Stroller debate!!!!

[TinkerbellWDW]

My husband and I and our kids (7 & 14) will be at WDW on 12/30 - 1/6. I think we need to rent a stroller for my 7 year old just because it will be busy when we go and I will be able to keep track of her. My husband thinks it's waste of money and something we don't need to spend $ on. I have told him the stroller serves multiple purposes such as, holding stuff, saving our spot if we want to watch a parade, 7yr. old can sit and have a quick lunch while were walking to the next ride and I don't have to worry about her keeping up with us. My husband thinks it's a waste of time because he says we have to waste time looking for it after a ride in a sea of strollers. What should I do???? UGH!!!!!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Whats wrong with that? I always see strollers lined up along the parade route. If I'm going through the expense of renting a stroller I will use it for varies things.

What's not wrong with that?

You are not renting a stroller to have reserved parking. I'd love to see where you think that's written on your rental agreement. You are renting a stroller because you are lazy and don't want to have to hold things and want to use it as a corral for your 7-year old as opposed to, god forbid, actually parenting the child, or, (gasp) actually traveling around at a 7-year old's pace.

I realize this is blunt but someone needs to be direct and tell it like it is.

A stroller is not a cart. It is not a floating dining room chair. And it is certainly not a statue that reserves your place. It is a vehicle used to transport children who are not mobile enough to get around yet.

 

[graphite1326]

The last time I was there, I got run over by a stroller. So you know how I feel. There was no crowd on the path in AK and it was just me and the lady with the stroller. Ran right over my foot. She said a quick sorry and kept going.

However, my son was six when we first went and never used a stroller. He did fine. I agree with the post above. Some of these parents are just lazy.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I'm hoping this is my last trip with a stroller. I have a 2.5 yo but we aren't planning a return trip for a few years so hopefully we will be stroller less.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

I'm hoping this is my last trip with a stroller. I have a 2.5 yo but we aren't planning a return trip for a few years so hopefully we will be stroller less.

It's amazing how much time you lose parking and finding your stroller. We didn't consider that until we realized how much more time we had this past trip with DS7 walking instead of riding. It's nice when it happens!

 

[ToTBellHop]

It's amazing how much time you lose parking and finding your stroller. We didn't consider that until we realized how much more time we had this past trip with DS7 walking instead of riding. It's nice when it happens!

But you save so much time if your stroller saves your space for the MSEP, Wishes, IllumiNations, and your restaurant table!

 

[RandomPrincess]

It's amazing how much time you lose parking and finding your stroller. We didn't consider that until we realized how much more time we had this past trip with DS7 walking instead of riding. It's nice when it happens!

I might go strollerless for the first day (doing half day in the parks) and see how he does. We might be able to to do if for part of the trip.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

I might go strollerless for the first day (doing half day in the parks) and see how he does. We might be able to to do if for part of the trip.

That was exactly what we said... we didn't take ours and said if by the 3rd day he was worn out we'd maybe rent one. Much to our surprise he went 5 days straight never one complaining of being tired. As I said earlier in the thread though, I think we often forget how much time they really do spend sitting or at least not walking between queue time and then actually sitting on rides and for meals etc. It went surprisingly well and we are thrilled to be stroller free.

 

[RandomPrincess]

That was exactly what we said... we didn't take ours and said if by the 3rd day he was worn out we'd maybe rent one. Much to our surprise he went 5 days straight never one complaining of being tired. As I said earlier in the thread though, I think we often forget how much time they really do spend sitting or at least not walking between queue time and then actually sitting on rides and for meals etc. It went surprisingly well and we are thrilled to be stroller free.

My son seems to be a boundless bundle of energy and we rarely use the stroller at home (haven't used it in months). Most of the time when I have used it it's just me with two kids and I strap him in just so I don't have to worry about chasing two kids in different directions. Thankfully he seems to have finally passed the major darting off phase. Plus my DH will be with me in the parks so we have a 1:1 ratio. Makes things easier.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

I'm sorry...did you say you use a stroller to save your space for a parade? Surely, I misread that.

No you didn't. @Weather_Lady said exactly what I wanted to about the matter.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Well the title of your thread said stroller debate and you got it.

 

[Gabe1]

I'm hoping this is my last trip with a stroller. I have a 2.5 yo but we aren't planning a return trip for a few years so hopefully we will be stroller less.

Strollerless was wondrous but frankly nothing beat diaperless, nothing. Loosing baby food and bottles were a milestone too. Bye Bye all that extra stuff that you don't have to lug to the park and into a stroller, thereby not really needing a stroller to lug stuff in.

Happy dance for the first trip I didn't have to wear a backpack on a hot day. I bought each kid a pack (long time ago, don't judge, lol) and they had to carry their own darn crud.

 

[RandomPrincess]

Strollerless was wondrous but frankly nothing beat diaperless, nothing. Loosing baby food and bottles were a milestone too. Bye Bye all that extra stuff that you don't have to lug to the park and into a stroller, thereby not really needing a stroller to lug stuff in.

Happy dance for the first trip I didn't have to wear a backpack on a hot day. I bought each kid a pack (long time ago, don't judge, lol) and they had to carry their own darn crud.

Yeah I'm not getting diaperless this trip. Thankfully DH likes to carry the backpack.

 

[SweetPea]

When my kids hit 4 that was it...no more strollers. I have a 7 year old and I didn't know they made strollers that would fit a kid that size. I could understand if your child is tiny for their age, but I know I surely would not want to push the weight of an average 7 year old in the parks all day. Geez!! As far as the complaining (and yes there usually is some) we basically just tell them to suck it up. You are out of school and at Disney for goodness sake. Threatening to stay in the room the rest of the trip or even go home for that matter usually puts an and to the whining pretty quick.

 

[zero creativity]

Strollerless was wondrous but frankly nothing beat diaperless, nothing. Loosing baby food and bottles were a milestone too. Bye Bye all that extra stuff that you don't have to lug to the park and into a stroller, thereby not really needing a stroller to lug stuff in.

Happy dance for the first trip I didn't have to wear a backpack on a hot day. I bought each kid a pack (long time ago, don't judge, lol) and they had to carry their own darn crud.

Diaperless was great. But I still carry a backpack. Has a change of clothes for the kids just in case and snacks and stuff. My son has allergies so bringing snacks is a lot easier.

 

[TexasTink]

I agree depends on th child. We r taking one mainly for nap time. Other then that it will be to haul stuff.

 

[TinkerbellWDW]

What's not wrongwith that?

You are not renting a stroller to have reserved parking. I'd love to see where you think that's written on your rental agreement. You are renting a stroller because you are lazy and don't want to have to hold things and want to use it as a corral for your 7-year old as opposed to, god forbid, actually parenting the child, or, (gasp) actually traveling around at a 7-year old's pace.

I realize this is blunt but someone needs to be direct and tell it like it is.

A stroller is not a cart. It is not a floating dining room chair. And it is certainly not a statue that reserves your place. It is a vehicle used to transport children who are not mobile enough to get around yet.

I didn't mean u leave the stroller parked there and walk off and get I on space mountain and come back! What I meant is I park my stroller along the parade route, sit my child IN the stroller and wait there till the parade starts!!!

 

[Gabe1]

Diaperless was great. But I still carry a backpack. Has a change of clothes for the kids just in case and snacks and stuff. My son has allergies so bringing snacks is a lot easier.

Allergies are rough. I gambled without clothing unless we needed coats and then I stashed in locker. A few times I bought an unexpected T Shirt but was worth it not to carry anything. With my kids 5 years apart I did my purgatory in the parks with bags and strollers, I was in heaven without stuff. : )

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Diaperless was great. But I still carry a backpack. Has a change of clothes for the kids just in case and snacks and stuff. My son has allergies so bringing snacks is a lot easier.

My daughter was out of the stroller by age four but I always carried a backpack with the same stuff. At that age you never know when you need something "just in case". My daughter once spilled hotcake syrup down her shirt and I was so happy to have an extra one to change into and a ziplock bag to put it in.

 

[Tomi-Rocket]

7?!? SKIP! You seriously want to push around an empty stroller when your child (at 7!) doesn't want to be pushed? How much stuff do you bring to the park? You really want to maneuver a stroller in those crowds? Frankly, if you're not embarrassed to push a 7 yr old in a stroller you should just get one of those leashes, much less cumbersome. But I have to say we never had trouble keeping track of our kids in the parks when they were 4 & 8 then 6 & 10 then 8 & 12 then 10 & 14, no strollers or leashes ever.

 

[Dads 2 Boys]

My youngest son's first trip to WDW in 2007 he was 6 (one month shy of 7) and he was prefectly fine. For MK, we left for a few hours and returned which worked out great. If you take your time, everything will be fine.

I, along with most posters here, believe 7 is entirely too old for a stroller.