Strollers

[cwasil]

My kids, at the time of our trip, will be 4, 5 & 14. Even though we don't use strollers anymore I'm quite certain that they will need them after long days of being in the park. Heck, I may even want a stroller for myself. We don't really have anything anymore to bring down with us much less would we want anymore luggage for the plane. That leaves a couple options...rent from WDW daily or, when I click on one of these links, rent one from "Orlando Stroller Rentals" (or some other place like that). I suppose a third option is to buy a couple of cheapies from Walmart or something. Can I get opinions of what you've done and why or why you didn't like it? Thank you.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Yes you will need strollers. We typically walk 9-10 miles per day at WDW. I'm guessing that your kiddos don't walk that much at home Strollers also lessen the chance of meltdowns!

We personally bring strollers from home. Yes, it's a pain at the airport. Yes, it's a pain on the buses. But it's SOOOO worth it 1) not to have to pay Disney prices- which are insane and 2) having a stroller with us at the resort. Sometimes there is a really long walk back to your room and if your kiddo falls asleep on the bus, it's much easier to throw them in the stroller than to have to carry them all the way back to the room when you are exhausted yourself.

 

[PrincessMommyLM]

I'm sort of the opposite of most people... We brought a stroller on our trip in December and I honestly found it to be a huge pain!!! The only time it was really super useful was naptime... DS(2) napped in it every day...sooooo, we had to have it for that. Otherwise, you have to park it in "stroller parking" every time you ride anything so mostly it was only used in traveling from land to land... Then we would park it and DS would walk around with us to different attractions.

That said, there are certainly times when we NEEDED it - like nap time. Sooo... for our trip in the fall, we are considering renting a Disney one so that we don't have to deal with it on buses, throughout the parks, etc. until we really need it...

I certainly wouldn't bring/buy or rent anything larger than a basic umbrella stroller. Getting them on and off the buses and even finding parking at times is a pain, so I was super glad to have a little bitty, easy to fold umbrella wal-mart cheapie. If we don't rent this fall, I will bring it again. I also liked that I was not worried about the possibility of it being lost or damaged so I didn't hesistate to "park" it whenever we needed to.

Ultimately, I think the stroller issue is really a personality thing... what are you comfortable with? What is your touring style, etc.? (We were pretty gung-ho and were in the parks at least 10 hours a day darting from attraction to attraction most of the time... the fact that parking the stroller slowed us down was frustrating to me! If we were going at a slower pace I might not have minded a bit!)

Hope some of that at least helps!

 

[dizzie1]

Loved having our simple umbrella stroller, even in the airport for rushing to make the connection or get to the resort bus. I would think the 14 year old would be ok on foot.

 

[Hannathy]

I wouldn't take one. My kids walked from 4 on and since you have 2 that age I would think you will be fine with both walking. Disney is as much sitting as it is walking and it isn't a marathon, there isn't a lot of non-stop walking. It is also so freeing without a stroller in the crowds and on the transportation. You won't have a diaper bag so no "junk" to haul around.

 

[ollyg]

For our trip last year, I bought a stroller from a yard sale and took it with us. I checked it at the gate and then on our last day of our trip, I "paid it forward" and gave it away

 

[jagafen]

We are renting one from Orlando Stroller rentals for our next trip...they have a double that might be a good option for your two younger ones....If you rent from them, be sure to ask for a rain cover ($10 for the length of your rental, not included) On our last trip was when DS was 5, and we had a Mac Volo that worked out nicely.....it was light and folded up compactly...if you have/can get a cheapie umbrella with a sunshade, that should do too...but he's over those weight limits (that's why we're renting from OSR this time). I think their city classic goes up to 70-75#...

It's really up to what you think your kids will need, how much walking they can take in the FL heat...trust me, I've seen parents with kids on what seemed to be a death march....one day walking may be okay for anyone's kid, but with the heat and excitement, and back to back touring days that make up most families Disney vacations, I would MUCH rather preserve my child's mood than insist that he walk 100% of the time....if a stroller makes our lives a bit easier, I don't mind paying to rent one!!

 

[RMulieri]

I wouldn't take one. My kids walked from 4 on and since you have 2 that age I would think you will be fine with both walking. Disney is as much sitting as it is walking and it isn't a marathon, there isn't a lot of non-stop walking. It is also so freeing without a stroller in the crowds and on the transportation. You won't have a diaper bag so no "junk" to haul around.

I agree with this..My 4 yr old had NO problem walking and keeping up in the heat and humidity of Sept.It is alot of standing and sitting as well as walking and you can't take the stroller thru the ride queues anyhow.To us it is just an extra pain in the rump

 

[Jdougherty]

we have a large Family...... total count is 11 grand childern plus 6 childern/spouses plus my DMIL/DFIL. I have experienced WDW with all but the youngest my DS.

I would get the 20.00 unbrella strollers from Babies R US it comes with a sunshade that you can attach a larger one too. We have found that even the older ones will take a "rest" in the stroller. You have a 4&5 year old in FL heat and humidity which will tire out the best of us. For our July trip my BFF is coming with her 5yrold, and YES we are bringing a stroller for him besides my double Baby trend.

Your other option is renting......

 

[stampwithtara]

We are going in two weeks, DD is turning 5...any suggestions as to how warm it could/should be?

 

[FishFam5]

We just got back after being there last week and we had rented a stroller from Orlando Stroller Rentals for our 5 yr old 55lb son who NEVER needs a stroller any other time. It was much easier for us to get around the parks and was great for those times when he was just flat out getting tired. He is a big kid and if one of us would have had to carry him any of the few times he fell asleep, it would have been very hard. It was better than getting a stroller in the park for us because the times he needed it the most were when we were arriving or leaving the parks when you wouldnt have a stroller rented in the park. Now, I will say they are kind of big and not always easy on the busses (I stood by the back door most of the time to keep the stroller out of everyone's way) but we commented several times on the trip that getting the stroller was one of the best things we did. It was at the hotel when we got there and we left it for them to pick up when we left.