To stroll(er) or not to stroll(er)?

[chilihead]

We are going to DW Oct 9-15. My kids are 5 & 7. I can't decide whether we need to get the double stroller this time or not. Any comments? Part of me thinks it's worth it because the kids will get tired of walking all over and I can move faster with them in a stroller. The other part of me thinks having them in close quarters is a disaster waiting to happen and I'm not sure I want to listen to it.

What say you DISers?

 

[jann1033]

guess it's up to each child but when my kids were around that age they played outside from dawn till dusk without a problem so they also walked around wdw without a problem. never would have even considered getting one and they would have probably refused to ride in one.

 

[Brian Noble]

This past February, DD6 walked and DS4 rode in an umbrella stroller. Except for a brief bout with illness, DD6 was fine. This summer, no strollers and no wagons at our home park, and everyone did great (and the home park is larger than MK in acreage).

This February at WDW? Everybody walks. Dad's livery service is kaput.

 

[Disneyof3]

Last Feb. our daughter walked around everywhere and she was 5. Some times our son who was 3 1/2 walked and sometimes rode in the umbrella stroller. If we go again in Feb. 06 I will bring the umbrella stroller again for him just in case because he ends up wanting to go on my husbands shoulder and they start to ache him.

 

[daisyduck123]

In April 2004 my DS6 rode in our stroller often.
This past April he was now 7, we brought the stroller, & he did not use it once.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

When kids get tired, it's time to take a rest - either in the parks or in the hotel.

If you are old enough to go to school, you are old enough to not need a stroller.

Just my opinion.

N.E.D.

 

[queenof2princesses]

my princesses 5 & 8, will probably use one next week, simply because they would probably just slow me down!! They used one in Dec. (4 & 7) As for the squabbles, 'If you fuss, you walk', always stops the problem, if I even hear it, I'm usually so wrapped up in fantasy of WDW I don't notice. Think about it, if you could get someone to push you around in that big thing, wouldn't you? We do park it when we are in each land and walk to each ride, but I am a commando park traveler and go from 8am to 10pm (12 in the summer or the parties) and I don't think it's fair to make them keep up with me, so I push them through the long walking distances to each land, through Epcot, the hills of AK, etc. I even used an umbrella stroller last Christmas for lazy DD4 to and from POP (huge area!!!) just to not have to hear her complain about the walk. This year since she's in school, I will expect her to walk until we get into parks to get the big stroller.

 

[Hincher]

Last September, my 5yo and 3yo did fine the first day and we covered a lot of ground. But on the second day by mid-day, they needed the stroller and we rented the one from Disney so that if you leave one park you get it at the next one. We'll do it again this October.

 

[njziggy]

We have used strollers, on occasion, when the kids were "old enough to walk". It allowed us to have a stress free day with no whining. We were able to spend the full day in the parks without heading back to the hotel for a rest. And the bonus...strollers are a great place to carry/hold all your stuff (ex/ ponchos, drinks, stuffed toys won at AK, etc...).

 

[liquid]

It allowed us to have a stress free day with no whining. We were able to spend the full day in the parks without heading back to the hotel for a rest. And the bonus...strollers are a great place to carry/hold all your stuff (ex/ ponchos, drinks, stuffed toys won at AK, etc...).

This is why we're bringing 2 umbrella strollers. We leave tomorrow morning, so I'll be back in about 11 days to let you know how it went!!

 

[addicted2disney]

Our first trip was when our DD's were 3 & 5. We went in January, and didnt even take a stroller. They did great. They werent tired, never complained, and we didnt have to go back for naps at all. We didnt start taking a stroller until DS was born. He is now almost 4, and doesnt sit in the stroller much. If you end up renting one.. of course they will sit in it!! But I would wing it and see how it goes.

Just because you are in a stroller, doesnt really mean you are speeding things up. Stroller parking is always out of the way. So while the rest of your party waits, you are parking the stroller, taking everything off it that you dont want stolen, etc. THen after the ride/attraction, you have to go back and get it. YOu never seem to exit where you entered and the stroller is always somewhere else! LOL I also love whem the CM's rearrange the strollers, and then its a game of "find the stroller'. This is especially hard when you rent them.

If you are planning on going to MNSSHP, then you might want to bring your own stroller for that. If your 5 yo falls asleep, the hike to the buses or parking lot will be killer if you have to carry him!!

Id wing it. See what the kids are like with no stroller the first few days. If its not working, rent one.

 

[cheyita]

I don't like the hassle of a stroller, personally. We used a stroller twice - once at MGM and once at MK - during our first trip only when the kids were 6 and 3. It was a summer trip and over 100 degrees. Otherwise, they've done great.

 

[jpolak]

I say yes to the stroller. It's a great place for a unexpected mid day nap while walking around as well as hauling supplies for the park. If bringing one with you is an issue and you do not want to deal with trying to get one at the parks you can rent one from abbf.com (a babies best friend). They will deliver it to your hotel and it will be wating for you when you check in.

 

[madgomez]

I think it really depends on your kids' attitude about riding in a stroller. My sons were 3 and 6 and rode in a double. That worked best for us - I find it easier than worrying about "losing" them in a crowd, them getting stepped on, needing to be carried. But they don't really fight much - they did soak each other with mister fans, but no harm in the August sun and heat!

Now my older, who is now 7, will still happily ride in a stroller! He is small for his age. But I know most of his friends wouldn't be caught dead in one anymore. Frankly, I'm glad he's not trying to grow up as quickly as some of his peers.

If you do decide on the stroller, never assume the stroller parking for the ride you're going on is the most convenient. It's often near the entrance rather than the exit - look around, sometimes there's a closer one.

 

[blessedby3]

We are taking our own Maclaren Volo stroller for our DD who will have just turned 7. She is small for her age, and I cant imagine NOT having somewhere for her to sit and take a rest as we walk. I hate to stop going from place to place just because she is tired, but the rest of us can walk. This makes it easier. DD just rides in it in between rides or "lands". IT makes it a much more enjoyable trip for all of us NOT to hear her whine. You have to do what is right for your kids!!

 

[Pedler]

When kids get tired, it's time to take a rest - either in the parks or in the hotel.

If you are old enough to go to school, you are old enough to not need a stroller.

Just my opinion.

N.E.D.

I agree. I think having a stroller at that age is done mostly so the adults can cover more ground than maybe you should be kids that old. We have always gone at the kids pace and if means we do less then we do less.

Just my .02

 

[chilihead]

I definitely think we'll just wing it. We don't actually even own a stroller any more (and haven't for about 3 years!), but I was thinking of renting one of the big doubles at MK. We've done that in the past and it was OK, but the kids are getting so big now!

I think I'll just see how far they can make it. I know I'll want to see more and move faster, but this will be my own little lesson in self-control!