What age did your child want to walk at Disney?

[supertinyluckycat]

My daughter will be 2 years and 9 months in September when we take our trip. She has always hated the stroller. We took a Disney trip when she was 10 months and it was pretty difficult because she didn't want to be in the stroller or be worn. Only carried. She's only now willing to ride in it as long as we talk about it first. She is very excited for the trip-we talk about it pretty much every day and she tells me all the things she's excited for 'M ride haunted mansion, M eat strawberry soup with the mad hatter, M eat french onion soup with the beast, M hug winnie ol' pooh so tight...and M walk at Din-ee world.'

I know she will need to spend a decent amount of time in the stroller but will also want to walk. How old were your kids when they spent more time on foot than in the stroller?

 

[flutterby3744]

We went when my son was 23 months, and he wanted to walk most of the time. Not sure how you feel about the controversial kid harnesses, but that's what we used. It was so nice having the peace of mind that my toddler wasn't running off, but still had his "independence". As an added bonus, he loved his "monkey tail" and would just wear it around the house for fun. Ha!

 

[Hannathy]

My DS was and I had to count on my fingers! 2 yrs 4 months and was only in his umbrella stroller when we wanted to make time, like going from the parking lot into the park or if we were going from the front part of Epcot to the back. between rides and while doing things he was never in it. Leading to my DH declaring it the last stroller trip! so when we went back before kindergarten we didn't take one and he was great.


I would take an umbrella one for long boring walks or if you need to make time, or in the crowds leaving but expect him to be out of it a lot in the parks.

 

[NicholeB630]

My daughter at 4 rode in the stroller a lot but its easier at times with crowds. When we did Disneyland for a day in Dec, the zoo plus sea world my 1.5 year old wanted to walk but it was too hard because he was at the age he just goes and doesn't get the concept of staying with us. I am hoping in Dec when we go again for a week he'll be able to walk more and follow along but we will rent a double side by side stroller because I know my almost 6 year old will want to ride too.

 

[Talukdar]

When we took our first trip our son was 30 months old. He a naughty boy and always try to run. He didn't like stroller at all. SO in our trip most of the time he walk with us. I think if your baby in more than 2.5 years than no need to use stroller.

 

[jezebel73]

I know we rented strollers when my daughter was 2 until turning 6, but she used it less and less each year. She loved to walk, too, and luckily was good about staying with us. In the first year or so, it did work out great for a catnap and then we didn't need to leave the park, just walked her around a quieter area (like the back walkway from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland) and then the adults relaxed while she napped an hour. The last couple of years, it was more of a stroller for packages than a child LOL but we had one to avoid the "I'm tired" whining.

 

[happymommy]

Only you know your child best. My kids used a stroller until they shared one after they just finished 1st and 3rd grade. First trip we took a double, and they fell asleep in it every day.

Disney is a lot of walking, and no way could I carry a child ever. I'd say have a stroller handy just in case.

I even rented one for my DD a year later a day or two, and she fell asleep in it. Would have rather had our own, though!

 

[AshleeH]

My son wanted to ride until he was 6 . At that age, we just had one to walk to and from MK (saved my poor husband's back from having to carry him back to the hotel at midnight). When he was 4 and 5, he rode in it quite a bit and napped in it a lot (and this is a child who stopped all naps at 18 months).

We walk a minimum of five miles per day (usually closer to seven) when at WDW - that is a lot of wear and tear on those little growing muscles (and on our muscles if we have to carry them).

 

[steff45]

I was glad we took the stroller for my 5 year old. He walked a lot, but would be exhausted by the end of the day. My 8yr old rode in it a few times too.

 

[bella2117]

my boys were 5 and 3 our last trip and we brought two single strollers. when we had to hightail it to an attraction they would sit and when we were just taking it slow we let him walk with us.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Oldest walked at 3 yrs 9 months on our first trip, youngest was 4 the first trip he didn't use a stroller.

 

[supertinyluckycat]

Oh we're definitely taking the stroller, I know she's too little to handle all that walking. I was mostly curious what the average age was where kids spent more time walking than in a stroller. She's very good about not running off though if she had the opportunity i'm sure she would try it. I just make her hold hands. As far as the harness- I don't think she would wear one plus it's going to be so hot. I do plan on getting one of those wrist tethers though.

 

[Kristina4109]

My kid was 5 before we tried a day in the parks with no stroller. She handled it very well - grabbed my hand and giggled as she practically dragged me to go meet Tinker Bell. For trips longer than a day, we did bring the stroller until she was 7. I just knew she'd be pooped by the end of the day and I didn't want to carry her!

 

[Princess Melody]

Mine started walking more than riding just after she turned two. She was also a stroller hater and hasn't taken a nap in her stroller since she was a month old. When she was 1.5-2.5 the rule was she had to either hold a hand or have a hand on her stroller (it still came along). She would walk behind it and "push" it. Very slow going but worth it to me to have a happy child. She will be 3 next month and what we do now is park the stroller in an area and walk to everything nearby/in that land. She very much prefers walking to riding but I still always bring a stroller (usually just a lightweight umbrella one with a good sunshade now). It is needed when it is very crowded or we need to get somewhere quickly. I make her ride at those times. She's getting too heavy to carry and there are times she would get knocked down/crushed if she wasn't riding (ie food and wine festival on the weekend...huge crowds and too many drunks not watching where they are going are a bad combination for a walking toddler!).

 

[squirrel]

I have a daycare and I start letting them walk around 2 years. I have all the walkers hold onto the stroller (even the 4 and 5 year olds). They know they are expected to hold onto the stroller otherwise they will have to ride.

For WDW I would think 2.5-3 years old they would want to walk more than ride. Temperature would also play into that as summer would be hot and muggy. I also found that during busy periods it was just easier to have my niece in the stroller. I didn't have to worry someone would bump into her/step on her, etc.

 

[hiddenj]

I could definitely have written you post. For last years trip, DD was 21 months and she walked most of the parks. We really only used the stroller for getting to and from the parks, and we would force her in to walk the world showcase where she fell asleep both times. I also had to carry her quite a bit. She just refuses the stroller. I have really debated taking the stroller this year, but we will. I just realize that it won't get use much. We can always choose to leave it in our room.

 

[GrandAdmiralStrife]

My son is about to turn 15 months this week, and he loves to walk. LOVES. I follow him closely at our apartment, but we'll walk all over. Took him to SeaWorld San Antonio, he walked most of it, and we're talking 4-5 hours of walking. It all depends on the child.

 

[alicat8]

When we took my nephew at a little over 2, it was a fight to get him into the stroller. I'm going when my daughter is about the same age, so I'm preparing myself for a lot of letting her walk (and slowing us down!!!)

 

[worm761]

DD's first trip was at 23 months. We were there for 8 days and she walked most of it. She started walking at 10 months and never wanted in the stroller after that. After her first trip we sold the stroller.

We will be going to Disney for 2 days at the end of July. I don't have a stroller for her and won't bother getting one. She is 4 and walks everywhere here at home. We live in FL so heat is not an excuse she can use. We do nature hikes and the zoo a lot. I don't use a stroller or carry her for those.

I will say that we go at her pace. I think that a lot of the older kids in strollers is more for the parents and wanting to tour at a faster pace than it is for the kids. We go at her pace and are usually back at our resort by around 8pm. This isn't our first trip and won't be our last so I see no need to exhaust ourselves touring.

 

[Dragonfly_34]

My almost 5 year old was 2 1/2 when he went to WDW the first time and he was mostly content to stay in the stroller. He walked a little bit but not much ~ I was 6 months pregnant with my twins at the time and wasn't up to chasing him so that was fine with me. I'm very nervous about how the twins will do on our upcoming trip. My daughter would rather be carried than walk, but my son would love to be let loose and run for the hills!