SWA & gate checking our stroller

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

I wasn't planning on doing this at first, but now I'm considering it. We have a double umbrella stroller for our 3 & 1 y/o. Anyone want to offer an opinion as to what I should do?

 

[MyTalula]

we would like to gate check a single stroller flying SWA for 1st time in Dec... any one with experience would love to hear from you!

 

[CleveRocks]

I guess I'm not quite getting what both previous posters are asking. Is it gate check a stroller versus not take one, or is it gate check a stroller versus check it with the suitcases like normal luggage?

I can't help you decide the first question I posed, which is basically asking if you should take a stroller at all.

But to me, the second question I posed is an EASY one. Gate check the stroller. It givrs you all the advantages with none of the disadvantages. The disadvantages of checking the stroller with regular luggage include it being handled more roughly (as opposed to gate checking, which in no way guarantees easier handling, but there's less opportunity for it to be thrown around), and mainly that it can be accidentally misdirected onto another flight (VERY rare, but luggage does get misdirected sometimes). Also, you won't have the stroller available for use inside either airport.

The advantages to gate checking: mainly, you can use the stroller all the way up to the airplane at your home airport, and all the way from the airplane at MCO (and vice versa for your return trip); and there's almost no chance of it getting misdirected onto another flight (they get it out of the jetway, that thing that attaches to the plane, and take it directly down the steps and load it directly onto that plane's cargo hold, so it doesn't have to go through the bowels of the airport and rely on somebody or somebodies reading the tag properly and sending on it's proper way).

I hope that helps. I hope I anticipated what information you needed to make decisions.

-- Eric

 

[SB in KY]

We have gate checked strollers and wheelchairs (for my mother) without difficulty for years on SW...now granted I never owned a stroller that cost more than my first car....I know a lot of people would never dream of gate checking their mega strollers...but it won't get any more beat up being gate checked than checked as luggage so I would rather have it in the airport for ease of travel as well as child containment in the gate area.

If your stroller is worth more than your next house payment I would suggest heading to Walmart or Target and buying a couple of $20 umbrella strollers just for the trip....here's why.... if something happens to one of them...so what, no major investment (the airline will replace it for you without a hassle....my SIL got a check for one that got lost in the shuffle the night it disappeared)....also my kids loved to ride in them once they were walking good....better visibility than sitting behind your sibling in the double stroller, much easier in and out at rides, etc. in the parks....I never worried my way through a ride or show wondering if someone had swiped my cheapo stroller... and last but not least....folding up your humongo double stroller and lugging it and 2 small tikes onto and off of 1 WDW bus will make you wish you had taken my advice....1 quick kick and the umbrella is folded and over your arm and you still have a hand free to hold onto the kiddos.

 

[madge]

I wasn't planning on doing this at first, but now I'm considering it. We have a double umbrella stroller for our 3 & 1 y/o. Anyone want to offer an opinion as to what I should do?

we always gate check our stroller

You'll need to fill out a waiver saying that SWA isn't responsible for any damage to the stroller. They'll tag the stroller "check at gate" and you roll it right down to the door of the plane, fold it, and the nice people take it away. You'll pick the stroller up as you exit the plane...sometimes it takes a few minutes for them to bring it up.

We've done this several times, without any trouble at all!

 

[inkkognito]

We don't have kids but we fly SW all the time and typically see a conga line of people with little ones gate checking their stroller. Seems to be a very popular choice! I would say go for it.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

We have gate checked strollers and wheelchairs (for my mother) without difficulty for years on SW...now granted I never owned a stroller that cost more than my first car....I know a lot of people would never dream of gate checking their mega strollers...but it won't get any more beat up being gate checked than checked as luggage so I would rather have it in the airport for ease of travel as well as child containment in the gate area.

If your stroller is worth more than your next house payment I would suggest heading to Walmart or Target and buying a couple of $20 umbrella strollers just for the trip....here's why.... if something happens to one of them...so what, no major investment (the airline will replace it for you without a hassle....my SIL got a check for one that got lost in the shuffle the night it disappeared)....also my kids loved to ride in them once they were walking good....better visibility than sitting behind your sibling in the double stroller, much easier in and out at rides, etc. in the parks....I never worried my way through a ride or show wondering if someone had swiped my cheapo stroller... and last but not least....folding up your humongo double stroller and lugging it and 2 small tikes onto and off of 1 WDW bus will make you wish you had taken my advice....1 quick kick and the umbrella is folded and over your arm and you still have a hand free to hold onto the kiddos.

Ohhhhh Nooooo, we don't have one of those strollers. We go to too many amusement parks and places where the stroller is left unguarded to have a stroller like that. It's just a double umbrella stroller by Jeep(I think it's by Cosco using the Jeep name or something). It folds like an umbrella stroller it's just "DOUBLE WIDE". You all have convinced me to gate check. So many of you have done it succesfully. I think when I hand it over to them I will glance back like I might never see it again though. I had considered not taking one at all and renting when we get there, but we did that once and those things were hard plastic and trying to rent & return took some time. So thanks all for the help.

 

[madge]

I don't know how long your trip is, but we discovered last week that stroller rentals are now $10/day for a single and $18/day for a double. We were happy that we brought our own stroller from home, LOL! It was good to have it in the airport, especially...one less person to keep from wandering away

 

[SB in KY]

"It folds like an umbrella stroller it's just "DOUBLE WIDE"."

Woops, you mentioned in your original post that it was a n umbrella stroller and I missed that part!!

I would definately gate check it....you will be glad you have it.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

"It folds like an umbrella stroller it's just "DOUBLE WIDE"."

Woops, you mentioned in your original post that it was a n umbrella stroller and I missed that part!!

I would definately gate check it....you will be glad you have it.

Yeah I think so, thanks again.