Strollers/Buggies

[marivigi]

We might be taking an 8 and a 5 year old on our next trip.

I suppose they could be considered too old to go about the parks in strollers, BUT... we really want them to enjoy themselves and not be too tired for that.... we dont want kids in a horrible mood... :tut:

Do you suggest take a stroller, or is the hassle just not worth it??.... I was thinking of those umbrella type (I think thats what they are called) because I assume renting one at WDW is just too expensive

What do you think?

[OKWTink]

I think it is probably a good idea to have at least one on hand, especially for the five year old.

I'm planning on having one for the six year old who will visit this summer. I'm going to tell him that it's to cart our lunch and snack cooler around (and it will be) but I figure that by the time the cooler is empty (or nearly) he'll be really happy he can have a ride!

[lisaw]

Our two will be 7 and 5 when we go in Oct and we will still get a cheap stroller from Walmart to use. We do tend to cram a lot in and have long days and there is no way they will keep up. I am optimistic about the sharing thing though as I really don't fancy pushing Daniel around too much or i will be entering a body building championship when i get home :eek:

[marivigi]

lol Lisa!

Well.. they will be almost the same age as my cousins..... They might even get to meet each other... :D

Yes, I was thinking of getting a cheap stroller from Walmart... or anywhere.... just for the trip...

[BevW]

I agree with Tink...that 5 year old will weigh about 500 lbs after you've carried them for 5 minutes! :lol:

[OKWTink]

You know, I feel like a real idiot. :( I passed up several umbrella strollers at a community wide yard sale this weekend. I wasn't even thinking about that until Mari said it. :blush:

They were dirt cheap. One with a little bonnet on it, and quite nice too, was three dollars. :oops: :sorry:

[BevW]

$3!!!! That's a great deal...they sell umbrella strollers pretty cheap, about $12, but you've got to see if they fit you...I'm serious. Walk around with one open and see if it hurts your back. I bought one that fits me, but I'm the only one that can push it cos it's too short for everyone else. Did I goof or what?

[marivigi]

oh!! 3 dollars... very nice!!


Well.. you still have a few months to go.. I am sure you can get a cheap one! :yes:

[marivigi]

$3!!!! That's a great deal...they sell umbrella strollers pretty cheap, about $12, but you've got to see if they fit you...I'm serious. Walk around with one open and see if it hurts your back. I bought one that fits me, but I'm the only one that can push it cos it's too short for everyone else. Did I goof or what?

Ummm good point... handt thought about it

Of course.. Ive never bought a stroller in my life! :lol:

[Tammi]

When we were down a few months ago we rented a side by side double stroller for our 2 kids from a place called A Baby's Best Friend. They will deliver it right to your resort and when you are through you just drop it at the front desk upon checkout and they come and pick it up. It was a real Graco stroller, in excellent condition, not an umbrella or the hard things like WDW rents. Having the big under-the-seat storage baskets was wonderful for hauling all of our stuff around (cooler, backpack, camera bag, etc). I think it was like 75-80 dollars for the week. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

[JacksDad]

Renting is a good idea. And an eight year old is likely to be against it. http://www.wdisneyw.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif
I would just pick one up from Dis as I do with Jack.

[Bambi]

I am almost possitive the 5 yr old will get tired of walking. My daughter just turned 6 and we still use strollers for her in the parks. Don't be suprised if the older one gets tired as well.

[Ilovetink]

My son (7 ) can handle walking MGM and parts of MK (if we are not criss crossing all day). He gets way too tired walking around Epcot. By our next trip I think he will be ok everywhere.

The 5 year old will definately need a stroller. Make sure that an umbrella one is sturdy enough though. Many of the umbrella strollers that I have seen wouldn't hold up long with a 5-7 year old in them. I think the 8 year old will be ok if you work in resting points.

[Dawn]

The 5 year old will need one. The 8 year should be ok for most of the time - and will resist a stroller until they're legs refuse to take one more step. :lol:

Our 6 year old neice was fine most days. Her parents rented a stroller for her a couple of days - Epcot, and the last day at MK as we were going straight for dinner after a full day of park walking.

[marivigi]

The 5 year old will need one. The 8 year should be ok for most of the time - and will resist a stroller until they're legs refuse to take one more step. :lol:


:rotfl: so true!!


As for the five year old... whenever we go to the mall, she eventually asks Tono to "make her taller" ... which really means she gets to sit on Tono's shoulders... :rolleyes: So I really do think we will be taking or renting a stroller...

I know they will not use it ALL THE TIME... but it will give them the option....

I hadnt considered weight issues with umbrella strollers, so thanks for bringing it up!

Also, I did consider renting, but buying a stroller would be about $20 where as renting would be what? $75 or more? :wacko:

[psdjmem]

Our youngest three will be 8, 5 and alomst 4 when we go to WDW this december, I know our 5 year old will get tired and so will our little guy who will be almost 4. I think with breaks - stopping for a bite to eat and just sitting for a few minutes our 8 year old will do fine. Our 17 year old wants a stroller this time too :rotfl: We are driving and can not fit our own stroller in so we rent one from WDW, does anyone remember the cost of those?? thanks!

sharon

[Whitequeen]

If you have a look here (http://www.wdisneyw.co.uk/strollers.html) you'll find the information you are looking for, psdjmem. :thumbs:

[jimfortk]

We take our granddaughter's stroller with us all the time. And it is a full size stroller, not the umbrella type. You leave your baby in the stroller and push her through the airport right up to the plane entrance. You fold it up, hand it to the airline personnel that take care of all the last minute carry-on baggage that doesn't fit under the seats, and enjoy your flight. When you land, they have the stroller waiting at the door for you. Baby goes right into the stroller, and you are on your way.

By the way, an umbrella stroller is a waste of time. A full size stroller has plenty of room for diaper bags, drinks, things you purchase in the parks, and they don't charge you $8 a day for it.

[Dawn]

Have to disagree with you Jim. Our umbrella stroller did the job perfectly. Plenty of room for all the days essentials, and a few purchases too. Large purchases just got sent back to the resort. :shrug:

[PaulaK]

We take our own that lies back fully and has a large sun canopy (that lies flat in the top of the suitcase when flying). It has a basket underneath and a cup holder, but it still folds fairly small. I always stick with the same stroller, a Mamas and Papas (Peg Perego) Pliko, they have a bigger seat than most other strollers and the sun canopies are excellent. They also have adjustable height handles (that stooping when you push thing can really add to your walking pains!) and a very small rain canopy (that we have needed occasionally but it fits in the basket). They're not the cheapest, but they are IMO, the best. I was asked several times on the monorails where I got mine from. You can pick them up on Ebay like new and the whole thing comes apart for washing.

.....off to pick up my commission from Mamas & Papas :whistle:

[simbo]

You also have to check that your kids fit into the stroller. My daughter (aged 4) has long legs and I find that in most her feet drag along the floor and she can't get her feet onto the footrest. The park strollers tend to be bigger so older kids manage a lot better in these. They are not so good for small children though - althought if you have a small child you will probably be taking your own stroller anyway.

[swissfamrivers]

Sorry new to Disney........

re strollers (we have a double umbrella type for our 1 and 2 year olds). When looking through guide books it says that you can't take buggies on trains/other transportation within Disney. Presumably you can fold up the buggy and carry the kids and buggy on?

I was thinking of the train that goes to the conservation centre/petting area in Animal Kingdom as we will need the buggy when we get there.

[Whitequeen]

Unfortunately, no strollers on that train.
You have to leave them at the entrance.

If I remember rightly it's a very small area when you get to the area. An observation deck and the like.

[swissfamrivers]

That's a bit of a pain - my daughter (who will be almost one), crawls like mad (a bit dirty to do outside) and does not really like to be held when she can see things happening - she is almost walking but don't think she will be proficent enough in just 5 weeks.

[simbo]

Could you still manage to carry her in a sling where she was facing outwards so she didn't miss anything.


Simbo

[Josette]

The 8 year old will probably be able to handle it but the 5 year old probably not. Taking one would be a good idea, because when the child gets tired, you don't want to carry them around.

[BigThunder]

I hate the typical umbrella stroller, the kind with no storage in bottom or no canopy to pull forward. I like the mid size, as I call them. Not the horribly huge stroller but the one that is in between size wise a big baby stroller & an umbrella stroller. One problem w/the umbrellas are if your kids have any size to them the wheels just buckle & an 8 year old, no matter how thin is going to be pushing the weight limit. Good thing about the umbrellas though are they are so darn cheap it's worth buying for just the trip. The others though have cup holders & that invaluable basket underneath for holding bags, backpacks, camera bags, etc. I swear, I think I'll take one just for that!
As far as age, my now 11 year old rode in one until she was probably 8. Yes, it was embarrassing at times because she was so big but it saved her legs on those extra long days which saved us from whining. My now 6 year old will be 7 next time we go. She's a bit bigger than my eldest was at that age so I don't know what we will do.
If you do not take a stroller I suggest doing some walks a month or so ahead of time with the 8 year old to get him/her ready.

[swissfamrivers]

Would love to do that but she weighs over 26 pounds!

[Dilbert]

The others though have cup holders & that invaluable basket underneath for holding bags, backpacks, camera bags, etc. I swear, I think I'll take one just for that!

Strollers can sometimes be inconvenient, but this is definatly one of their most useful abilities, asides from carting around a tired child! It is so nice to be able to load up the stroller with all the various items you need to take with you, plus all the things you end up buying in during the day.

Without a stroller for carting everything around with, you would have to carry it all yourself, and then what would you do with all these things when you reach a ride such as Space Mountain or the Rockin Rollercoaster?

Take a stroller, you know it makes sense! :wink: