Stroller advice

FabulousFigment

Active Member
Original Poster
Headed to the World Nov. 1st. Kids will be 4, 2 1/2, & 6 months. At home, we have a double stroller for our younger two boys(both seats recline) and a scooterboard for when DD4 wants a ride. Just curious, for those of you with a 4ish year old, did you find they needed a nap or to sit a lot? Last time we went, she was 3 and we were grateful she had a place to sit and nap when needed. I am thinking it may be best to wear the baby in the moby and let DS2 and DD4 ride?? Not sure what to do.
 
I think you'll be fine with the double, the 4 year old probably won't need to ride often, but a carrier is a good idea for a backup (I'm not sure I'd pick a wrap depending on how hot it would be for you and baby, I love my Ergo for longer wearing once baby is more than a few months old). You know them best, though, and it sounds like you can play it by ear since you'll need the double either way :)

Rereading this, I'm not sure it was at all helpful ;)
 

cbettua

Well-Known Member
I have a 4 and a 3 year old and they need that stroller so much. I can't even imagine going without it. When they are tired they lay down all the time. That sun can be hard on the kids too.
 

LAM378

Well-Known Member
Just got back from a week with my 4 year old and the stroller I rented for him was a godsend. It's just a ton of walking. We weren't commandos and took plenty of rest breaks but it would have taken so long to get from Point A to Point B without the stroller. He's a very energetic guy but his little legs just couldn't keep up, especially a few days in.

The other bonuses were knowing he was safely strapped in with no chance of getting separated when we navigated through big crowds, having him covered up with the sun shade, and sleeping. The stroller lulled him to sleep for naps and bedtime more often than not!
 

G8rchamps

Well-Known Member
We have been a bunch over the last year and the kids were 8 and 5 a year ago. My DD6 still likes the stroller at times. We tend to park it and hit a section at a time, but even at 6 she can't hack an 8, 10, 15..? hour Disney day. Certainly depends on the child, but at 4 they will need some breaks and a stroller lets you keep moving.
 

Kristamouse

Well-Known Member
We have 5 kids ( I had 5 babies in 9 years, 13 months a part, 3 years, 18 months apart and then 3years again).
We debated the double vs double and a single umbrella as needed. We never did take a single umbrella with us and ended up baby wearing often. I know many on these boards swear they could walk the park at 18 months just fine but I call bullsh*t. Most kids 5 and under need a break from walking, sun, crowds., etc. Kids tend to fall alot and we have some nasty road rash in WDW that might put an active 5 year old in a stroller for a bit. Your 5 year old can get a horrid blister and be out for a few hours. Kids can suddenly get sick in WDW, like our out of no where onset of Streap Throat and put a 6 year old in our stroller for a few days. But the most important reason I want my big kids in the stroller and babies on me is SAFETY! I have had a few expierinces in the hub around firework time and after Fantasmic where the push of the crowd has seperated my hand from holding my childs hand and that scared the crap out of both of us.
Generally speaking the baby is worn and the older kids sit in the stroller in and out of park and from one land to the next. So they hop in from Tommorrow Land to Froniter Land we then park stroller in Frontier Land and they walk between the attractions there.
Be open to wearing your older kids as well. A few years ago my 6 year old was fine walking around World Showcase and my 3 and 1.5 toddlers were napping in the strolller. Our daughter, 5, was DONE! I got out my wrap and did the russack (backpack like carry) while she got a little rest until we got to the American Adventure where she sat and wached the show. After that she was fine and we weren't listening to her bellyaching nor was the rest of Epcot and I got to walk off my School Bread:)
If you do plan to baby wear please don't use a Baby Bjorn, there is mountians of evideince that supports how bad they are for your babies bone structure. I love my Ergo as another option and just got one off of Craigs List for my SIL to use for $50.00. I love the ergo for babies and toddlers, over Mothers Day we were at the local Zoo and our baby was sleeping in the stroller and my 4 year old son fell and scraped his knee pretty bad. I carried him for about 30 mins on my back in the Ergo and we both were comfortable. He was then ready to finish walking after that.
I LOVE wraps but the Moby is way to hot for you and baby in WDW. I found an awesome lady on etsy.com that makes mesh wraps that are very breathable and strong! That mesh wrap is what I used when I carried my 5 year old on my back in Epcot.
You didn't mention what kind of stroller you have. I have had 6 different styles of double strollers and a few you could squeeze 3 kids into. If you have the tandum style like a Graco duo glide you can recline the back seat to the lowest postion and seat your lightest kid there with a next lightest in front, sitting between that childs legs. The heavist would go in the front seat. Some side by side have big enough baskets for a kid to sit it too, I know both sound crazy and its not ideal or a long term soultion but it will get you down Main Street faster. I currently have and LOVE is the Britax B Ready that can be a single or double with the 2nd jump seat that sits underneath. I love it becauase my 4 year old is pretty good at walking rarely wants to be in a stroller, so we don't alwasy need a double. Our Mothers DayTrip to the Zoo DH forgot to put it in the trunk and if my 4 year old wouldn't have fallend we wouldn't have needed it (thus me wearing him for a bit).
Anyway Good Luck like others have said you can always rent one and there were some decent strollers in gift shops for about 25.00 that would work as well.
Have a Magical Vacation!
 

MaryJaneP

Well-Known Member
As for age when kids can walk the park, look at any old photo of the park, nary a stroller in sight. I recall our trip in '76. I was a kid, and I don't recall seeing any strollers. Maybe kids were able to walk "back then". That being said, we rented a double for our 20 month old and to carry our stuff. Other two kids (4 and 7) walked with us. Yes, we took it easy, found shade wherever we could, and took mid-day breaks back to the pool at the resorts. Some really awesome memories of those vacations. Hope yours are awesome as well.
 

Kristamouse

Well-Known Member
Yes and what is the difference between 1970' park attendance and now? Huge...I would opt to keep my kids in a stroller through large crowds and then let them walk through each section of the park...
 

LWB

Active Member
I would definitely recommend a stroller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We took a double stroller when my girls were 2 and 4 and it was a must! We just went back with them at 4 and 6 but just took a single stroller. The 6 yr old used it as much as the 4 yr old did! They would alternate walking/riding so there was enough of a break from walking that we sure didn't need a double, but I was really glad that we had the single! We couldn't have made it w/o it!!! We were there for the whole week and that really is a lot of walking.
 

MotherofaPrincessLover

Well-Known Member
My daughter was 3 1/2 last time we went to WDW world and I couldn't have imagined not having the stroller. Even if a kid isn't sittng in it the whole time, it's a great place to store stuff. My daughter will be 5 when we go back and I'm definitely planning on using a stroller. I walk really fast and there's no way she could keep up and plus I can't imagine she will be able to walk the entire day.
 

popcenturylover

Well-Known Member
We were there this past December & our DD is 5. She did well on day one without a stroller but, we were at the studios. By day two(Epcot) she was ready for the stroller! It can be a lot of walking & the stroller gives them a bit of a break when they need it.
 

Hulababy

New Member
We took a stroller when DD was 2 and 4. To be honest, even at 2y she rarely used it. She was too excited to be sat down, and had given up day time naps by then anyway. At 4y it was useful to dump bags on and for leaving late at night. It was also handy for waiting for parades as she sat in sometimes, though was happy to sit on the kerbside anyway. We never bothered after that and once she was school age she wouldn't have even contemplated using a stroller of any form.
She did long days from opening til closing with no issues. And the odd time at night she was tired she just got a ride on her dad's shoulders.
 

HRHPrincessAriel

Well-Known Member
3.5 when we went this summer and we used an umbrella. I'll take back for our trip in Nov.

We mainly used to and from the bus. We would also park it in a land and walk around and come back when we were done.

We've stopped taking ours to our zoo. I think she could have handled not having it at DHS. Epcot would have possibly been a struggle.
 
Last edited:

mammaminnie

Well-Known Member
If you think that your kids will need a stroller, then definitely take one. This will be our first trip with a stroller since we have a newborn. I will say though, that my kids never used them as toddlers (starting at 2.5). We do lots of hiking as a family so they are used to walking, and we naturally take breaks riding rides, seeing shows and eating meals. Best advice though is to do what will make everyone in your family the happiest during the trip. That will ensure a more enjoyable vacation for everyone :)
 

lebeau

Well-Known Member
The best advice I can give you with regards to strollers is to do what you think is best. You will find people who argue passionately against using strollers. I for one have never regretted having one available. You know your kids and what they can handle better than anyone.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom