybe an expense that is worth the lack of aggravation and headaches that could result from overtired children. Think about that...

Your 6 year old should not need the stroller, if you take it slowly for his sake. However, you could have the kids switch on and off if the 6 year old gets too tired and the 4 year old has been sitting for awhile. That's probably what I would do.

Sorry I can't be of more help. The only other suggestion I could offer is that the Maclarens go to 55lbs...and I bet more than that! They are STURDY, as long as you get at least a Triumph (the Volo is not as comfy for the larger kids...the fabric is scratchy and does not hold up as well with the additional weight). You could probably find a Triumph on Ebay or Craigslist used and try it out at home first.

Just think about what would happen if you did NOT have a stroller of some sort, and your daughter got SO tired that she conked out on the way back to the hotel at the end of the night...who's going to carry her back to the room? She's only 4...give her a break.

 

[NotUrsula]

You could also try renting a jogger from an offsite company such as ABBF. That way you would have it for the entire trip, not just within the parks.

 

[powellrj]

My kids are older but we started taking them at 4 and never used a stroller. It never occurred to us to use one. Older kids using strollers is pretty new and you will see many kids the same age as your kids not using strollers. Sure, while it might be nice to have a stroller, but it wouldn't be enough to ruin your vacation.

Start a walking program to build up their stamina. We took our oldest when he was 4 and we did a major commando trip and he never missed a beat. We no longer do commando because WE can't do it, not because the kids couldn't do it!

 

[Aliceacc]

I googled "Orlando special needs stroller rental" and found this:

http://www.mobilityequipmentrentals.com/land_baby_stroller.htm
How about that combined with a regular stroller rental for your other child?

I can't see a 4 year old, particularly an overweight one, not needing a stroller. Sure, work on her stamina before hand. But I would spring for the rentals.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Start family walks--NOW! Seriously, stamina is going to be an issue, so get them used to walking. We called it "Disney conditioning". It was just one more thing we did to get ready for the trip. DD#2 could actually walk 3 miles when she was 3yo, by going on family walks every day.

Despite that, I'm bringing a stroller for my youngest (3yo), and am debating what to do with DD(now)6. I'll either rent her a stroller for Epcot days, or buy a cheap umbrella stroller at Wal-Mart that I won't bring back.

My suggestions for you: consider an offsite rental company. They have different styles of strollers and can likely accomodate your needs. You might want to consider two singles, or one single that they alternate using. YOu can always rent a WDW stroller in a pinch, but they're so pricey, I can understand your reluctance.

Seriously, though: family walks. Disney conditioning. That's your best planning strategy. Good luck!

 

[bjeannep]

There is a jogging stroller on Ebay that has a weight limit of 140 and it sells for slighlty over $200. I am contemplating getting that one, and then reselling on craigslist when I get home. At least I will then get part of my money back and it will still be cheaper than renting the double stroller.

 

[WantToGoNow]

You should be ok without a stroller if you start walking now to get her used to it and slow down and take breaks. This will be our first trip without a stroller - my kids will be 8 and almost 6 and there's not a stroller on the market that would hold their combined weight and I'm not willing to kill my back trying. The weather is just getting nice enough here for them to get out and play - bike riding, running around and evening walks will hopefully get them ready for our trip. We will be travelling with a group of 5 adults and 6 children - 9, 8, 5, 5, 4, and 2 - only the two smallest will have a stroller and that's because of medical reasons (the 4 y/o has a heart condition and the 2 y/o will have braces on her legs).

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

How heavy is your DD? If she's just a little over the limit, it shouldn't be a huge issue. DNiece5 rode in DS's stroller (took a Jeep Cherokee stroller in case she needed it) occasionally on her last trip. The limit was 40lbs, I believe. It was a little harder to push with her in it, but it wasn't a big difference. DS had his Pliko. She was also over the limit for that, but you couldn't tell the difference between them when pushing. We've since gotten rid of that Pliko, but I found a newer model on Craigslist for $50!! We're just taking that one, and she can ride on the back if needed.

 

[sabrecmc]

We had my then-almost-3-year-old down there for a few days without a stroller. There were a couple of times (walking to the buses at EPCOT and carrying a sleeping princess from the bus to the hotel room come to mind) when I wished that I had one, but overall, she would not have ridden in it and we would have ended up pushing it around using it for holding packages, which is exactly what happened on the trip before that. We did go back to the hotel for breaks in the afternoon, it was early December, so cool weather helped...it was actually nice not to have to deal with it.

That being said, this trip is for 10 days, so I bought a Graco IPO stroller that goes up to 50 pounds (my 3 year old daughter is now 38 pounds and quite tall, having outgrown our other strollers). It was cheaper to buy than rent one for that amount of time. The stroller was $79. Even if I only use it this trip, I think its worth it.

I guess I would say that with all the expenses associated with Disney, renting a stroller might be a very good investment if it saves you aggravation and your daughter exhaustion and misery. If that isn't feasible, then I would definitely insist on daily breaks in the afternoon to rest and regroup. Comfy shoes and lots of sit down opportunities.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I think you'll be fine without a stroller. Just take breaks. It is a lot of walking but it's not constant. Remember you get frequent sit down breaks on the rides. When I was a kid I always found the worst part was standing still in line. Having or not having a stroller won't help with that.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

You could rent two singles which is so much easier when you've got two adults. Orlando Stroller Rentals recently added the Baby Jogger City Classic single stroller which has a weight limit of 75 lbs. The BJ strollers are VERY sturdy and even if she's a bit over 75lbs she'd still be okay (in my personal opinion). It's $80 for a 7 night rental and you'll have it for your entire stay, not just at the parks. I don't know if your 6 year old would also want a stroller but you could rent a second single from OSR or just get a Disney single stroller at the park if you think he'll need it.

http://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/baby-jogger-city-classic.html

To me, Disney is a vacation and while I'm sure your DD's weight is a serious issue, I'd rather just kick back and enjoy some family time for this one week. Take every opportunity for exercise but if her body isn't used to it then a vacation isn't the time to start. Eat healthy, get as much exercise as she can reasonably handle, drink vast amounts of water and have fun.

 

[crisi]

I have well exceeded the weight limits in the strollers and they are fine.

I watched the neighbor boy fall through his sister's stroller at about that age and need stitches up the backs of his thighs. I'm really happy your kids have been fine, because a Disney trip that involves the emergency room is no fun.

 

[badblackpug]

My kids are older but we started taking them at 4 and never used a stroller. It never occurred to us to use one. Older kids using strollers is pretty new and you will see many kids the same age as your kids not using strollers. Sure, while it might be nice to have a stroller, but it wouldn't be enough to ruin your vacation.

Start a walking program to build up their stamina. We took our oldest when he was 4 and we did a major commando trip and he never missed a beat. We no longer do commando because WE can't do it, not because the kids couldn't do it!

This was us, too. We have never used a stroller over the age of 3. Your daughter will be fine. It's not constant walking. There are lot's of breaks for shows, rides, parades...

 

[scanne]

OP here!

OK, just to clear a few things up:

1. DD is about 80 pounds. I am in the process of seeking nutritional counseling as well as an endocronologist.
2. She is HIGHLY active - she does karate and dance, plus she's always up and running around the house, dancing and singing - and now that it's nice out, she loves to ride her bike and play baseball with her brother.
3. We did a trip in August 2008 and we barely used our strollers then. But we were in WDW right after a hurricane and the weather was unseasonably cool. We didn't have much of an issue with lack of stroller use.

My DH and I are just trying to think of convenience. I'd rather NOT use a stroller, but I do worry about getting back to the hotel if she's asleep....we're staying at the BC, so it's a lot more buses than when we stay at a monorail resort.

I'm going to look into the rentals as mentioned in this post. I sincerely appreciate everyone's insight and suggestions! Thank you!!!