Are the Disney hard strollers very uncomfortable and should we get a double?

[Tulip2796]

We are heading to Disney for the 1st time with both our boys, they just turned 5 and 9. I'm pretty sure my 5 year old will need a stroller at the parks at least some of the time (although he hasn't sat in his stroller in well over a year or more). For just him, I'd bring our B-Agile however, I'm contemplating renting one of those double, hard plastic ones bc I keep wondering if maybe my 9 year old will get really tired and just need a rest every once in a while. Is this crazy? I mean, it sounds crazy bc he's 9 but I always read that kids get so tired. So, would you rent one of those double hard ones? Are they super uncomfortable? Or should I just bring our regular stroller for our 5 year old? Thanks. Super excited for our 1st trip.

 

[Kingdome8]

Love the double stroller in the parks. My kids have always used them. They say very comfy. We always get a double. Last year my 5 year old was in and my 9 year old would as well. They had a blast laughing. Like a home base for them. And holds our stuff. We have been 5 times with 3 kids thru the years. Never had a meltdown and I owe it all to the stroller. Lol. Keeps them happy and makes it better for us. I always feel bad for the parents who yell at their kids cause their hot and tired.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Personally, I would not use a stroller for a 9 yo, but you have to decide what you feel will work best for your family. I just can't imagine pushing a double stroller with 100+ lbs of kids through the parks all day. That would wear me out far too quickly. Whether or not either kid would *need* a stroller really depends on your touring style, which with it being your first trip, I understand you might not know how exactly you will do things. If you plan breaks throughout the day (whether that's going back to the hotel for a nap/swim, or just getting a snack/sitting down for a meal or drink in the parks), and spread out the shows throughout the day where you can sit down from time to time, the kids might be fine without a stroller. If you think you will rope drop to close and don't want to have to take many breaks, then the kids may get worn out easier. My DD at 7 didn't complain once during a 13 day trip with 10+ hr park days. Frankly she was too excited to keep riding things to want to sit and rest. Every kid is different though, just as every family's touring style is.

 

[DisneyOma]

We are heading to Disney for the 1st time with both our boys, they just turned 5 and 9. I'm pretty sure my 5 year old will need a stroller at the parks at least some of the time (although he hasn't sat in his stroller in well over a year or more). For just him, I'd bring our B-Agile however, I'm contemplating renting one of those double, hard plastic ones bc I keep wondering if maybe my 9 year old will get really tired and just need a rest every once in a while. Is this crazy? I mean, it sounds crazy bc he's 9 but I always read that kids get so tired. So, would you rent one of those double hard ones? Are they super uncomfortable? Or should I just bring our regular stroller for our 5 year old? Thanks. Super excited for our 1st trip.

If you are going to rent a double, don't bother bringing the stroller from home, IMO.

 

[unrequited23]

I would bring the single from home for the younger child and know that I could always rent from the parks if I found I needed it for the older one. I like having a stroller that can leave the parks though. I do not want to carry 35 lbs of dead weight sleeping child whose legs dangle to my knees for long distances.

 

[jo-jo]

A double stroller cost $31 a day to rent.
I'd bring your own stroller . I don't know if your nine year old would fit in your stroller, but perhaps they can trade off. If after a few days, if the nine year old just can't handle the walk, then rent a WDW stroller. Or perhaps only rent it for Epcot days.


Just to add, if you do decide to rent for both boys, I don't think pushing them would be such a big deal. Aside from go up hills like at the land building in Epcot, I push my DH in a wheelchair and he weighs a lot more than 100 pounds.

 

[kwdw]

Let's be honest - my 9 yo niece can outlast all the adults in the family at Disney. She is the LAST one to need a stroller. And she's just an average, active kid - not an athlete in training. We just need to make sure she gets enough rest at night or she turns into a crank. That does mean if we are out until midnight or later one night - we aren't up early the next day.

Now - we also did not rent a stroller when she was 5, 6, or 7 at Disney. (She did use one a lot at 3.5.) We thought we "would" at 5 if it seemed like she needed it (we debated our Epcot day) - but she really didn't need it. We planned full days - but not ridiculously commmando days - and she held up just fine. At 5 - she had one nasty temper tantrum on our 4 day trip - but it had nothing to do with being tired.

 

[JK World]

Took one for my 2 turning 3 year old last year, taking one for my 3 turning 4 year old this year, not planning to take one for my 5 year old next year. If I find a need in park, I'll rent. But Epcot is the only park where I walk over 10 miles, he's fine in the others.

 

[DisneyOma]

A double stroller cost $31 a day to rent.
I'd bring the your own stroller . I don't know if your nine year old would fit in your stroller, but perhaps they can trade off. If after a few days, if the nine just can't handle the walk, then rent a WDW stroller. Or perhaps only rent it for Epcot days.


Just to add, if you do decide to rent for both boys, I don't think pushing them would be such a big deal. Aside from go up hills like at the land building in Epcot, I push my DH in a wheelchair and he weighs a lot more than 100 pounds.

Since regular strollers are not allowed in the land pavilion, the OP doesn't have to worry about that hill But pushing around a double stroller would wear me out at WDW, and then I'd have two well rested kids to deal with when I was wiped out! I'd much rather have tired kids

 

[jo-jo]

Since regular strollers are not allowed in the land pavilion, the OP doesn't have to worry about that hill But pushing around a double stroller would wear me out at WDW, and then I'd have two well rested kids to deal with when I was wiped out! I'd much rather have tired kids

I have read that line of thinking before. Mom wants kids to sleep at night, not to be full of energy from being pushed in stroller all day..

I'm was just pointing out if OP really intends to get a double stroller, I don't think it would be awful. Not saying she could push it with her pinky, but it would be doable.

But I guess she can always try it and say, it's too much and not rent it again. I just dislike those Disney prices.

 

[Gafnorin]

There’s always the third party stroller rentals, Orlando stroller rentals and kingdom strollers I think. Cheaper and better strollers. If the 9yo doesn’t need it use it as a pack mule.

 

[DisneyOma]

There’s always the third party stroller rentals, Orlando stroller rentals and kingdom strollers I think. Cheaper and better strollers. If the 9yo doesn’t need it use it as a pack mule.

But then they'd be maneuvering two strollers through the crowds, having to find them both in stroller parking, etc. I'd just have the two kids share the one stroller from home, if they have to have a stroller. At 5, my kids walked the parks all day. Bringing/renting two strollers for older kids seems a bit much to me. If necessary, the OP can just rent one in the parks as needed.

 

[dledger]

I agree with the PP who said being yours from home. Most likely both kids won’t need the stroller at the same time and can swap off. If you find they do need it, then consider renting one.

 

[rg35]

The 9 yo shouldn't need a stroller.
Our kids were up for all day park touring as young as 6 years old, so the 9 yo should manage without any issues as long as you're not doing some crazy sprint park touring.

 

[Tulip2796]

Thanks everyone! I'm just going to bring the one from home. My 9 y.o. isn't whiny and loves going new places and doing new things so based on some of the replies, I don't expect that he'll have any issues, especially since we don't plan to be in a park all day. We have AP's and part of the reason is bc I didn't want to feel like we had to jam it all in over the course of a few days.