The dreaded double stroller

[DisneyPhD]

Hi everyone. The PhD family is all getting used to the our newest member (baby PhD born Aug 3rd 2004 :sohappy: ) So no the dreaded double stroller question has become an issue.

When ever we put baby PhD into the stoller, Little PhD (3 years old) insits on strolling too. Not bad when you have 2 adults, but I can't take them both out alone. We have a trip planed for March 2005, Little PhD will be almost 4, Baby 7 months. We want a double for this trip, but also to use otherwise. Little PhD really is little (27 pounds at 3 1/2). I know the 3 year old will want to walk a lot, but we want a stroller too and don't want to rent one.

We have reseached and narrowed it down to 2 models.

A side by side, Peg Perego Aria Twin LB (2004 model) It rolls and folds up really well, only 14lbs and is rather small. All in all a good WDW stroller. The bad thing is the car seat won't fit in it, making it not as useful for home use. (and in the winter when I don't want to take the baby out of the car seat.) Also it is rather pricey ($300) Since we have most everything for the baby already I don't mind the price too much, if it works really well for us.

The second stroller is an Evenflo "Take me too" tandom. A frount/back double stroller. The car seat fits in it, but boy is it big. It folds ok, but weights 31 pounds and is really big. Hubby can't imagine trying to sit on the bus with it. Oh it comparitly it only cost $100.

I personally can't stand the very popular graco duo gilder, but the evenflo seems a little bit better, but I just can't imagine trying to lug the big heavy thing out of the mini van, let alone around the airport and WDW.

Any advice? Anyone deal with either of these before?

 

[Woody13]

I prefer the Eddie Bauer Stadium All Terrain Tandem Stroller:

http://www.strollers4less.com/p/productdetails.asp/p/Eddie_Bauer_Stadium_All_Terrain_Tandem_Stroller

But, these others are nice too:

http://www.strollers4less.com/p/productdetails.asp/p/NEW!_2004_Sit-N-Stand_Plus_Stadium_Seating

http://www.strollers4less.com/p/productdetails.asp/p/Eddie_Bauer_All_-Terrain_Tandem

 

[mousepainter]

Hello. I have twin boys who are almost three. Consider the Mountain Buggy Urban Double stroller. It won't be compatable with your carseat, but I have compared and owned others and I think it's the cadillac of double strollers. The front wheels can be fixed or swivel. When the front wheels are swivel, you can turn it on a dime. The "duoglider" type front-to-back strollers are very hard to steer, and you will need good steering in the Disney crowds. Most side-by-side double strollers are very wide and difficult to fit through doors; this one is narrower and fits easier. It's not small or light (or cheap), but it's incredibly nice to push around. Also it's pretty rugged, and you will need something that will last you for a few years.I knew the Mountain Buggy was worth the money last year at Epcot while I easily pushed my sleeping twins with one hand and sipped champagne with the other!

 

[Journey]

Congratulation on your new wee one!

I can't speak personally about those models, although the first one sounds nice for the weight, I personally would prefer the tandum model for everyday use while taking out 2 children !

For WDW as far a lugging it at the airport check it with your luggage on the flight and unfold it and put the babies in when you get it back.

The tandum model is bulky but manageable, you will probably have to hold the baby while he supports the stroller. I think the buses have plenty of room!

A backpack for holding all your supplies for the baby and the family is great because it allows you to empty the stroller for folding and frees your hands up too. When we went we also juggles a soft cooler for drinks and snacks, get one with a shoulder strap.

I wish you well, and have fun with the wee ones! :wave:

 

[DisneyPhD]

Woody, thanks for the advice. Too funny. I have checked those ones out on line and in the store. On line I was all ready to get the eddie bower one. In the store I tried to push the thing around and could not see over the top of it (I am only 5 feet tall!) Also just way to big!

The sit and stand my best friend has, who happens to be going to WDW with us (Her son is the same age as little PhD and she is expecting baby ANY DAY NOW, and wishes is was last week.) Anyway last week when we went to the mall and I didn't have a double stoller yet so I borrowed hers. It was ok, but I found it also big and little PhD kept stepping off of it when it was moving. :hammer: It was a little hard to steer also. I was thinking that Little PhD will want something to "kick back in" and relax since she will most likely have out grown naps by that time.

She isn't sure if she is going to bring it to WDW yet or not.

mousepainter, I haven't heard of the Mountain Buggy Urban Double stroller, I will do a search for it. However the Evenflo does have front wheels that swivel, so it does manver ok (for a tandom).

The Peg Pergo is rather narrow and does fit through doors and such well. All it all it pushs like a dream, but for $300 it better! I have read a few negitive rewiews on line. One option is to get the evenflo tandom for around home and take 2 strollers (our current combi travel savey DX that has been to WDW 4 times so far and does great) and the instep back pack stoller we took when little PhD was 8 months old. There will be 5 adults and 4 children total on the trip.

of course I want them both (one for now when the baby is younger and around town, and one for the trip.) But Mr. PhD has put his foot down on that. Oh well, strollers can become an addiction!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

What's wrong with wrentals

Just curious, why are you ruling out rentals? They have the benefit of not having to lug things around on buses and all, are park transferrable and convenient. We always had our needs met with that approach.

 

[Woody13]

of course I want them both (one for now when the baby is younger and around town, and one for the trip.) But Mr. PhD has put his foot down on that. Oh well, strollers can become an addiction!

Well, don't tell Mr. PhD the price of the Mountain Buggy Urban Double Stroller!:wave:

 

[DisneyPhD]

Just curious, why are you ruling out rentals? They have the benefit of not having to lug things around on buses and all, are park transferrable and convenient. We always had our needs met with that approach.

Rentals aren't good for the baby (7 months) so we will need one for her anyway. If we go the 2 stroller rote we might as well just bring the 2 we already have (they are both very small, light wieght and we know they do well at WDW from previous trips.) Plus I do like having one for the airport and around the resorts or DTD. I do have stroller conectors, but they won't work on them since they are different stollers. However our friends coming with us also have a combi travel savey DX, so we could conect those and let the pre-schoolers ride together, and put the babies in other strollers.

Journey I think you are right, the tandom does seem better for everyday use, at least while the baby is under 6 months old. So the question is do I want to buy for everyday use, or just keeping this trip in mind?

 

[hardcard]

Just curious, why are you ruling out rentals? They have the benefit of not having to lug things around on buses and all, are park transferrable and convenient. We always had our needs met with that approach.

I would sooner carry my newborn all around the parks than place one in the plastic strollers they rent-out... NO support or padding for a newborn..


Needless to say we're going with our newborn on Nov 1st-10th.. Also have the 2 year old (umbrella stroller) and the 4 1/2 year old (walker...)

 

[DisneyPhD]

Well, don't tell Mr. PhD the price of the Mountain Buggy Urban Double Stroller!:wave:

Tell me about it. I just did an on line search and while it looks really nice, $600! wow! Mr PhD wants to know how something with "no moving parts" (engine) can cost that much! It does have great reviews. I was suprized that he has agreed to the $300 peg pergo!

I agree with you hardcard, the park ones are ok for older kids, but not babies. I don't really like umbrella stollers for the same reason.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Ok I have been thinking it over and giving this topic just WAY to much thought. I decided that I really wanted the Peg Perego Aria Twin so I went ahead and ordered it from strollers4less.com. After all I figured I would get more use out of it in the long run, and what would be harder? Getting the baby out of the car seat and into the stroller, or lifting the hevay mogo stroller in and out of the car?

I will let you all know how it works for us in a few weeks. Here's hopeing that we are pleased with this purchace. (and since we were already at the double points mark on our Disney visa that is 6 Disney dollars for us!

 

[Ausdaddy]

I think you made a good choice. Each has a plus and a minus. The side-by-sides can be difficult getting through some of the smaller gift shops, but that may be offset by the light weight. I know I wish mine weighed less.

 

[wdwhoneymooner]

I think you'll like the items from Peg Perego. We have a single model of theirs and it's been great to use. We chose to buy a double wide from Maclaren (last year's model) and have found it to be a good buy as well. It folds easily into a compact shape and fits thru some fairly tight spots. We've used it in the malls and had almost no problems with it.

 

[shari71]

Last year I finally convinced my husband we needed one for our three year old and 6 month old at Disney, but he didn't want to spend a lot of money so we went with the Graco Duo Glide one. It wasn't really bad except the front canopy doesn't like to be moved or removed for that matter.

This year we will have a 4 year old (37 lbs / 41") and an 18 month old (28 lbs / 33"). The oldest is just three pounds from out growing it and even today looks cramped. We take them on walks with it still and my husband has admitted it was worth the money.

We are trying to decide if we want to rent this year or take the old one which I think has met the end of its life. Any suggestions on if the 4 year old and 18 month old will be ok in a rented one? I haven't been to successful finding one to buy that will meet the size requirements of my DD.

 

[DisneyPhD]

shari71, your 4 year old should be fine in the rented one, the 18 month not as comfortable, but ok also.

I would recomend at least bringing a small single stroller for the 18 month old when you are not at the parks and elsewhere.

I haven't encountered the problem yet, but I know there are some stroller, and double stollers that can hold larger children. I belive mostly McClearn doubles strollers, not cheap.

 

[shari71]

Thanks for the feedback on the Maclearn. I did a lot of research on the Rally Twin and think it can last us the next two years. Now I just have to convince my husband that $279 is a good price for two years worth of use....he tried to convince me today that for that price we have to have another one....told him to make the decision when we are Disney with the current two

 

[DisneyPhD]

I have never heard (or read) of anyone who didn't like their Maclearn or didn't think it was worth the price. My biggest drawback to it is that it doesn't have a bar across the front with cup holders or anything.

15$ a day for rentals adds up. 10 days of rentals is $150. So when thinking about the high price of buying your own good stroller, knock what you would of paid in rentals off it. So far we have taken our combi travel savy dx ($100 on strollers4less.com) to wdw for a total of 24 days (we had annual passes, 3 trips in 10 months) , not to mention a trip to vero beach and countless around town trips. It has more then paid for itself.

Besides getting a good double stroller is cheaper then having a 3rd child!

My hubby calls me the queen of justifcation.

Oh and the resale value on those are very good. Knock of the price of rentals, and how much you can get for it resale and the thing has paid for itself. (man I am good :sohappy: )

 

[Trishnh]

I know I am a little late..

but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents anyway :lol:

I have 4 kids and have been through many a stroller . I personally do not like double strollers. They are cumbersome and bulky and awkward. The side by sides are very difficult getting around--especially in crowded areas (like, um, Disney :hammer: ). The front to back generally do not steer very well, and are bulky and heavy.

Since little PhD is 3, I would think she would not be in a stroller too much longer and therefore, I wouldn't spend so much on a double stroller. I think I would stick with the 2 lightweight strollers instead--which we have done for a while now. The smaller single strollers are just easier to carry around and travel with. I would also assume your baby (congrats, by the way!!! :sohappy: :sohappy: ) won't be in the car seat on the stroller when you go, so I wouldnt use that as a deciding factor.

That is my opinion in a nutshell, but since you have already ordered it, I hope you like it! :wave:

 

[DisneyPhD]

UPDATE!

Well we finally have the stroller. Peg Pergo Aira Twin LB. I ordered it from Strollers4less.com on Aug 31, and it well never came. They keep saying they were going to and never shipped it, but chareged my cc on Sept 1st. I was having a hard time getting a hold of them, I couldn't even reach them by phone. Well after 3 weeks of waiting and not getting much more then a lame excuse from strollers4less I canceld and ordered it from another place I hadn't heard of before, but am so happy with:

arunningstroller.com ,
a good web site with the toll free phone number all over it. I called it at 9:00 at night and she answered the phone. Said that strollers4less was having a problem with peg pergo actually shipping to them (even though they said it was in stock) and she had a bunch in her store and could ship it out fed ex tmw. I would get an email after 4:00 when the pick up came with the shipping number. Well she did and a few days later I had it (and strollers4less hasn't even taken the card off my cc. I called the Disney Visa and had them put the mater under dispute so I don't have to pay it.)

Anyway, if anyone is wondering, the stroller is great. I rolls and turns really well, both DD love it and I can get it in and out of the car really easly. I think it will be a good choice for WDW. Now I just need to find a good rain cover for it.

So if anyone is looking to order the online stroller (mine was $1 less then at strollers4less) I really recomend arunningstroller.com What is rather funny is while the other company was not shipping it the only acceptable excuse I had was if the company was based out of FLA, what with all the weather problems lately. Nope Strollers4less are out of New Jersey. However arunningstroller is based out of FLA and I called them on a Monday night, the stroller was shipped on Tuesday and I was using it by Saturday.

 

[shari71]

Same here. I ordered from Strollers4less.com based upon this thread on Sept 5 for the Maclaren. On Sept 8 their website listed it as having been shipped and it showed up on my Disney Visa. On Sept 15 I sent in a correspondence to their site and waited 3 days before I got a response that they were putting in a new system (UPS) to replace FedEx and that my stroller would ship the following week. On Sept 20 I sent in another correspondence stating I wanted it shipped by Sept 21 or the order cancelled. No response. I finally called (1-856-809-1600 - Value Baby) and got the run around again about the system and how they could not cancel the order since Maclaren had already shipped it. She said they would have it shipped by Sept 23. On Sept 23 I called and they told me it had not shipped from Maclaren yet, but they would inquire. On Sept 24 I called again about the inquiry and was told to call later. So that afternoon I called again. I got a very rude lady (pretty much every correspondance/person was inpolite) who told me they would cancel the order but it would take up to two billing cycles for my credit card to be credited.

Their website now shows it has been cancelled. I need to call my Disney Visa about it. I have contacted the Better Business Bureau about it and they want me to wait to see if I get my money back first.

I finally ordered the stroller from buymaclaren.com on Friday (trip is only 17 days away!) On Sunday I got an email that it shipped two day (without a tracking number). I am expecting it to arrive today, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I thought I was the only one getting the run around. Sorry, I work in as a web developer so I was not sympathic to their problems after a week. If anyone here put in a new system that took over a month to work out bugs and issues, we would be in serious trouble.