this may be crazy, but...

[disykat]

Good grief people - I didn't say kids weren't healthy if they needed a stroller, I said it was worth looking into "if you didn't already know why they needed it". I said it because I would be looking into it for a person of almost any age beyond school age (including myself or dh) who wasn't able to keep up. Now that it's clear that parents are using them for the convenience of not having a whiny child I GET IT! If that is your reason, and you know it, then my answer clearly wasn't targeted to you.

To each his own.

 

[Charleys Cat]

Just read this thread with interest this will be our fist disney trip in May and have 2 girls aged 6 and 7 the youngest had pneumonia in Jan and still gets very tired etc did not know you could hire strollers so this may be option, do you just hire one from when you get there for whole vacation or on daily trips when you arrive at park, also does anyone know what sort of costs for hiring please ty

 

[okeydokey]

I wouldn't dream of taking my child to the doctor saying "We went to Disney in the summer and my child couldn't keep up after three 12 hours days of park touring. Do you think there is something wrong with him?" He would probably laugh in my face.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Good grief people - I didn't say kids weren't healthy if they needed a stroller, I said it was worth looking into "if you didn't already know why they needed it". I said it because I would be looking into it for a person of almost any age beyond school age (including myself or dh) who wasn't able to keep up. Now that it's clear that parents are using them for the convenience of not having a whiny child I GET IT! If that is your reason, and you know it, then my answer clearly wasn't targeted to you.

To each his own.

You aren't alone. My son would have fallen down dead of shame if I'd tried to stick him in a stroller past the age of about 4. And yes, we'd see a doctor if we had a school age child who couldn't keep up to the point of needing a stroller.

 

[brymolmom]

I am renting one on this trip for the LAST TIME. My kids are ds5 and dd4. The main reason that I don't want to do it again is that I don't want them to be older and be used to always doing WDW with a stroller. I know even now they could do it with a lot of breaks, but I'm allowing myself this last time.

I just don't want them to be 8,9,10,11 and say 'hey where's my ride?'. At that point - I'm sure I'll be able to ask them 'if you're tired - would you like to go back to the room or keep it up at the park' - If they really ARE tired, they'll agree to go back to the room - but I'm certain they'll only vote that way if they are at the END of their rope.

 

[Disneygirl26]

My DS10 doesn't complains he's tired when were walking around the mall at home, he can walk long distances I thought he was lazy then I realized he just doen't like mall I thought he would want a stroller our last trip too, but he never complained once about being tired and we did comando style. I say get the stroller if it makes him happy but just prepare yourself to push a 8 yo around the park when your hot and tired.

P.S I really think once he gets there he'll be so distracted he won't notice he's tired

 

[disneyjunkie]

I wouldn't dream of taking my child to the doctor saying "We went to Disney in the summer and my child couldn't keep up after three 12 hours days of park touring. Do you think there is something wrong with him?" He would probably laugh in my face.

My son's doctor (and everyone else I know) would have laughed in my face if I told them he needed a stroller to get around the parks.

You aren't alone. My son would have fallen down dead of shame if I'd tried to stick him in a stroller past the age of about 4. And yes, we'd see a doctor if we had a school age child who couldn't keep up to the point of needing a stroller.

My sister's family took their first trip to WDW in 2004. (EASTER) My niece turned 5 a month and a half before the trip. My nephew was 6 ½.
We were in the parks from opening to close, 7 days straight.

They walked the whole time. A few times my niece commented about the big kids in strollers. She just could not understand why kids older than her needed to be in strollers.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

My son's doctor (and everyone else I know) would have laughed in my face if I told them he needed a stroller to get around the parks.




My sister's family took their first trip to WDW in 2004. (EASTER) My niece turned 5 a month and a half before the trip. My nephew was 6 ½.
We were in the parks from opening to close, 7 days straight.

They walked the whole time. A few times my niece commented about the big kids in strollers. She just could not understand why kids older than her needed to be in strollers.

Hmmm...I guess I would've told her to mind her own business and not worry about what other families do on their vacations.

 

[frtchr]

A lot of people have disabilities that aren't readily apparent. If a kid wants or NEEDS a stroller, who seriously cares?

I know I'm way too busy enjoying myself and my child on vacation at Disney to worry about anyone else and anyone else's kids.

 

[karajeboo]

Some people will stare , because as you can see from a previous post some people are really rude. But just ignore those miserable ones that feel the need to make a negative comment.

Sorry, I don't recall reading any "rude" posts, just voicing some concerns it sounded like to me.

I wouldn't dream of taking my child to the doctor saying "We went to Disney in the summer and my child couldn't keep up after three 12 hours days of park touring. Do you think there is something wrong with him?" He would probably laugh in my face.

Now that is rude.

Why is it that this subject brings out the worst in people??? I agree that I wouldn't get a stroller for DD7 (at our next visit) because she never acted at all like she needed or wanted one on our last visit - she had just turned 5. I do think that if she was physically exhausted to the point that she absolutely couldn't walk around Disney, of all places, I would have taken her to the doctor and explained the situation. I can understand her whining at the mall or the grocery store - she doesn't want to be there. But Disney??? First of all, I would be more concerned about her health than about a doctor "laughing" at me. But if I see someone else with an older child in a stroller, I'm not going to judge them, but I am very glad it isn't me pushing that stroller.

Sorry, I hate to get in these brewhahas, but the nastiness just got to me here.

 

[Disneydreamer5]

I Have Heard Many Complain About Bigger Kids In The Stroller But I Am Afraid To Tell You That Not Only Did I Use One For My Then 7 Year Old On Our Last Trip But By The 3rd Day I Was So Worried About Losing Someone That I Got A Double Stroller And Had My 11 Year Old Sit With Her.lol. I Know It May Sound Crazy But The Crowds Can Be Overwhelming And There Was No Way I Was Chancing Loosing Anyone. Plus When The Older Children Wanted To Keep Going The Younger 2 Were Able To Just Sit Back A Relax With Me On The Side While Dad Took The Older Kids On More Rides. I Say 100%, Get The Stroller And Enjoy!
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT NEITHER OF MY DAUGHTERS WANTED TO BE IN THE STROLLER BUT AS I SAID I WAS CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD GET LOST IN THE CROWDS AND IT JUST MADE THE TIMES IN THE PARK MORE ENJOYABLE KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE AT ALL TIMES. SORRY IF THAT ANNOYS ANYONE BUT I AM A WORRIER, CAN'T HELP IT.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Hmmm...I guess I would've told her to mind her own business and not worry about what other families do on their vacations.

Oh please.

It's not like she pointed and laughed at the kids. They have no idea she said anything.

You're nuts if you don't think people will not notice a big kid in a stroller.

As long as you're doing what you feel works best for your family, why do you care with others think.

Hey, it’s your vacation. If you want to push a 12 year old around in a stroller, knock yourself out.

Just don’t be surprised (or care) if some people think it’s crazy.

 

[runwad]

I Have Heard Many Complain About Bigger Kids In The Stroller But I Am Afraid To Tell You That Not Only Did I Use One For My Then 7 Year Old On Our Last Trip But By The 3rd Day I Was So Worried About Losing Someone That I Got A Double Stroller And Had My 11 Year Old Sit With Her.lol. I Know It May Sound Crazy But The Crowds Can Be Overwhelming And There Was No Way I Was Chancing Loosing Anyone. Plus When The Older Children Wanted To Keep Going The Younger 2 Were Able To Just Sit Back A Relax With Me On The Side While Dad Took The Older Kids On More Rides. I Say 100%, Get The Stroller And Enjoy!
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT NEITHER OF MY DAUGHTERS WANTED TO BE IN THE STROLLER BUT AS I SAID I WAS CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD GET LOST IN THE CROWDS AND IT JUST MADE THE TIMES IN THE PARK MORE ENJOYABLE KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE THEY WERE AT ALL TIMES. SORRY IF THAT ANNOYS ANYONE BUT I AM A WORRIER, CAN'T HELP IT.

ME too we were there last Easter and it was a mad house jammed packed. I got a double stroller for my 7 & 9 yr old just so I didn't have to worry about losing them in the crowd. Also my DH walks super fast, i can hardly keep up with him let alone the kids having to run all day to keep up...so we do get a stroller for the younger two and he pushes them ahead while I'm like 10 steps back. It's just easier for our family...plus I like to put all my stuff on top of the stroller. I could give a flying fig what anyone thinks...although my DD9 is as big as my DS7 so I don't think it looks wierd.

 

[tonilea]

We took my nephew when he was seven. I didn't really think we needed a stroller, but by the third day we rented one. It made everyone's life a bit easier.

 

[JackJack08]

A lot of people have disabilities that aren't readily apparent. If a kid wants or NEEDS a stroller, who seriously cares?

I know I'm way too busy enjoying myself and my child on vacation at Disney to worry about anyone else and anyone else's kids.

Ditto! If you are worried that my 9 year old is in a stroller, than you obviously aren't having as much fun as me!!! I am not there to "people watch"....if I want to do that, I can go to my local mall when I get home, for free!

 

[Aristomommy]

Just a reminder that if you end up getting a stroller, you might end up with a very refreshed child at the end of the day, with a very tired out parent that had to do all the pushing, LOL!

One thing to do instead of getting a stroller would be to take a break as a family when your son is hot and complaining. I'd bet the rest of you would be hot as well at that point. Sometimes it takes a complaining kid to get the family to slow down and cool off!

I'd expect my children to be able to keep up with me when they were 8 years old - actually, at that age, I had a hard time keeping up with them! If they had an extra hard time in the heat I'd make sure they were hydrated. If it became chronic, I'd have them checked out by a doctor as well, as we had a friend who died from leukemia, and tired/sore legs and irritability were the first symptoms. At first they just thought she had growing pains, or was out of shape.

I agree totally with this post. If my kids need a rest, we usually go back to the hotel or pick an attraction indoors (there are lots of them ) in air conditioning. I have witnessed many families where the parents are sweating pushing the kids in the strollers and the kids are bouncing in the strollers (maybe it's the excitement...).

If you need a stroller to make your vacation more enjoyable, then go for it. You may find though that to make it more enjoyable for everyone, take a break in the middle of the day and pace yourself. The heat can be exhausting.

 

[Aristomommy]

Heck, I would have ridden if I could have.

Last trip I actually saw a mom curled up in a stroller and her two kids pushing her DD9 told me "don't get any ideas mom" LOL

 

[estherhead]

This coming trip (Nov/Dec) we'll have an 8 yr old & a 6.5 yr old. Both of them regularly go on walks with me & can walk circles around me, and I'm a pretty fast walker. So for their leg strength, I would never consider it. But the parks can be emotionally overwhelming for them. So on the 2 days (we'll be there 9) we are going from opening to close (it closes a bit earlier in early Dec) I'm going to get a double stroller for them. It becomes the 6.5 year old's "home" that she can escape to when she is feeling overwhelmed. For me, this gave me sanity.

I don't remember getting any weird looks at all this past trip. Of course, I probably wouldn't have noticed as I'm fairly immune to people glaring at me. Do what you want to do. And realize you can always change your mind halfway through the day. It's not like once you make a stroller choice you can't change to a different choice.

 

[KayLuvsMickey]

We are not really stroller renters per say, but my kids do complain at home about walking. In Disney however, they just keep up all day, everyday because of the excitment. DS 9 and DS 6 did fine in September for a 7 day trip. It was great, and we had no complaining!

If strollers help, by all means, rent one, but kids get so excited in Disney they are like energizer bunnies!

 

[budbeerlady]

Go for it, nothing is worse than an unhappy kid/ parents/ everyone on vacation. DD is a trooper but that is a long walk everyday for her. We do what makes up comfortable and happy, let the rest of the world pass by....