Need stroller advice for 12 mo DD

[frannn]

DD's first trip will be this Oct, at 12 mo old. I would like to take a stroller so I will have it at the airport, the parks, etc. I now have a Sesamie Street umbrella stroller (does not recline) with a basket & canopy, and a Graco literide that's about 25 lbs. I know we'll want to use the WDW buses even though we'll have a rental car. I was considering buying yet another stroller, like a reclining umbrella or lighter Graco, but like to avoid it if possible. How difficult is it to carry the lightrider 25lb Graco strollers on & off the buses? What would you suggest? any advice appreciated. Thanks!

 

[megnsamsgrace]

I would DEFINITELY get another stroller. My dd was 13 1/2 months last year and really did neep a nap in the stroller. The 25lbs one is a pain, I used my single Chicco that I love!! For tips go here http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-ppstrollers They will give you some GREAT recommendations! But the hood and recline will definitely be important to you. A Maclaren would be nice... they are lightweight and have some great features (I would make a recommendation if I knew your price range if you got one). Good luck... email me if you want more help megnsamsgrace@cox.net Steph due with #4

 

[BevS97]

I would probably take your big stroller and use the car - we found it much more convenient to use our car - not just for the stroller but for all the other bits and pieces that we like to carry because we have the stroller. Other than MK where you have to go to the TTC and take the ferry or monorail, I think there is no advantage to taking the bus, and it is so nice to be able to go back to your car, freshen up a little, and head off someplace else - with the bus you really need to go back to the hotel after each trip out.

What we did was skip the trams unless we were parked REALLY far away (which we tended not to be), and just walked from the car to the gate - that way we didn't have to worry about getting the stroller on the tram - again MK is the one place where this isn't very convenient and I would probably take the tram.

Bev

 

[owensamo]

We took our 11 mo old DD to WDW last month, and I have to say that she was loved her Jeep Cherokee super umbrella stroller. It's made by Kolkraft, I think. It reclines, has a small basket and a canopy and comes with a cup holder, and it worked really great using a backpack for a diaper bag (which almost always hung from the handles of the stroller). She also slept in it in almost every park - the seat is somewhat padded, so it looks quite comfy.

With my DD, while she doesn't hate the car, after driving to WDW, she really didn't want to get back in the car to go anywhere. We did drive to the Wilderness Lodge for lunch one day and she really didn't want to get in the car seat. She *loved* the Disney transportation - the busses and boats were great for her, because she could see out the windows and didn't have to ride in her car seat! We also did some walking - we were at the Beach Club Villas so we walked back from MGM one day and walked through Epcot to the monorail/boats to get to the MK one day. If we'd had to worry about the car, we wouldn't have been able to do that.

I think every child is different, but for our daughter, the Jeep stroller was great. We got it for christmas from my in-laws, but they got it at USA Baby and it was only either $59 or $79, so if this is just a park stroller, it's not so expensive that you *have* to use it otherwise to feel like you got your money's worth, and you don't have to worry so much about leaving it outside of rides and attractions either.

Mur!

 

[DisneyKidds]

On our December trip we will have 3 kids ages 5 and under. Bottom line is we want to have a stroller seat for each and we needed to get another stroller to bring along with our tandem double stroller.

I did lots of research and we ended up getting a Combi Ultra Savvy. It is a great stroller. It has 3 reclining positions and lots of great features. It is comfortable and substantial, yet weighs only 13 lbs and folds very compactly. It also has a carrying strap you can put over your shoulder. Retail is $250+, but you can pick one up on eBay for about $150 (including shipping).

One of the best things you can do for your child (and yourself) is to have a good, comfortable stroller for them. We don't usually use the busses so I don't have experience with getting a stroller on and off the us. However, I'm sure you could manage with your LiteRider if you wanted to save the money. We had a larger single stroller that we could have used as well, but I liked the idea of a travel stroller since we'd be lugging two strollers.

 

[sha_lyn]

We have a combi SUBV that I love. It weights 10 lbs and has a shoulder strap for carrying.
the cheapest place I found it at is www.combistrollerstore.com

 

[cart-mom]

Personally, I would recommend renting one of the Dis strollers. The buses get crowded and strollers get heavy and get in the way. The umbrella's are great because they are light and fold but most don't recline.
With three kids on my last trip we just rented a double stroller and brought a small pillow in the diaper bag. When DS was ready to sleep we just stretched him out and had DD & DS walk for a while. Last trip they were 1,4 & 6 and yes, they ALL rode in the stroller at some point. I'm going back in July and will be doing a double stroller again.

An added bonus if you only have one child is the room to carry the diaper bag & camera on the stroller instead of carrying them.

Just don't forget your lime green ribbon.

 

[sha_lyn]

I prefer taking one. If you rent, then you don't have a stroller at the resort, DD, going to the car, etc.

 

[mag1803178]

I have a 3 year old and a 6 year old would you say its better to rent a stroller or take one? and does Dis have double strollers?

 

[R4racing]

We took our LiteRider when DD was 14mo old and it worked great. We took it on the buses, boats and monorail. It is nice if you have at least one other adult who can carry either the stroller or the child though. We went in Oct, the buses weren't too bad on that trip. We took the same LiteRider again when DD was 2 1/2 and again, it worked out great. The basket is big enough to haul more than just our diaper bag, yet the stroller folds down easy enough to carry on the bus. Aslo, it is a little more roomy for the child riding in it than an umbrella stroller. On the last trip I don't think we used the tray on the front very often if at all, whereas on the first trip I think we used it all the time. We would just try to get the stroller folded up before the bus actually stopped at our stop, so we could just climb on with it.

 

[frannn]

We are going in Oct, as you did. I had some (ok, several!) more questions for you, if that's ok.

 

[madge]

last year, we took our chicco trekking stroller (similar to the peg perego pliko), but we were staying at the dolphin and knew the only time we would be taking a bus was to the MK. For ease of use on the buses, I much prefer my combi travel savvy. it is lightweight and folds up small. It doesn't recline fully, nor does it have a large travel basket underneath. neither of those things bothered us, but they are points to consider. I recently bought a chicco umbrella stroller--it is very lightweight and folds easily. It also comes with a carry strap and rain cover. That is what we will likely use in October, when Anna is 2

lightweight and small is much better on the buses....that said, I have seen people cram duogliders held together with a bungee cord onto a disney bus

 

[Princess Dot]

I don't know why I keep reading these stroller threads, as my DH has said that there is no way we need another stroller. Yet, I still dream of the "perfect" travel stroller.

I just wanted to chime in on this because we have travelled with many strollers and used both buses, boats and our car.

The main thing with the buses is to have the stroller folded and bags and child in hand when the bus comes. Having said that, 9 times out of 10 we are rushing to the bus,afraid it will leave without us, scrambling to fold up the stroller, forgeting to empty the basket, so the stroller doesn't close right, DH cursing a blue streak, me frantically grabbing the kids and the bags etc, tripping as I enter the bus, kids are crying, I am sweating, DH is not in vacation mood....you get the picture.

But by the end of the trip we were much better. We had a routine so that we knew what I would do and what DH would do in preparing to board the bus. (I actually took over the stroller folding since I was much more practiced at it from home, while he took the kids and the bags.

I have travelled with big heavy strollers both single and double(peg peregos) but most of the time we used a car so there was no pressure to "fold and go". The kids were small and they did great with the extra room for naps, feedings, etc. I loved the reversable handle that I had that was great for the ever changing sun direction.

We also used the lite rider on the buses (note the above description of the boarding process LOL!). With practice it was ok, but a bit heavy to carry on and off the bus. The full recline was great and needed as well as the big basket. The problem was that we would load up the basket only to have to empty it sometimes in a huge rush!

We also used a combi travel savvy. For some reason DH had major issues folding this one (I think the wheels needed to go a certain way). Did not recline all the way, so not as nice as the graco and basket was small. So we hung a lot off the back which was easier to take off when folding.

Well after all this, I guess the thing to do is practice with the strollers, both folding them and lifting them. Also, make sure your spouse knows how to fold the stroller and do not wait until the bus is about to leave to teach him how!! I loaned my combi to my SIL and it came back mangled due to her DH's rushed attempts to fold it when the bus came!

Good luck and let us know how it goes!!

 

[sha_lyn]

We also used a combi travel savvy. For some reason DH had major issues folding this one (I think the wheels needed to go a certain way).

It took me a while to realize thatyou must lock the front wheels,and brake the back wheels on the combi SUBV before you fold it. Once I started doing that, it was very easy to fold.