When do you stop using a stroller at WDW?

[kirstiebird]

Two mclaren volos have made our first 3 trips to wdw delightful. I am returning (for the first time without my husband or mother) with dd8 and dd7 in March. I've been known to tour commando style, but think that its time to wean us all from the stroller this trip.
When do you stop using the stroller at the parks? Would you take one really good stroller and risk the fights or just go cold turkey and see what we can acomplish on foot? Should I even enterain the ridiculous expense of a double stroller park rental? Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[all4fun]

We still got plenty of use out of the stroller on our last trip - ds was about 5-1/2yrs old. We did take our Niece at age 7 and nephew at age 8, and they did fine w/out a stroller. Actually, we didn't even consider it. Not sure why. This was before we had ds so we probably just weren't in the stroller mind set to begin with. It's funny though, now that we have made so many trips with a stroller, I also wonder when ds will be able to get by without one. We are going to try it on our next trip to DL, but it's a smaller area than WDW so hopefully he will do fine. He'll be almost six when we go.

I say give it a go without one. Only you know your kids though. If the stroller is going to help you have a more enjoyable time, ie negate a lot of whining, then, take it. Do what works for your family.

I'm no help, am I? lol

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Whether or not to use a stroller really depends on your kids and their personalities. Both of mine hated strollers. We haven't used one for DS6 since he was 4..and then only at the end of a long Disney day. My kids hate to be confined and thankfully don't get whiney when they're tired. A friend of mine just got home last week. She rented a stroller for her 2 yr old....but it was quickly taken over by her older boys- age 6 and 8!!

 

[badblackpug]

none of mine ever used a stroller past age 3.

 

[Tinka_Belle]

My DD is 7 and will be 8 when we go again in October. I used a stroller last May and it mostly ended up being used to carry around our stuff instead of DD. She preferred walking.

 

[RMulieri]

Mine didn't use one at all and she was 4 last trip.

 

[hannah_03]

I would see how it went without a stroller and then rent one if necessary. Are you staying on Disney property? If so, maybe you could just hop on a bus and return later in the evening if they are complaining too much about being tired or have them rest more often?
My DD is 5.5 and I'll be going solo with her for the first time for seven days. I will be taking my Volo just in case I need it. Like the above poster said, it will probably carry items more often then my DD

 

[susykt4]

We're on our first stroller-free trip right now! It is wonderful!!! Ditch the strollers and make them walk! After four long days in the parks, DD8 and DS6 are fine. We do rest more than we did when they were in strollers, but not so much that it has made any difference in how many rides we go on, etc.

The only big difference was that we went to Epcot on our first day and did everything in Future World and the two rides in World Showcase. We likely would have done ALL of WS that day had the kids been in strollers, but decided to not wear them out that much our first day. It was good for all of us

No strollers on the buses, no strollers at the food court, no strollers at rope drop... FANTASTIC!!!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

My DS hasn't used a stroller since age 4.

This past October was DD's first trip without a stroller. She's 5, just turned right before we left. We toured from open to close and she walked the whole time.

Its great touring without a stroller.

 

[Fabinva]

Posted by hannah_03
I would see how it went without a stroller and then rent one if necessary

That's exactly what we did!
My DD6 does not like walking but she did fine in all parks, we did slow down to her pace and only rented stroller one day (out of six) as we knew we had a full day at two parks, Epcot and DHS...way too much walking for little legs in one day.

 

[liznboys]

My 9 & 7 yr olds never use strollers anymore. My 4 yr old only uses one towards the end of the trip in a place like Epcot...we rent one for him as needed. And then we always have our own umbrella stroller for our 2 yr old.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Last trip my ds was 5.5 and dd was not quite 3. We used two Volo's and it worked great. Our trip is scheduled in November of this year and ds will be 8 and dd will be 6 the week after we return. I do not plan to take strollers for them and have already told them that they will be walking this trip. The both seemed fine with the idea of not having the stroller. As soon as it gets a bit warmer and the snow/ice is gone, we are going to start taking daily walks to work up the endurance level.

We will be travelling with another family with 5 additional children -- ages 2, 4, 5, 9, 9. They will be needing atleast a couple of strollers so our trip will not be totally stroller free this time around.

I told my children when they get tired we will either sit and rest or go back to the resort. I know that we may not be able to do the rope drop to fireworks touring that we usually do. I've been saying for the last couple of trips that I would like to take it slower even if we can't do/see as much because we are so totally exhaused by the end of the trip. This will be the trip for that because when my kids wear out, I sure can't carry them (ds is 70+ pounds and dd is 50+ pounds) and $30+ for a rental stroller will not be in our budget.

 

[BigMike10]

as a family to build up stamina.Everyone will be in good shape and ready to go! Get them good shoes that you break in before you go and you will be fine. Have a great trip!

 

[jodifla]

This last trip, DS had just turned 7, and we did fine without a stroller. We've used it on trips before now.

 

[jamesmommy]

We stopped using the stroller last year, my son was 5. He has done very well without it. I had stopped using it for everywhere but WDW anyway, so once we stopped there, it was "bye, bye, stroller"! To us, touring is so much easier without it.

If you think you might need to rent, you may want to take the number of one of the offsite rental places. I don't think that a 7 & 8 yo would even be comfortable in one of the new Disney rental strollers.

No matter what you decide, have fun!

 

[katie111]

I went last Sept with my two older kids, ages 5 & 6 and left DH home with DS1. I brought my single mac and thought that would be fine as my kids do a lot of walking at home. It was not fine. The first day down there we went to epco & they fought the whole time over the stroller. Occasionally I had them sitting on each other's laps in it (luckily they are both small). It was really hot so I think that was a big factor. They were pretty cranky. By day 2 I rented a double stroller and it made for a much better rest of the trip.

 

[kirstiebird]

Thank you so much for all the replies and encouragement -- we're going stroller-free in '09 and maybe I should clue in to the fact that if they're too tired to walk, we should head back to the resort and chill out at the pool! AND ... there won't be so easy to carry all those ridiculous stuffed animals this time and I'll have an easier time saying NO!