Taking a pram/stroller?

[newkie]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here!

We are thinking about going (from Hobart) to Disneyland and maybe Hawaii around this time next year and I'm wondering whether or not I'll need to take my pram with me. My kids will be DS11, DD9, DD8 and DS4 by then, and I'm just not sure whether I'll need somewhere for my youngest DS to sit. I see a lot of US people just take theirs, but they have the luxury of either driving or only flying domestically, not internationally! Just thinking of how much I'll need to pack is already doing my head in :lol:

What do other people do for their little ones on the cusp of needing a pram?

 

[Snickals]

My child is a lot younger but incase you are not aware you are allowed to take a stroller free of charge on the plane. You take it to the plane door 'gate check' it, which we have done, it really isn't that much of an inconvenience and for us was nice being able to put my backpack under rather than lugging it on my back through the airport. Although when you arrive in LA you don't get it at the planes door, you have to walk to customs (fair walk) get through that and then pick it up where you pick your bags up.
But again my child is a lot younger...if you need it, take it

 

[ssour]

I only have a much younger DS too so I can't speak from experience. However, I intend to keep taking ours for a long time! I think it will help the youngest last longer not having to walk everywhere, plus if he needs to have a nap he can do so in the stroller instead of everyone having to head back to the hotel. You can rent the Disney ones but they're expensive and don't look particularly comfy to me. Sometimes I wish I had a stroller and someone to push me, so I can't imagine it not getting used - DS8 might want a turn in there too!

 

[Aussiefamof5]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here!

We are thinking about going (from Hobart) to Disneyland and maybe Hawaii around this time next year and I'm wondering whether or not I'll need to take my pram with me. My kids will be DS11, DD9, DD8 and DS4 by then, and I'm just not sure whether I'll need somewhere for my youngest DS to sit. I see a lot of US people just take theirs, but they have the luxury of either driving or only flying domestically, not internationally! Just thinking of how much I'll need to pack is already doing my head in :lol:

What do other people do for their little ones on the cusp of needing a pram?

Hi newkie, we are flying out from Hobart in 47 days , our youngest is 3 1/2 and we are definitely taking our stroller as we are connecting in melbourne then sydney for 5 hours before our international flight. If we dont take it I can see her just wanting to be carried for the whole time lol

 

[Aussiefamof5]

My child is a lot younger but incase you are not aware you are allowed to take a stroller free of charge on the plane. You take it to the plane door 'gate check' it, which we have done, it really isn't that much of an inconvenience and for us was nice being able to put my backpack under rather than lugging it on my back through the airport. Although when you arrive in LA you don't get it at the planes door, you have to walk to customs (fair walk) get through that and then pick it up where you pick your bags up.
But again my child is a lot younger...if you need it, take it

Hi Snickals just a quick question re taking stroller to the plane door, our stroller is collapsible, not an umbrella stroller do they put it with all the other luggage or do you take it on board? If we get to gate check it does that mean we have it right up till when we board?

 

[Snickals]

Yep, all strollers (umbrella, foldable etc. no matter the size) are allowed to be gate checked. Make sure you get a tag to put on the handle though (although they never check them). You take the stroller all the way down to the very door of the plane, they make you fold them up and place to the side and on the plane you go Then you either collect the stroller at the door of the plane when getting off or at baggage claim (this is usually when you arrive international though, you have to go through customs before you get it which is a bit of a pain)
I don't 'think' the strollers actually go onboard though (could be wrong) I think they and wheelchairs? are taken from where you leave them and put under the plane with the rest of the suitcases, I know a few times I have had to wait at the planes door while they get all the strollers out from underneath and they bring them up to the door.

 

[ky71]

Do you use a pram/stroller at home? Only you know what your child is like when they are tired/bored/ready to run away!

In my experience, I had to buy a stroller to use when my youngest DS was exactly 3yrs old for our WDW trip (we then used it again almost a year later too but only for amusement parks travelling, he had to walk on non park trips).

If you are worried mainly about moving about in the airports just buy a Trunkie! This was the best gift ever! They cost about $75 Australian dollars and are a small child's suitcase that small kids can actually straddle and ride on. They have a leash that parents can pull child along with and straps to carry them like a handbag. It neatly fitted my DS's iPad, Leapster and DVD player plus snacks and a change of clothes. They are hard sided and certainly very sturdy. Sometimes my DS would pull the Trunkie along behind HIM as he walked! We have only just given ours away as my DS turned 8yrs last week.

Best wishes with your stroller dilemma!

 

[Aussiefamof5]

Yep, all strollers (umbrella, foldable etc. no matter the size) are allowed to be gate checked. Make sure you get a tag to put on the handle though (although they never check them). You take the stroller all the way down to the very door of the plane, they make you fold them up and place to the side and on the plane you go Then you either collect the stroller at the door of the plane when getting off or at baggage claim (this is usually when you arrive international though, you have to go through customs before you get it which is a bit of a pain)
I don't 'think' the strollers actually go onboard though (could be wrong) I think they and wheelchairs? are taken from where you leave them and put under the plane with the rest of the suitcases, I know a few times I have had to wait at the planes door while they get all the strollers out from underneath and they bring them up to the door.

That's great thanks snickals!!!! I was getting a bit worried for our little poppet and I really didn't want to buy one of those leads

 

[viaggiamo]

I would recommend taking a pram. We went to DL and around California last year for a month; DS was 3 DD was 5 and especialy at DL it was a must have. DS would just crash at nighttime so we would have him asleep in the pram (ours is a maclaren vogue with full recline-great stroller!!!) and we could eat dinner instead of having to go back to the hotel early.

The children also took turns on busy sightseeing days to ride in the pram as we walked alot.

Our Maclaren has travelled so many places and we love it. We also love the ergo and beco butterfly carriers but find now that the children are older they become too heavy.

We are taking the pram again to the US this year; DD will be 6 DS will be 4.

That said, we check our as we want the kids to run amok at the airport to get all their wriggles out before getting on the plane.

Because we have taken OS many many times we have a travel bag we use which we also can fill up with soft stuff and use as an extra bag once we have been shopping!

Another option is to have one sent to your hotel, they are cheap in the USA.

V

 

[Franrose]

When we went in 2011, we didn't think we'd need one for our (then) four and five year olds. We really did though. We hired one initially, then bought a $50 one from just inside Disneyland which was perfect - surprisingly good quality, it did the trick. It just helped us move from A to B much quicker when the kids were getting tired. They'd take turns in it, or sometimes both squish in (I can't even recall how lol!) It wasn't needed for any other part of the trip but was easy enough to move around with us and bring home. It's sat in the garage ever since lol, but was still an excellent buy at the time. I'm sure I could recoup at least half its cost if I popped it on gumtree!

 

[newkie]

Thank you all, very helpful! I'm going to have a hard time convincing DH that we need to take the pram, he's already said he doesn't think it's necessary because DS walks a fair amount of the time now, though I rarely attempt any sort of shopping without it.

Only you know what your child is like when they are tired/bored/ready to run away!

This is a really good point! DS is a runner for sure, it would make for a very stressful trip if he's bolting all the time.

I'm sold on the idea, we're taking the pram no matter what DH says

 

[jacs1234]

Hi Newkie, I think I know you from a board a long long time ago. We went when my daughter was 3 and a half and my son had just turned 5. Having a stroller was awesome and it was well used. The baggage handlers on the plane treated it quite roughly and it broke (I bought it second hand for $20 so didn't care too much) but we went and bought a sit and stand stroller from target for about $130 and it was awesome. We had dd in the chair, ds5 sitting out the back, ds7 standing behind him and poor ds9 had to walk lol although we did have 4 on at once at one stage.

 

[newkie]

Hi Newkie, I think I know you from a board a long long time ago.

Argh, you can't say that and then not tell me who you are! LOL I'm struggling with your username, and can't make out the kids in your sig at all, so I'm completely in the dark!

I'm going to pretend that you didn't tell me that the baggage handlers broke your pram, I've only got my Bugaboo Bee, and I really don't want that broken!

 

[kylieh]

Another reason for taking a pram, or buying one at Target when you arrive, is that if DS4 needs a nap you don't need to head back to the room, you can keep going.

 

[jacs1234]

I don't know if you'll remember my name. I'm Trudie from TTCASG. From Brisbane with Jadon, Asher, Corban and Shyne. If they break your pram you'll be able to get a new one with the insurance. Woohoo, a new pram.

 

[newkie]

Trudie! Of course I remember you

Actually you were the only one whose name did enter my head when you said that you knew me, but I'd forgotten your kids names, only the "c" was ringing a bell.

The people you find on the internet hey?

 

[jacs1234]

big cyber hug lol

 

[Crackajac]

We are here now and I think you will definitely need one for your 4 year old my 6 year old gets in when she can and my 8 year old has tried at times. We gave done one 16hr day. We bought a cheap stroller rom walmart online and had it delivered to the hotel. I was going to leave it here but I love it and it takes up to 25kg so we'll bring it home.

 

[5ofus]

We just gat back from 10 days at DL and our stroller was constantly in use. My boys are 2,4 and 6 and ALL of them were in and out of it - the four year old the most. We have a Phil and Teds so it has two seats and the one day we didn't put the second seat on, we severely regretted it. You do a LOT of walking in the parks and sometimes just being able to go that little bit faster is necessary too.

 

[newkie]

Thanks for all your help ladies

We are definitely set on taking the pram now, DH even did a complete 360 on the matter and agreed it would be a good idea to have it, and even suggested what some of you have done - buying one over there! Now all we have to do is hope the bank will lend us bit extra while we're refinancing our home loan so we can actually afford to go!