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Thread: Parenting in the Parks: Strollers: Yay or Nay?

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    Parenting in the Parks: Strollers: Yay or Nay?

    Strollers: Yay or Nay? by Adrienne Krock

    The Parenting Panel shares their tips and strategies for deciding whether or not to bring strollers along on Disney theme park vacations.

    Read it here!


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  3. #2
    Registered User DisneyGator's Avatar
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    There's a lot of good points here. 1) Strollers at WDW are needed a lot more than at DL. Our last trip to WDW, our kids were 7, 5, and 1.5. We brought a double stroller for the older kids and an umbrella for the little one. Didn't regret it at all - especially after 9 days in the parks. Our trip to DL last November when the kids were all just a year older, we just brought an umbrella stoller and it was perfect. DL is small enough to not tire out those little legs.

    2) Naps! This is essential. If there's anything I hate, it's going back to the hotel in the middle of the day for naps - especially when it means going to the bus stop, waiting for a bus, then doing it again to come back to the parks. So bring a stroller and that problem is avoided.

    3) Containment - I have 2 of 3 kids who tend to lag behind or see something and run off. The stroller kept them seated and contained so that I wasn't looking for them all day, or holding their hand 24/7. If they saw something they just sat forward and pointed. It made for a great rally point after each ride as well.

    All in all, I actually miss not having the kids all in a stroller. But they do grow up.

    Working for Disney. No, no. Working (in a Modesto office) for (the money to take a trip to) Disney (World/Land)

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    Registered User fairestoneofall's Avatar
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    It seems like just yesterday that we were a Disney stroller family. I am definitely an advocate for bringing your stroller to the park. If you're even considering doing it, DO IT. My boys are just 12.5 months apart and we have been park storming since the youngest was 7 months old. We went from the front to back double, to the double jogger (it was easier to push when the kids got heavier and it was more stable for me to push after my hip replacement), to the single jogger and an umbrella stroller (that we could fold and put under the single jogger), to the "big boy" umbrella stroller with a higher weight limit for our youngest (his stroller was his wheelchair). We've long since graduated to no stroller, they are 7.5 and 8.5 now. But, that stroller saved us several times. They definitely served well for naps, containment and a way for them to rest their tired little legs. I can't count the number of photos I have of the boys sleeping in their strollers at Disneyland. I think I probably used mine longer than most because my boys were nappers for a long time.

    If you can dream it, you can do it. ~Walt Disney

  5. #4
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    When I went to WDW with three of my nephews (and their parents) the youngest was 3 and a few months - and I tried to talk his Mom into bringing a stroller. I had all the contingencies worked out in my head (going back to the front of the park to rent one if he ended up tuckering out, etc) when she decided not to bring one. I bugged her to the point before the trip that I was just shy of getting her to yell at me to knock it off (I could tell she was getting peeved).
    Ends up little N-bug was a big time trooper. We were there for just 3 days, and he took good naps each day. He was carried a little bit, mostly just out of the parks, and it helped that he was a fairly light kid, but I was honestly shocked at how well he did. So you do have to know your kid.
    My sister did say to me later, after seeing the strollers int he parks and the tired kids, that she understood why I was being so insistent about it.
    If we'd had a longer trip, or if we'd not been staying on site and going back for swim/naps, things probably would have changed, too.

    Cathy

  6. #5

    I've said this before, but I'll say it again. We have triplets. They were done with strollers by their fourth birthday. The triplet stroller was the size of a small SUV, and it was pretty much impossible to travel with. Using a double-wide and a single just wasn't really a good option for us, either. So, aside from one fairly difficult trip we made when the boys had just turned three, we never used strollers at WDW.

    1) If your kids get tired and need a nap, take a break from the parks. We would always go back to our resort for an afternoon nap when the kids were little. Heck, we still do it, but more for us adults than for the kids, who are teenagers now.

    2) Children over four should be capable of walking around a theme park. If they're not, then they're not getting enough exercise at home. Our boys aren't allowed to sit in front of the TV or computer all day. We'd even "train" for our WDW trips by going on longer hikes and spending more time outdoors.

    3) Teach your children not to run off or wander away from you in a public place, rather than restraining them in a seat belt. We had to do this at a very early age, because it's very hard for two adults to monitor three kids if the kids aren't all staying nearby. By the time our boys were four, they knew to stay with us at all times. If they didn't, then we could always go back to the resort.

    4) As for a place to carry stuff, just don't bring so much stuff. A backpack has always been sufficient for us. The boys were out of diapers between 18 and 24 months -- we couldn't afford to keep three boys in diapers any longer -- and no child needs to snack continually throughout the day. Refillable water bottles are so much easier than juice boxes. We'd eat a big breakfast in our room, try to eat lunch fairly early (11:30isn), then have a snack back at the room when we went for a rest. A Mickey Premium Bar or other snack was a once-a-day treat, too, sometimes later in the afternoon, giving us the option of having dinner a little later.

    We didn't bring video games or any other activities for the children into the parks -- we're in a theme park, after all -- and we'd carry a camera, some sunscreen, and not much else. If there was a chance of rain, then the other adult usually got to bring a second backpack with ponchos and umbrellas, but that was rare since we almost never encountered rainy days when we'd travel to Florida.

    I know it's more work for parents to get their kids out of strollers at an early age, but it's better for the kids to walk, and everyone else in the theme parks will like you a WHOLE lot better if you don't have a stroller. Even our kids were baffled by parents who were pushing seven- and eight-year-old children around in strollers, which is something we see every time we go to WDW.


  7. #6

    Last December we used a stroller for our youngest (he turned 5 on our trip). Not necessarily because he needed it in the park, but because we stayed at the Portofino and we needed it for the walk to and from the parks. He split riding time with our 6 year old. When we went back in February and stayed onsite we left the stroller at home. So travel to and from the parks should also factor into the decision.

    I choose not to judge those parents pushing their 7 or 8 year olds in a stroller. You don't know they're situation. They may have physical limitations you cannot obviously see. Or they could be there for a once in a lifetime one day trip and want to be able to last ALL day. They're doing what works for them.


  8. #7
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3Princesses1Prince View Post
    I choose not to judge those parents pushing their 7 or 8 year olds in a stroller. You don't know they're situation. They may have physical limitations you cannot obviously see. Or they could be there for a once in a lifetime one day trip and want to be able to last ALL day. They're doing what works for them.
    I think there are many reasons a family may choose a stroller for an older child. I think plain out not knowing how a child will do during long touring days is a major factor. I think repeat visitors may have a better time judging the need.

    I have to admit - we were on the fence one year. We actually brought the stroller with us. However, we never took it out of the truck upon our arrival. Our son did fine. We just learned the signs of being tired and planned accordingly. But it comes down to knowing your child before you head to the parks.
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  9. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by GusMan View Post

    I have to admit - we were on the fence one year. We actually brought the stroller with us. However, we never took it out of the truck upon our arrival. Our son did fine. We just learned the signs of being tired and planned accordingly. But it comes down to knowing your child before you head to the parks.
    This is so us this year. I really think M could do it. But I also know that since K will be in one, he will realize more that he wants one. Basically the opposite of "out of sight out of mind." Generally they both accept that they are different people and we have different expectations for them. But, I just don't want to have that battle on vacation and, to be honest, he is a real brat when he is super tired! If we miss the 60th stuff, I might take him for a Mommy and son trip in the Fall for his 5th Birthday and that one would be stroller free. I am still conflicted on this year, but I think we will get a double and use it as needed. I am envisioning us parking it for a few hours at a time and using it mostly for long hikes (like Buzz to Pooh for example) but we will see.
    Why do people go on The Amazing Race without bothering to learn how to drive a stick shift?

  10. #9
    Ready for MA World Explorers! Drince88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GusMan View Post
    But it comes down to knowing your child before you head to the parks.
    Had to be repeated.

    And as others have stated, Not only do you not know what other obstacles other families are overcoming with physical/developmental-type challenges, you don't know what kind of trip they're doing. Sort of a 'you don't know what's going on until you walk a mile in their shoes' sort of thing.
    Cathy

  11. #10
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3Princesses1Prince View Post
    I choose not to judge those parents pushing their 7 or 8 year olds in a stroller. You don't know they're situation. They may have physical limitations you cannot obviously see. Or they could be there for a once in a lifetime one day trip and want to be able to last ALL day. They're doing what works for them.
    This... Add to it, I have a granddaughter who is 3, but looks like a 5-6yo. She may look 5-6, but her little body is still only 3. Now, when she is with me, she isn't in a stroller, but that is because if she gets tired, she can ride on my scooter. There are too many judgmental people in this world. My vote is to do what works best for your family. Don't worry about what others think.
    Planning 3 trips at once...

  12. #11
    Registered User fairestoneofall's Avatar
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    We got more than one sideways look for keeping P in a stroller so long. You can't outwardly tell that he has a muscle disease just from watching him walk. Now? HE had chosen to give up his GAC and walk. He's great about asking me if we can find a place to rest while dad and brother catch the next ride.

    He was almost six. He still NEEDED a stroller. I know we had many judge us. Do I care? Nope.

    If you can dream it, you can do it. ~Walt Disney

  13. #12
    At home in the hills candles71's Avatar
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    I don't even think that I owned a double stroller with the girls, we rarely even used a stroller at home. BUT we found that even at 7 or 8, towards the end of the day, end of the trip, they held up better if we used a stroller in the park. Like Mermaid said though, we would often park it in a land and do the whole area, and then move on, and early in the day they had to walk. Whistler walks fast, I can't keep up with him, so the girls would just wear right out. I also liked knowing where they were once it got dark and being in a heavy crowd situation llike after Fantasmic. It helped that we had free strollers from Chase.
    Unless it was the couple happily letting their 4 year old climb the rocks, behind the fence, where the opening is at the beginning of Splash, we try not to judge.


  14. #13
    Registered User ericles's Avatar
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    I guess we approached this subject differently....we specifically choose to hold off on our first family WDW trip until our boys were old enough that we would not have any need of a stroller, as that was the last thing we wanted to drag along with us! So we didn't go until they were 5 & 7. But we were never a big stroller family after the boys were up and on their feet. That being said, we've always been the family that likes to do WDW "hands free"...as in I don't schlep a bag around - can't stand it - and if I buy anything I send it back to the resort. From our first trip we've toured this way and it's worked great for us. No electronics or anything like that, either. However we did play A LOT of hangman and that darn dot game at meals..... I'll say though - one of my favorite photos is of my husband carrying both boys, each half asleep, back to the bus after a particularly long day at the end of a 8 day trip.


  15. #14

    Oh...I miss my stroller. I had the triple for a long, long time and it was never that much trouble. People saw that thing and got out of my way LOL I never understood the problem people have with strollers. It made it easy for naps (I refuse to waste all that time going back to the hotel too) especially when you have kids of different ages. The older ones could continue to play while the little ones rested.

    I know some people don't like dragging a stroller around but I, personally, hate dragging a backpack around. Especially on hot days It was so nice to have those extra water bottles in the cooler under the stroller or to throw extra jackets underneath. Ah...the good old days.


  16. #15

    We used a double stroller rented from City Strollers in Oct 2012. The boys were just shy of 3. We used our stroller as a wheelchair. My boys have ADHD and sensory issues. I knew that the parks would be overwhelming and I wanted them to have a safe place to sit and take it all in. I also knew that trying to keep up with 2 of them on my own was difficult so I needed to have them strapped in. They would bounce all over without straps

    We no longer own a stroller at home but I am renting one for our Spring Break trip. I talked to my boys and Sammy wants one. HE said he doesn't want me to get lost from him with all the people. Again, it will make him feel safer. His outbursts and meltdowns were lessened the last trip so I feel it is worth the cost. Plus I am overweight with bad knees so I don't want to have to try dragging them back to the room at night by myself. Tossing them and our stuff in a stroller will make it easier for me. We walk at least 3 times per week for 2 miles so they could handle it. I just don't want to deal with twin boys running in opposite directions and having to deal with 27 meltdowns. No judging here!

    ~CourtneyAnne~ Single MOM to Twins and MUCH MORE
    Trips to DL~9/06~2/07~6/07~10/07~New Year's 2008~11/8/08~2/08~2/09~10/12~


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