the age-old big kid stroller question....

[DisneyChris2016]

Our last trip, my youngest was 6 and we rented a stroller for her (from Kingdom Strollers). I didn't think we needed it ahead of time, but she caught a nasty cold while we were there, and could never have kept up the pace her 11 and 8 year old siblings were setting. It was also a life-saver on the night we stayed at Magic Kingdom until closing... we were staying off-site and had to wait a full hour for the monorail. She was fast asleep and way too heavy for us to carry. She walked most of the time - the stroller spent a lot of time parked, but I loved having it. It was also great for storing sweatshirts (it was November so we needed them in the morning/evening but not for the rest of the day).

I don't think there is a magic age where ditching the stroller is appropriate. It's your vacation - do whatever is going to make it the most enjoyable for you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Yes, I know time and time again this has been posted -

I have NO judgement here -

Wondering at what age you found it easier to go without a stroller?

In the past, we rented for the week from an offsite place and it has been wonderful, especially for the bigger parks like epcot and AK.

This November our DD will actually be 6, so I am wondering if we should still plan to rent a stroller for the week, or just rent one at the parks on certain days if we need it. I am thinking she will probably be fine at MK and HS, and we could make her hoof it at the other parks, but I know that letting her use a stroller when she is exhausted will make for a better experience all around...

Also, it has been really helpful to have one in the late evenings at the parks so she can sleep!

What have you done for your bigger kids?

Thanks!

I think if she is that exhausted, & is (understandably) worn out in the late evening - she should be taken back to the resort to rest or sleep.

 

[DisneyOma]

Depends on who the trip is for - if it's all about the kids, as our first two trips were, then we just went at their pace, no need for a stroller. I loved being able to see my kids' faces as we explored the parks - holding a hand, getting a hug, etc. When our youngest was two, on our first trip, we used a lightweight cheap umbrella stroller for the long distance hauls, but parked it a lot and she walked each land. That was the only time we used a stroller.

If it's your only trip, or there are many ages in your family, people who have never been and may never go again, then that's different, to a point. But I think you miss so much of the simple conversation/involvement when the kids are just taxied from place to place.

 

[DisneyChris2016]

I think if she is that exhausted, & is (understandably) worn out in the late evening - she should be taken back to the resort to rest or sleep.

I know, that seems obvious, right? Except she has an older brother and sister who were still enjoying the fun, and it wasn't fair to make them miss out. And we were staying offsite, so one of us taking just her back to the room was not an option. She was fine sleeping in the stroller, and everyone was happy. I don't see anything wrong with that.

 

[brooke789]

We stroller! It's just so much better not having overtired kids!
Our trip in November will be the first without a seat for everyone. We're taking a double. 3 year old always gets a seat and the 7 year Olds can take turns.

 

[LovePug]

I'm kind of debating this too, have a 4yr old, and I think I'm leaning towards bringing one, and parking it in the morning to have it for later in the day. I have a cheapo umbrella one that is light and easy to get on and off buses, but also have a nice one that is much easier to push, but is a bit bulky. Any recommendations on which one to bring?

I'd definitely bring one for a 4 y/o. Unless it is so big and bulky to be unmanageable, bring the bigger one. I always brought the bigger one. I could recline it when he'd fall asleep and he'd have a nice nap. It also served the dual purpose of carrying our stuff around. I loved the cup holders in ours, also.

 

[Nancyg56]

We rented from Disney when my DGD was younger so we did not have to bring it back and forth in the buses. She did not need one every day in every park, But I can tell you, she loved it when she needed a break. Not all kids use a stroller because they don't want to walk. This child was a bundle of energy, but needed a place to remove herself for a little while periodically. She was not physically tired but the noise and the people around her could become overwhelming. Epcot was one of those parks that she would get in the stroller, and play on an electronic game or close her eyes, and the "chaos" disappeared. My DD and DSIL would wander around the WS and after a little while she popped back out.

If that child was just plain tired, of course we took her to the resort to rest, but honestly that happened more to us as adults that it happened to her.

OP- if you think your kids and ultimately your vacation will benefit if you have a stroller available then use one. The decision to pop back to the resort to rest if one child is tired or edgy when you have more than one child to consider is not as easy in practice as it sounds here in theory.

 

[brymolmom]

We had a 'no stroller at WDW after age 5' rule in our house that the kids were aware of well before they turned 6. And I was VERY HAPPY with that decision. No kid at that age (and likely even a bit younger) who is able-bodied NEEDS a stroller at WDW, but sometimes the parents want one for various reasons. At that age it would have been exhausting for DH and I to push them around, and there is only 17 months between them so if we didn't have a hard and fast rule - we might have been pushing 2 around well past the age when they need it. Honestly at that age I was a big believer in them contributing some of the work required to have an enjoyable vacation and NOT complaining about it. I considered it a good life lesson about if you want to have the fun, you need to do the work too. And it was a bonus that DH and I weren't even more exhausted by pushing them around.

And let me tell you - I was afraid to get rid of it as I like to bring lots of stuff...But not having a stroller is FREEING...No need to look for it all the time, backtrack for it, etc. I LOVE not having a stroller anymore.

By age 9, ds was pushing his grandma around in her wheelchair as we went around WDW, and that, IMO, is more appropriate and another great lesson for him, that he is old enough to start now helping his grandma when she needs it.

Overall - very happy with that rule and how it worked out in the end. We had maybe a couple times when I missed the stroller and we had whininess...But nothing major.

Honestly, I think that we likely could have done it a year earlier...Pretty sure that we adults underestimate kids abilities a lot of the time. I just made it 5 to give some padding just in case.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[maxiesmom]

I know, that seems obvious, right? Except she has an older brother and sister who were still enjoying the fun, and it wasn't fair to make them miss out. And we were staying offsite, so one of us taking just her back to the room was not an option. She was fine sleeping in the stroller, and everyone was happy. I don't see anything wrong with that.

I don't think it seems obvious at all. A stroller is a tool. If it helps the whole family to keep going, why not use one? Why should the vacation have to stop because one child is tired of walking?

I think each family should do what works for them.

 

[Crystal824]

We took a double stroller for our 6 and 2 year old last year. I told my 6 year old that is her last year in the stroller. Our next trip won't be until the six year old is nearly 8. That is old enough to walk. We have another baby coming. We aren't doing 2 strollers just one double. IMO, I think 6-7 is the right age to give up the stroller at WDW. Every family and child is different.

 

[kohlby]

5 is the age where it seems to go 50/50 reading on these boards over the years.

My first didn't need it at the start of our trip at 3 - but needed it quite a bit by the end of the trip. He didn't have another visit until 6 and was far from needing it then. He was the type of kid to complain about walking even a few steps - but didn't complain at all at Disney! (It helped that we told him we would leave the parks when one child was acting like it was time. He didn't want it to be him!)

My second used it at 3, though she liked it more for security than anything else. Her next trip was at 5 and she didn't need it at all. She's very petite but has always had higher endurance than the norm. She had to keep up with two adults and a very tall 8 year old then and we didn't have to slow down at all for her!

My third child has some sensory quirks. He still needed it at 5, but for emotional reasons, not physical ones. He was fine going without at 6.

We always hit rope drop and would go, go, go. We slowed our pace after lunch and then would go back when one of the kids started acting like it was time. We made it between 5-9 pm, depending on the day/kids ages/etc.

For the OP - my advice is decide closer to your trip. I'd either bring one for the end if it's easy to trasport one or budget some money just in case you need to rent one. Most kids don't need them at 6 - but some do. It's also quite possible the child won't need one at the start of the trip but will by then end.

 

[mmcl123]

We rented one of the park stroller's last year for our 5 yr old, and will again this year for our 6 yr old. We do multiple parks in one day, and walk 20,000+ steps a day. No way a 5 or 6 year old could keep up with our fast strides. It's just worth it to us, and makes for a very enjoyable vacation, where we can see and do everything we want. At home, my daughter hasn't used a stroller since she was 3, but I don't see anything wrong with using one at Disney. It's not just the kids vacation, it's ours too..and we want to see and do as much as we can in the time we are there. My daughter is thin, athletic, and extremely easygoing, but she just can't keep up with the adult pace. I can't stand when parents say that anything over this age is a no unless they have a medical condition that limits them. You know your child, and your family. If it's going to mean a more enjoyable vacation for all of you, then definitely get a stroller. We like the park strollers, because we wouldn't want to have to lug it around from park to park, and they are really easy to maneuver. We usually rent for the entire week, and we use it for every park. It's great to put stuff on too, rather than have to carry it.

 

[birthygirl]

We had a stroller last time for our almost-5-year-old and it was so great. He would get in under the rain guard when he got angry (cranky, hungry, etc) and just take a nap. It was also so handy for carrying all of our stuff.

So now he will be 9 on this trip and our DD will be 7 1/2 (we left her out on the last trip) and she won't walk around Target without whining about being tired. I was thrilled about the thought of not dealing with a stroller this trip, but now I'm wondering if it might be worth it anyway for our family's sake (we have a "if daughter isn't happy, no one is happy" situation")

 

[AZMermaid]

Agreed with @brymolmom Mine are also 17 months apart so it is way easier to just say nope to both kids at once. Our last trip with one they were just under 3 and 4. The next time, at 4 and 5.5, we didn't use one. Technically, we rented one for my daughter one day of the 5 and she hardly used it. We are going this summer and they will be 5 and 6.5. We again are willing to rent onsite if needed.... but not planning on it. Out of sight, out of mind works for us.

 

[Elliesmommy]

I fully plan on my DD8 rest her tired, little, feet while I push her around the park on my rollator. I guess what I am saying is that yes, I would definitely rent a stroller.

 

[FrankieWinthrop]

I'd take it. Doing Disney isn't a trip to the mall or a walk around the neighborhood or zoo. You're talking up to 10 or 15 miles a day of walking. My DD gets shin splints if she walks a lot, but even if she didn't, I'd still bring a stroller. Last time we were at Disney, I was pregnant with our second and kept scoping out all the strollers. We now have a Graco Room for two so that little man rides in front and DD can sit or stand. I plan on using that for many years, even if it becomes Disney only after a few years. Like a PP said, it's like a mobile base camp for your drinks/snacks/bags/etc.

If you do decide to use a stroller, make a sign for the handlebars or decorate it so you can quickly pick it out of a long line of black handles! I used my DisneyDawg picture (my avatar) and it was easy to find and also started several fun conversations!

 

[aprilgail]

We rented a double stroller for our son when he was 7 and when he was 9, though at 9 we convinced him it was a "kid pusher." Honestly it just helped in moving about the parks more quickly. He didn't mind it and neither did we.

LOL- at 9 my daughter was in 5th grade and there would have been no way should would have been caught in a stroller LOL. For my daughter we made the cut off 5 years old, after 5 she walked. For my godson I know we took him around 7 and got him a stroller but he had cancer and was on chemo so he couldn't walk that much.

 

[Rwsm2011]

We rented a double our last trip when the kids were almost 3 and 6. My 6 year old sat in it more than the younger one. We're going again soon and the older one will be almost 9. I'm only going to rent a single, but I can guarantee the older one will be in it more. He's just not fast. In fact, he's slower than molasses when he walks. He's extremely athletic, a fast swimmer, and fast runner but he is the slowest person every to walk with. And he will whine. I don't care what people think. I'm not going to make our trip miserable. Plus I like having the storage for our lunch, epipens, jackets, etc. I don't want to carry all of that all day!

 

[lilly6]

LOL- at 9 my daughter was in 5th grade and there would have been no way should would have been caught in a stroller LOL. For my daughter we made the cut off 5 years old, after 5 she walked. For my godson I know we took him around 7 and got him a stroller but he had cancer and was on chemo so he couldn't walk that much.

Yes, well, my son has epilepsy so anything we can do to not wear him out too much and keep him shaded (certain kinds of light can trigger his seizures) was well worth it. He was in the 3rd grade when he had just turned 9 and we didn't really care what anyone else thought. It made his and our trip much more comfortable.

 

[Klayfish]

We used strollers until my oldest was 10, and then for my twins until they were 8. They don't have any physical or emotional challenges, and they're fit kids...they play year round sports. However, WDW is a mega sized place. DW and I are typically pretty old school type parents, but for this we made the decision that we're far better off with a stroller. It made no sense to say "You're 7, you should be able to walk". We'd much rather have a well rested child who can enjoy WDW and not get cranky. We simply don't care whatsoever if anyone looked at them funny. Whatever. Reality is that very few people did, because it's not an uncommon sight. The rented strollers at WDW (we brought our own) are really big, and I've seen able bodied teenagers riding in them. Personally, I think you're much better off bringing it if you have any questions about whether or not they can/should walk.