Taking vs Renting a Stroller

[newtodis]

For our upcoming trip I'm debating taking our two strollers (a sit and stand double stroller and a single Grayco stroller) that we normally take or taking the double stroller and renting a double stroller while we're there. I like the Disney strollers being durable and easy enough to get around. Because we've got a bigger group going, we'll need the two strollers if we split up. DS5 and DS3 will be using one. I don't like both of them on our double stroller simply because it just gets too heavy to push and honestly I use the back seat for my park bag and underneath for my purchases just to make it easier on us. So should I budget for a double stroller for length of stay or just haul my own? We're planning on staying off site so we won't need the stroller around a hotel or anything (renting a house off site) and honestly I expect DS5 to do some walking and not be in the stroller the entire time. It would also be nice to have the extra room in the car to bring other things with us since we're staying for longer than we normally would. I don't think they'd both hang out in just the Disney stroller either - they're brothers and they fight just like they're brothers! Sometimes space is a good thing - especially when mommy needs to seperate them - so I know I'll need two strollers. And if you're wondering why the double rental at Disney? I'd rather have the extra room for them to spread out or put purchases in there or whatnot. If I remember right, it should be big enough for DS5 to actually almost kind of lay down in if we're there late and he gets tired which could be a big help.

Please - I'm not trying to start a stroller debate and you're not going to talk me out of using a stroller for either of my kids. I'm simply asking for some feedback to try and help determine if it's worth renting a stroller for seven days or bringing our own.

 

[PrincessDreams2]

Bring them both, if you have them and they fold up easily, why not! Save the money. I am a single mom and this will be our 3rd trip to the world this year, and I have brought my own every year and will again this year. (DD is 6 now) They come in really handy at the airports, too. Though I don't know if you are flying.

 

[wdwrich]

Bring your own. From our experiences, we find it very convenient to have a stroller at places outside the parks (airport, resort, etc...)

 

[Sharron379]

I always bring my own double stroller! I just hate wasting money. Renting a stroller is expensive and I rather use it on stuff in the park!

Sharron

 

[cassie58]

I would bring your own - more comfortable to use, and as PP mentioned, you cannot take Disney's out of the park, and it's nice to have one for your hike to the parking lot and back, especially at the end of the nt. or nap time when one might be sleeping. We liked having our own cause it has a big basket underneath, and stores alot, plus it was great for carry-on items to get across the airport more easily. If you decide not to bring yours, there are some services that rent strollers for the week at cheaper prices than Disney, and you can keep them w/you - I think one is called Magic Strollers - not positive, but I know that one and others have been talked about here on the boards.

cassie58
11/08-ASMo & Timeshare
8/09-CSR

 

[Tomh]

Wow, needing two strollers, I guess I would say bring your own, that would get VERY expensive to rent. We always rent a single for DS. Even that is pretty expensive, but saves us the hassle of dealing with a stroller on the buses, which are often standing room only at night anyway.

 

[nmmom95]

We always rent so that we don't have to take the stroller on a crowded bus, but since you are staying off site, I assume you will have a car. I voted bring your own, if you have the room.

 

[newtodis]

Bring them both, if you have them and they fold up easily, why not! Save the money. I am a single mom and this will be our 3rd trip to the world this year, and I have brought my own every year and will again this year. (DD is 6 now) They come in really handy at the airports, too. Though I don't know if you are flying.

No we're only five hours away so we're driving. Won't need to worry about the airports

Bring your own. From our experiences, we find it very convenient to have a stroller at places outside the parks (airport, resort, etc...)

Won't need it at the airport or a resort (renting a house off site).

I would bring your own - more comfortable to use, and as PP mentioned, you cannot take Disney's out of the park, and it's nice to have one for your hike to the parking lot and back, especially at the end of the nt. or nap time when one might be sleeping. We liked having our own cause it has a big basket underneath, and stores alot, plus it was great for carry-on items to get across the airport more easily. If you decide not to bring yours, there are some services that rent strollers for the week at cheaper prices than Disney, and you can keep them w/you - I think one is called Magic Strollers - not positive, but I know that one and others have been talked about here on the boards.

I'm not worried about the parking lot part. Because of the hassle of folding them up, we usually make DS5 walk anyways unless we're at AK when we just walk to the van (we usually take the tram or monorail or both at the other resorts). As for comfort, to be honest, DS5's probably too big for the stroller we normally put him in (the single one). He's too heavy for the double stroller so we put him in the single one but his poor knees hit the tray thingy...he looks like a hot mess sometimes! If we didn't bring ours, we'd rent from Disney just to only have to mess with them at the parks.

Wow, needing two strollers, I guess I would say bring your own, that would get VERY expensive to rent. We always rent a single for DS. Even that is pretty expensive, but saves us the hassle of dealing with a stroller on the buses, which are often standing room only at night anyway.

We don't "need" two...it just makes my life easier to have two. We'd only rent one and bring one if we rented. I agree that it's expensive for the strollers but sometime's it's worth the cost.

We always rent so that we don't have to take the stroller on a crowded bus, but since you are staying off site, I assume you will have a car. I voted bring your own, if you have the room.

Yes we'll have our van with us but would still have to fold it for the tram and on occassion on the monorail when it's really crowded.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! The cheap part of me wants to bring both from home. The lazy part of me wants to just rent one when we get there....thank goodness I've got some time to think about it.

 

[mariepapa]

Save your money if you can. Since you are driving you have the room and can store them. You will need the room to store your purchases (but don't leave anything that you might think you will miss if it gets stolen!!!). Plus you can have the kids walk a lot and not feel you need to get your money's worth!

 

[MinnieGi]

I would bring my own. The rental price tag is too steep for me, that money could be spent elsewhere on our trip.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

The way I look at it, if you are going thru the trouble of bring one, you may as well bring the other one too! I would only rent and pay the prices of Disney strollers if you didn't have to lug yours back and forth to/fro the car/transport. To me that is one of the reasons you pay such a premuim price for the in park strollers.

 

[jpolak]

Bring it from home. It make navigating the airport so much easier even if you kids walk and you pile stuff on it.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

I would definitely bring your own - the cost is incredible to rent and, for us, makes the hassle of dealing with our own worth it. However, if your 2nd stroller isn't already, consider one of the 2 being a very small umbrella style stroller. Our last trip was with dd4, dd4 and ds8mo - so we had our double and a single umbrella stroller. Worked out beautifully. We could split up when necessary, but when our oldest was walking, we could simply hook it on to the double stroller folded up so we didn't have to push it around for no reason. It cost us $20 and was more than worth it.

 

[newtodis]

I would definitely bring your own - the cost is incredible to rent and, for us, makes the hassle of dealing with our own worth it. However, if your 2nd stroller isn't already, consider one of the 2 being a very small umbrella style stroller. Our last trip was with dd4, dd4 and ds8mo - so we had our double and a single umbrella stroller. Worked out beautifully. We could split up when necessary, but when our oldest was walking, we could simply hook it on to the double stroller folded up so we didn't have to push it around for no reason. It cost us $20 and was more than worth it.

Oh we have a brand new umbrella stroller we've never used and I didn't think of that! I wonder if I can get a canopy/cover for it to provide some shade? I would think the thin material would help keep them cooler too.

 

[rt2dz]

I don't have unlimited funds so I have to pick and choose what I spend my money on/where I spend my money, so I bring the stroller from home. If I were ever to rent (to save room in the car for the drive down), I'd rent from some place NOT Disney--cheaper and better strollers. So, my vote, naturally, is to bring from home. If you find it to be too big of a hassle, you could always leave it at your rental home and then rent at Disney.

 

[mickeyfan0805]

Oh we have a brand new umbrella stroller we've never used and I didn't think of that! I wonder if I can get a canopy/cover for it to provide some shade? I would think the thin material would help keep them cooler too.

Ours does have a small shade for the top - not great, but there. If yours does not have a canopy, I've never seen a universal version, but it could be out there. If shade is the goal, you could always go with a stroller umbrella like this...

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3452270

 

[haleofafamily]

We had always rented the double strollers. I liked how easy they were to manuver. Then with the price increase last year we decided to buy a double umbrella stroller that someone recommended on the Dis and take it. It was the best decision we have made. We use that stroller all the time now. We also take a regular $10 umbrella stroller and keep it folder and hooked to the other until we need it. It worked great for us.

 

[newtodis]

Ours does have a small shade for the top - not great, but there. If yours does not have a canopy, I've never seen a universal version, but it could be out there. If shade is the goal, you could always go with a stroller umbrella like this...

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3452270

Thanks. Yeah I know it doesn't have a shade but that might work and I've got a partial gift card from TRU which might just get used! Thanks for thinking of that. I'm gonna have to put DS5 in the umbrella stroller this weekend and see if it will work before I put my order in. He's just too heavy for the double stroller we have so we need something else (preferablly smaller) for him to ride in.