Strollers?

[aaambermarie1]

We are planning our trip in August of this year, (I know it will be hot) and it is our first week long experience in Disney. The kids have only been to magic kingdom for 1 day, while on a cruise excursion.. So very, very excited!

I am slightly concerned with my son's ability to keep up and walk through the park everyday. He isn't considered special needs, however battles with anemia and leg cramps daily. On single day trips to Hershey Park, he is usually totally worn out by the end of the day, and asking for a piggy-back ride.
My daughter is not a concern, she is 10 and is very fit, (also only two inches shorter than my 5ft height.

He is 8 years old, and has always been on the thin side. 48" tall, and around 46lbs. I don't see him being embarrassed by riding in a stroller, and honestly could care less what other people's opinions are. I have done a little research on in park strollers, and outside companies, but was wondering for recommendations. Has anyone else considered this for an 8 year old? We haven't used a stroller for years....but I want him to be able to have a good time, and enjoy his whole day rather then getting exhausted halfway through. I also thought it might be nice to have a place to put some of our things while walking around.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Has anyone else considered this for an 8 year old?

Welcome aboard

Age isn't important for renting / using strollers - it's what best fits your situation. He won't (I assume) need to be in it all the time and as you rightly say, it's handy for storing stuff (especially cold drinks in August). If you feel you need one, rent one.

 

[EOD K9]

@aaambermarie1 I have rented a double stroller for Kingdom Strollers twice. They are very clean and good for taking my twins. Granted, my girls aren't even two yet, however, if a stroller is what you think he needs get it. I wouldn't care what other people think. The in park strollers are plastic and not very comfortable. The upside, is that they are available. With KS, you need to call in advance. If you are staying on property, they will drop off and pick up at your resort. If he wants to walk for a while, great. When he gets tired, he can jump in for a bit. It is really your call, but I wouldn't let what others (who odds are good you'll never see again) think.

 

[DisneyDukie]

I echo the poster who mentioned Kingdom Strollers - great service, reasonable price.

As for the 8-year-old in a stroller thing... I wouldn't worry at all! Last time we were there, I definitely saw parents pushing kids older than that (while their "stroller age" child was walking or being carried!). MK is a big place, all bets are off; I'd go in a stroller if I could get my hubby to push me!

 

[RememberWhen]

I think Kingdom Strollers (or the other company, or maybe both) have strollers designed for larger kids. They both list weight limits for their strollers.
You should do whatever works for your family and not worry about anybody else.

 

[Witchy Chick]

I highly recommend Kingdom Strollers as well! I just checked their website, and they do rent strollers for special needs kids (link right at the top of the page). (I know you mentioned your son is not considered special needs, but the Kingdom Strollers special needs rentals have a higher height/weight capacity than the other strollers.)

 

[wdisneyw2000]

Plain & simple get a stroller, Hershey is a big place yes but WDW is huge. Use it like all above says i've seen many wine cry & complain about things that inconvenience them because of someone elses convenience. But don't listen it's your money time & vacation to enjoy. Kingdom strollers worked well for my children, so i believe good choice there. their went by weight restrictions. My opinion if someone else is complaining just because a child is in a stroller, & it inconveniences them, well they are paying wayyyyy to much attention to others instead of their own vacation. So yes if you feel it will help you in any way have at it & enjoy a great time. Welcome to the board & enjoy your great time you will have along with your child relaxing & being able to rest & enjoy the whole day not just part of it, because of getting tired. We all get tired & sore legs & feet. But a child will faster, & that's why they have them available for use.

 

[Noellikechristmas]

My sister in law wanted to bring a stroller for her 8 year old. I thought she was slightly crazy cause my nephew is fit and plays sports. I will say toward the end, he was complaining that his legs were getting tired and they almost got a stroller. He toughed it out, but it sounds like if I were I would get one. I've heard people say if your kid is less than 10, you may need one. It's a lot of walking for one day, never mind a week.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I think you have to consider: (1) your child's fitness level and/or stamina for walking long distances (which you obviously have); and (2) your planned touring schedule (e.g., will there be a nap break in the middle of the day, etc.).

If your son's slight build and/or anemia limit his mobility (as you have observed), and particularly if you plan to tour all day without a lengthy break, a stroller is something you should consider, regardless of whether anyone's going to look askance. There's no "right answer" for everybody -- my children went stroller-less at Disney beginning at age 4, but they didn't have mobility issues and are wildly hyperactive, so neither my experience nor anyone else's should dictate your decision. (And if you do opt to get a stroller, I trust you will "stroll responsibly"! If you get any negative blowback in response to your question, it's just because we've all been inconvenienced or annoyed at some point by careless or distracted Disney guests with strollers, blocking walkways ahead of us or ramming into our Achilles tendons from behind...)

 

[WDWDreamer4]

I would actually go the opposite of others here. I would not take a stroller. Disney is much flatter than Hershey Park, although Disney is bigger the hills make walking around Hershey much harder. If you find after the first day or so that your son is having a hard time then rent a single stroller from Disney. That stroller cannot be taken out of the parks which is less you need to worry about carrying on the buses and boats. Your son most likely won't be needed the stroller outside the parks. The strollers Disney rents are also plastic and can hold a larger child, an umbrella stroller really is not designed for a child of that size. I have heard nothing but great things about Kingdom Strollers (my sister in law used them last year). But why rent a large stroller and haul it around Disney when you might only need it for a very small amount of time.
Also, you are going in August and it will be busy. You won't be walking for long periods of time. There will be a lot of time spent waiting in line where a stroller cannot be.
Another option could be an afternoon break, beings that you will be there in the summer the parks are open later. An afternoon break in the room or at the pool can really rejuvenate everyone.
Whatever you chose don't worry about what other people think if they see a child in stroller. If they are spending their vacation worry about other people they are there for the wrong reason. It is your vacation and should be as stress free as you can make it.

 

[buseegal]

We are planning our trip in August of this year, (I know it will be hot) and it is our first week long experience in Disney. The kids have only been to magic kingdom for 1 day, while on a cruise excursion.. So very, very excited!

I am slightly concerned with my son's ability to keep up and walk through the park everyday. He isn't considered special needs, however battles with anemia and leg cramps daily. On single day trips to Hershey Park, he is usually totally worn out by the end of the day, and asking for a piggy-back ride.
My daughter is not a concern, she is 10 and is very fit, (also only two inches shorter than my 5ft height.

He is 8 years old, and has always been on the thin side. 48" tall, and around 46lbs. I don't see him being embarrassed by riding in a stroller, and honestly could care less what other people's opinions are. I have done a little research on in park strollers, and outside companies, but was wondering for recommendations. Has anyone else considered this for an 8 year old? We haven't used a stroller for years....but I want him to be able to have a good time, and enjoy his whole day rather then getting exhausted halfway through. I also thought it might be nice to have a place to put some of our things while walking around.

if you feel you need stroller then rent one but remember that stroller parking is uncovered and you say you are going in August with summer rains. you are going to need a cover to keep from having a child riding in wet stroller. I would look more at park rental with his age. less hassle getting to and from parks without taking stroller. at MK unlike Hershey you will have to take transportation even if you drive your own car. you can not walk from parking lot without taking monorail or ferry and this does not count parking lot tram if you need that. plus have you done Hershey for more than one day at a time? you will find that a week trip with more than one park day is most likely going to tire him more than a day at Hershey. yes I do know Hershey as we live in the Lancaster area and I work at Dutch Wonderland plus we are planning on Disney this August

 

[mimitchi33]

A stroller for older kids doesn't sound odd to me-I used a stroller in Disney until I was twelve due to my arthritis.
I wouldn't rent a stroller at the park. As my mother said on a recent trip, it's cheaper to rent a car ($15) than to rent a stroller at Disney ($32). Try to look for a cheaper stroller rental service for Disney for your son.

 

[RememberWhen]

We just got back from Disney and rented a stroller for pour animal kingdom day. I would think a large child would be very uncomfortable in the hard plastic seats. DS is almost 4, about 42" tall and about 40lb. He didn't like the way his head scraped the sun shield. Also, there was no storage apart from a tiny pocket in the back. I'm glad we had it for the one day, but won't bother with it next time.
Also, DS was not walking most of the time. We carried him a lot.

 

[Bryan Slater]

I would get a stroller. Me personally I bring mine from home as must airlines will allow you to bring it free of charge. Which are more comfortable then Disney and saves you money. Another option would've to rent from outside Disney. Stoller are cheaper and more comfortable. Don't worry about other people do what makes you and your family happy and makes your trip more magical.

 

[mmnw]

We might rent at this age. My kids are used to hours worth of daily activity, but they need some breaks from the sun and heat. Burn very easily. Etc. Even I get overheated at certain parks (summertime) and my Drs. know I'm very hydrated.

Some of the big stroller companies rent baby jogger. One is a bigger more $ model. Probably built for kids with challenges and taller kids. I haven't seen it to know how big etc. I have tiny kids, and they are out growing (as they should) our double baby jogger. I'd have to look just how uncomfortable they are before we head back. The stroller websites will give you height and weight limits. But, there is a stroller size out there for you. I saw it on their websites.

Many of the stroller companies rent (if in stock!) or give you a rain cover as standard policy. Read the description if it's important to you.

The stroller is also nice for storage. Many we have left "up" in the room--and we rent double side by side strollers.

 

[jaklgreen]

I think at his height he might not even fit into many strollers. My kids never had issues walking but my husband complained about ankle pain. So we just adopted a slower pace of touring. We would walk at a normal pace and would take more breaks throughout the day. They have plenty of places to sit and have a snack or to just rest. So we would walk to a ride, sit and enjoy the ride, then walk around a bit, sit and rest, go to the next ride, etc. It is not as much walking as you would think. I actually take more steps working in a restaurant all day then I do at MK. I would also look into a wheelchair rental from the parks. I think your son would be more comfortable in a wheel chair then a stroller. Also if he has a big issue with mainly standing in lines then I would ask about a DAS. That way he can sit on a bench while you guys wait for your ride time instead of standing in line. For us, strollers where just a huge hassle and we were glad when our kids turned 5 and out grew them.