Stroller suggestions for two! Bring Own or Rent?

[newbie714]

Hello. Wondering if anyone could give me some suggestions on a good double stroller for WDW. We will be going to WDW SOON! and already have a Graco Duo Glider, bought second hand for those occasional trips out and about. It is very bulky though and wondering if doable for WDW. Wouldn't mind buying another easier one if would cause less headaches. The Tandem of the Graco works pretty good, but wondering if the Maclaren side by side is a good choice...can you get through doorways, etc?

Also, would renting a stroller be a good choice, figured if spending 8-10/day to rent, would just be better to buy so can use at the airport.
What is the possibility of stolen strollers at the parks? I remember my mom telling me of a horror story when I was a child and their stroller kept getting stolen from the kiosk..they rented. OF course that was 30+ years ago though.

Thanks

 

[casjen72]

and loved it. it is a side by side umbrella stroller. It fits through all doorways. It folds up somewhat compact and was relatively easy to get on and off the bus. It fit under our seat on the bus. So, it should please all those stroller haters out there. We also brought it on the train b/c we could fold it up.

I found it a necessity to have the stroller to and from the bus b/c my boys were exhausted and often times my 2 y.o. would be asleep. I was too tired to carry him all the way to the bus and our room when he was sleeping.

You can get a used one on craigslist for under $100.

 

[mamaminnie]

Renting is more than $8-10/day, I believe a double stroller is $16 or $18/day.

You don't say how old your dcs are, that is a factor. I'd say bring your own if you can, the walks at the end of the day from the stroller return to the busses/parking lots can be really hard.

 

[Ariel8676]

How old are your children? I always suggest bringing your own stroller, unless they are older...the rentals aren't comfy at all.
We have a Maclaren twin...and i have heard many good things about the Chicco double(much less expensive too)..we have the Chicco single and its great, and the seat is wider and the wheels are bigger than the Maclarens.

 

[tanyaandallie]

My kids are 3 and 18 mos and we have decided to buy rather than rent. At $18 a day we can buy one for a little more and then keep it or sell it. We also have the duoglider but will not be taking it. I really love it b/c the kids are very comfy in there and it has great storage, but it's such a beast. It just does not fold up well. It would take up all the room we need for our luggage.

I think we may have decided to purchase the Combi Twin Savvy Sport. You can get it on ebay for about $175 which includes shipping. I tested it out at BRU and it's pretty much the same as the Twin Savvy EX with runs $300. It just doesn't have some of the extras which is fine with us. We don't need a bottle holder on the back. I really love the Peg Aria double but I just can't spend that much when the Combi looks like it will get the job done and is significantly cheaper. I have thought the same about the McClaren. It seems so much pricier but not all the much better.

 

[goofinoff]

I would suggest the single umbrella style strollers. We brought them the last time we went and they were perfect. We each pushed one and they collapse very easily. My BIL and SIL brought their double side by side stroller on the same trip and wished that they had the kind we did. They had a hard time getting on and off the bus with the side by side. Are you riding the bus or renting a car? We figured too, that the single ones are cheaper so if one gets stolen, no big deal to replace it.

 

[crisi]

We always rented. My kids loved them and found them comfortable. The two factors against renting to me: you don't have them outside the parks and sometimes getting to the stroller rental is quite a hike (from the monorail at Epcot to the spot where they rent strollers isn't an easy walk if you are carrying a toddler), the expense.

For us, we had two kids that were a year apart, and I never owned a double stroller. So it would have involved investing in a decent double - not worth it for us (I hate strollers in general - my kids were wagon kids at home).

 

[kimmikayb]

I know everyone is different but I have to agree with whoever said getting single strollers is the way to go. Easier to get around, easier to get on and off the bus and sometimes mom and dad just have to go seperate ways and then each can have a kid.

 

[LisaFB]

Wow, I'm glad I came across this thread! We're not going to WDW until next year, but it's never too early to plan... Our kids will be 4 and 2 by then and we were thinking of renting just in case they (especially the older one) got tired.

Right now, DD doens't use a stroller at all, and I only put DS in it (he's been walking for over 2 months now) when we're at the mall or someplace else that's too much walking for him at 1 year. I plan to have him out of the stroller by next year as well so we definitely don't want to spend too much $$ on strollers for the trip. We do already own 2 umbrella strollers so maybe that's the way to go for us... Our main concern with bringing is that we're going on the cruise after our land stay.

 

[flagdaytwins]

I just got back from WDW and I have twin 4 yr olds. We drove to Wal-Mart near the hotel and bought the nicer $20 each umbrella strollers (hood and storage on bottom). It took a few minutes to put them together....but it was worth it.

Obviously not everyone is as dumb as us -- to take the morning out of your vacation to go buy strollers!!

Nevermind the park walking, but as PP said -- the walk out of the park to any transportation is horrible for a tired child!

Our plan was to just leave the strollers w/my aunt who lives nearby but we couldn't hookup.

We dragged our two car seats, two umbrella strollers, two huge suitcases and 4 carryons thru the airport on our return and survived.....

 

[Our2Girls&Disney]

I agree with the posters that said to just buy two umbrella strollers. I bought the one that was in the $20 range because it had a longer handle. My husband is tall and hates those $10 umbrella strollers. Plus I like having a small basket for bottled water. It is easier them carrying it.

 

[newbie714]

Yes, I agree the Graco is comfy, for mall, park, neighborhood trips, but such a beast.

Thanks for the suggestions on Chicco and Mac's. Never heard of Craigs list so I will have to check it out.

i love the idea of two umbrellas, but 14MO just started walking again (after a long illness) and it is easier with the double and my DH..One holds while the other opens stroller and gets the 3 yr old situated.

 

[scavon]

We are headed to WDW in a couple more weeks and will be taking two umbrella strollers for our 2 year old and 4 year old. We've already "tested" them out at small trips to the beach, grandparents, malls, and festivals. I originally thought about doing a double side by side. We had a double tandem for last years trip and by the end of the day it was just so hard to push and get onto the monorail. The girls seem to enjoy it and they like that Daddy and Mommy take turns pushing each of them. Also, it makes it easier when one is still in diapers/beginning of potty training stages and one that is completely potty trained (less family trips to the bathrooms). The small baskets on the umbrella strollers are perfect for holding just a couple things. I found that with the bigger strollers I knew I had more room for stuff and thus packed WAY to much, which weighed the stroller down and meant it took longer to go through security checks.

 

[newbie714]

Okay...am I nuts? DH wants to "just take what we have" the graco duo glider... will this be absolutely crazy? Went to BRU today to try out the Combi-with both kids in seats (age 3.5 and 14 months) it was harder to push than the Graco. There was a sit and stand that worked awesome, but folded up just as bulky as the Graco.

No Macs or Chicco doubles there though....any ideas on where to test these out and possibly buy? I live in the Chicago - NW Indiana area.

I am running out of time, yes proscrastinator here, leaving Thursday! EEK..so if I run out of time, will have to take the Graco. Is this doable or will be shunned off the busses?

Also, has anyone ever had a problem with their stroller being stolen? Any ideas about personalization to protect?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have 3 kids 4,2,1. We have always taken our Graco side by side. It doesn't fold as small as a Mac but it is a great stroller. The seats are nice and comfy and they recline. The basket is also a great size. It has come on 4 trips with us and will be returning for trip #5 soon. We never have any trouble fitting anywhere. Yes it is a pain to fold for the bus, but we also take a Mac single (for ds age 4) and quite honestly, folding ANY stroller up is a pain after a while. The kids want to relax and you have to throw them out to fold it. Personally, I agree with your dh. I would use what I had if it's in good shape. I love to look for strollers but I just can't justify a new double while this one still works. Good luck with your decision!

 

[mom_2_boys]

We went to Disney this past August for the first time with our kids, ds 4 and ds 2. I was planning on renting a stroller for our stay until I realized the cost that would be involved. So I researched different types of strollers and purchased a deluxe umbrella stroller for $20 (had bag attached for small items and a covering for shade) and a floor model Baby Gear stroller for $30. (It had a large basket underneath, a double cup holder on top and was very easy to collapse.) I went with single strollers because I thought that they would be easier to navigate in the park, buses and airport and because they were so lightwight and easy to collapse.

After traveling to Disney with my kids, I could not imagine renting a stroller. All of them look the same and when we would come out of a large attraction, say Festival of the Lion King, all of the guests were searching for the stroller with their name on it. I put brightly colored luggage tags on mine (got them at Target) and never had a problem finding our gear. Furthermore, the strollers were a LIFESAVER at the end of a long day when we needed to hike back to the buses and our hotel room. While my kids rarely use strollers when we are at home, they asked to get in their rides. Having both my husband and I maneuver a stroller through the park was no big deal - I think that I would have found it more difficult to deal with a double stroller.

I highly recommend taking your own stroller. Yes, it is a pain to lug it through the airport, but once you are in the airport, you will be so glad that you can just strap your kids in as you figure out what you are doing.

Good luck!!!

 

[tanyaandallie]

My dh would like to take what we have as well. For that matter, I would like to save the money and take what we have. Plus our kids really are comfy in it. But, it's just huge. I think it would be a huge pain getting that beast on and off of a bus. Lucky for us we will have a car so if we do decide to take it we won't have to worry about the bus. If you are considering taking it, send your dh out to the stroller, have him fold it down on his own and pick it up. If he feels like he can pick it up and get it on and off the bus, take it. It would save you $200!

As much as I didn't want to get the duoglider, I think it pushes easily and rides nicely for the kids. My only issue is the size and weight when it's folded down. If you take it, please post back after your trip and let us know how it goes!! I'd love to hear before I take the plunge and buy a new double.

 

[kimmikayb]

If you decide to take the bigger, bulky stroller I just want to make a few suggestions. Do not wait until you're at the bus door to empty it of your stuff and kids before trying to fold it up. I don't know how many times we had to wait for that to happen. At the end of the day, people don't have as much patience. Also, if the bus is looking full....wait for the next bus. It will make you feel more comfortable and you won't risk ramming the big stroller into everyone on the bus. I was hurt numerous times by people with their huge strollers not paying attention to where it was going. Don't use a seat for your stroller either....people get a little testy about that.

With my little ones last Feb., we just sat on the bench and waited for the lines to go down before getting in. Keep in mind, for both you and your husband.....often the little ones are sleeping by the end of the night so you need a plan on how to manipulate the sleeping kids, your stuff and fold up the stroller. I know it was frustrating for us a few nights. We did find people who would occassionally help us, but more often people who were irritated with us. We had a single Graco and an umbrella. I honestly can't imagine working with a huge due glide.

 

[newbie714]

Well, spent all afternoon trying to find a store that has some Macs in stock...no luck in my area.

I really waited too long this time, although we just did decide to go to WDW 10 days ago!

Anyway, probably stuck taking the Duo Glide-tandem style. Hopefully this will not ruin our trip.

One plus is that by not buying a new stroller, it will save us 200+, that covers the amount of renting a golf cart at FW cabins!

We will have a car, so may just opt to drive to the parks instead of using the busses. The only one would be MK, in which we will probably use the ferry.

I am under the assumption, we can just ride right onto the ferry without folding it up? Anyone know if this is true or not?

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I've heard there aren't really problems with strollers being stolen, but sometimes people get confused and take a similar looking stroller. Personalization is a good idea. A bright handkerchief to quickly pick it out of the crowd maybe. Although I doubt there will be too many double strollers to have that problem. I'm sure there are more unique ideas for personalization though.