Stroller - What would you do?

[eebadeeba]

So, I am considering going to the parks in Sept with only me, and 3 kids, 8, 4, and 2 years. I have gone in the past several times, but only with 2 kids. I used a small personal stroller (easy on and off buses) and an Ergo pack if they were both tired. My 2yo is almost as heavy as my 4yo and I don't think I would be able to carry him as much in the ergo. So my thought is should I plan on renting a double stroller at the parks? I would also need a small personal stroller to get from the parks to the bus with possibly 2 sleeping little ones (I don't think I could carry both of them plus the backpack all the way to the bus. I have no experience with the Disney strollers - would I be able to fold my Maclaren Volo and carry it on the disney stroller - or is there a place I could check it? I also thought about a personal double stroller, but I can't imagine carrying 2 sleeping kids while folding it up and carrying it on the bus.

Any other suggestions or experience. Just to note, I do like staying late in the parks. We usually go early, do a long nap and stay late.

 

[scarlet_ibis]

I don't think you'd be able to tote your personal single stroller with you on the double stroller BUT you COULD park it near the entrance of each park and it would be nearby when you turned in the rental. I'm trying to think of places you could put it. At Epcot, there's stroller parking for Spaceship Earth, for example. Now, you can't lock it TO anything, but you could lock it to itself so that it's unusable to discourage it from walking off (there was a recent thread about this, unfortunately), but it could still be moved by a CM, especially if you're not in official stroller parking.

I don't think there are lockers big enough to hold a stroller....

 

[Kat&Dom]

What about bringing 2 small umbrella strollers and having your 8 year old push one. You could make a deal to pay the 8 year old so that they are happy to earn some extra money and be able to buy a special sovenior. Or could your 2 and 4 year old take turns using the one stroller?

 

[kampfirekim]

You are more brave than I! Disney Parks strollers have no storage space like a personal stroller with the exception of a mesh pocket on the back, so there would not be a spot to store your umbrella stroller. I would consider a personal double stroller with as little bulk as possible. I've seen some very streamlined ones out there. That way you could push them both (I think an 8 yr old might poop out fairly quick with the responsibility of pushing one all day. IMO). You would also be able to fold it up for the bus ride. There is always someone willing to lend a hand if you need it, in my experience anyway. Perhaps you could find a bench at the bus station and have it folded up and ready to go before the bus arrives. That's what we always try to do. You could probabably, or should I say hopefully, be able to wake the 4 yr old enough to walk on to the bus without your carrying them. Just a thought. Good luck and have lots of fun!

 

[rescuetink]

I'm renting a double stroller from OSR so I don't have to take a large stroller with me, and I'll have a stroller when I leave the parks to get back to the resort!! You'll get many opinions here, but the WDW strollers have no padding or cover, and when you leave to go to your car or resort the stroller stays at the gate and you have to get the worn out littleones to the car. Oh, and we determined that it will also be cheaper for us renting from OSR then from WDW, however I decided to get the insurance on the almost $500.00 stroller I'm renting, so it may be close either way. And you can bring your own umbrella stroller for the 3rd child!!

So there ya go... just another opinion!!! Good Luck!!!

David

 

[kampfirekim]

I'm renting a double stroller from OSR so I don't have to take a large stroller with me, and I'll have a stroller when I leave the parks to get back to the resort!! You'll get many opinions here, but the WDW strollers have no padding or cover, and when you leave to go to your car or resort the stroller stays at the gate and you have to get the worn out littleones to the car. Oh, and we determined that it will also be cheaper for us renting from OSR then from WDW, however I decided to get the insurance on the almost $500.00 stroller I'm renting, so it may be close either way. And you can bring your own umbrella stroller for the 3rd child!!

So there ya go... just another opinion!!! Good Luck!!!

David

Who's gonna push the umbrella stroller w/the 3rd child in it? Mom's taking the kids alone

I agree that the WDW strollers are pretty rough, especially in the rain...or in the bright sunshine. We rented one....once. Definately a personal double is the way to go even w/a little bus inconvenience.

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

If you rent a Baby Jogger Double from ORS, I think you will have problems with it on the bus. I own this stroller and unless they have changed how you fold and keep it folded, it will fall open...if you are trying to hold at least 1 child plus this stroller on your own I think it will be difficult, it's not even an easy stroller to carry IMO. DH had to rig up a strap to keep ours closed and if you are staying late at the parks when the busses get full it will be a PAIN with a big stroller.

I can't imagine an 8 yr old pushing a 4 yr old all day or even a 2 yr old for that matter. I would bring a lightweight dbl umbrella stroller like a Mac or even the dbl Jeep umbrella.

HTH!

 

[rescuetink]

Who's gonna push the umbrella stroller w/the 3rd child in it? Mom's taking the kids alone

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I missed that!!!
Could be a problem!!!

 

[katied]

If you can find a cheap Maclaren Twin Triumph, it may help you out. It's a double stroller - very easy to fold up - can do it with minimal effort. I've used the Marclaren's quite a bit when on my own with DS, since I don't have free hands. You would still have to hand off one kid to the 8 yr old, but if you're near a bench, they can sit together while you do this. Then, get a luggage strap to attached to the stroller so you can throw the stroller over your shoulder - it folds up like a umbrella stroller, and it light for a double.

Good luck!

 

[brymolmom]

I would bring a double stroller with you - don't have to worry about the hassle of waiting in line for strollers with 3 kids and you're all ready to just head into the parks and to the first ride!

I went solo with 2 kids ages 3 and 4 once. And I brought my double for the same reason - I was afraid one or both would be asleep when I went to the car, etc. Bringing it took care of that issue. Don't forget that you MIGHT be tempted to use the tram to the car - that would be way more difficult with sleeping kids, so what I did is just leave the park when they were close to falling asleep.

Make sure your 8 year old knows that he/she might be waiting in lines alone - since you'll only be able to go on things with the 2 year old. Make sure to tell him/her the 'rules' - come right out the exit - no fooling around in the gift shop, etc. Unless you're ONLY going to do family rides.

 

[eebadeeba]

Just to address a few questions -

We would be staying on property and using the buses. If I were using a car, there would be no question, I would rent one of the doubles from a company there.

Make sure your 8 year old knows that he/she might be waiting in lines alone - since you'll only be able to go on things with the 2 year old. Make sure to tell him/her the 'rules' - come right out the exit - no fooling around in the gift shop, etc. Unless you're ONLY going to do family rides.

For this problem - I would get a babysitter for the younger ones - maybe twice during the trip and go do all of the big rides with the 8 yo.

You would still have to hand off one kid to the 8 yr old, but if you're near a bench, they can sit together while you do this. Then, get a luggage strap to attached to the stroller so you can throw the stroller over your shoulder - it folds up like a umbrella stroller, and it light for a double.

Didn't think about handing a kid off, but definately doable. She loves to help.
Also, the 4 yo is good at waking up and would probably be able to get on the bus by herself most of the time, even if I wake her up from the stroller.

I am also very willing to take help and have been helped much in the past. I just also want to make sure I can do it myself if no help is available.

In the past, on the late nights, I would try to be one of the last ones out of the park. I hate waiting in bus lines, and would much rather stroll slowly out of the park.

So I think I will look for a used Maclaren double. I just bought a cheap used Volo (going to finally sell the travel system). This will be much more manageable than doing a single and the ergo.

Now to figure out how to pay for the trip...

 

[Native NYer]

Maclaren Triumph double is light and easy to fold. That's what we used the last trip and loved it.

 

[Hannathy]

I would bring 1 umbrella stroller for the 2 yr old. Mine all walked from 4 on and they were always the youngest and keeping up with adults. You will not be making good time with 3 kids anyway so I'm sure they can handle it. With 3 kids I would want as little of a stroller to bother with as possible.