Stroller suggestions. Tips for large families?

[alligood2000]

This is my first post to these boards, and I am a Disney novice. I hate to admit this here, but DH and I haven't caught the 'Disney bug'. My son has brain cancer and was granted a wish through the make-a-wish foundation. He chose WDW. We are really getting excited, but I am such a newbie I feel like I am doing everything wrong (by that I mean, I've done nothing to plan.......) So, I need some advice. First, are there people like us who just go to Disney and, well, wing it??? The process of planning every detail of a trip feels tedious to me and is not my idea of fun. I am worried now, though, that I've ruined this trip by not planning it down to the wire! Help me feel better about my lack of planning or, alternately, help me create a basic plan on, um, 3 days notice....

Item #2. We have a large family. Matt (our wish child) is the oldest. He is 11. We also have an 8 year old, 6 year old twins, a 2 year old, and an infant (5 months). Any strategies for doing Disney with six children? Things that might be different for us?

Item #3. Strollers. We have quite a collection of strollers. I've determined that I need to bring ours from home, as I need a recline for my infant. My choices are either two single Maclaren's or one Graco tandem. I love my Mac's, but worry about the practicality of having 2 strollers. The Graco is HUGE and extremely heavy. It does have the advantage of a nice reclining seat for the baby to nap and a big basket for storage. The reality of bringing that sucker on an airplane gives me pause, though!

Anyhow, those are my 3 biggest worries at the moment! Help!

-Allison

 

[Swmr359]

My mom and I took our first trip last year. We had no plan at all. We would decide in the morning or the night before where we were going and then call the desk to see what resturant had seats for lunch or dinner at that park. We went in October so I think that helped. We didn't get to see everything but we had a blast and are going back in March!

 

[mjkacmom]

You are going at a very busy time. You do get front of the line with MAW, right? If so, that will help a lot! I hope you made your ADR's, since most table service restaurants will be booked. I'm not a fan of tandem strollers - can you buy a side by side umbrella like? When I had 2 in strollers (which was most of the time after #2 was born), I really preferred a double over 2 singles.

 

[tzolkin]

We had two Maclarens. My husband and I each pushed one. We liked that they were easy to maneuver and folded up so small for the busses (one person could hold both strollers with the shoulder straps while the other person held the baby). We did buy clips to connect the strollers together (they were about $10 at BabiesRUs). I found it almost impossible to push/steer the strollers with them on so we didn't really use them much, but they were convenient to have if we did need to split up.

My biggest suggestion for you would be to go to the morning EMHs. It may be difficult to get the kids up and out that early, but we go at a fairly busy time (Memorial Weekend) and have always been able to do most of the attractions with under a 5 minute wait and are ready to head back to the resort for a break by 11:30 (when the crowds really start to arrive). My oldest was 10 this trip, but we actually ALL took a nap for several hours every day when we went back to the resort. The break was well worth it for us, and something we'll probably continue even when we don't have little ones.

I did a ton of planning and preparing for our trips (just how I am), but we didn't have a set schedule. We only have three kids, but we like to be flexible. We didn't make any ADRs. We were happy to eat counter service and food we'd bought at the grocery store because we didn't want to have to worry about making it to a reservation at a certain time. If someone needed a nap or if we wanted to do a different park, we weren't tied to a meal. I had a detailed/color coded parks schedule for our trip, so we could see when the EMHs were and what days parades/fireworks were offered. We usually planned to do the park that had EMH in the morning and then let the kids pick where they wanted to go after our afternoon break.

 

[micheleq]

First, hugs to you and your family!

Second, go check out the DISabilities board asap! You'll find many other MAW families there and they can help you out with planning.

If you are going over Thanksgiving, be forewarned that it is very very crowded. It helps to have a plan so you get to see and do everything your son wants to see. Is he up for helping you plan? Can you get him online to www.allears.net or www.wdwinfo.com so he can see lists of all the rides and attractions that he wants to experience?

Another helpful item would be a guidebook like The Unofficial Guide or Passporter (again, there is a Passporter edition for guests with special needs).

Is your son up for all the walking involved or will he need a scooter? I assume you will get him a Guest Assistance Card (GAC), and as a PP said MAW kids can get front of the line access. Don't hesitate to ask the CMs (Cast Members, the Disney employees) for help. And when you get to WDW, ask the concierge for help in making dining reservations if you haven't already.

I'd bring the double for your smaller kids, or buy stroller clips (made by Prince Lionheart, sold at Babies R Us) and you can clip the two Macs together.

My cousin who has had two kidney transplants has been to WDW on a MAW trip. He loved every minute of it. I know planning can be overwhelming (esp. with everything else you are dealing with), but a little planning will go a long way.

Have a great trip. I hope it is everything your son dreams it would be

 

[wmharley]

if I had that many kids, i'd get the tandem for the 2yo and infant...

i don't know if the Mac's can have a clip to link them as a sidebyside.. I know clips are made, just not certain for those.

The 2 older kids can walk. i'd be concerned about the twins. my 5yo rides our stroller in the parks generally.

You could also get a dual stroller from one of the outside vendors or rent one in Disney so the twins and the other two could share at various points..

With that many kids though, i'd want 2 duals..

 

[WantToGoNow]

Are you staying at MAW? If so, you will be able to have your breakfast and dinner there and just have to worry about lunch at the parks - probably CS would work fine. MAW will give you a card that will give you front-of-the-line-preference so the crowds won't be much of a problem for you. As for strollers, I agree that a double umbrella is easier to maneuver than a tandem - the tandem I had was extremely heavy and hard to turn. Will your Wish child need a wheelchair as well - if so 1 adults could push the stroller while the other pushes the wheelchair.

And most importantly, relax and have a wonderful vacation.

 

[alligood2000]

We are staying at GKTW. My twins are 6 and I can't imagine them riding in a stroller. However, I will leave it open as an option in case they get tired. My tandem is so big and heavy. DH thinks I should bring the two Mac's, but I am a bit worried about our Matthew needing a wheelchair - and we can't push all three things! Maybe I'll pick up some stroller connectors if we bring the Mac's. Matt's health issues make him tire very easily and I want him to have an amazing experience! I wish I still had my Mac SBS - it was so wonderful with my twins. But, alas, I sold it when they were done strollering, never imagining I would have a toddler and an infant after the twins! I really don't want to buy a SBS as I would not have a use for it after DW.

Thanks for all the great advice!
-Allison

 

[wmharley]

soorry, i missed that the 11yo was a MaW... yes, he needs something to ride in.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

I personally would leave the strollers at home and rent a double Baby Jogger City Mini (has recline for the infant and awesome sun canopies) and a Liberty Special Needs Pushchair for Matthew (good for up to 100lbs), all from Orlando Stroller Rentals. That way you've got 3 seats that can be used by whichever child needs one at the time.

The double is $85/week and the SN stroller is $120/week. They'll be dropped off at your hotel on your day of checkin and picked up by bell services when you leave. Easy peasy, and both are fairly easy to handle on the buses. If Matthew doesn't want to ride, the stroller can hold your stuff or the twins can take turns relaxing.

http://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/

(And it's not too late to rent - their customer service is fantabulous!)

 

[wmharley]

I personally would leave the strollers at home and rent a double Baby Jogger City Mini (has recline for the infant and awesome sun canopies) and a Liberty Special Needs Pushchair for Matthew (good for up to 100lbs), all from Orlando Stroller Rentals. That way you've got 3 seats that can be used by whichever child needs one at the time.

The double is $85/week and the SN stroller is $120/week. They'll be dropped off at your hotel on your day of checkin and picked up by bell services when you leave. Easy peasy, and both are fairly easy to handle on the buses. If Matthew doesn't want to ride, the stroller can hold your stuff or the twins can take turns relaxing.

http://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/

(And it's not too late to rent - their customer service is fantabulous!)

ORRRRRRR she can bring her own and save the $205 for the week

what will she do in the airports with an infant, a 2yo, twin 6yos, an 8yo a special needs 11yo AND all their luggage and carryons?

Strollers can be gatechecked after using them to actually get to the gate. saves hassles to do this. most airlines will allow the stroller free of charge.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

ORRRRRRR she can bring her own and save the $205 for the week

what will she do in the airports with an infant, a 2yo, twin 6yos, an 8yo a special needs 11yo AND all their luggage and carryons?

Strollers can be gatechecked after using them to actually get to the gate. saves hassles to do this. most airlines will allow the stroller free of charge.

Been there, done that with 7 little ones and 2 adults, still prefer to rent as the rentals are so much more streamlined than a Graco tandem. It's a personal choice and I'm just putting it out there as on option. For the airport, I use carseats and strap them onto carryon luggage (which acts as a child seat for the youngest two and makes the carseat portable) and from there they go onto the airplane.

I prefer to pay for the convenience but again it's a personal choice and as a newbie she should be aware of all the options available so she can make a choice that's best for her family.

OP - good luck and have a marvelous trip!

 

[alligood2000]

Hmmmmmm, renting a double jogger is an enticing option! I'll have to consider that. The site said they had availability for the days we are going to be there. Matt would need a wheelchair, rather than a special needs stroller. He weighs close to 200 lbs. (a result of his tumor and subsequent surgeries causing severe damage to his hypothalamus/pituitary).

I've been worried about the airport BUT, I could wear the baby in a sling, and bring my Maclaren Volo for my toddler. My older 4 boys are very helpful and I'm sure could manage rolling a carry on suitcase through the airport.

How much should I tip if I rent from orlandostrollerrentals.com?

Do any of you have ideas for rides our whole family can enjoy? Are there rides where I could bring my infant? I truly have NO IDEA what rides and attractions are there (except I keep hearing a lot about Soarin'......)

-Allison

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

How much should I tip if I rent from orlandostrollerrentals.com?

Well, I never tipped them as I never saw them... The stroller was left with bell services before we arrived and picked up by bell services when we left. If you do see them when they drop off or pickup, maybe $5?

There's a lot you can do with the whole family! Any ride that doesn't have a height restriction you can bring the baby on along with the whole family. If you've got a second adult (I'm presuming your DH will be there) you can do a baby swap for the bigger rides that have height restrictions.

You can print out the park maps or browse them online to get a feel for which rides you can all go on and which you might want to split up for an hour or so (DH takes older kids on bigger rides or vice versa).

Just being in Disney and getting immersed in the magic and the chance to escape reality is one of the best things about the trip.

 

[deva]

First, my heart goes out to you. Dealing with a very sick child has got to be very stressful...and to plan a Disney trip on top of that.

You don't need to go overboard planning, but I would seriously check out the Unofficial Guide. It has ride descriptions and touring plans for all times of the year. Literally a plan for the day at each park. You can modify as you want, but for a newbie it gives you a good idea of "flow". So you can decide what you want to go on and then have some sort of mini plan (e.g go to Fantasyland - do Dumbo, Pooh and Peter Pan, Small World, move to Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder etc.).

Not sure if you are going to have line privileges, but if you don't, you definitely want to look into Fast passes and the Baby Swap. Also, if you are able to split up some can do "little kid stuff" and the others can do "big kid stuff"

 

[happymommy]

Even though a 6 year old won't use a stroller at home, at WDW it's a whole 'nother ball game. We took one until my DD was 8.

I hope your eldest has a great time, and enjoys some really good health!



I personally brought our tandem for my kids until they were 4 and 6, which was when I started bringing them without my husband (he can't always get away, and at that point they shared the single or took turns). Yes, it's bulky, but getting through the airport I needed it, and definitely with all that walking it was needed! I can't imagine getting through and airport with all your kids without two double strollers!

Is there another adult that can join your to help?

I think I agree - just do counter service meals! It is just as fun, and you can eat when you feel like it.

You don't need a tip for any stroller rentals, but still I'd have one for the youngest two at minimum.

I hope you have a great time. Don't worry if you don't see too much - there is too much to see. I've been so many times and still haven't done many big rides. We just enjoy the atmosphere.

 

[Rylee]

Hmmmmmm, renting a double jogger is an enticing option! I'll have to consider that. The site said they had availability for the days we are going to be there. Matt would need a wheelchair, rather than a special needs stroller. He weighs close to 200 lbs. (a result of his tumor and subsequent surgeries causing severe damage to his hypothalamus/pituitary).

I've been worried about the airport BUT, I could wear the baby in a sling, and bring my Maclaren Volo for my toddler. My older 4 boys are very helpful and I'm sure could manage rolling a carry on suitcase through the airport.

How much should I tip if I rent from orlandostrollerrentals.com?

Do any of you have ideas for rides our whole family can enjoy? Are there rides where I could bring my infant? I truly have NO IDEA what rides and attractions are there (except I keep hearing a lot about Soarin'......)

-Allison

Hi, to you and your son.

How many days will you be there?
Do you plan to visit all 4 parks?
Do you have one of the meal plans?
Are there any restrictions on what your son can ride?

As the mother of a large family, I'm sure you know the basics for going anywhere... stressing the importance of staying together, what to do if separated, etc., but here's an idea -

After the children are dressed each morning, take a picture of each of them, so if you get separated you can show the picture to any of the CM's (cast members) in the immediate area.

As for rides/attractions you can all do together... YES, there are many you will all be able to do together! (May be easier if you have the baby in a baby carrier or sling.)

Start by checking the park hours at the Disney site, for the days you will be there.

If you aren't a Disney Resort guest, you won't be able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours, so avoid any park/s with the extra hours, as they will be more crowded.

I don't know if you have "Hopper" passes, but "hopping" takes time and with all those little ones, it may seem more hetic. I would concentrate on 1 park at a time.

You can eat at any of the CS (counter service) locations but if you want to eat at any of the Table Service restaurants you should see if you can get a ADR (advance dining reservation.) You can check this at the Disney site or by calling the Disney Dining Reservation number. (I put this in my cell before we travel to the World.) Remember, if you don't have Hoppers, you'll need to be in the park with the reservation on that day. Also, you can check nearby resort restaurants.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[TxDisFans]

Hugs to you and your family! My nephew had a pediatric brain tumor, resulting in pan-hypo-pituitarism (hope I spelled that right???)... and he went to WDW with MAW. He had a GREAT time and I'm sure you will too!!!!!!!!!!

As we have a small family, I'm not sure if my experience is relevant - but, with two preschoolers, we went with two separate Maclarens and were glad that we did. We found that we often needed to separate for a few minutes (one to get Fastpasses, the other to get in a line, for example) and it was easier to have an equal share of kids/strollers/stuff.

Also, as far as planning ahead.... I'm a big, big planner (hence my time here on the Dis!) and I love the process. But remember: plenty of people at WDW haven't planned! They are winging it, just like you. So just the fact that you're thinking about it three days ahead means you'll have a leg up on plenty of folks. Try to relax and have fun!!!!!

 

[alligood2000]

How many days will you be there?
Do you plan to visit all 4 parks?
Do you have one of the meal plans?
Are there any restrictions on what your son can ride?

We have park hopper passes to all 4 parks, plus passes to Universal studios and Seaworld. I don't think we'll do too much 'hopping' as it will be much easier to just stay put wherever we start in the morning!

We don't have a meal plan, but will be staying at a place called 'Give Kids the World' where our meals are provided. We also can purchase meals in the parks if we want, but I haven't made any reservations. Many characters make special visits to GKTW during meal times which means we don't need to reserve character meals. I was initally really worried about food, but after talking to a few families, I'm not worried.

My son cannot do any roller coasters, or anything that is too jarring. Besides the brain tumor (which, in itself doesn't prohibit roller coasters), he has been having problems with blood clots and is on blood thinners. There is a chance of internal bleeding - particularly in his brain, so we will be taking things pretty slow. Also, due to his panpit (yup, that's panhypopituitarism), he doesn't make a certain hormone that your body makes when it feel stressed. This makes roller coasters unpleasant for him. He doesn't get that rush of adrenaline that makes us all enjoy roller coasters. He's not scared of them, they are just not enjoyable.

-Allison

 

[Rylee]

We've never been to Universal... waiting for the 2 little guys to be tall enough for the coasters.

I LOVE Sea World, something about it is refreshing to me, perhaps it's because we move at a slower pace.

As for the Disney parks -

At the entrance of each park, grab a schedule of show and parade times.

If you are there near closing, watch the evening shows, they're great, especially Wishes @ Magic Kingdom and Fantasmic at Disney's Hollywood Studios. (Check calendar for which night/s Fantasmic is scheduled, might be worth hopping over for if you aren't there on a day it is scheduled.)

Don't forget about the 3D movies, (there's 1 in each park) my family especially loves Mikey's Philharmagic in Fantasayland @ Magic Kingdom.

Disney's Hollywood Studios -
several great shows -
Lights, Motor, Actions. (stunt car drivers)
Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.
Beauty and the Beast. B&B is a good place for you, your oldest son and little ones to wait and relax if your husband wants to take your 8 and maybe 6 y/o's on Tower of Terror.
Rides -
The kids will really like Toy Story Mania.
Back Lot Tour.
The Great Movie Ride.

At Animal Kingdom -
Kilimanjaro Safaris.
(Dinosaur really jerks you around. He should skip it.)
I think Kali River Rapids is probably mild enough, but you will get WET!
Be sure to see Finding Nemo - The Musical. It's like nothing we've ever seen.
There is also Festival of The Lion King.
It's Tough to be a Bug. (3D movie)
Check out the Tree of Life.

At Magic Kingdom -
Off the top of my head, I'm thinking he and the babies, should be able to ride most attractions except the Mountains - Space, Splash and Thunder.
(Besides the Mountains) my kids really like Monsters Inc. Comedy Club, Buzz Lightyear, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Small World and Mickey's Philharmagic.

Epcot -
He should skip Mission Space. Test Track goes fast and is a smooth ride but does start and stop quicking during part of the ride.
Soarin' is great... my fav.
If you walk around the World Showcase, you can buy a kids passport and have it stamped at each country. The also have activities for children in each country at the kidcot locations.
Check out the aquarium at The Seas. Ride Nemo and Friends and also see Turtle Talk with Crush.

I hope your trip is magical!