Strollers...

[DisneyMo]

...to bring your own or to rent? My whole family is traveling to disney in 2 weeks and while my kids are well past stroller age, my sister has a 4 year old that might need one. She was thinking of having my neice walk and then when she gets tired to rent a stroller - however, i think i remember only stroller rentals at the front of the park which would not be convenient. Also, it seems like a lot of money to keep renting them throughout the week - what do you guys do?

 

[ArielsMommy]

We bring our own. However, my DD (3 1/2) likes to walk. She will only sit in it when she's tired. So, we use it to carry our backpack and purchases, etc. On the other hand, my Dneph (4) will sit in it forever if you let him. I guess it all depends on the child. HTH

 

[julia & nicks mom]

well- I still have a little one so I am not there yet -

but my 3.5 yo who hates the stroller - climbed in a WHOLE lot at WDW!! And you can't take the stroller past the front gate - so if she is asleep - you ahve to wake her up before the car etc.

also - you never have to worry about where you are going to carry stuff!!

 

[grimley1968]

Here's a good thread about this from a week or so ago: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=860525

 

[sleeping beauty 1]

I have never taken my own - I think they are too much of a pain for everything from packing to carrying. Most parents have to take out sleeping kids when loading on the bus and then carry the child and the stroller - double pain.

I do have a complaint about the people that do take their own and the time it takes to load and unload and room it takes up on the Disney buses - some take up a seat that could be occupied by a person depending on the bus. Not to mention they have been dropped on me, in front of me, people have tripped over them, etc . . . usually with no apologies.

A plus with renting for me is my 70 lb 4ft 7in 6 year old (yes very tall) can take a break in the stroller too and rotate the 3 kids. The Disney strollers are very sturdy - similar to the double jogging stroller we own that I would never be able to pack. I can't buy a cheap one that holds her and another one of my children combined. Even with the $2 a day increase over 10 days that $20 total - I didn't always bother with the dollar refund before - not worth it.

There were many days this summer both my 4 yr old and 6 yr old just walked and I carred the 1 yr old - we were amazed - saved rental fee and hassle of extra item if we had taken one! I guess if I plan a trip overall for 10 days and if a total rental $180 ($160 trip) is going to break me then I can't afford the trip and don't do it - instead I budget for this expense. I do try to cut corners and make things as inexpensive as possible, but on the other hand the convenience of not carrying one extra thing from airport or to and from room every day the extra money is worth it for me. I will cut corners elsewhere. I do understand the reason why many people take their own, I just view it from another view as well.

Sorry for the long post - just some of my thoughts.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

We bring our own. However, my DD (3 1/2) likes to walk. She will only sit in it when she's tired. So, we use it to carry our backpack and purchases, etc. On the other hand, my Dneph (4) will sit in it forever if you let him. I guess it all depends on the child. HTH

Oh no! Taboo on the DIS. You actually use your stroller for your items and NOT your child....stepping out of the way of the flames.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=836035&page=1&pp=15

 

[tarmand]

I wouldn't dream of going without our stroller. My daughter is 18 months going on 18 years old and would never stay in a Disney stroller. She needs to be restrained. I am not carrying a 32 lb kid around the parks all day so we will bring ours in October. I also am more than happy to bring my stroller so that we can carry all of our bags. We have three stroller hooks on the handle and hang everything we buy on them. I love our stroller!

P.S. I never take Disney transportation. I prefer to drive myself. And, if my folded up stroller annoys someone on a tram then they get annoyed way to easily.

 

[disnut8]

Coming in on this one. We were taking our then just turned five year old granddaughter to Disney World. Her mother, my son, and my husband all said she didn't need a stroller. I bought an umbrella stroller at Toys R Us for $20. While we didn't need it all the time, it was so nice to have "just in case". We did a tour around the Epcot resorts while waiting for my in-laws to arrive and the stroller was absolutely needed. If we didn't need it in the parks, it was easy to push around or we could leave it at an attraction and retrieve it later. Honestly, it was a life saver for the trip.

Now we don't need one because the little girl is seven and outwalks everyone in the party. If you do decide to take your own, make sure it's folded before you board the buses.