Would you still use a stroller at DL for a 4-year-old?

[Purrkins]

Heck, there are some days I wish I had a stroller myself after a day at Disneyland. Bring a stroller for him, worst case scenario you can throw your bags in it while walking around (but take them with you when you go on rides).

 

[madmeg]

Definitely bring a stroller. My DD is turning 5 at the end of June. We usually stay around the Disney property...but it's still at least a good 10-15 min walk. By the time they reach the main gate, they are tired!

Last year we rented a stroller from City Stroller Rentals. Great service and clean stroller!
We'll be renting again from them this year.

 

[Amommy21]

He must have amazing stamina. We use a stroller and take breaks in the room. I can't imagine any of my kids walking all day at Disneyland at 2. I think if I tried it would look ugly.

I think it's just expectations. We expected DS to walk as we always did during other activities around town and he did. DS is very small for his age and was actually sick and had some weight growth issues... He still walked from open to 8pm that first trip and every one since. We do full days at his pace, not breaks back at hotel rooms because we want to be in the parks. We always have a leisurely lunch. Dh did try to put him on his shoulders a few times but DS has always been terrified of heights and wouldn't have it.

In the past I didn't think we are "commando". But since reading these boards have found that we are. The good thing is that we have never felt that way... Probably because we follow our sons needs.

There was a trip when he was 6-7 ish and we had been in the park for over 16 hours... As we walked out DS was so tired and dh picked him up and he just passed out cold. He was really to big to carry. We went to a the grand and took a cab to our hotel ( it was one time we had stayed off site). Even then there is no way I would have wanted a stroller to lug around those days.

Really we just pack a light backpack and get going. A good tip is to start walking with your kids daily. At the time DS was a toddler we would go on little hikes, walk to our neighborhood park, etc.

 

[mytymom79]

I used citystroller as well in November and my little guy had just turned 6 in September.

It is alot easier to keep track of him and to go all day !!

Although, I did tell him when he is 7 and we return to WDW in February he will not be getting a stroller...

 

[SweetAlex]

Last time we were there, my daughter was turning 4 the following week. I was SO glad we had it. Her little legs wouldn't last too long and plus, you need to carry extra stuff when they are still little so it was nice to have the storage at the bottom. We went out and bought one specifically for our trip. It was smaller but very sturdy with a basket. It was perfect. Plus, we didn't have to head back to the hotel for her to nap (which she still did at that point). She just slept in her stroller every afternoon.

We never regretted having it! I'm sad we won't technically need it this time actually...

 

[danlkrim]

We just returned from 5 days in the parks and used a stroller for DS7.
He has been out of the stroller for years but it absolutely makes our DLR and WDW trips much more enjoyable for our family. We know where our son is in the crowd which gives us peace of mind. We can store our snacks, small cooler with a few drinks, jackets, rain gear if needed. It was no problem to do the wide right technique for RSR or to park it in a particular land and then pick it up when we were ready to move on. Plus, my husband walks fast and I have a hard time keeping up with him. The best case I can make for using the stroller was the night we saw fireworks at 8:40 and then were able to get a front row spot by the water for the 10:30 Fantasmic show. DS fell asleep lying on the blankets as we sat on the cobblestones waiting. He then slept through the entire show. We could barely get him into the stroller to head to GCH. I would not have wanted to carry a 48 pound kid back to any hotel.

 

[carisa81]

Without a doubt.....YES!!! I would even bring one for a five yr old! Young kids get so tired from walking! In fact, my 3.5 yr old twins didn't like walking in the crowds. I think it scared them that they would get run over.

 

[carisa81]

I don't do strollers for kids over 3. DS walked full days from age 2 on.

Wow...your son's a rockstar! Mine would have fallen apart!

 

[carisa81]

That website is horrifying!! I can't believe they do that to these poor people. We are a fit family, but when we are in Disneyland we do use the stroller for our twins, who just turned 4. And how sad is it that most of those pictures are in Disneyland. Those poor kids.

 

[Joluru]

I'll be the voice of dissent. We just got back from a 4-day trip with 7yo, 4yo, and 1yo. We brought a stroller for the baby and found it quite inconvenient! After the first day, we just brought her in the carrier and left the stroller at the hotel. We started early, stayed late, took midday naps and spent time at shows when everyone got tired. The kids kept up just fine and the baby was the only one strolled.

Strollers are a PITA and end up just moved from land to land, then parked in a sea of other strollers.

I'm not a stroller fan in regular life, though, and rarely use it.

 

[epgirl]

We took two one stroller for our 5 year old last year and we rented one stroller for our 4 year old from www.orlandostrollerrentals.com

We would have just taken both of our strollers on the trip but we cruised on the Fantasy first and didn't want to take 2 strollers on the ship.

There is no way our kids could have walked all day long! The night we stayed at MK until after Wishes, our 4 year old was sound asleep in her stroller before the fireworks even started!

 

[SnipsNSnails]

I think it depends on the pace that you want to go. We will be bringing strollers for our 4 & 6 yo in June. We will only be there 2 days so we want to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. We can move faster with them sitting in the strollers. My 4 yo still naps pretty regularly and we plan to be there late so they may fall asleep and that would be a pain to have to carry them back to the hotel. We bought nice "umbrella" strollers that lay down and have a basket. Our 6 yo is tall but light so he actually fits under the sunshade and they have nice tall handles which my DH loves because he's tall. Great for carrying all the stuff too even if they choose to walk some. I am thinking though that we will leave them either in a stroller area at the front of the park or at the hotel the morning of DCA because I'm guessing the wide right is much harder to do with strollers. We can go back for them later when we are done with Carsland.

We did WDW - EP, AK, MK all in one day during our DCL trip last month and the strollers were a lifesaver both for speed and in the evening when we were leaving the park and they were both asleep.

 

[Amommy21]

Wow...your son's a rockstar! Mine would have fallen apart!

No, we just went at his pace. Really, DL and DCA are so compact and there are so many times during the day easily made into a break. To eat a snack, view a show, etc.

Ok, I admit that website is funny and I totally judge people with kids beyond preschool years in strollers. And you won't believe how many there are! DS would have died to have to ride in a stroller after preschool years anyway!

Like JOLORU I am just not a stroller person in regular life.

Even at WDW, which is multiple parks, lots of open space and attractions spread far apart. Days and days of walking... We first took DS to WDW at age 2 1/2 we still didn't put DS in a stroller. He walked. We did bring an umbrella stroller for the airport as our flights were at odd times. A few times after his bedtime and going back to the room to get him settled we put him in the stroller to go to a late dinner or shopping at DTD.



My main tips for getting your kids to walk are:

Daily walks and hikes as a family. Especially if you are planning to go to WDW.

Plan your day so you aren't walking back and forth across the parks to much. Send a runner for fast passes or whatever. Plan your day with shows and attractions that are a natural break spread througout your day. Things like the Tikki Room, the train, shows, etc.

Follow your child's lead. Sit down and eat a snack, watch street entertainment, etc.

Make sure your child gets enough sleep. Put them to bed ontime. Keep the room dark and tranquil, don't turn on movies and TV. When we go back to the room we whisper and create and atmosphere for DS to be able to easily shut down for the day and get to sleep. (I will wait until DS is totally out before turning on TV for news or a movie for me).


I find that kids who are ornery throwing fits, etc. even with strollers might have just past their expiration time in the parks for the day.

Finally, at the end of the day you can always rent a stroller or pay someone who is leaving the park their return stroller fee. Just ask someone walking down mainstreet.

 

[wallawallakids]

I agree completely with the idea of following the child's lead and letting them dictate when to go and when to rest but for those of us with more that one child that is impossible. There is no way two 5 year olds can keep up with a 10 and 11 year old. Nor should they. In that case a stroller is needed for the sanity of all 6 people involved.

The website is ridiculous. People should be ashamed to have nothing better to do then take pictures of children in strollers.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I agree completely with the idea of following the child's lead and letting them dictate when to go and when to rest but for those of us with more that one child that is impossible. There is no way two 5 year olds can keep up with a 10 and 11 year old. Nor should they. In that case a stroller is needed for the sanity of all 6 people involved.

The website is ridiculous. People should be ashamed to have nothing better to do then take pictures of children in strollers.

I completely agree. My 7 & 9 year olds can do the parks without a stroller very easily, but expecting my 2 & 4 yr olds to keep that pace would be unfair - to all of us.

I looked at the website and found it be unfair. Yes, there are parents who let their kids ride in strollers way beyond when it's appropriate, but we don't know their circumstances. Maybe their child has special needs. Maybe they took the picture in a split second the older child sat down (my oldest has sat down in the stroller for a second (if there isn't room on a bench for example), but that is a far cry from riding in it. And ones of those pictures looks like just that to me.

I understand people have opinions about strollers in Disneyland - and apparently about strollers in general. But does it really matter what another family does? If I were to let my 7 year old ride in a stroller (assuming I never bump you with it or block your path), does it really affect you?

 

[momjeeps]

My son turned 8 today. We went to WDW in Nov and still took a stroller and swore it was the last time. We are going to DLR the week after next and are putting in the van. We are still undecided on whether it will go in the parks. It's just so convenient for jackets and such.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[kailuagirl]

We took one with dd who was 5 and a few months, I can't imagine how would have been without one. We are going again this year when she is 6 and we will take one again. She really wants to go to WDW and we told her when she can do the parks without a stroller we will go. She freaked out, my legs will so tired and sore,noooo!

 

[SGDisneyFam]

My DS did better at 3 with walking all day than he does now at 6!! We still take a stroller and try not to bump people but if you stop to text in the middle of where I'm waking it may not be a accident !!

 

[SGDisneyFam]

Also wanted to add having a stroller is a hinderance more for the person who is pushing than the people it is inconveniencing by it being in their way. Generally we find good parking in a area we plan to be in for a while do everything there grab it and move alone. Like fantasyland it's really quite maneuverable with little ones without hopping in and out of a stroller.

 

[starshine514]

We took one with dd who was 5 and a few months, I can't imagine how would have been without one. We are going again this year when she is 6 and we will take one again. She really wants to go to WDW and we told her when she can do the parks without a stroller we will go. She freaked out, my legs will so tired and sore,noooo!

Her legs may get tired, but they probably won't get too sore. Your legs, however, will feel soooo much better without pushing around a 6 yr old in the stroller. My legs used to get seriously sore at Disneyland, I thought it was all the walking - until one time when our rental car turned out to be smaller than expected and the stroller wouldn't fit. It turns out, I had no problem with the walking, but I wasn't used to pushing around a stroller all the time. Without the stroller, my legs don't get sore at Disney.