Stroller for 5 1/2 year old. Hubby does not want to rent!

[chrisn]

Ok, I thought I had this all fugured out. My husband does not want to rent strollers at the parks. He wants me to buy some type of travel stroller. My son will be 5 1/2 in February when we go and he is 42 pounds and 42 inches tall and we take have taken full size stroller every year. Well, my full size is hashed and my hubby threw it away. My son HAS to have a stoller. He wants to be held after 20-30 minutes of walking through the mall! Should I just try and talk hubby into renting or should I try to find a cheap travel stroller? The Combi SUBV will hold 45 pounds and I do want him to be comfortable. I was going to take a fluffy to pad the plastic WDW ones. The only drawback I can see is they don't recline. All I know is a stroller IS going to happen. We all stay much happier without having jr whining and running his short little tired legs trying to keep up with us. Does anyone have suggestions?

 

[dvc guy]

Been there , done that. Depending on the park it is a little difficult to get bigger kids in/out of the strollers.

Might make sense to bring your own, as long as it folds. At the current rental rate 6/7? per day,you would break even in a few days.

Good luck.... were on the way over Christmas with my 6 year old, and I am hoping he does not want to get a stroller.

 

[Snow Wight]

We bought an umbrella stroller to take with us when my DD was 5 1/2. The only problem is that she was too heavy and the wheels weren't turning right and she is very thin. I was more of a pain than anything, but there was no way that I could have carried her. Just make sure to get a stroller that will hold the weight, but by all means bring one because at that age they can't walk that much and will want to be held.

 

[cleo]

If you can possibly bring a small fold-up (umbrella type) stroller, I'd definitely do that. It's nice to have them in the parking lots, at the resorts, at DD, etc.

If it can't be done, DH will be convinced after one day that renting a stroller is a good idea.

 

[jonsmom57]

What about going to a consignment shop and finding one that is fairly inexpensive.

don't forget, its usually alot of walking from the gates to the terminals and vice versa. Maybe you could donate it to a charity when you come home.

 

[NotUrsula]

... that's going to run you money any way you look at it. Even used, *if* you could find one, those are not cheap. (Pliko's are rated to nearly 90 lbs, and fold like an umbrella. Not a jogging stroller. The usual best price for a Pliko is just under $200)

It's a shame that WDW is starting to ban jogging strollers, because those tend to be better with larger children. InStep's new Safari TT with the front swivel wheel would be good. There is also the Instep Saturn, which really isn't a jogging stroller, it's really a hybrid thing:
http://www.strollers4less.com/proddetail.cfm?CFID=772430&CFTOKEN=60450310&ItemID=323&CategoryID=6
(I've seen the Saturn at Target on occasion, sometimes on sale for just under $100)

Your other option is renting offsite. Still a rental, but cheaper than the parks, and you get to take it back to the hotel. I guess that the upside to buying is that you can always sell it when you don't need it anymore, and recoup some of your investment.

 

[slp87]

We used the InStep Saturn that NotUrsula is talking about and loved it!! My daughter is older and it was very easy to push without the large wheels of a jogger. I loved the fact that the front wheels swivels. It doesn't fold up real small, but it was worth it once we were in the parks.

 

[Barb D]

My almost-3yo is already 40" tall, and still fits in her Graco Light Rider. It has a basket, a canopy, and cupholders for child and grown-up. It's not an umbrella, though, so it's kind of bulky for loading onto buses. I got mine from Babies R Us for about $40.

Here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t.../104-5203803-5338304?v=glance&s=baby&n=542444

It says 0-4, but I think it might be OK for a 5yo. Even if you don't have a Babies R Us near you, I think I saw the same one at Target or WalMart so you could try it out.

 

[tjmw2727]

How about doing a weekly rental from an Orlando company? I know www.babysaway.com rents graco lightrider for a week and I have seen links for many other rental places right here. From what I have read they deliver them to your resort and pick them up. Its cheaper than the park rental, more comfy for child and you will have it for outside the park if necessary.

TJ

 

[JKLLady]

My DS is 5 3/4 yrs. old & we still use the GRACO Light Rider; he's 45 lbs. & 48 in. & the stroller is still a necessity! He's too big to carry & still likes to ride after a long day or if it's very hot; the best part is that he still fits in it, and yes the wheels still work!!! Our GRACO's been with us on 7 trips to WDW & will be dragged along for an 8th in Nov. It's a great choice for the price.

 

[Waggy182]

With regard to TJ, another company in Orlando I have had great experiences with is A Baby's Best Friend rental company. Very clean and like-new stuff is what I received several times, right to my hotel. Really nice people. too. The site is www.abbf.com.

Have a great trip!

 

[honeymom]

Seems like you will probably spend on a new stroller what rentals will cost you. The nice thing about Disney's rentals is that they are roomy with space for gear. Plus, they are very easy to get stuff in and out of. Also, no need to fumble on where to put your own stroller on crowded transportation. They are convenient to rent, plus the rentals are handled quickly. I don't know what your husband's objection is, but these are really made to handle bigger kids as well as small.

 

[IowaGirl]

Don't buy an expensive stroller for a 5 1/2 year old--As Fred Sanford would say. "It's the big one!" Save your dollars and buy an umbrella stroller at Wal Mart for $15, or get one at a resale shop. My 5 year old fit fine in his old umbrella stroller, so we brought that. Folded up nice for the airline, going on the parking lot tram.

 

[Zephyr]

I just got a Combi SUV for $50 including shipping. My 3 year old son is 39lbs, 39 inches. To rent would have cost $6/day = $36 for the vacation, so it's not much more to buy this one which might work next year too. It supports 45lbs. We have been trying it out in our living room and he fits well. His feet do not touch the wheels (unlike our older stroller we took last year) and the seat DOES recline and has a nice hood. Very small storage area, but we can deal with that. It is only 10lbs and folds up nicely (practice with it a few times) and comes with a strap so you can carry it on your shoulder. Many people find this stroller disconcerting because it feels like it is going to fall apart because it can move in a horizontal direction. That's because it folds up in two directions and so it's built a little differently. It's been holding up fine in our living room though, we will see how it does at DisneyWorld in 3 weeks!

Zephyr

 

[Sandi]

I suggest just renting the good strollers at the parks. We just got back a week ago. This was the first time that we did not get my DD (who is going to be 8 in a couple of days) a stroller. (In February 2002, we got one half the days we were there.)

I just build the stroller rental into the cost of the day. The umbrella strollers just can't hold up to what a bigger/older child does to them. We quit bringing them at about 5 years old. WDW makes it easy to get the strollers and to sub them at the various parks.

 

[chloesmommi]

Iowa Girl,

How much does your 5-year old weigh and how tall? I am considering a Walmart Umbrella stroller for our trip, but am concerned about how much weight it will hold.

 

[jenjenmouse]

When we went to WDW in May 2002, my DD had just turned 5 and we only had to get a stroller at AK. She was fine walking around the other parks. It just seemed AK was hotter than the other parks. I also had to rent the double stroller because the singles seem too cramped when it is hot. I don't think she'd last in an umbrella stroller of any type. If your son needs a stroller, I'd say rent them there as needed.

that's my vote.
Jen

 

[MichelleC]

...then hubby can carry the kid!! LOL!! Just kidding!! Good luck and have fun!

Michelle

 

[dcedwards]

My DS is 41 pounds and 43 inches tall - 4 1/2 years old. We are still using our Graco LiteRider. He fits fine. The front wheels swivel and the back wheels lock. It folds all the way down and he still sleeps in it for a nap. This will be our 3rd trip to WDW with it and I wouldn't go without it. We don't have any problem with him fitting or the wheels turning. I think it says it is rated for 40 pounds but seems to work fine even though he is over it a little.