Would a 7 yo need a stroller for MK, Seaworld or Legoland?

[buzznina]

Like many posters have mentioned it really depends on the child. Our DD(7) is a meander-er and it would drive the rest of us nuts if we had to tour the parks that way all the time We will be taking ours in March, and for us having a stroller at WDW is not a big deal, we have no issues folding it up for the bus rides or pushing it at the parks. It is so much more easier if we need to get somewhere quicker, we just tell her to sit in the stroller and off we go. And DW and I like having somewhere to put our stuff so neither one of us needs to wear a backpack. We stay at the parks late and all I know is that at the end of the day we do not have any crying breakdowns and I do not have to carry her if she is exhausted like I see many dads and moms do heading to the bus stop.
P.S. We also have no issues parking it, say by a train stop and coming back later in the day to pick it back up.

 

[CharleneR]

As others have said it depends on your kid. In August 2014 we went to San Diego for the week and my younger son was 6 (about 2 mos away from 7) and I didn't bring a stroller. We were gone all day every day walking (San Diego Zoo, Legoland, SeaWorld, etc) and he did fine. It didn't even cross my mind to bring one.

 

[speeb]

7? Pffff. We're just ending our week and my 9yo (as well as the 7 amd 4 yos) climbed in a couple times a day. I'd much rather have the option than not. My 7yo especially is skin and bones and in constant motion. He keeps up, but definitely gets worn down.

They are all out of strollers in day to day life.

 

[gatormom2tots]

Depends on the kid....we usually stopped after age 5. I can honestly say, the days the younger kids stayed with grandma at the condo and we just had the older ones with no strollers was so liberating! No dodging crowds, folding up for buses, having to search it down....

i can't wait until the 2 year old doesn't need one anymroe. I am so over the stroller! But will say- loved it walking back to the car with cranky over tired kids!

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I know this is a subjective topic, but I will say probably not unless for special needs related issues. On our last trip, our youngest DS was 4 and we did two MK days and he did fine without a stroller. We also spent a day at LEGOLAND during that trip and it is a small park that we thought was very walkable for him as well. For that trip, the only time we used a stroller were on our Epcot and AK days; but he only partially used the stroller on those days, primarily because of the heat. Our middle DD was 6 on that trip and she didn't use a stroller at all. We do plan on bringing a stroller in March for our now 2.5 year old because we know how large the Disney parks are and how thick the crowds can get; but at this point she rarely uses her stroller even during all day trips to our zoo and local amusement parks.

 

[okeydokey]

Most 2nd graders would not need a stroller. Taking a rest in the middle of the day at a show or a meal would work well.

 

[Melanie415]

I wondered this for our kids, 5 & 7, kinda whiny when it comes to walking. They never complained! We vacationed for 3 weeks, so had shorter days. Absolutely not necessary, so glad we didn't rent or bring a stroller. Glad we had the option. WAIT! There was one time. The only day we used a stroller was our first day of the trip at LEGOLAND when my son 8, developed a blister within 5 minutes of getting to the park because his socks weren't high enough to cover the shoe rub on his heel, rookie mistake! Rented a stroller and it was great. Park not crowded, 5 year old sis shared.
We made sure kids wore appropriate shoe wear the rest of the time and no problems. Glad we didn't have to push a stroller as strollers were very annoying to walk thru and glad we didn't add to the congestion.

 

[AZMermaid]

My kids did Seaworld and the San Diego Zoo at just turned 4 and 5.5 with no stroller. In hindsight, my 4 year old could have used it at the zoo.... it was the day after Sea World and super hilly. They just did Legoland for two full days at 4.5 and just turned 6 without a stroller and were totally fine.

We went to DL in June for 5 days- 2.5 park days, one off day, 2.5 park days. We thought we might need one for my 4 year old and rented on the full day two. She sat in it like twice.

We don't plan to get one in WDW this summer. They'll be 5 and 6.5. My 6 year old will likely be 50" tall by then... so that seems miserable to push him and nope, no way are we carrying him either. If my 5 year old needs one, we will rent as needed... but I think she will be fine.

 

[Mintycake]

Bumping this thread up....I am a week away from my trip with my almost 7 year old and we weren't considering strollers until I started thinking about how big the parks really are (I haven't been since I was a teen). My DD has low muscle tone and when she is tired she is just terrible to deal with. Although at first my DH was dead set against a stroller, we're planning to get one. In the real world she hasn't used one since she was 3. But it will be nice to have a place to stash our park bag and drinks and to be able to move from land to land quickly in MK and Epcot (not sure if we need one in HS due to the size of the park?)

 

[brymolmom]

Barring any physical restrictions - an able-bodied 7 year old does not NEED a stroller. However, as you can tell by posts, many parents choose to get one even at that age. Our rule was no stroller after 5...The kids both knew this since before they turned 6 so it was never even something that they considered after turning 6, and thus, they didn't ask for one or anything like that. I always admire the parents who comment on carrying kids at that age - maybe I have big kids but I can't imagine even attempting it. I never carried them past maybe 4 or occasionally when they were 5. Consider yourself also, pushing a 7 year old around a very large park will tire YOU out way more quickly. And the freedom of not having the stroller is a HUGE advantage - especially if you're going during a more crowded time.

 

[blackpearl77]

Is the 7 year old over the stroller weight limit? It might be super heavy/hard to push. Our last trip my son was 5 and he is a big kid and barely fit into the stroller we rented. Couldn't close the canopy since his head would poke out the top! And his legs were a lost dragging! It was funny to see! He only used it at night when it was really late. He would fall asleep on the bus coming back to the resort and then we would just put him asleep into the stroller for the walk back to the room. Instead of carrying him. That was pretty much the only time he used it. He wanted to walk. Next time I won't rent one since we only used it at night and not worth the hassle to carry around on buses just for that! When we went to legoland we didn't bring it in with us.

 

[DopeyDame]

DS didn't use one on our trip when he was 6 and he was just fine. We did have a stoller for our then-3 year old, and he sat in it once for maybe 10 minutes - we definitely wouldn't have had a stoller at all if not for the 3 year old. This coming trip he'll be 7 and the little one will be 4. We're still undecided on getting a stoller or not. Right now I don't think we'll bring one, and if we end up renting one on a day or two that's fine.

 

[MamaBelle4]

Last time, we went with a 1 year old, 3 year old and 5 year old and I was pregnant. The 1 year old and 3 year old both occupied the stroller in batches. My 5 year old walked. We just took our time and kept it at her pace.
When we leave (less than 60 days!!), we will have a double stroller for our 1 year old and 4 year old. Our 5 year old and 8 year old will walk and we will keep to their pace.

 

[a742246]

My GD6 needed one. My friends daughter age 5 didn't. It really depends on the child!

 

[DisneyOma]

Depends on the health of the 7 year old. An active, healthy one should be fine, a less active one? Depends on how active/strong the stroller pushers are too - and how big the less active 7 year old is.