Torn on stroller options

[smellyia]

We are heading to WDW for a quick trip last minute next month - me DH DD4 DD4months. We have APs and are planning about 4 trips this year. First time we have brought DS. We are normally in parks at RD till about 1 and then from 5 or so till about 9. We also like to travel light whenever possible. Advice or insight from you multi-children vets would be great.

OPTION:
1. Our Chicco Liteway (almost full recline) for both kids taking turns and Ergo for baby. Could always rent a plastic one in emergency if DD needed more time in the seat.

2. Rent a city mini double but over the course of multiple trips that cost would be more than buying one outright. And I don't care for the liability or paying insurance. If I owned a mini Id be hesitant to bring and leave unattended.

We have a sit n stand that we use for mall etc at home and baby carry when going on walks so not sure how beneficial a city mini would be to own. DD walks mostly but WDW is a different beast with kids. I'm leaning toward option 1 but not sure if I'm being way optimistic. Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[brockash]

We are heading to WDW for a quick trip last minute next month - me DH DD4 DD4months. We have APs and are planning about 4 trips this year. First time we have brought DS. We are normally in parks at RD till about 1 and then from 5 or so till about 9. We also like to travel light whenever possible. Advice or insight from you multi-children vets would be great.

OPTION:
1. Our Chicco Liteway (almost full recline) for both kids taking turns and Ergo for baby. Could always rent a plastic one in emergency if DD needed more time in the seat.

2. Rent a city mini double but over the course of multiple trips that cost would be more than buying one outright. And I don't care for the liability or paying insurance. If I owned a mini Id be hesitant to bring and leave unattended.

We have a sit n stand that we use for mall etc at home and baby carry when going on walks so not sure how beneficial a city mini would be to own. DD walks mostly but WDW is a different beast with kids. I'm leaning toward option 1 but not sure if I'm being way optimistic. Any advice is much appreciated!

If it were me, I'd def. do citi mini or sit n stand (does sit n stand reclined enough for the baby)? For us we bring a stroller til age 6...it's just much more convenient for us. Our kids are pretty active and though a bit on the skinny side generally a little taller than most, but we still find it best to have a "seat" for them at 4/5 and usually even 6.

 

[kom1977]

I would probably opt for your first option. I also try to pack light and minimize. Since you have the option of using a baby carrier when your 4 year old needs to rest, it will be totally do-able. It looks like your touring style is similar to ours, in that you are only in the parks for a couple hours at a time. This makes the plan to use one stroller much more manageable as well. When I went to wdw with my 4 month old, I used her carrier a ton. It was just easier than using a stroller sometimes. Plus, even the best double strollers are big, heavy and awkward. One thing I definitely would not do is use the sit and stand. They are far too bulky and difficult to push around.

 

[AmyBWV99]

I'd get a city mini double sell it later. Even at 4 they may want a real seat when fatigued. I don't find the sit n stand seats are really all that great for babies. The sun shade isn't great and not a bunch of support. I ergo our babies off and on throughout the day when in WDW but it gets warm and tiring to have someone hanging on you after a while. We aren't commandos by any stretch. Our kids are currently 8, 6, 3 & 20 months.

 

[tourguide81]

I'd absolutely buy the city mini double if you will be frequent guests. I wouldn't worry about it getting stolen. There are literally hundred of city minis. I wouldn't want to be stuck w/ kids those ages w/ a single stroller, honestly.

 

[twinboysmom]

I would do the double citi mini, especially if you are going to be frequent visitors. Amazon and albeebaby.com both have the citi mini double and the British b agile (almost identical) for right under $300 or just a bit over with free shipping. The citi mini's are the 2012 models but still brand new. Use it then sell it when your kids don't need it anymore.

We have brought our $700 double stroller to the park quite a few times without issue. Sometimes I wrap a bicycle lock around the back wheels so that it can still be moved by CM's but would be more difficult to leave the park with. An option for you if you are worried about theft.

 

[Pitchke]

We went when DS's were 5 & 3. We brought our bob double jogger. (Drove down). So it didn't bother us to bring in our own van. We also drove to the parks - much easier to park in front lots and walk in parks. We tried once on the bus with it - never again. It did handle great and both boys used it. And it is big/tall enough for oldest to nap in (both did). Never once was it touched with - just sometimes CM would rearrange strollers in parking area. We marked ours of course. But we did not put anything of value in it. I liked the fact that it is a bigger stroller - made pushing it around in crowds good for our boys - people made space or they would get ran over. Ha ha. We will use it again next month when our 2,4,6 sons go back to WDW. the front tire is positioned so well that we can put one child on the lower foot rest for a piggy back ride as we call it. And they can switch out napping if need be. Love our Bob. I would def go with a double. Just much easier with 2 or more children.

 

[ElenaRN]

I would bring the sit n stand and the Ergo.

When we went with friends in Oct their kids were 4 and just under 1. The sit n stand worked great for them. The 4 year old walked most of the time, but the little back seat was great for walks back to the car etc. The times that the 4 year old wanted to recline a bit, they would put the baby in the carrier.

I think the sit n stand is also a bit lighter than a regular double stroller.

 

[smellyia]

Thanks for all your advice. I'd definitely bring my sit and stand but DS can't quite sit in the seat without a decent recline yet. I always found it odd how everyone says how much bulkier the sit n stands are. They weigh less than the side by side doubles I've looked at. I also find them great to use in tighter quarters. I have no problems navigating them at all.

I'm still on the fence. Although we will definitely not buy one prior to trip - I checked one out at the store and honestly the wideness bugs me a little. I'm thinking to rent one as a test drive and see if I like it or just go with option 1. I learned after my first kid that it's mostly me who feels like I require some gear or something to make it through rather than there be an actual need. Our first trip when DD was 2 we ditched the stroller at the resort after first day and she walked or rode DH shoulders. Thanks everyone!

 

[BestDayEverx4]

Once you "test drive" the city mini double you'll be hooked. I've owned MANY strollers (some women collect shoes, I collect strollers!) and it's been by far my favorite stroller I owned. I have always found that there was never one stroller for all your needs. Different strollers were there for different reasons. Until I met the city mini... It's the to to for everything. I sold 3 strollers when I bought it because they were no longer necessary. My least favorite stroller of all time, my sit n stand. I was so happy to be rid of that thing. I haven't taken a stroller, or kids, to disney yet but I would never have wanted to take that thing there. I baby wear alot too but I still think the city mini is it hands down.

 

[squirrel]

How about a single City Mini (or some other brand).

With two adults pushing kids you can move around the park easier. You can park one stroller and come back for it later if you don't need it for a while.

You can split up if your oldest wants to do something the baby won't have fun doing and the opposite if you need to feed, change, etc. the baby, your daughter can go off in a stroller and you can meet up later.

 

[Lilliputian]

I would do option 1. In fact, I have a City Mini double that I love, but if my kids were your age, I'd go with option 1 in a heartbeat and never look back. I've done just that when we went with a 4 year old and a 14 month old. We only have a dedicated stroller seat for our kids when they're under 4. We find that once they hit 4, they really only need to sit down while waiting for parades, leaving the parks after fireworks, and that kind of thing.

You'll want the 4 month old in the carrier most of the time anyway since you'll want her there every time you get into a line. Like you said, you can rent a stroller if you really need to, but I don't think you will. The baby will want to be in the carrier most of the time, and the 4 year old shouldn't need to sit often.