stroller suggestion

[njitgrad]

Leaving next Friday and have a question about strollers. The first time we went to WDW in 2009 our youngest son just turned 3. We brought our own stroller from home. This time around the boys are 9 and 11 but we now have a daughter who is 3 1/2. Just trying to remember if I said to myself we should have just rented a stroller at the park instead. Then again just getting around the airport with the stroller was a convenience and at the some times a hassle. Suggestions? Leave the stroller? Take the stroller but still rent one at each park for the length of the stay? Is the mulit-day payment linked to the magic band?

 

[Angel Ariel]

We dont like havibg our stroller at the airport either, so we rent from an offsite company at Disney. This allows us to hav e the stroller as we go to and from the hotel as well as in the parks, without the hassle of having it at the airport. The offsite company strollers are also much.nicer than the in park rentals - we generally rent a city mini, the same stroller we use at home. Check out Apple Strollers or Kingdom Strollers..we have used both and had great experiences with both.

Eta: I should add, Dd is 2.5. I either wear her on my back through the airport (kinderpack, beco Gemini type carrier), or we have a rolling cart for her car seat that she can sit in the seat and be rolled with it. No need for a stroller to keep her in one place.

 

[BellsFam]

I would take one from home...

It was nice having it at the airport for when DD was that age. It also gave her a place to sit while we collected luggage...

I did the BRU trade in event got a smaller Chico stroller for under $80...for me I couldn't rent a better one in the parks.

 

[LSUfan4444]

We have always taken our BOB Jogger from home. Yes, at time it can be inconvenient to fold getting on a bus or boat, but it handles so well, offers alot of storage, reclines so little one can easily nap and saves us money by not having to rent. The 30 minutes each day that I am on a boat or bus is heavily outweighed by the 6+ hours a day that I am pushing a stroller around a theme park.

 

[senadler]

We bring one from home as well. I like having it in the airport and renting a stroller for the week can get expensive. My DS just turned 4, and since he was 3 the only time we even use his stroller if for Disney trips.

 

[Angel Ariel]

FWIW, renting from apple is $7/day, plus $10 delivery/pickup fee. $45 or so for a 5 day trip is worth, to me, not worrying about the condition of my own stroller on the plane/in the parks or dealing with it in the airport.

 

[newdeal]

I like having a stroller in the airport. Either we can push the kids in it, or more likely they can walk and we can load it with all of our carry on's which is generally 4 pretty heavy, average sized bags. In fact I would hate to do the airport without the stroller considering the amount of carry on baggage we seem to have. I also wouldn't want to pay as much as my stroller cost to buy just to rent one for a week. Its expensive! If we didn't have a jogging stroller we would likely rent, because you really are better off with a jogger in the parks, but not one of the ones that has a fixed position from wheel

 

[philschrek]

We prefer to bring our own. We can't fly nonstop from our airport so we often have a quick connecting flight we need to rush through the airport for. We like having them at the resort and having our own that we are used to and the kids are used to.

 

[mmbrad02]

I had this same debate last September. Our DD was a month shy of 4. Some factors for us:

We had a MacClaren Quest stroller that we liked sufficiently. DD was very comfortable in this stroller and could climb in and out on her own. It has had a good life and I would not have been sad had something happened to it, as it was well worn. We are about done with a stroller for any use other than vacation, so had something happened to it, we wouldn't need to buy a replacement.

On the flip side, the idea of just picking one up at our resort or the parks had its appeal for us. But for the park rental, I just did simply didn't want to wait in line each morning to pick it up. Plus, honestly, they just look hard and uncomfortable to me. We truly did not see many being used in the parks on our visit.

THen it all came down to the money. While the rentals aren't crazy expensive, we decided our stroller was paid for, convenient in the airport, and we didn't mind something happening to it. So we decided that even that small amount of money could be used for something fun elsewhere on vacation

 

[jshoemak]

We have used Orlando Stroller Rentals for our previous 3 trips and we have been satisfied with them.

 

[Crystal824]

Whatever you decide, I wouldn't rent in the parks. Those strollers are hard plastic and don't recline. Plus they are generally more expensive than renting offsite. I would bring your own or rent offsite.

 

[JZCubed]

I would travel with an umbrella stroller from home.

The 9 & 11 y.o. boys can help push.

Inside the Park - you might consider leaving the umbrella stroller in your room and renting a heavy-duty one inside the Parks so the 9 y.o. boy can get a ride if necessary. But that really depends on the 9 y.o. and your touring style.

But the $$math is very much in your favor if you bring a stroller from home.

 

[100acreHiker]

We had our stroller damaged while being handled/gate-checked at the plane a few years ago, so when we went to Disney I decided to rent one. It was great. My son was a bit older than your daughter is now, though, and it wasn't hard for him to walk through the airport (direct flight, so no layovers, etc). I loved not having one more thing to carry and keep track of while at the airports and I hate having to stand by the gate of the plane and wait an extra 10-15 minutes for them to retrieve our stroller from the belly of the plane, so it makes it that much quicker to get to magical express. Again, you know what your daughter's needs are best. But I highly recommend a Citi Mini GT from either Kingdom Strollers or Orlando Stroller Rentals.

 

[Disfan1968]

Our kids will be 5 and just 4 when we head down this August. We rented a (BOB Duallie) double stroller last summer which was a side by side, and we really didn't like it (too cumbersome on all levels). We have a double stroller at home where the incumbents sit one on top of the other that we would like to bring this year (picture attached). So, for those that have flown with strollers... I guess you just check your stroller with your bags at the airline counter, yes? Can I also ask, do you duct tape the damn thing up so it won't fly apart in transit risking additional damage? Any input on this would be appreciated.