Tips on going with small kids?

[Francy]

We will be going in 2 weeks with a 3 year old and 6 year old and staying on the resort, but may hop parks.

I am trying to figure out if we should bring our stroller - we could do one single stroller and one umbrella, or one double (but that is huge pain to carry around even though it's a "compact").

We could also rent but then the idea of paying each day when we have all these strollers at home seems like a waste.

Cany BTDT's let me know their thoughts? Also is it tough going with small kids from park to park (say one in AM one in PM) when they are not on mono rail?

 

[stevehousse]

The bus rides shouldn't be too bad but remember it can take up to an hour to get to a different park.

For the stroller, I would say just bring one umbrella stroller. The 6 yea old should be fine to walk most of the time and the 3 year old will want to be in the stroller.

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

Use KingdomStrollers.com we used them with a 6yo and 3yo last time. Great quality strollers, rugged and strong. VERY clean. Also they drop it off at your resort so it's waiting for you when you get there, and they pick it up on the last day of your trip too.

We had a double, but we also had a minivan. If I was getting on and off busses I'd get a single and let the kids swap turns in the stroller. If your 6yp is typical he'll walk a lot more, but will need some time to relax too.

Definitely go back to your resort a little each day in the afternoon to decompress a little. I know all kids are different, but in general a 3yo isn't going to make morning to night without some downtime. And if the 3yo ain't happy, nobody happy.

 

[Francy]

Use KingdomStrollers.com we used them with a 6yo and 3yo last time. Great quality strollers, rugged and strong. VERY clean. Also they drop it off at your resort so it's waiting for you when you get there, and they pick it up on the last day of your trip too.

We had a double, but we also had a minivan. If I was getting on and off busses I'd get a single and let the kids swap turns in the stroller. If your 6yp is typical he'll walk a lot more, but will need some time to relax too.

Definitely go back to your resort a little each day in the afternoon to decompress a little. I know all kids are different, but in general a 3yo isn't going to make morning to night without some downtime. And if the 3yo ain't happy, nobody happy.

Oh you got that one right! And that age can go from happy to not happy in seconds! I definitely want to recharge at the room during the day, whole point we are staying on the resort...just the 1 hr bus ride thing is scaring me if we are aiming to hit 2 parks (and then go back to hotel).

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

I don't think I've ever spent an hour on a bus. But our hopping usually consists of one park morning to early afternoon, then back to resort, then to different park for evening.

 

[plutofan15]

We have kids who are the same age difference as yours. When we went when they were 3 & 6 years old, we had a great time. The one thing I would recommend if your budget will allow it, is to rent a car. While Disney transportation works well enough, having a car makes life much easier in my opinion. Found it better to load the kids into the car than standing in line for a bus - kids were sound asleep most of the time before we were out of the parking lot. Plus, no rushing to fold the stroller to get on the bus and lugging on. Fold it, throw it in the trunk and your ready to go.

 

[stevehousse]

Most of the time it usually takes a good 30 minutes to get to and from somewhere in wdw on a bus, but a one hour ride can happen...(meaning the time u get to a bus stop to the time you enter the next park)

 

[MickeyMomV]

Most of the time it usually takes a good 30 minutes to get to and from somewhere in wdw on a bus, but a one hour ride can happen...(meaning the time u get to a bus stop to the time you enter the next park)

If your talking total time from park to hotel back to another park an hour still seems a little long but possible if you are waiting for 10-15 at each bus stop.

I can't say enough about the mid afternoon breaks! Both kids and Adults need them.

 

[Francy]

We have kids who are the same age difference as yours. When we went when they were 3 & 6 years old, we had a great time. The one thing I would recommend if your budget will allow it, is to rent a car. While Disney transportation works well enough, having a car makes life much easier in my opinion. Found it better to load the kids into the car than standing in line for a bus - kids were sound asleep most of the time before we were out of the parking lot. Plus, no rushing to fold the stroller to get on the bus and lugging on. Fold it, throw it in the trunk and your ready to go.

We weren't planning on renting a car as thought with the shuttle from the airport and buses/monorails (we will be staying at the Grand Floridian) we didn't need one. Is it really worth it for getting park to park vs buses? If so I'll put it back on the list!

 

[Weather_Lady]

I'm afraid the best answer we can give you is, "it depends." What's your touring strategy and how physically fit and energetic are the kids?

I'd avoid a double stroller at all costs (it will be a nightmare to maneuver around the park), but if you plan to arrive early and leave late, that might be your only option. I'd suggest touring from rope drop to lunch, returning to your hotel for naps, and then going back to a park for the evening, but getting back to the hotel near their regular bedtime. That way, the kids will be refreshed and well-rested throughout the day. If you're only hitting the parks in 4-hour increments, you can get by with a back-up umbrella stroller, or even none at all. (For reference, my kids were 4 and 6 for their first WDW visit, and we went stroller-free with no problems, thanks to the mid-day break.)

As for the monorail question, it's easy going between MK and Epcot using the monorail, but even the walk to/from the monorail stations at the front of the park is fairly long and strenuous (no different from if you were walking to the bus stations, for example).

Also, with regard to whether to rent-or-bring, that all depends on how you're getting to WDW and whether it will be easy for you to bring them. If I was flying, I'd rather go without the hassle of gate-checking and worrying about my stroller getting damaged -- some parents even buy a $20 Walmart umbrella stroller and have it shipped to their WDW hotel ahead of time, just to save the stress of flying with a stroller. (Some then simply "donate" the stroller to an arriving family when they check out of their hotel.) Whatever option you choose, I'm sure it's going to be just fine!

 

[plutofan15]

We weren't planning on renting a car as thought with the shuttle from the airport and buses/monorails (we will be staying at the Grand Floridian) we didn't need one. Is it really worth it for getting park to park vs buses? If so I'll put it back on the list!

It is what worked for us. You won't need a car for the Magic Kingdom or Epcot (if you take the monorails - switching at the Transportation Center). If it works for you when you visit Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. In my opinion, it would be worth if if you plan to park hop.

 

[MichWolv]

We will be going in 2 weeks with a 3 year old and 6 year old and staying on the resort, but may hop parks.

I am trying to figure out if we should bring our stroller - we could do one single stroller and one umbrella, or one double (but that is huge pain to carry around even though it's a "compact").

We could also rent but then the idea of paying each day when we have all these strollers at home seems like a waste.

Cany BTDT's let me know their thoughts? Also is it tough going with small kids from park to park (say one in AM one in PM) when they are not on mono rail?

My older boy did not need a stroller at all by the time he was 6, even at WDW. In fact, the last time he used a stroller was on a trip to DLR when he was 5. Younger boy is 5 is just survived 3 days at Uni without a stroller, so I think we won't be bringing one for him on our upcoming WDW trip.

Given that, my best guess is that the 6 year old will be OK sans stroller, but you are in a better position to evaluate that I am. As for the 3 year old, bring your own stroller. Renting is expensive, and the stroller won't be familiar to you or, more importantly, your kid. And you'll want the 3 year old to be comfortable in the stroller. Maybe bring the umbrella along as well if you want a back-up in case the 6 YO needs a stroller one afternoon or something. I wouldn't do the double, unless you really think the 6 YO will be dragging.

We have used buses and cars to go from park to park to hotel to DtD to water park to other hotel for dinner to fort wilderness for a pony ride... Using the buses is "tough", but it is inefficient. Between the waits, and the switching buses, depending on where you're going, and needing to find a place to sit each time, and the crowds, and the bumps, and the variable temperatures on the buses, etc. We've BTDT many times, and we always rent a car now. If it's not a budget-buster, I'd say rent the car. You may not even use it every day, but you'll probably find it nice to have.

 

[Francy]

My older boy did not need a stroller at all by the time he was 6, even at WDW. In fact, the last time he used a stroller was on a trip to DLR when he was 5. Younger boy is 5 is just survived 3 days at Uni without a stroller, so I think we won't be bringing one for him on our upcoming WDW trip.

Given that, my best guess is that the 6 year old will be OK sans stroller, but you are in a better position to evaluate that I am. As for the 3 year old, bring your own stroller. Renting is expensive, and the stroller won't be familiar to you or, more importantly, your kid. And you'll want the 3 year old to be comfortable in the stroller. Maybe bring the umbrella along as well if you want a back-up in case the 6 YO needs a stroller one afternoon or something. I wouldn't do the double, unless you really think the 6 YO will be dragging.

We have used buses and cars to go from park to park to hotel to DtD to water park to other hotel for dinner to fort wilderness for a pony ride... Using the buses is "tough", but it is inefficient. Between the waits, and the switching buses, depending on where you're going, and needing to find a place to sit each time, and the crowds, and the bumps, and the variable temperatures on the buses, etc. We've BTDT many times, and we always rent a car now. If it's not a budget-buster, I'd say rent the car. You may not even use it every day, but you'll probably find it nice to have.

Thanks - I think we may rent a car then. Another question though, does this mean bringing car seats? It is not a budget buster until we include all the car seat rentals...

 

[MichWolv]

Thanks - I think we may rent a car then. Another question though, does this mean bringing car seats? It is not a budget buster until we include all the car seat rentals...

We bring a car seat.

 

[Gig 'Em Mickey]

DOn't rent a car seat. You don't know what those car seats have been through, how they've been maintained. And believe it or not, car seats do expire. My wife is a car seat tech certified here in Texas and her advice is not rent a car seat, but to bring your own. We've done it. It's not that bad. Gate check.

 

[cinderellafan6]

Bring your stroller!!

 

[George]

Thanks - I think we may rent a car then. Another question though, does this mean bringing car seats? It is not a budget buster until we include all the car seat rentals...

The car seat is a free check in if you're flying and doesn't count against your bag limit. However, you'll almost certainly have to drop 2-5 large and get a rental cart in the airport.

 

[George]

Bring your stroller!!

If you rent a car and want a stroller, I'd actually recommend swinging by Wal-Mart or similar store, buying the $15 umbrella stroller and disposing of it at the end of the trip.

 

[fiercekittenz]

I would get a double. I just got back with my 6 year old and even though she no longer naps, she was pooped by 3pm or so. I wanted to avoid having to lug back to the resort for a few hours since we had dinner reservations a couple of hours later, so I rented a stroller and she zonked out in it. The first day she was fine walking around, but not on the second day. It really helped get us around faster too.

 

[PEPPER2029]

I have 3 girls (5,7,and 10) we have been going to disney for 16 years and been through the phases. My advice is two single strollers. The strollers allow the kids to nap and save thier energy. We also use them so we now were our kids are when the crowds get crazy.
My biggest tip though is when the kids get grumpy call it quits. Yelling and fighting is no fun.