We are planning our trip for May of 2008, our daughter will be 4 almost 5. She is not a high energy child and always prefers to be held rather than walk. I have just been assuming that we won't be taking a stroller to Disney, and was happy about not having to worry about leaving it, but now I'm not so sure. The reason is we took DD to the fair yesterday and we ended up holding her most of the time. We were only there 3 hours, and she was already exhausted! But 5 seems too old for a stroller. I would feel weird taking her out of the stroller and onto Big Thunder Mountain (that's the ride she's most excited to go on!). Any thoughts, experiences?

We are planning our trip for May of 2008, our daughter will be 4 almost 5. She is not a high energy child and always prefers to be held rather than walk. I have just been assuming that we won't be taking a stroller to Disney, and was happy about not having to worry about leaving it, but now I'm not so sure. The reason is we took DD to the fair yesterday and we ended up holding her most of the time. We were only there 3 hours, and she was already exhausted! But 5 seems too old for a stroller. I would feel weird taking her out of the stroller and onto Big Thunder Mountain (that's the ride she's most excited to go on!). Any thoughts, experiences?

I say, if she still fits, then go for it! No one will be tired and you can enjoy the park.:p

I definitely took strollers when my kids were that age and older. I think they will last longer if they have a respite from the walking and the heat. The one park I was sorry that we did was Animal Kingdom. It was just too crowded and the walkways seemed narrower.

Somewhere in between is probably the best compromise. It will be best for you and your daughter to build up her endurance between now and the trip. But having a stroller for kids under 6 seems reasonable to me for such a large amount of walking and stimulation. I know I sometimes I wish I had one to fall into mid-afternoon, and I am very fit for ym age (overweight yes, but a full time dancer and dance teacher with plenty endurance and strength)!

It totally depends on your child. Our 3 1/2 year old barely uses one anymore and when we do bring it in it becomes a carrier for the clothing bag. Then there are times when he decides he doesn't want to walk anymore. He's too big for anything but an umbrella stroller now.

The inconvenience of bringing one is probably minor compared to the inconvenience of not having one.

You can always rent one if you need it (though I have no idea if a 5 y.o. would fit...nevermind, I have seem some kids much older than 5 in them.) :)

The problem with renting one is that you have to return it just when she's getting the most tired.

When my youngest was born, I had a 3 y/o and a 5.5 y/o. The oldest would frequently beg to ride in the double stroller during DLR trips and we'd end up carrying the baby in the baby bjorn and let him ride.

If she needs to ride, let her ride. It will not keep her out of college. It will not make her a needy child. Those who matter, don't care, those who care, don't matter. :)

Adrienne

Yep, I forgot to add that you can't use the rental stroller for a walk back to the hotel or car.

And I couldn't agree more w/ what adriennek said...don't worry what anyone else thinks/says. :)

When I was a single girl going to DL I scoffed at people who put their "big giant" 5 yr old in a stroller. Look who is putting there "big giant" 6 yr old in a stroller now! Yep! Me!

It is so worth my kids not being cranky and exhausted by the end of the day.
As long as they fit in the stroller, who cares what anyone thinks. They aren't the one who has to carry that tired kid around, you are.
Last year my friend had her 8 yr old in a stroller, we got the funniest looks from people as we pushed this big girl around. She wore uncomfortable shoes and my friend was tired of her whining so she rented a free stroller with her Disney Visa.
I had already maxed out my 2 free stroller rentals for my kids with my Disney Visa.

My friend got one for her ds, 3 or 4 at the time. When she went back to the hotel with him for a nap, she left it with her dh who took turns pushing the 6 and 7 y/o girls. (she told me to consider getting 2 strollers for my 4 and 8 y/o) They are used to lots of walking, but at Disney...there's also so much "stuff" to take in, the stroller is very handy.

My 4 y/o rode in the stroller almost the whole time, just because she felt safer in there than out.

If you think your child would do better with a stroller, by all means, use one!

My daughter sounds like yours! She's 5.5 years old and hates to walk (whine, whine, whine). And she's a big girl too - 48" and 51 pounds - but she still fits in her full size stroller. I vote for the stroller, hands down, because I would rather push her in a stroller than carry her (which is all but impossible at this point, anyway). Plus there are other great benefits of having a stroller:

1. She'll have more energy throughout the day (and so will you since you won't have to carry her) and hence, will be less likely to be cranky.
2. You have a great place to stow all your bags and gear.
3. You'll always know exactly where she is, especially during those crazy time when there are tons of people around (like right after a parade).
4. You'll be walking at your pace which is probably much faster than hers.

Try it with a boy...boys are supposed to be tougher...blah, blah, blah. I actually had someone tell me son was too big for the stroller at WDW last year. I asked her if she would be carrying him when he got tired. She "hrumphed" and walked away. My son is by no means a couch potato, but WDW is a LOT of walking for a little one. I would rather deal with the looks and the snide comments then my son having a complete meltdown.

I still use one for Max, he is 5.5 and the stroller is very good to us both! First of all, it keeps him from wandering off, he usually gets really worn out in the parks and will often konk out and take a nap after lunch if he's drowsy enough, we can bring more stuff with us and we don't need to rent a locker to keep it in, he doesn't get as tired out from walking and he has a ride back to the hotel at the end of the night too. Oh, and I can prop myself up when I'm dragging back at the end of the night as well!!!

My 5 yo rode in a stroller about 1/2 the time on our trip in '06 and then this year she didn't ride in it at all! I don't think there is anything wrong with five in stroller - she would have probably rode in it a little at 6 if we hadn't had another baby and no seat for her!! :)

I'm actually terrified of the day I have to give up my stroller because that means I'm going to actually have to start carrying my own stuff around. I think I'll take a stroller even when my youngest is a teenager just to haul all the junk.

Customary disclosure - not a parent.


I wouldn't think 5 is too old to be in a stroller, but I've seen kids that are probably 9 in strollers. I don't know for a fact that they were that age, but from their size and demeanor, that's about what I guessed. And it wasn't or at least didn't seem to be a case where the kid had any kind of disability. The stroller was one of DL's, and the kid really didn't fit in it. To my eyes, the kid looked too old to be in a stroller. I know everyone gets tired, but I guess for me, at a certain age, if people are tired, it's time to stop and rest for a bit.

I'm weird, but here is my stroller history. I bought a good quality Peg Perego single stroller in 1999 when my oldest was born. In 2002 my second was born and the older one started walking everywhere at age 3 while the baby rode in the stroller. In 2005 the older one broke her leg and the younger one started walking everywhere, also at age 3, while her 6 year old sister rode around in the stroller with a cast for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8 weeks the cast came off and the stroller was looking very sad after 6 years of nearly continuous use. We chucked it and neither one has ridden in one since.

Try it with a boy...boys are supposed to be tougher...blah, blah, blah. I actually had someone tell me son was too big for the stroller at WDW last year. I asked her if she would be carrying him when he got tired. She "hrumphed" and walked away. My son is by no means a couch potato, but WDW is a LOT of walking for a little one. I would rather deal with the looks and the snide comments then my son having a complete meltdown.

WTF? I'm not a parent, and I'd probably err toward the side of taking the kid out too soon rather than too late, but what's up with all these meddlers? I'm kinda glad I'm not a parent right now.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20121799/site/newsweek/?gt1=10252

I don't get anyone making verbal comments about anyone else's parenting choices unless they are beating their kids right there in front of you in public. But if someone actually asks for comment on a message board they should expect to get a wide range of opinions.

My kids (3 and 2) are the type that never, ever wanted to be in the stroller. They would hop out and run off while the thing was still moving - if we could even get them in it. They just wanted to keep moving and could not sit still.

We brought two separate strollers for our trip last year (so we could split up if we needed to). The kids were so hot - and so zapped by the heat - that they ended up spending almost all of the time in the stroller. It truly was a life saver. I think next time we go they will be too old (planning for 4 years - so they will be 7 and 5), but I definitely will understand having one for a tired kid.

If your kid is not used to the heat (we are from San Francisco - BIG change in temperature), then I would definitely get the stroller, or plan on taking lots of rest breaks indoors. If you do get a stroller, make sure it has a canopy and has breathable fabric (I.e., not plastic) as it tends to get hot inside the stroller. When our kids didn't use them, we kept ice water in the undercarriage and stored our bags and things - either way, we used the strollers every day.

The only hard part was getting in and out of the bus. LOL!!

Anyhow, don't worry about anyone else. You know your kid and you know what's best for her.

I still plan to have a seat in a stroller availble for my son who will be 6 in Sept. when we take our family trip in December. Not to mention it is easier to keep the kids contained and not lost this way, but it is nice to have when they get tired, especially after the end of a long Disney day on the way back to the hotel. I say take a stroller for sure.

I so love this thread! My DH and I were just having a "discussion" about this subject last night. My DD is 7. Yep, probably too big but we have never used a stroller anywhere else but Disneyland. My main reason is that we will be there 10 days. Some nights I barely make it back to the room so I can imagine how her poor little legs feel at the end of the day! Aside from that, it is easier to keep up with her in crowds and there are cup holders for our drinks and storage for our jackets.

So while DH argues more to the point of what other people will think I tend to lean more towards what will make my trip more enjoyable and NOT what anyone else thinks. So glad to hear from others that I am not the only one! Sure, dragging a stroller on a plane is a little trouble but if it will keep my DD from whining and my DH from griping because of the whining I am thinking I am better off with the stroller than without it!

This is a very interesting thread subject as I was wondering what we were going to do ourselves when we take our girls (6 and 1) in Sept to WDW.. our eldest doesnt really use a stroller anymore (especially since we had to chuck her old one at DLR..lol) except when we have been walking in a place like DLR. She has weak ankles and uses inserts in her shoes that I know unfortunatly are not the most comfy..
With this in mind I feel very comfy about letting her use a stroller when we go because the only real time I can see her taking advantage is the heat of the day ( which I figure we will be back at the resort anyways because of the younger ones nap time) and later in the evening.

Honestly, if people are worring about wether or not my 6 yr old should be in the stroller, they are worring too much in life.

AdrienneK : (When my youngest was born, I had a 3 y/o and a 5.5 y/o. The oldest would frequently beg to ride in the double stroller during DLR trips and we'd end up carrying the baby in the baby bjorn and let him ride.)

I love this idea for our girls.. did work ok for you? We are going for about 10 days and would love to only need to worry about the current stroller we have for the youngest..

AdrienneK : (When my youngest was born, I had a 3 y/o and a 5.5 y/o. The oldest would frequently beg to ride in the double stroller during DLR trips and we'd end up carrying the baby in the baby bjorn and let him ride.)

I love this idea for our girls.. did work ok for you? We are going for about 10 days and would love to only need to worry about the current stroller we have for the youngest..

It definitely worked, even when they were one.

The Bjorn is really great for holding babies in line - we used it even when we didn't 'have to' use it to make room in the stroller. It's a lot less tiring than holding them. And at night, they're likely to be sleeping anyway.

Adrienne