Backpack Carriers in Disney?

[Abraham's Mommy]

Hello,

My husband and I will be traveling to WDW in September with our then 18 month old son. Are there any recommendations for any of the backpack carriers for children. We went and tried out some today and they were not comfortable for 10 minutes let alone hours of walking. If anyone can tell me of his/her experiences, good or bad, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks again:wave:

 

[slappy magoo]

Not a dad yet, so I can't help you beyond the suggestion/observation that, no matter which backpack carrier you choose, you should get it as early as possible and get used to it. Even the most comfortable one is bound to have some degree of discomfort. The sooner you get it and the more you use it, the more your body will adjust to its weight and its restrictions and the less painful/problematic it'll seem come vacation time. The same way I'd recommend breaking in sneakers first.

 

[wdwmomof3]

This is not something that I would try to do at Disney World. As a mother of three I can tell you that walking around as much as you do there that your back will be killing you by midday. I read somewhere that people walk anywhere from 3 - 12 miles a day there. I think we were closer to the 12 mile a day hike. The back pack carriers may be fine for Downtown Disney but I would make sure that you had your own stroller with you for the parks. The strollers that they have do not look very comfortable.

Something else that helped me on one trip was a stroller cover to put on if it rained. This will keep your baby dry as well as everything else.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I have never tried a back pack carrier. I must say that in our 2 trips with small children, the strollers were great. I would suggest them..The regular back pack we carried was heavy enough..:lol:

 

[ELopez]

We have used a backpack with each of our 4 children many times at WDW. We also take a stroller, though. We hang it off the back of the stroller, and alternate as needed. I agree that it would be tough to wear it all day, but I think if you have an active toddler, the backpack is very handy - especially standing in line because you can't take strollers in the queue.

I wish I could reccommend a brand name, but I don't really know what we have used (if my husband does - I'll let you know). It's very lightweight with little or no storage (the little one is heavy enough!). It has a metal frame that can stand on it's own. This came in very handy on rides like Small World and Maelstrom, etc because we just sat the backpack beside us on the bench without taking the little one out! But it does easily fold, so it's easy to get on and off rides.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[Always_Disney]

A stroller is by far your best bet! Get a folding umbrella stroller. I used a great upscale umbrella stroller (a little havier duty) than a typical umbrella stroller. This makes getting it off and on the buses easier! Have a great time!

 

[sswisc]

A stroller is by far your best bet! Get a folding umbrella stroller. I used a great upscale umbrella stroller (a little havier duty) than a typical umbrella stroller. This makes getting it off and on the buses easier! Have a great time!

A stroller is the way to go. Bring your own instead of renting, because the walk back to the hotel room can be a drag when you have to carry a grumpy little one.

If you bring an umbrella stroller, make sure the handles are high enough that anyone who would be pushing can do it without hunching over. A sore back will make anybody grumpy.

As far as a stroller cover, I would recommend bringing some clothespins or twist ties and attaching the corners of a child size poncho to the stoller. You won't get any water in the stroller, and you can get the little one in easily by lifting a corner and letting them climb in and stick their head in the hood. It was effective, and our baber looked really funny with her little head stcking out.

 

[happymom52003]

I agree with the other posters....it would be difficult to use a backpack carrier in the park for many reasons. I am not sure what you would do with it when you are on the rides. I guess you could carry it on a few of the rides, but I think it would be difficult on most. Even if it somehow folds up, that is just extra work and something extra to carry everytime you want to get on a ride. Much easier to park a stroller.

 

[NadieMasK2]

I would say not for an 18 month old. We had a nice lightweight backpack that we used for hiking, but 10 months was about the weight limit my DH could take for extended periods of time. It was great for the 6 - 10 month period but then not very useful. The WDW strollers are really quite nice though!

 

[ELopez]

Ok, looks like I'm alone in being an advocate of the backpacks. We really have gotten alot of use out of them, though - and plan to again in September!

We don't wear it all day, we use the stroller, too. But if you have to wait in line, it can be tough, because you have to park your stroller before every ride. And an active toddler often wiggles to get down and run around.

Our girls also really enjoyed being up high where they could see everything. It's also helpful if you have other children (we have total of 4) to have your hands free.

But I would agree that I couldn't even do one day in one of the parks without a stroller!

 

[wdwmomof3]

I agree with using both a stroller & a backpack. I can see where it would be nice to have a back pack while standing in line, or watching a parade or doing something where you can't take a stroller.

The stroller cover that I was talking about can be found at Babies R Us or a store like that. It is plastic and fits your stroller without having to pin it. The first time I saw this was when our ponchos had blown off and everything was wet. I looked over and saw a mom & her dry baby and thought... never again. I must say that on our next trip I had the cover with me and it never even rained. Maybe it brought me luck!