Stroller Advise

[KSB818]

Hi All !!!
I am under 30 days out for my Disney World Trip !! First trip for my kid, who is 5, and mine since I'm 8 . I'm a single mom but I have plenty of backup with my Mother, brother and sister in law coming. I'm SO excited !!
But I was checking a few things off my list and came to stroller. I don't really have one I use a home, if she needs a rest I can usually just carry her for 5 min and stress good, but Disney is huge, and there's lots of waiting so I definitely think it's a good idea (unless it's unnecessary??).
But does anyone have any suggestions ? I was going to but vs. Rent, seems easier and just another thing I don't have to do over I'm there. Should I be getting a regular stroller or more like a 3 wheeled jogger stroller ( they seem to be easier on all terrians are huge) ? I think I saw there are stroller parking lots basically - I assume not allowed in lines for rides, but I also assume it's "safe" to leave things in the stroller? Nothing big like a water bottle or ponchos which I have at other parks, but just checking that no one has had things stolen from strollers or any no other horror stories.
If anyone has any brands or specific Stiller's they like - I'd love to know !
Thanks

 

[dhardawa]

At 5, I don’t think I’d buy or rent a stroller. I’d be more likely to play it by ear. If you get to the parks and find that she needs one, you can always rent one then. My daughter’s first trip was whe she was four and I didn’t even consider a stroller. My son’s first non-stroller trip was when he was theee and he would have never tolerated the stroller when there was so much to explore.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

You're correct that you cannot take strollers in any of the queues, nor in some of the pavilions in Epcot (like the Land pavilion and others). You also cannot take them in restaurants generally and have to fold it up and hold it on the buses.

As for leaving things in the stroller, do so with common sense, as it sounds like you will. Many of us have left things in strollers without an issue, but there have been others who have had something stolen. Actual strollers have rarely been stolen as well. None of this seems to occur regularly, but it's recommended that you don't bring a $1500 stroller filled with cameras, phones, etc and leave it out while you're on rides. We've left things like drinks, snacks, extra clothes, etc and never had an issue. If you do use a stroller, beware that CMs will often move them around in stroller parking, so if you can't find it right away, don't panic. Look around a little more and if there is a CM nearby, ask them for assistance. It's a good idea to have a bright ribbon, colored duct tape (if you own the stroller), or something else on it that makes it stand out as your own to make it easier to find.

I definitely prefer jogging stroller as they are much easier to navigate, though they are generally more expensive to buy. We own a Baby Trend jogging stroller and it worked great in the parks, but that's also our everyday stroller for our toddler.

In regards to 5 year olds needing a stroller, you will get all sorts of opinions here. Some people are strongly in favor of it, others are opposed. My personal mindset is that by that age most kids (who do not have medical issues) should be able to walk fine without one. If they get tired, take breaks. It is a lot of walking, but if you have a good touring plan that doesn't involve crisscrossing around the parks, it will help. Alternate sit down shows with rides, take frequent breaks, and it's not so overwhelming. Everyone is different though.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Delete. Double post.

 

[Daniela Rose]

Our last trip our girls were 2 and 4 and brought our own double stroller. Next trip they’ll be almost 4 and almost 6 and we’ll be using our double stroller again or possibly renting. With renting you can have it delivered directly to your hotel with certain companies. Kingdom. Magic. Etc.

The Disney rentals in park are hard, no storage and you cannot take them out of the park.

Even my older dd would fall asleep in the stroller even though she stopped nappy years ago. Plus when we are trying to get somewhere fast or through a crowd it’s just easier to have them in the stroller.

There’s tons of stroller parking. We would work in one area (carousel for example) and then do Peter Pan, small world, fairytale hall, etc. I would pack a backpack with any valuables so I could take it with me, but leave change of clothes, etc under the stroller. If anybody wants that stuff they can take it. All valuables stayed on me.

 

[Luvs Mickey]

When we went when our DD was 4 1/2, we played it by ear. Only really rented once while in MK otherwise she was good. The day we rented one we were there for RD and left by 2ish or so and didn’t rent until mid morning. But we didn’t spend marathon days in the parks, either. If we were going to parks in the morning We usually planned time for relaxing in the afternoon or if we were going to spend the evening in the park, a relaxing morning.

And if you can get to the parks for RD or shortly thereafter, which means getting up fairly early, it’s a great way to experience a lot of rides without long lines in a sheer amount of time.

But of course each child and family is different with endurance, schedules, and how they visit the parks.

 

[unrequited23]

We will be taking our sit and stand (Joovy Ultralight Caboose, can't say enough good things) for our next trip when the kids will be 7 and 4.5. This will be our last trip with a stroller. Unless you can find a good deal second hand, I would rent from a stroller company vs renting from Disney. This way you will have the stroller when you leave the park. I would try to find one that has a weight limit that would allow your 8 yr old to ride if needed.

The only instance of stroller theft we had to deal with was a squirrel eating some goldfish from the snack tray.

 

[YesterDark]

If you plan on being at the parks for more than a few hours, get a stroller. Bring a cheap umbrella stroller, you'll be happy you did.