Stroller Question

[MineMineMine3]

Hello!

Long time lurker (3+ years!), first time poster.
I am an experienced WDW guest (thanks to the Dis!), planning our first trip to DLR and Knott's Berry Farm in early Dec 2015. I have read HydroGuy's DLR Guide For WDW Vets and found it immensely helpful.

Here is the situation: Our kid will be 5 1/2 at the time of our trip. I am thinking he will still need a stroller. I know DLR is smaller than WDW, but jet lag (flying from the midwest) plus a 7-8 day trip = I think he'll be exhausted! DH thinks I'm nuts.

What would the DLR experts suggest?
If you do suggest a stroller, should we bring our own? Rent?

Thanks for your help!

 

[corinne76]

I think strollers are a completely personal thing. Some say yes! always bring one, some will say no need.

For me, I bring one. Our last trip DD was 5.5 and DS was 2. We brought a double. DD walked for the most part, but we don't go back to the room to nap, and by the end of the day she wanted to sit! It was also good for snacking while we were rushing off to something else. And after the fireworks when there's a mad rush for the exit. I just throw both in the stroller and not worry about getting separated from a kid. And if nothing else, strollers are great for hauling your crap.

This year, DD will be 7.5 and DS 4.5. We will likely bring a stroller. Maybe a single, maybe a double. not sure yet. But I'm definitely pro stroller!

 

[momsmail]

Totally personal and up to you, depending on the needs of your child. When I took my son when he was 4 I did not use a stroller, and was SO glad I didn't have one to lug around. He did great! He is 6.5 now and I won't be taking one now either.

For you and your child, it might work better to have one, or not. I like to travel the parks light and be free to go where I want, when I want. A stroller just doesn't cut it for us, and my son would never sit in one.

Good luck!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I agree, it's totally personal, and what you feel is best for your family. Our first DLR trip without a stroller was when DS was 5.5. We stayed right across the street, and DS did great! I did miss having the stroller for hauling stuff around, but I didn't miss it at all when navigating crowds or having to park the stroller, get the backpack out, get the kid out, go line up, then come back and reverse the process.

We did decide that if DS got tired, we'd rent a stroller for in the parks. Since we were staying so close, we figured we could always carry him part of the way back to the hotel without too much trouble. But it never came to that, and he was totally fine.

Now that being said, we do a lot of walking in our family, and have been walking to and from school (.8 mile each way) and the library (1 mile) since DS was 4 with no stroller. I can absolutely see how kids who aren't as used to walking a lot would get tired faster.

 

[DahliaRW]

I agree it's personal. We didn't use a stroller at WDW when my dd was 4.5 and it was fine. She was fine at DLR last month, at 5.5 too. But she also is in the precompetetive program in gymnastics, so she had some physical stamina...

 

[starshine514]

It depends on the kid. My eldest child would plop down in a stroller anytime until we stopped taking one when her younger sister was 5.5. I think at that age, you could go either way... I would lean towards no, if your child doesn't seem to be interested in it.

 

[deanimal]

My kids are 6 and 4.5 and we're right on the cusp of stroller freedom too. I find that if we have it along, they want to sit but if it's out of sight they can go quite a while on their feet. On our recent trip we compromised by bringing a single with a standing board on the back but leaving it behind for most of the day. We'd take it into the park and leave it somewhere central for most of the day. That way we had it if we really needed it, especially in the later part of the day, but we had the freedom to move around without it. It was also handy to have a place to leave our jackets, extra water bottles and sunscreen. We'd come back and visit now and then, sort of like our own mobile storage locker!

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I don't know that a 5 year old needs a stroller at Disneyland. I know when I used to go as a kid, my mom ditched the stroller at 4 years old. Granted, if you do DL and DCA in the same day, that's a ton of walking. I guess I'll be able to tell you better after I take my 4 1/2 year old in a couple of weeks.

My oldest is about to turn 5. We used a First Years Ignite with him at Disneyland for the longest time. He still fits and it goes up to 50 lbs., so I think if we needed it, it would still work until he's 6 or so (though the sun shade might not work anymore once they hit a certain height). We bought it specifically for Disneyland because we didn't want our more expensive stroller stolen or to go missing. It was about $60 and the seat slightly reclines if needed, which is a nice bonus. The strollers in the park are nice, but then you run into issues if you want to go to Downtown Disney or something because you can't take the stroller out of the park.

 

[bumbershoot]

I say bring it. If he wants/needs it, you have it. If he wants/needs it and you do NOT have it..yeah, that'll be fun.


We ONLY used a small stroller for Disney. Didn't even own one until DS was 2. bought one for Disney and bought a jogging stroller for (shocking) jogging, LOL.

Used the Volo last at Disneyland when DS was 5. Brought it to WDW for our first trip there when he was 6.5. He never wanted it. It never even got opened and never left the hallway of the villa. So we knew. But at least we had it.

 

[ClaraOswald]

If I was on the fence about a stroller, I probably wouldn't bother lugging it around. And if my child seemed like they needed one, I'd just rent one in the parks.

I think it depends on the child. Five year olds are kind of in that either/or stage for the most part.

Though I see people on the forum often talking about putting kids ages 6+ in a stroller to so obviously their kids like it whereas other kids, like my niece, would be mortified to sit in a stroller at that age.

 

[chickapin parterre]

I see a cultural phenomena happening. My son grew up in a jogging stroller. When I wanted to ramble about the city, he jumped into the stroller. So for him the stroller had no negative impact at the age of 5 when on day three he could no longer shuffle along the paths. This being a boy who could climb mountains all day. But only one day at a time, then a day of rest. So day three of the 4 day disney visit we rented a stroller and that made all the difference for the rest of the visit.

 

[YukonMommy]

We to use a stroller and love the easiness of it. Like a pp said its more or a portable locker We have 4 kids so with the hoodies, snacks and drinks we find it easier to load it up and park it until we need it at the parks.

I say take one and if you find you need one you have it!

Have a magical time!

 

[figment_jii]

I agree with the PPs that it really depends on your family and the child. I went to DLR with a 4.9 year old and we hemmed and hawed about the stroller before we left because she doesn't use the stroller at home anymore. But in the end we took it with us to DLR. She ended up walked almost all day, but she rode in the stroller for the walk to and from the park. In the case of the morning, we wanted her to "save" her feet of the full day in the park and in the evenings, she was tired enough to want to ride in the stroller.

 

[pirate_smiles]

Also factor in that the average miles walked in the parks is 7 miles a day. That can be a lot for little feet and legs to do.

We are right on the cusp of no stroller. DD just turned 5. Plus we bring a lot of snacks and need the stroller to haul all of our stuff around

 

[heybets30]

I am brining our for my DS 5.5 yrs. To navigate around parade crowds without grabbing onto him for dear life is great. I too will bring a stroller into the parks until my kids are off at college ... Drink holder, sweater holder, love the portable storage aspect!!! My little on also uses the stroller to nap as we don't go back to the hotel- all the excitement is tiring, even to non nappers. He'll fall asleep around 10 in it, i wander with him while my hubby & dd8 run onto all the single rider line rides!

 

[bumbershoot]

We to use a stroller and love the easiness of it. Like a pp said its more or a portable locker We have 4 kids so with the hoodies, snacks and drinks we find it easier to load it up and park it until we need it at the parks.

All it'll take is for you to fall prey to a thief and you won't see the stroller in that way anymore.

Our second visit, brand new purchase was stolen from under a ratty sweatshirt. That cured us!

Another visit I tied a free balloon to the handle, left the stroller, and came back later. The string was there, the plastic balloon knot holder thing was there, the balloon was gone with no remnants from the plastic thing like it had popped. Someone had taken the balloon specifically from the stroller.

We stopped leaving even water in the stroller after watching a squirrel in a stroller, LICKING and gnawing on the cap. Ewwwwww.


I highly recommend leaving nothing in a stroller.


If you're staying offsite and might be walking, definitely do not just rent the stroller. It's that walk back to the hotel each night where the exhaustion is going to set in, and it'll set in for everyone. (made that mistake when DS was 3 and DH was so worried about me getting the umbrella stroller, carseat, DS, and carryons through the airport just the two of us...sigh)

 

[bcwife76]

Definitely a personal choice!
On our last trip down in Aug 2013 we drove - our oldest had just turned 5 and our youngest was 2.5. We used an umbrella stroller for the youngest and our oldest walked. She was awesome, such a trooper!

Our upcoming trip (first week of Oct) our oldest will be 7 and our youngest will be 4 (nearly 5) so right around the same age our oldest was on our last trip - we are not bringing a stroller because we are coming up from San Diego by train after just coming off a cruise and can't fathom packing a stroller along with all our other crap. We are doing 2 days at the parks; if after the first day our 4yr old is completely bagged and can't keep up I think we'll just rent a stroller from DLR for the second day.

 

[ClaraOswald]

All it'll take is for you to fall prey to a thief and you won't see the stroller in that way anymore.

Our second visit, brand new purchase was stolen from under a ratty sweatshirt. That cured us!

Another visit I tied a free balloon to the handle, left the stroller, and came back later. The string was there, the plastic balloon knot holder thing was there, the balloon was gone with no remnants from the plastic thing like it had popped. Someone had taken the balloon specifically from the stroller.

We stopped leaving even water in the stroller after watching a squirrel in a stroller, LICKING and gnawing on the cap. Ewwwwww.


I highly recommend leaving nothing in a stroller.


If you're staying offsite and might be walking, definitely do not just rent the stroller. It's that walk back to the hotel each night where the exhaustion is going to set in, and it'll set in for everyone. (made that mistake when DS was 3 and DH was so worried about me getting the umbrella stroller, carseat, DS, and carryons through the airport just the two of us...sigh)

I've heard of people getting stuff like cameras and passports stolen from strollers. It's pretty shocking people would leave things like that in there.

Ours will just have our extra diapers and wipes left in it when we go on rides. Everything else will be us. My husband thinks our sweatshirts would be okay but I'm on the fence about that.

 

[figment_jii]

Unfortunately, there is no way to know in advance what type of other guests will be in the parks. We left sweatshirts in the bottom of the stroller and the diaper bag hanging for the back all of the time and we didn't have any problems. So some folks don't have issues, while others do.

 

[Mommy26]

1. When in doubt bring a stroller. 5 is not too young.

2. Do not rent one in the park. Buy an umbrella stroller ($10) and bring it. Its cheaper. Better yet buy a used one at Other Mothers or any thrift store. The older it is the less likely it'll get stolen. If you rent one at DL you are renting a "used" stroller anyway.

3. Use it to carry your bag, but bring the bag with you on the ride.

4. ID it some way. Take a stroller with a stain, or tie a balloon to it or just a simple ribbon on the handle. This will make it easier to find amongst all the other strollers and save you time.

*These are my rules, and may not work for everyone!