Walking with 6yo?

[momtoccc]

Question:

How do 6yo handle the walking? Do most of you have them walk the whole time or do you get them a stroller? (they seem big for a stoller but I know there is a lot of walking - especially if you are going back and forth between the parks alot)

It is just going to be me and my dd and I'm not carrying her - if her Daddy was with us then he would put her on his shoulders some of the time.

What do you think?

 

[AZBeth]

We wee in DLR in November with an 8 and 4.5 year old... We thought we would need a rent a stroller for 4.5 year old but we played it by ear and she never asked for one and did just fine walking the entire time. We were pleasantly surprised. We do hike alot so she is used to walking on her own so that might have something to do with it...

 

[Disney Brat]

DD has walked at WDW since she was 5. She didn't want to spend much time in her stroller at the parks from when she was 3. It really depends on the child though. Does she do fine with a lot of walking at home?? It is hard to judge. Happy planning!

 

[goofycathy]

I took my 6 year old last november (2008) and she did fine, never said anything, not even once (and she was asked several times) and never complained in the whole 5 days we were in the park, DH and I were always commenting that we wished we had the same energy that she did...
Hope that helps!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I'm toying with not bringing our umbrella stroller in October... dd is almost to its weight limit of 40 lbs... although, I am sure it will be fine. We use it most for the walk from the hotel to the parks (esp if we are heading to the back of the parks first) and then at the end of the day, when we seem to be always at the back of the park and trying to head out through massive crowds, that is when it comes in handy. So, in the end, i will probably bring it. We'll see!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

My oldest has been walking since she was 5 w/o a problem.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

My 6 year old has not used a stroller for a few years now except at Disney ~ she did not have it for our most recent trip (2 short days early Dec.) and she survived. I'll bring one (Mac Volo - great stroller for toddlers/children tall handles, super light with a carry strap, mesh seat, folds up easy and skinny) for her B~day trip in July, mostly for the walk to the parks ~ our hotel isn't super close (we might take a taxi or ART back in the evening/for breaks). I'm very glad she had it for our WDW trip last Oct. ~ 8 days in the parks and it was HOT & humid. However ~ DS's 1st Disney trip was just before his 6th B-day and he has never sat in a stroller (well he did dose in DD's while she and I watched F! last year ~ poor guy that was a long hot day) and he's been fine.

 

[Cheloconnell]

We stopped using the stroller for both our kids at age 4. Our last trip this past October, was my DS4 first time and he did fine. I think he liked the freedom and feeling like a big boy. We were concerned with him since when we used to get off rides he would walk over to his stroller and climb in. Not in October - never asked and he did just fine. Even lasted till after midnight for 2 Halloween parties including walking from BLT to get there.

 

[momtoccc]

Great! I't's been a long time since I've been to DL... maybe I'm just thinking of how big Epcot is in comparison!

One less thing to think about...

 

[spidey_99]

My 6 year old walks. Since I'm a single dad and take boy my girls on my own usually, I still let my 4 years old ride in a stroller if for no other reason that it's a heck of a lot easier to keep track of them both when one of them is under my control in a stroller. Plus she doesn't get as tired or cranky.

But my 6 year old has been walking the park since 4 and has had no issues.

Have fun!

Spidey

 

[pixiewings71]

Our first trip was in 06, DD10 was 6 at the time. She walked the whole time we were there, she absolutely did NOT want anything to do with a stroller. I asked her if she wanted one a few times but absolutely not!

 

[evandmp]

DS walked the park since he was 3 but we always walk everywhere during the week so he's used to walking. However I have seen older kids in strollers at disneyland so it depends on the child. If he doesn't walk a lot or is very small for his age he may get worn out sooner.

 

[grumpyvet]

My DD's last DL adventure using a stroller was our last free visit for her the day before her 3rd birthday. I never carried her after either. She is a rather large kid, so that wasn't an option.

But, that said, I have never used a stroller at WDW either..first trip when she was 4, so she is used to walking.

I think the 6 year old should be fine. But, I have seen much older kids getting a "ride" so do what you feel works for you and your family!

 

[bumbershoot]

My guy isn't 6 yet, but we definitely brought the Volo for just in case on our last trip. He was about 5.5 for that trip. And we'll be going to WDW when he's 6.5, and I'm planning on at least having the Volo there for him, just in case.

He inherited my disturbingly awful deep bone leg aches, and it's NOT fun to be woken up at 2am by him crying b/c we walked too much or too fast for too long. And of course the one night we left the stroller in the room on the last trip, he fell asleep and I got to carry him all the way from our 2 rooms from being furthest away from everything room at the Grand. Not sure my knees have yet recovered! (looks funny too, as he's rapidly approaching 48", and I'm only 5'3" (aka 63")).

Gimme the "just in case" stroller; I don't care about funny looks! I want it if he wants/needs it.

 

[princessnicchia]

I went to DL for the first time with my oldest daughter who was 4---no stroller, some carrying. The rest of our trips have been with both kids, and my oldest has been fine the whole time (she's 7 now). My youngest was 3 our first trip, but there was a LOT of carrying going on because she is very small for her age and so even though she'll be nearly 5 on our next trip, I still expect to carry her. Her legs are so small she has a hard time keeping up. So I'd say it depends on the kid, how much walking they normally do, and if there are any underlying reasons to need/use a stroller. We walked 12.5 miles on our Feb. 2009 trip the first day---so you can really cover some ground!

 

[Judy from Boise]

We have never taken a stroller to a Disney park. Well to be truthfull we haven't owned a stroller since DD was 2.
However we did do a lot of training walks!