Stroller... to rent, or not to rent?

[pepperderr]

My older son is 8yo. My mom is a bit concerned that the heat or humidity will be hard on him due to his asthma and that it will wear him out so she wants me to have a stroller just in case. My younger son will be 4yo next month so I can definitely see having a stroller for him, especially because he walks slooow.

Do I rent the double stroller for the week to have it just in case?

Do I rent one in the middle of the day if we decide we need one?

Do we just take our regular single stroller that my older son could never fit in and just hope my older son won't need one?

How much does it slow you down to have to wait in line to get a stroller every day at the park or if we park hop?

Would it be nice to have our own stroller to check out the rest of the resort (Pop Century) or DTD?

If it rains, I can just wipe off the disney stroller and it is ready to go again, If mine gets wet, it will need time to dry.

Do you know how much it costs to rent a double stroller per day and for the week. We will need it probably 7 days.

Thanks.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

We went last August when my oldest boy (who has mild Asthma) was eight. He is very physically active and I did not intend to rent a stroller for him. I rented a double for my 6 and 4 year olds.

Well my 8 year old spent more time in the stroller than my 6 year old. My mother caved in and got a stroller for him too. I wouldn't have. But that is what Grandma's are for.

I would bring your own stroller for your youngest IF it has a good sun shade and is crucial to making your youngest feel "safe and secure" other wise I'd use a multiple rent at the parks for your trip.

As to your 8 year old, talk with him. Show him a picture of the stroller and if possible let him try it out a day without one.

 

[PrincessTigerLily]

My personal advice - go for the Disney double stroller. DD6 is tall for her age, and she still fits in the thing. She and DD2 had a fine time in there. And it is true about the rain, we just wiped it down and we were off again. Plus, if your son doesn't end up using his seat (HIGHLY unlikely I would say, WDW is a huge place as we all know!) it is a great place to store all your stuff and park bags. As for time parking, we have never really encountered any lost time with parking. You definitely get to attractions faster with them in a stroller, no barking out "Come on! Faster! The line for Snow White seems short for the next 45 seconds!!!". But then again, the Disney Stroller Parking Fairies do tend to rearrange the strollers on you, so I suggest taking something distinctive like a bright colored bandana with you to tie to the handle of your stroller. This way you can spot yours out of the sea of blue plastic strollers. I have also read that others tie on a glow stick at night for easy identification. Either way, have fun! Is weather change and humidity a usual trigger for your son's asthma?

 

[ProfJenn]

we have a similar dilemma:
We DS who's 8 and 95lbs! and DS5 who's 55lb! They are both super tall too.
I bought a collapsible wagon for this trip - the kind that folds down SOME and a golf bag to shove it into. Either boy can fit into it alone with ease and maybe together for a short way, with their legs over the sides and a good mood?
We had to do this because our two boys wouldn't fit into the Disney double at the same time anymore (that, and we needed it mostly for the walk back to the bus).

 

[kristennn]

We went last june - my daughter turned four while we were there and my nice was almost 8. We did the double stroller and they were both in it quite often. I am sure we would have had to listen to my niece complainging about being tired if we didn't do a double and my daughter loved being in the stroller WITH my niece. We did a lot of walking and a lot of long days at the parks and i don't think it would have been fair to ask my niece to keep up the pace we did without a stroller. I wasn't sure about the idea of an "almost 8" year old in a stroller but really they're more like little carts.
here's a picture of them in it one night when it rained. My daughter had fallen asleep and just woken up - hence her facial expression

 

[WantToGoNow]

I would suggest the double. We probably will do a double on our next trip as well. Ds will be 8 and also has asthma -- the humidity drains him quickly. Dd will be 5 and is a big complainer when it comes to walking around theme parks. The stroller will be there to carry one or both plus my bag.

For the above poster who said they purchased a wagon for their trip, Disney does not allow wagons or anythign else that you pull behind you (rolling backpacks, coolers, etc.).

 

[stacy6552]

Bring one fore the 4 year old. If you need one for your older son, then rent it as needed.

 

[all4fun]

I've never personally rented a stroller but I do know that a double costs $16 a day for a multi-day rental. It's $2 more a day if you pay day by day. See HERE.

Stroller Rentals
For your convenience, strollers are available for rent. Quantities are limited and subject to availability. The stroller rental fee is $10.00 per day* for a single-passenger stroller and $18.00 per day for a double-passenger stroller**.
For Guests who require a stroller rental for multiple days, we offer a Length of Stay rental ticket where you make a one-time payment transaction for as many days of rental that you will need. Single-passenger strollers are available for $8.00* per day and double-passenger strollers** for $16.00 per day. Upon visiting a Theme Park, simply show your receipt at the stroller rental location and you will be expedited through the queue with little or no wait time.

Like the pp's have mentioned, the rental strollers are more like carts - they are industrial strength - very sturdy! I've seen small to avg size adults resting in them (not being pushed though!).


hth

 

[ProfJenn]

Eek! Thanks for the note about the wagon! I never thought to ask whether it would be allowed! What a hassle to bring it and then be turned away - you saved me from one grumpy DH
Is it because they are afraid we'll mow someone over? I thought I saw one in the park (like ours) a year or so ago...

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

I am all for renting the double for your 8 yr old and 4yr old but I would maybe consider bringing an umbrella stroller for the 4yr old for the evenings and walks back to your room. They always fall asleep on the bus back to the resort and it easy to pop open that stroller and let them ride rather than being tired and carrying them back. If your not using your stroller you can fold up and lay it on the top of the rental.

 

[Stacerita]

I haven't need a stroller in quite a few years, but I always appreciated bringing my own. My DD was more comfortable in it, and it had all the space that I needed. I would just bring my own, and if needed, rent another one for my older child.

 

[Coconuts]

Stroller rental at WDW never took me longer than 5 minutes, and even less than that after the initial day. They are made of hard plastic so just wipe them dry. Your 4yo will definetely need a stroller, and your 8yo may be a toss up. It really depends on his activity tolerance. The only problem you may have is your kids being crowded. If it was me I would just get the double just in case, and if you only need it for one kid then you have extra storage room. We went last year with 6 and 4yo and got a double and it was fine. Only problem was the usual sibling stuff because it is a bit crowded, "get off of me, stop touching me, you are squishing me" etc... Good luck.

 

[CampbellScot]

We got a double stroller for my 8yo Step daughter and 5yo step son. We used it every single day of our trip and we were SO glad we had it. Both kids rode in it often. There wasn't any whining about being tired and nobody got blisters! They always had a seat at parades and always had a bit of shade. It was especially nice during the end of the day mad dash to the gates. I never had to worry about where they were during the "surge"...they were safe in their "kid transporter". My husband and I also enjoyed being able to store "stuff" in it if there wasn't a munchkin inside! The kids could walk if they wanted and ride when they were tired. It worked out for everyone. As someone above said, there were a few "I'm SQUISHED" instances, but they always had the option to work it out or hoof it! Really though they had plenty of room.

They will be 9 and 6 this summer and we fully intend to rent a double for them. You won't look out of place at all. LOTS of bigger kids use these strollers during their vacations. My step kids are both very active and play on competitive soccer teams and swim teams. The heat really zaps kids of their energy.

Have a great vacation!!