2 parents - 3 kids.. stroller logistics help!

[teenie0140]

We are going to Disney in December this year (week after Thanksgiving) with one 6 year old girl and twin 1.5 year old girls. We are driving down so we will have our double stroller (city mini jogger double) and then we are bringing a stroller for the 6 year old because we know she won't want to walk the whole time and we aren't about to be fighting with her while dealing with the twins too - so for everyone's sanity, we will have 2 strollers, 3 kids and only 2 parents. The numbers aren't in our favor haha. Any recommendations on how to handle getting on the buses (or do we just plan on driving instead since we'll have our cars?) We do plan on park hopping a few days based on our dining reservations so that throws a wrench in driving everyday.

To the parents who have done this before, give me hope we'll survive!!

 

[larryz]

If you plan to stay in the parks 'till closing, I'd recommend taking your car. There's nothing particularly stressful about driving from park to park, and depending on time of day, you can actually get quite close to the entrance (finding spaces left by early leavers.)

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I'd rent from the parks if needed for the 6 year old.
That way not as much to deal with as far as transportation goes.
Also as much as I like Disney transportation... in your case I'd consider driving to the parks especially if you think the kids may pass out before reaching the parks or resort because to manage 2 toddlers and a 6 year old with a giant stroller and all your stuff its gonna be hard to get everyone off the bus in a timely manner. When you have your own car you can take the time you need to gather everyone and everything.

 

[drizgirl]

I would take the bus to the MK and drive to the others.

Lots of people here don't have kids and hate being around so many strollers, so take the advice you get here with a grain of salt. Do what you think will work best for your family.

And FYI, before planning on renting in the parks for the 6 year old, be sure to check out the cost. It's very pricey.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I would take the bus to the MK and drive to the others.

Lots of people here don't have kid and hate being around so many strollers, so take the advice you get here with a grain of salt. Do what you think will work best for your family.

And FYI, before planning on renting in the parks for the 6 year old, be sure to check out the cost. It's very pricey.

I'm certainly not an anti stroller person but I will say I think it would be EXTREMELY difficult to manage 1 double stroller, 1 single stroller, 2 18mos olds, and 1 6 year old, plus belongings with only 2 adults. ESPECIALLY IF ANY OF THEM FALL ASLEEP. My 3yr old n iece fell alseep on the bus once and it was difficult to manage our belongings, the stroller, and her. Couldn't imagine two more kids and another stroller in that situation.
Renting from the parks is gonna cost some money but if the 6 year old may not need a stroller all day every day it may be better to not lug another to the parks each day.
If they do decide to bring a stroller for the 6 year old instead of rent from the parks then I'd definitely advise driving.

 

[BraveGirl]

Pile all three kids in the double stroller. When my oldest was 6 we did not bring a stroller for her. We walked most of the day but when she got tired, we put her in the stroller and had her sister sit on her lap (sis was 3). They both managed to fall asleep that way. And that was just a tiny umbrella stroller, so you can definitely pile them in a double. You won't want the hassle of the additional stroller, trust me.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I would just go to Target or Walmart and buy a cheap umbrella stroller and either bring it back home, or give it to someone there. The Disney strollers are big, heavy and clunky...that, plus they can't be removed from the park, so getting to the car or bus will be a potential problem with a sleeping tot in toe.

 

[RememberWhen]

Our most recent trip was in December with our 6.5 DS and 1.5 DD. We brought our city mini for the little one. The 6yo refused offers of rides, even though he was pretty tired.
I bet you could probably get away with just the double stroller. If your 6yo desperately needs to ride, someone can carry one of the littles. Having two strollers and 3 kids on those busses with only 2 adults is a disaster waiting to happen. If you definitely need the second stroller, drive.

 

[Orangeanna]

A lot depends on the size of the 6 year old. A cheap umbrella stroller may not work for your daughter. Check weight and height limits and maybe go to the store and try out a few models. I would and have. Many people on this site hate it when children who can walk ride in strollers. It's not their business unless you run them over in the park and I've been tempted, believe me. My 7 year old had a huge seizure 3 weeks before our annual birthday trip for his sister. He was medically cleared but still exhausted. We put him in a stroller and got a lot of dirty looks. No one knows what's best for your family. You know your daughters limits and a stroller can be a good way to keep track of her. Park it when you don't need it. Have a great time!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

A lot depends on the size of the 6 year old. A cheap umbrella stroller may not work for your daughter. Check weight and height limits and maybe go to the store and try out a few models. I would and have. Many people on this site hate it when children who can walk ride in strollers. It's not their business unless you run them over in the park and I've been tempted, believe me. My 7 year old had a huge seizure 3 weeks before our annual birthday trip for his sister. He was medically cleared but still exhausted. We put him in a stroller and got a lot of dirty looks. No one knows what's best for your family. You know your daughters limits and a stroller can be a good way to keep track of her. Park it when you don't need it. Have a great time!

You're paying to much attention to others if you're seeing dirty looks left and right.
No need to even care what some stranger walking past you thinks or what you perceive they think.

 

[mmnw]

I forgot, but i have doubled up, in the past, as a previous poster mentioned. It’s an idea.

Can you take a cheap umbrella stroller and rig it so it hangs off the city mini until you are ready to use the umbrella stroller?

I realize it is a bit of a waste of money, but i liked renting a city mini. Bought the insurance. Then, i didn’t care if anyone chose to take a stroller that didn’t belong to them.

 

[teenie0140]

Thanks for the tips. We will definitely either need a stroller option for her or have her double up in the double stroller. She won't want to walk the whole time and that isn't fully fair to her to watch her sisters (who already get alot of attention for being identical twins) get to ride around when she's tired and forced to walk.

Renting is almost the same price as buying a larger umbrella stroller so we'd probably just buy one at that point.

I'm leaning towards driving to most of the parks to eliminate the bus issues and just bringing the two strollers. Like one poster said, it'll be easier to keep track of everyone - and it's a place for us to store more things.

Not worried about what others will say about the 6 year old in the stroller - they aren't the ones having to deal with a cranky 6 year old by the end of the day on top of twins!!

 

[danlb_2000]

We are going to Disney in December this year (week after Thanksgiving) with one 6 year old girl and twin 1.5 year old girls. We are driving down so we will have our double stroller (city mini jogger double) and then we are bringing a stroller for the 6 year old because we know she won't want to walk the whole time and we aren't about to be fighting with her while dealing with the twins too - so for everyone's sanity, we will have 2 strollers, 3 kids and only 2 parents. The numbers aren't in our favor haha. Any recommendations on how to handle getting on the buses (or do we just plan on driving instead since we'll have our cars?) We do plan on park hopping a few days based on our dining reservations so that throws a wrench in driving everyday.

To the parents who have done this before, give me hope we'll survive!!

Kid who draws the short straw stays home?

 

[teenie0140]

Kid who draws the short straw stays home?

The little ones could care less about going haha. They're just extra cargo - ALOT of extra cargo!!

 

[dadisdad]

Have you considered taking a small umbrella stroller to use with one of the 18 month old twins when your 6 yr old gets tired? When the 6 year old is active, the twins enjoy the baby jogger. When she is tired, one of the twins can be in a small stroller that is easily transported.


We were there in May with our 2 1/2 yr old and 4 week old and lugged a city select around with the second seat and a bassinet. With the two of us it was a bit awkward getting on the busses but we made it manageable. Essentially the hardest part of travelling to and through the parks is our expectations of the kids behaviour and forgetting about how the kids are experiencing the whole situation.

With that said, our experiences with the busses was excellent. The drivers are patient and the other riders were relatively easy going even at the end of the night. Our plan of attack was that one of us was responsible for the kids getting on the bus and sitting, the other took care of the gear. Stroller was folded in line as the bus pulled up and we were ready to go once it was boarding time.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You're going to be in the parks for much too long each day if you're park hopping directly from one park to another. Kids and parents need rest, your family is much too young to be doing opening-until-closing. Every day should have a mid-afternoon break for pool, nap, or just general "resting in air conditioning" time. If you're park hopping, your schedule should be Park 1, then break, then Park 2, not directly from Park 1 to Park 2.

I also suspect you have too much table service dining scheduled. Kids who are absolute angels at restaurants at home get antsy when just outside the restaurant doors is maximum stimulation and MAGIC.

Drive to every park EXCEPT Magic Kingdom.

 

[DryerLintFan]

My daughter loves Disney. LOVES DISNEY. She'll tell you a million things that she loves doing and seeing there, but her top number one thing is always the pool. If you read the boards enough, you'll see that's a very common thing for the kids. So don't discount the value of down time at the resort.

And remember that while you're in the parks, you don't have to push the strollers around everywhere. When we go, 80% of the time our stroller is parked in stroller parking. We only really use it to get to and from the park from the buses, as those walkways are insane.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Also, to Capt America's point above, you might have too much dining scheduled or at least scheduled in inconvenient ways. When you get there, if you find you cannot make a reservation on the day of the reservation, go into the app and move it to some random day in the future. Then you can cancel it without the penalty fee.

On our first trip, we cancelled five or six reservations. On our second trip we cancelled four. Our plans always seem great before we get there but then we realize we'd rather sit by the pool and eat than struggle with overtired tiny humans in a restaurant, even if there are characters.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Also, to Capt America's point above, you might have too much dining scheduled or at least scheduled in inconvenient ways. When you get there, if you find you cannot make a reservation on the day of the reservation, go into the app and move it to some random day in the future. Then you can cancel it without the penalty fee.

For the most part, that's not necessary to avoid the fee. If you just call and cancel they're almost always accommodating. They typically ask for a reason but if you just say "the kids aren't feeling up to it," that's fine.

 

[DryerLintFan]

For the most part, that's not necessary to avoid the fee. If you just call and cancel they're almost always accommodating.

Oh!! I'll try that this time around!