strollers and parade/fantasmic

[jennilouwho]

We haven't been to Disneyland since having kids. Can our kids sit in their stroller at the curb and watch the parade or do we need to have it stored somewhere? What do we do with our stroller during Fantasmic? I'm thinking I'll be taking our Combi side by side twin. Thanks for any help!

 

[Vala]

For the parade they will ask you to fold the stroller.

I was sitting next to a family on our last day who had their children sitting in a stroller like you plan to do. They were asked by CMs to fold the stroller and have the kids sit on the curb. Not sure if you can keep the stroller with you though.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Wow, things must have changed. In all my trips to DL (most recent was 11 months ago however) I have always seen kids in strollers watching the parade on the curb. I mean those rented ones, where would you put them and they can't be folded up? I have seen this during all my trips to WDW and DL.

I have seen them at Fantasmic at DL as well. Now at WDW, you can't take a stroller into Fantasmic but that's the only parade or nighttime show I know of at any Disney park where you can't.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Our daughter sat in her stroller 3 weeks ago. We weren't on Main Street, but we were by the Alice/Matterhorn potties.

Now when we were on Main Street at the Christmas parade taping the week before, CMs asked folks on the curb to sit on the curb so folks behind them could see better. We were in the 2nd tier, so we had the youngest in the stroller and that was fine with the CMs. They seemed to indicate that they wanted it that way for the taping.

 

[jennifur25]

We've never had to fold up our stroller and I've never seen them ask anyone to. Where would all the folded up strollers go? And it would be a pain to have to unload all of our stuff to fold it. We've always just parked the stroller at the edge of the curb and then we sat next to it.

 

[Disney Dreams]

At parades, strollers are free game anywhere (usually on my heel somehow!). At Fantasmic! if you plan on trying to sit down in the front by the water they will ask you to either sit in the back row or fold up your stroller so that it is not blocking the view of those around you, since that is a sitting only area.

Side note: You mentioned your side-by-side stroller. My observation is that people with those seem to have the most trouble with getting through crowds, lines, stores, etc.... They are really wide, especially in an environment such as DL. The 2fer strollers that place one child behind the other seem to be much easier to navigate.

- Dreams

 

[LavenderPeach]

We were just there last night and I saw kids in strollers watching the parade along main street. I don't remember seeing any folded strollers.

Also, just fyi since a PP wasn't sure about the rentals folding, you can fold the rented strollers. DLR has the rental version of the same stroller that we have (the Baby Jogger City Mini) and to fold it you just pull up on the strap in the crease of the seat - very easy to do.

 

[Vala]

We've never had to fold up our stroller and I've never seen them ask anyone to. Where would all the folded up strollers go? And it would be a pain to have to unload all of our stuff to fold it. We've always just parked the stroller at the edge of the curb and then we sat next to it.

It was very busy that night, maybe that's why they asked?

Looks like that rule isn't steadily enforced, I'm sorry for giving possibly wrong info.

 

[bumbershoot]

Side note: You mentioned your side-by-side stroller. My observation is that people with those seem to have the most trouble with getting through crowds, lines, stores, etc....

I definitely agree. The people pushing them have a hard time, and people trying to maneuver around them have an even worse time.



DS sat in the rental stroller last December, but we weren't right up front on the curb. If we were on the curb, we would never have him sit in the stroller, b/c that would impact those behind us. Since I'm a shrimp, I'm very sensitive to the sightlines of others.

Oh and as for folding those things, I've never figured it out! Tried and tried and tried, never was able to figure it out, and we've rented them three separate trips.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Oh and as for folding those things, I've never figured it out! Tried and tried and tried, never was able to figure it out, and we've rented them three separate trips.

I've never actually tried to fold the rental strollers at DLR but it is the same as ours at home. There are safety straps on the outside of the seat (one on each side) that snap onto the frame that you have to undo first before you can fold it. We never snap ours but I can see Disney snapping them to make sure all the safety features are implemented. After you unsnap the straps you should be able to just pull on the strap on the seat that says "pull" and you just lift it up and the stroller folds itself as you lift it. It's easy but different than most strollers. It's actually one of the main features that led me to buy my stroller.

 

[LavenderPeach]

It was very busy that night, maybe that's why they asked?

Looks like that rule isn't steadily enforced, I'm sorry for giving possibly wrong info.

That makes sense. I could see them asking people to do that if it was really busy since strollers do take up a lot of room and block people's view.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

For the parade they will ask you to fold the stroller.

I was sitting next to a family on our last day who had their children sitting in a stroller like you plan to do. They were asked by CMs to fold the stroller and have the kids sit on the curb. Not sure if you can keep the stroller with you though.

This hasn't been our experience. We kept our kids in the double (side by side) stroller no problem. We saw multiple parades too.

 

[jennilouwho]

Thanks! I guess I have some stuff to think about. Our trip isn't until next Dec this time of year, so I have plenty of time, just daydreaming right now... We'll have a 3 1/2 year old and a 15 month old. I think the 3 1/2 year old will be able to walk most of the time, but was considering the double if we ended up at Hojo's. If we priceline and drive in every day, I was going to just bring one stroller and then have the option of renting one for the 3 1/2 year old if need be. Are there areas around main street that you can store your stroller? I don't mind us all sitting on our hineys at the curb, but I also don't want to have to go back to Splash Mountain or something to retrieve the stroller.

 

[tracer]

For the record, you will be just fine with your side by side combi. We use a side by side inglesina (similar to the mac) and it is much easier to push, turn and get around. The double strollers, yours included, are skinnier than a wheelchair's width. I personally have issues navigating a front to back stroller especially when it would come to crowds, takes more room to turn length wise. Think of it this way a side by side is like turning a square, a front to back is like turning a long rectangle. You can't see people feet infront of you and can run into or clip their ankle a lot easier.

When we would see the parades, the boys just stood in their seats of the stroller and could see everything (we were not front row). But when we were, we were not asked to fold up or get rid of our stroller.