Too big for stroller?

[Funholiday]

Is it unnecessary to rent and drive around a double stroller for a close-to-6 year old with a 1-1/2 year old? The younger child definitely needs a stroller all the time, but the older child doesn't need one at all in "normal" situations like shopping. Do you think an almost 6 year old would benefit from a stroller when all day at WDW? I'd hate to rent and haul it around if not necessary.

I am go-go person. I am bringing one for my six year old. Its the only time she ever uses a stroller but (a) she is a dawdler, we can do more things pushing her around, (b) I like the storage, and (c) its great for naps for like the Mickey Christmas Party late nights.

 

[mousefan73]

I would get one stroller that is large. I have 2 kids and they are 14 months apart. For fun they would ride together..DD would sit on DS's lap... your 6 yr old when need be could sit and hold the younger one on their lap.. or spread their legs and the little one inbetween. I could see this being the case when hiking back to car or bus at the end of the night. the younger will have energy spurts and then the 6 yr old can take breaks...
don't know your kids, but I wouldnt mess with a double.

 

[mousefan73]

FYI, the disney strollers are HUGE to rent.. I had to get one for my 8 yr. old at Epcot.. she wansnt feeling well and before hiking us all back to the resort, I told her let's try a break in the stroller.. the idea was fun and she was soon very well again.. But both kids 8 and 9 were taking turns in the stroller ( and they are big kids) and also riding together bike style.

 

[ninafeliz]

I didn't read all of the replies, so I hope the thread did't derail or something, and that this is still relevant. I have a 3 yr old and a 6 yr old, both boys, and the only place the 6 yr old still uses a stroller is Disney. We still take our citi mini GT double, and I plan to take it probably for at least another year, at which time he will be 7 1/2. He can ride when he wants/needs to, and walk when he wants. But then we don't have to ever carry him, which is nearly impossible anymore for any length of time, and sometimes it's so nice to just put both kids in the stroller and just move. No whining about walking, no lagging behind, etc trust me, he can still whine about other things, but at least not about walking!

 

[starsweeper]

It really depends on your touring style and your kids. We usually took mid-day breaks with our older kids, so they rarely used a stroller at 4.5yo on our last trip with only 2 kids. My younger kids are currently 5.5 and 4.5, and I would still rent a stroller for them for the next year or so. We tend to stay from rope drop to 3-4pm so the older kids can use FP+ for the big rides after lunch, and one of the younger ones will usually fall asleep either while in the park or on the way out.

ETA: None of my kids use a stroller any more for normal shopping, trips to the zoo, etc. since this spring.

 

[leebee]

It really depends on you and your kids. Last time we took a stroller DD had just turned 6. We don't do rope drop or tour commando, but we also don't take midday breaks; once we are in a park, we are there until it closes! All I had was the umbrella stroller, and DD didn't use if very much. I was glad I had it, as if she wasn't in it, my backpack was, but I don't think we really needed it all that much. Actually, it had been a Goodwill bargain 5 years earlier, and instead of schlepping it home after that trip when she was 6, we put it in the dumpster. It was clear to me that she wouldn't need a stroller for subsequent trips.

Good luck. I always figure whatever is going to make the kids' trip easier will make MY trip easier!

 

[TWK]

I would bring a double umbrella stroller, it will just make life easier... it is a lot of walking... and you want to have fun, not be crabby (you or the kid!)

 

[Silvermist999]

Only read OP's post, so replying to that.

If you are unsure of whether a double vs. single stroller is needed, just rent at the Parks. That way if it turns out your older child doesn't need the stroller, you can just get one for the younger one. We never needed a stroller around our resort or the airport, so that's what we did. Came in handy for our backpack as well.

 

[Pigletpal40]

Is it unnecessary to rent and drive around a double stroller for a close-to-6 year old with a 1-1/2 year old? The younger child definitely needs a stroller all the time, but the older child doesn't need one at all in "normal" situations like shopping. Do you think an almost 6 year old would benefit from a stroller when all day at WDW? I'd hate to rent and haul it around if not necessary.

I carried my youngest, 6 at the time and 40 lbs., from Japan in WS to the bus stop after Illuminations. I would do the stroller.

 

[glvsav37]

I dont bring a stroller for my kid.....I bring a stroller for MY STUFF!! LOL

actually, my oldest will be out of stroller size this trip and i'm hoping she can hack it. I joke that I'm still bringing it as my personal Disney Sherpa.

IMO...you know your kid, you know their ability and tolerances. If it will make everyone's trip more pleasurable to have it, go for it. Otherwise, someone is stuck carrying a big, tired, sweaty kid around the parks. And thats no fun for anyone!

 

[CS Torkelson]

I carried my youngest, 6 at the time and 40 lbs., from Japan in WS to the bus stop after Illuminations. I would do the stroller.

Hahahaa! Good advice.

 

[2binak]

I would rent the double stroller. A couple of year ago we ended up renting one for our then, almost 6 yr old DD. It was brutally hot the first couple of days of our Nov. vacation. We're from the North so we hadn't had temps in the 90's since August. Even though she's healthy, athletic and we were taking plenty of breaks in the a/c, the poor kid was hot & she was exhausted by 2pm so we rented a stroller to give her a place to rest and have some constant shade. We did this for the first two or three days, the hottest days of our trip. The rest of the week, she was fine walking.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Our kids were both done with the stroller -- including at WDW -- by 4yo. Barring any health issues, this seems feasible to me. By that age, you couldn't have gotten my kids into a stroller -- they saw them as being for "babies" while they were "big kids".

I find DH needs more frequent breaks than the kids did at 6yo... ...