Which stroller for 2 and 4 year old?

[TotallyOverwhelmed]

Planning our first trip in a few weeks. I almost think the 4 year old could go without a stroller but, if his sister is riding, he will definitely want to as well. So, we have to take a double stroller. Our two options are a double Bob or a Britax B-Ready. I haven't been to Disney since I was a kid, so I can't envision the logistics with a double stroller. As far as I can see, the Bob has advantages of being easier to collapse (stays in one piece), can use the storage basket and hand bar to store things, decent sunshades, a breeze to push, kids can both see easily from each seat. But, big and will be hard to hold up on buses, and hard to handle in crowds. Britax is much more compact both in terms of pushing around parks, storing outside rides, etc., taking up room on buses. But, one kid sits underneath, little basket space with two kids in it, usually comes apart when collapsed...

If it is relevant, I'm flying to Florida by myself with both kids on Southwest. I've flown with each stroller before, and I know that SW is fine with either one. I'll take Magic Express to the hotel and meet a grandparent there, who will be with me and the kids in the park each day.

Thoughts from those who are familiar with one or both strollers?

Thanks, Disney Experts!!

 

[fluffykalie]

My husband and I took a double stroller on our first trip and got really frustrated with it. we ended up bringing single strollers on our last two trips and have found that to be a lot easier. We actually zip though the crowds with them. With double strollers you have other guests cut in front of your stroller then walk really slow and since the stroller is so big it's had to get around them. It's also hard to push a double stroller though the stores. But that is just our opinion you may prefer your double if you aren't doing a lot of shopping and don't mind walking really slow.

 

[TotallyOverwhelmed]

Thanks. That makes total sense, and I would do that if my husband were traveling with me. But, I'm flying there and back by myself with the kids, so I can't take 2 strollers in the airport. And, I think I need the option to strap both kids in if needed in the airport.

 

[Feberin]

Can you keep the Britax one folded up in one piece? Having multiple pieces of strollers would be really obnoxious for me. When we took the buses one of us handled the stroller the other the children with multiple pieces you might both have part of the stroller.
I don't have personal experience with either stroller but I would think the BOB being able to fold up in one piece would make easier even if it's overall bigger when folded. We used a side by side stroller (Maclaren twin) and I had no issues with pushing it around the parks. I felt on a side by side the weight was distributed better and it was easier to push then the tandem style of double. When it came to shops one of us tended to stay with the stroller while the other looked at stuff. Or we left the stroller outside and just walked around inside. We also had a Ergo carrier for my almost two year old.

 

[schmeve]

We rented a double city mini for our then 4yr old & 2 yr old and we loved it. The kids said they were comfy. It was a little tricky for the bus ride back to the resort few times, but it was a small thing to deal with in the grand scheme of things.

 

[ABCastillo]

We use the double city mini in the parks (and at home!) I've also used a graco that folded differently and was bulky (was a pain on the buses. we always held up the line trying to fold the thing.) We prefer to take one that folds fast and stays in one piece especially for the buses (for us the city mini wins). Even if it is bulky folded I think that if it stays in one piece and is generally easy to fold it's much easier to manage.

This one isn't as important to me... but I usually pick the stroller that i can drive with one hand. Seems like I'm always juggling yogurt melts, drinks or wipes in the other hand.

 

[OZMom]

I don't have experience with the other stroller, but we took a BOB duallie with us in November and it was great to have. It is definitely bulky, we drove to the parks, but had to fold it to get on the parking trams etc. My boys used the stroller a lot more than we expected them too, and it was incredibly helpful to have all the extra basket space. I have owned a phil and Teds, which sounds similar to the britax. I can say it would have been more compact, possibly more convenient on Trams etc, but my kids would not have been happy with one on top of the other and it would not have had nearly as much storage space. Will you have a second adult in the parks with you? That would make the difference to me. With the BOB, you will need a stroller wrangler to get on / off transport.

 

[cariann77]

We rented a double city mini when my girls were 4 & 5. My husband said we would not need it and that it was a stupid idea, they're too big. No, so glad I didn't listen to him. It was a life saver! Little feet get tired quickly and you can move a lot quicker when they're in it. We went in May and it wasn't super busy so, we didn't have issues with people walking in front of us for the most part.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

You'll see a lot of sit-n-stand Joovy Cabooses in the parks. They're great for a situation where the older kid will only need the stroller occasionally. Other models/brands of sit-n-stand are much longer and harder to maneuver. I never liked side-by-side double as they are so wide.

Joovy Caboose:

 

[klo1335]

I purchased a used Joovy Kooper from someone on Craigslist right before Christmas. The plan being my 4yo (she will be 5 when we go) can use it for most of the time yet it has a high enough weight that my 7yo (she will be 8) can sit in it if she needs to. We played around with renting a double from Kingdom Strollers, or a sight like that, but the thought of having it on the bus and my kids are older we decided against it.

 

[livinginthecornfield]

Our first trip, with a 1yr old and 3.5 yr old, we rented a double stroller from Orlando Strollers. Best decision ever....it's a roomy, smooth Citi Mini......with the amount of walking and heat, our 3.5yr old had no problem sitting in the stroller even though he had not used one for about a year. This trip, our now 2yr old and almost 5yr old, we're renting again. Our oldest can easily walk and loves walking about, but he has the option to hop into the stroller if he wants too. They can easily nap in them too. 5 days of walking through the parks (easily miles and miles of walking each day), And there's nothing more tiring then at the end of the day, having to carry a 5yr old from one end of MK back to the monorails.... Our kids complain about walking through the grocery store....just imagine what they'd be like after days of walking through WDW. Double stroller, without a doubt.