We're taking our 10 month old daughter to Disneyland for her 1st time. Will we be able to take her on POC? It's DH & my favorite ride, plus it's where we got engaged. We'd really hate to skip the ride this trip, but if babies are allowed we won't have to. :)

Also, should we take our own stroller or rent one? We have a really nice (expensive) stroller and I'm a little afraid to take the chance of someone stealing it. Are the Disney strollers that are available for rent nice ones? Do they recline? Is there a basket? Or, if we do take our own stroller is there any way to lock it up?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

-Sasha :D

Yes, your daughter will be able to go on Pirates. No height/age restrictions. Just hold on to her during them drops, y'hear?


As for strollers, there usually isn't a concern about it getting stolen. It doesn't occur too often, in my experience. The Disney ones are eh, I guess. I'm not a stroller expert, but I know they don't recline. I don't know what this basket thing you speak of is, though. And if you lock up your stroller with a chain or some such, security WILL get bolt cutters and cut right through it. So no, you can't lock it up. Sorry.

Maybe someone else can help you more with the stroller situation. Either way, enjoy your trip!

If she doesn't really have to recline (eg: can sit up on her own), rent the stroller.

Originally posted by sashachamp
Also, should we take our own stroller or rent one?

Mouseplanet columnist Adrienne Krock wrote two columns about renting strollers vs. bringing your own. Her general conclusion (which I agree with) is to bring your own, but here are the colums so you can read up on it.

Renting Strollers at Disneyland (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock2.htm)

Bringing Your Own Stroller to Disneyland (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock3.htm)

Originally posted by sashachamp
Also, should we take our own stroller or rent one? We have a really nice (expensive) stroller and I'm a little afraid to take the chance of someone stealing it. Are the Disney strollers that are available for rent nice ones? Do they recline? Is there a basket? Or, if we do take our own stroller is there any way to lock it up?

EandCDad linked my two articles (thanks!)

Like he said, I strongly recommend bringing your own stroller. No, they're don't recline, unless you consider their position a semi-permanent recline. They're not adjustable at all. They're jogging strollers. I much prefer my own. MUCH.

Two of my strollers are expensive models and I have friends who "drive" nice models, too. I'm not going to guarantee that your stroller won't get stolen, but I haven't had a problem in 5 years of bringing nice strollers to the park (Knock Wood.) Don't leave anything of value in your stroller, (cameras, wallets, etc,) but I leave enough to be bulky and difficult for a quick get away ;)

Re: locks: Some people bring bicycle locks to tie up the wheels so they won't move. I strongly advise against locking your stroller to anything such as a fence because often times we guests inadvertantly leave our strollers places that present hazards- usually by blocking walkways without realizing it. (Besides inconveniencing other guests, this can be a fire hazard/block a fire lane.) If you do that, a cast member will come move it to a safer area- it's their job to do that.

Most attractions and areas have obvious areas to "park" strollers. When I park mine, I always lock its brakes- that's enough of a pain for someone else because it makes it hard to move. But really, I don't think that you need to be too concerned about having your stroller stolen. Yes, I have heard from people who have had it happen to them, but it's just not very common. (Also, sometimes people think their stroller is stolen and it's found somewhere else.)

Personally, I think that rental strollers are "borrowed" more often than private strollers- by people to cheap or lazy to go get their own.

Adrienne

Look who hit quote instead of "Edit/Delete"-- ignore me.

Adrienne

Thanks so much for your responses!

Adrienne, fabulous articles! I got so much info from them, and they were so detailed. You answered every question I had. It looks like we'll be taking our own stroller for convenience and comfort.

Thanks again :)

-Sasha

Originally posted by sashachamp
We're taking our 10 month old daughter to Disneyland for her 1st time. Will we be able to take her on POC? It's DH & my favorite ride, plus it's where we got engaged. We'd really hate to skip the ride this trip, but if babies are allowed we won't have to. :)

One of the things I love best about Disneyland is that you can take babies on MOST rides! We just got back from a trip with our 4 yr. old and our 5 month old. The baby loved the rides! She rode POC twice and enjoyed it. Babies will often like rides that scare preschoolers, like Snow White. To the baby, it's just music and lights which they enjoy.

Have a great trip!

Mod note: vB code fixed. AK

We took our 12 month old daughter on POTC. She APPLAUDED after the first drop!

We always bring our own stroller, but on a recent trip, our daughter's mostly finished Advent baby bottle "walked" from its place in the stroller cup holder while we were in Playhouse Disney. Strange.

My youngest was ten months old when we first took her to Disneyland. She loved Dumbo, hated Snow White (she's three and still doesn't like it!), loved Pirates, hated Haunted Mansion, loved Mickey, hated Goofy.....and generally loved any boat ride.

We've both rented strollers and brought our own over the years. We prefer to be able to bring our own stroller, stay in a hotel nearby and walk to the park, so having that stroller from the hotel to the park is really important for us. And we don't like to mess with the shuttles, as we don't want to have to pack and un-pack the stroller to get on the shuttle.

There are a few things to know about renting strollers.......they do get taken from time to time. It's happened to us twice. But no one has ever messed with our own stroller. They don't recline, are a tight fit, and the basket is very, very small. Also, when going from DL to DCA and back to DL....you have to unload your stroller, carry everything across to the other park, get in line to get another stroller, pull out your receipt from when you rented your first stroller, re-pack the stroller, and then you're on your way. To me, that's a huge pain!

Hint for POC. Watch the boat ahead of you and just as it starts to dip, start saying Wee in your babys ear . Then they anticipate the drop (or that something is coming) know it is cool with you and suppose to be fun. For some kids it is just the shock. I also took at 18 mt old on lots of rides. If he looked overwhelmed, I just song softly to him.

I'm sure you've gotten this a lot- but with babys at Disney the best advice is to slow down. Take breaks, people watch. I actually think it helped me to enjoy things better to go more at the pace of my son.

I suggest buying a cheap ("umbrella") stroller with a shade and a small pack for infant stuff. Sure, it's nice to have a stroller that can hold everything, but that just means unloading it for every ride/attraction. That's what husbands/grandparents/other kids/siblings are for, anyway (at least that's been my experience).

We took our 12 month old in November and she rode Pirates. She actually went on more rides than kids who are a little older because she was to young to be scared.

We took an expensive stroller with us and it was never bothered when we rode the rides. We just didnt leave anything of great value in the bottom basket. I am glad we didn't rent one. I am not sure, but the Disney strollers didn't look like they had straps to hold her in. I could be mistaken. At least I didn't notice any kids strapped in. I feel more comfortable knowing she can't jump out.

I hope this helps you. :)

Disclaimer: It's been a long time since I rented a stroller at DL and I only did it once...

When we rented the stroller so I could write the article about them, in order to be able to strap my son (then 18 mos) into the stroller, he had to be sitting up. It was the most uncomfortable position to be in, because the back of the stroller is in a slight permanent recline.

So I could see parents not strapping their children in because they'd have to stop and sit the child in the "right" position to do it, and then the child wouldn't be very comfortable.

Many times we don't strap our boys in their strollers if they're cooperating and staying seated on their own. Of course, they do spend a lot of time strapped in, too ;)

Adrienne

I found myself not strapping the kids into the rented ones when the stroller was relatively empty, because the seat is so narrow and deep and squishy. But when the stroller gets a little fuller underneath, it pushes up on your kiddo.....so I'd strap mine in then.

I might be mistaken, but the only attraction I can think of that we have had to unload and fold up our stroller was the railroad. So for our family, it has always made sense to pack up the stroller....I don't think I have ever rented a locker on the days we've brought our own stroller. And if I know we're going to ride the train, I always ask one of the stores for the largest shopping bag and I throw all the "incidentals" (the kids' pin lanyards, water bottles, autograph books, toys, snacks, maps) that accrue during the day into the shopping bag for the train ride.

Stinkerbell, that is a great idea about the shopping back, I would have never thought of it.

I like to use my own stroller at WDW simply to keep the diaper bag in (nothing of value except diapers and wipes) and also to keep a small cooler for the baby. Alot easier than having to run to the baby care center.

I have had my stroller moved by the CM's but nothing more than that. We bought this stroller though specifically for our disney trips. It was smaller than our expensive one but still more comfortable than an umbrella stroller. I wanted the little one to be able to take a nap in it if we did not make it back to the hotel in time.