Taking your own stroller?

[fdecker]

We wanted to take a small umbrella stroller to the world instead of renting. Has anybody done this? If you are switching off can you fold it up and carry it in line with you? Or do you have to leave it outside and risk it being stolen? Thanks

Fred

 

[A&D's mom]

We opted not to take our own stroller, and were glad we didn't have to maneuver it on and off of the Disney buses. A lot of families did take their own and didn't seem to have any problems. I was worried about someone taking the stroller we had rented, but we never had a problem. I will warn you that cast members sometimes move strollers while you're in a show or on an attraction, so look carefully. Once we had parked ours in the wrong place, but the other time they moved them to make room.

 

[nativetxn]

Welcome to the DIS, <b>fdecker</b>! I'm very glad you found us and I hope you can visit often.

You might want to ask this question on our Disney for families board. I'll bet you would get some great advice about this topic, there.

You will find our Families board <b>HERE</b>

Katholyn

 

[kbkids]

We took an umbrella stroller the first time we went. No, you aren't able to fold it up and take it in line with you. You'll still have to park it along with the rest of them. Hope I'm not jinxing myself, but we're never had a problem with any of our strollers being stolen, rented or our personal ones.

 

[ErinInCT]

Just got back. We brought our huge sit & stand stroller. We rented a car so we did not have to deal with folding it up to get on the busses! There is usually a CM hanging around the stroller poarking area so hopefully nothing would get stolen. We did not keep our dipare bag/backpack in the stroller, but we did keep the cooler & it never got stolen. I recommend buying one of the giant Mickey head balloons they sell on Main St & hanging it from your handle. The strollers all look alike & if you are in line for a while & exit a different spot then you entered, you may forget where yours is! The balloon will make it easy to spot!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Welcome to the DIS!!!

I've always taken my own stroller and have never had it stolen. I like having the stroller at the resorts, in the parking lots, etc, and therefore have never rented.

My son is almost 5yo and I will take the stroller again this December. I also like the storage that my stroller has. Folding it up for the buses isn't a big deal, especially if there is more than one adult in your group.

T&B

 

[slp87]

When my DD was stroller size, we always took our own. The first trip she was 2 and we took an umbrella stroller and that was a mistake. Although it folded up nice & small on the bus, we didn't have one with a shade, the seat didn't recline and the wheels were too small to handle some of the Disney terrain. After that we always took our regular stroller. For the 15 minutes we were on the bus, we could deal with it being bulky and it was great the rest of the trip. We typically packed a small plastic bag (like the clinique freebie) with things like bandaids, sunscreen, etc. to leave in the bottom of the stroller so we weren't having to carry it on the rides and wouldn't care if it got taken (never did) and only packed the important stuff in our backpack that we took on the rides.

 

[Mandalou]

We, too, have taken various strollers with us over the years -- from umbrellas to a double. We've never had a problem with it or anything in our stroller being taken, though I agree that you shouldn't leave anything valuable in the stroller.

We're going to take an umbrella stroller on our next trip for our 5 year old who will, undoubtedly, turn into a "liquid kid" by mid-afternoon. Man, I wish they'd invent a stroller that REALLY folded up and could be carried like a backpack when you don't need it. Now if I were really smart, I'd try to invent that myself!

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

We too take our own stroller. Mostly for comfort and storage. We tie colorful bandanas on the handle so that when it gets moved we can find it right away.

 

[behappy]

You won't regret it...some of the folks above have given some good advice about things to remember (like a way to keep the little one out of the sun)....the stroller is very convenient to have at the airport and in places like Downtown Disney.

 

[chipnwendy]

Another suggestion I read here, and tried on our last trip, if you're worried about the security of your own stroller, is to bring along a simple bike lock & chain (we got ours at Wal-Mart - it was a Disney Princess lock, so it fit the theme also), then lock your stroller near the entrance to whatever attraction you happen to be going on. This way, when you come out, your stroller will be exactly where you left it.

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by chipnwendy
Another suggestion I read here, and tried on our last trip, if you're worried about the security of your own stroller, is to bring along a simple bike lock & chain (we got ours at Wal-Mart - it was a Disney Princess lock, so it fit the theme also), then lock your stroller near the entrance to whatever attraction you happen to be going on. This way, when you come out, your stroller will be exactly where you left it.

Because of evacuation and fire rules, strollers are not allowed to be locked to anything. CMs do need to move them sometimes to keep the area orderly.
What some people have done is to lock 2 wheels together so the stroller can be rolled on the 2 free wheels to move, but it can't be used. Or, people have put a lock across the seat, so it can be rolled, but not used. Another thing people have done is put a lock that prevents it from folding; that way, if someone does take it, they won't be able to fold it to put it on the bus or in a car.

 

[pixieprincessmom]

We brought an umbrella stroller. When we left one of the rides we picked it up and as we were getting ready to leave we realized it was not ours (Our had stickers all over it). I think this happens, so I agree that you should use something to mark it as yours.

 

[chipnwendy]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
Because of evacuation and fire rules, strollers are not allowed to be locked to anything. CMs do need to move them sometimes to keep the area orderly.
What some people have done is to lock 2 wheels together so the stroller can be rolled on the 2 free wheels to move, but it can't be used. Or, people have put a lock across the seat, so it can be rolled, but not used. Another thing people have done is put a lock that prevents it from folding; that way, if someone does take it, they won't be able to fold it to put it on the bus or in a car.

Right. Sorry about leaving that detail out. We just locked the wheels together so that the back wheels would not be able to roll.

 

[SueM in MN]

Right. Sorry about leaving that detail out. We just locked the wheels together so that the back wheels would not be able to roll.

It sort of sounded like that's what you meant, but I wasn't sure.

 

[jenlovesdisney]

I am worried about this because I am planning on taking a rather large double stroller (front and back). When you say buses are they like tram type things or are the buses where you get in on the side and shimmy down the center? How annoying will I be trying to drag that down the aisle? Is that common? HELP!!

 

[A&D's mom]

The Disney buses, if you are staying at a resort or going between parks, are the method of transportation if you don't drive your own car. Some have a few steps up, others are lower to the ground. Drivers fill every seat and let people stand in the center. I witnessed people who got on the bus late trying to hold the pole, balance themselves and hold a stroller. A smaller umbrella stroller would probably be a better bet. My kids are 2 and 7 and loved sitting side by side in Disney's double stroller, which has a canopy for shade. I did miss a stroller at the airport.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We took our Graco Combo stroller last week. It is one that also fits the infant carseat in it. We were glad that we had our own. It was nice to put DD in it in out room and wheel her to the bus stop or monorail. It was kind of a PITA to fold up on the bus, but we all agreed we would rather do that than not have one. If you take the monorail anywhere you can just roll it in.

Ours was not stolen. It was moved a couple of times by CM's, but we had no problem finding it. We didn't leave anything in it that would get stolen.

I say take your own if it has a shade, basket and can recline. It's worth it.

 

[tinkerbell13]

at Disneyland either, so I am not really worried about it at WDW. We bought an umbrella stroller when I went to Seattle last year and didn't want to take it home so I gave it to goodwill. It was cheap so no big deal. I am planning on buying another cheapie when we go and I will probably just leave it for the owner of the condo that we are renting from if she wants it. I can't really imagine doing epcot with my 4 year old without one, and I don't really want to rent one either.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

We always take an umbrella stroller and have never had a problem.

Click on this link for more stroller info.