Need on Advice If I Should Bring Stroller

Bring the stroller.... There is an old saying that I just love;
"Its better to have it and not need it, then it is to need it and not have it."
C. M.

I know my sister goes to Disney World several times a year and they always rent a stroller. They are really big and fit more than one kid ( her 5 year old still rides in it when he gets tired). Hope that helps.

I'm on the "bring it with you!" bandwagon as well, but I have another suggestion since you asked about a backpack carrier. We just took our almost 3 year old to Animal Kingdom in October. We decided against a stroller this time (have had ones in the past at DisneyWorld, SeaWorld, etc.) because he never slept in the stroller anyway - and always preferred to be carried. I made (but you can also buy online) a mei tai - it's a fabric carrier that you can use from birth to 35 pounds and it can be worn front (kind of like a baby bjorn) or on the back. It is incredibly versatile, puts zero strain on your back/neck/shoulders... way better than the backpack carrier we used another time at Epcot. I carried my son (30 pounds) in it off and on all day (both front & back), but he actually took a 2 hour nap riding in the front - I had zero pain. Might be another option for you if your daughter prefers to be carried over riding in a stroller. Also - it takes up WAY less space than a stroller or backpack carrier! :) Good luck!

Your trip sounds fantastic! We are waiting until our kids are older (only 3 & 2 now), but my older sister went with her kids and had some fantastic advice! Go to the library or bookstore and get the book "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" get the most recent addition possible. This book not only has advice on stollers, but also how to plan your day, what to go to first, tips on saving money, etc... She went twice with young children, and used the book both times. She said it was a really big help! I have read through the book, and it has such good advice and helpful hints, it is really worth looking into. Best of luck!

I just got back from Disney and there were a ton of people with strollers. They have stroller parking EVERYWHERE!! You can also rent them there instead of dragging one with you. I would definitely bring one because the little one will get tuckered out and it will be a place where she can sleep.

BTW, if you want any hints for meeting characters or anything. let me know. Also make sure you bring/get autograph books for everyone. They may say they don't want them but they will regret not having them.

Have fun!!!!

Bring the stroller with. Kids can't walk for that long without getting tired. Plus, you would hate to lose her in the huge crowds there. There is so much to look at and one look away and they are gone. That's one thing about Disney World that I could not get over, they have better child security at Chuck E Cheese. There is nothing there to keep anyone from taking your child and leaving with them. I'm surprised more kids aren't abducted from there.
Bring a stroller because otherwise you'll end up renting one for a hefty fee. My brother had to rent a double for his girls and they were 4 and 7. He ended up paying about $60 by the end of the week in stroller rentals.
Plus, naptime is much easier in a nice stroller and you have a sunshade, purse and package holder too :o)
Enjoy your trip,
J.

I went Disney Land over Xmas with my husband and our daughter two years ago and also had the contemplation on wheater to bring one or not, I did however decide to bring one. And am glad I did the ones they have are nice and use full but you also have to pay to use them and they dont have much storage and the things I was used to on strollers. I would recomend taking your own. I used it in the airport and checked it in when we got ready to board the plane and picked it up at the door when we got off the plane. It was nice my daughter liked to walk and get around on her own but they cant possibly walk Disney Land by themselves with no stroller ride. Have a great Vacation it is loads of fun. Your kids will love it. A.

I just went to Disney World last July and there were 15 of us so I was in a similar situation. I don't know what I would have done if I had gone without my stroller - it was super easy to use there. They have stroller parking at every ride and as long as I didn't have valuables left in the stroller, I felt comfortable leaving it behind at the rides and shows just like everyone else did. I did leave a camera on it, but when I came back to the stroller the camera was still there (an hour-and-a-half later!) Do take your stroller, I unless you have two kids to tow then it is definitely worth it.

For a three-year-old, take the lightest stroller possible with room to carry your stuff in it. I took my Jeep stroller (lightweight but room for stuff) and we definitely got our use out of it without paying stroller rental fees. The only time carrying the stroller around became a bit of a challenge was when we had to close it up to get on a tram back to our rental car in the Disney parking lots and/or the light rail between parks but even that wasn't much of a problem - and we went during 4th of July- peak Disney park season!

P.S. Taking your own stroller, especially one that is unique in color is easier to spot amongst the sea of strollers parked at the rides/shows. My toddler was new to walking at the time so she was on/off the stroller quite a bit! It was also very easy to use at the airport since the airline allowed us to use the stroller all the way up to the plane's entrance. Call your airline to see if they allow that.

We've been to many places where we knew our child/ren would not want to walk the entire time, but a stroller is sometimes not so convenient for crowds and the like. We invested in a nice backpack - hiking style. I want to say it was $70-100 at Babies R Us but I have also seen them at thrift stores for much less (in the northern suburbs you can check Bears Repeating). It was the best baby gear we ever purchased and we still use it on occasion. Also, if you get one with a storage area, it's great for diapers, wipes, extra layers of clothing, etc.

Good luck!!

I would really recommend bringing a stroller. Disney World is very accomodating and has stroller parking areas at the different rides/exhibits. The park is huge so your 3 yr old is going get tired. Plus often they let people with stollers have priority in lines etc. If they still have it, I would recommend signing up for a time slot to a ride so you don't stand in line all day. I forget what they call it, but you can sign up and then go about the park and come back to the ride when it is your "reservation" time. You sign up for them at the individual rides. Oh and if you go to Downtown Disney often the restaurants are packed, but make sure you mention you have a little one and they usually bump you up in the wait line. Have fun!

I would definately bring a stroller, my 5 year old gets poooped out just walking at the mall of america. You can always use to carry all your souvieners and other junk around. And with all the excitement and being off schedule if your child needs a nap not a big deal.

We just went to Disneyland in August w/ our 4 year old and then 21 month old. You definitely need a stroller. Our little one fell asleep in the afternoon and we were very glad we had it. They have strollers there you can rent, but I don't know the cost and if you have one why dish out more money when you can bring your own. It's also nice to have it to carry stuff that you buy though Disney World will send your purchases to your hotel at no cost if you are staying one of the Disney hotels. That really came in handy...

We went to World a few years ago w/ my husband's daughter who was 8 at the time and it is very stroller friendly. You will see a lot of them. They have special places for you to park them if you can't take them into a ride or show. That would be the only drawback, but you didn't have to worry about it because everyone else has to park their stroller too.

I agree w/ the first response to check out the guides. They can help a lot too. Good luck and have a great time.

rent it at the park. It's cheap and easy and so much more convenient than taking your own. the fee is not hefty at all. It's like $15 and you get it for the whole day. it's totally worth it!

We just got back from Disney w/ our 18 month old. She hates to be in the stroller, but it was REALLY nice to havbe when she needed to sleep. Its not a problem at all on the planes, airports, etc. but if you don't think she'll be in it at ALL, then just rent one from the parks. You could get a double one and use the other 1/2 for holding bags, etc. Everyone there has strollers, and there is TONS of stroller parking outside all of the rides....however, I haven't been at Disney for Xmas, and I'm guessing its pretty busy there. However, I'd still bring one

J.,
We went to Disneyland when my daughter was 18 months and Disneyworld when she was 2.5 years. Both times we brought strollers. There are places to leave them outside of all of the rides and, miraculously, they are always there when you return. We just brought umbrella strollers for the convenience in the airport. Our daughter mostly walked, but used the stroller in the evening to just relax. It was worth it to have it along not just for her, but also to store our purchases, sweaters, etc.

Have a great time!

I haven't taken my kids to Disney, yet, but we do go to amusement parks and museums and zoos. BRING THE STROLLER! lol Trust me. You'll find it handy for when she gets tired, if it's big enough, it'll be a catch all for various things you get there. We take ours with everywhere, just in case, and it always gets used. Have fun!

Hello J.,
Congrats on your Vacation planned, it must be exciting to have it planned for so long and it is finally coming up! It has been my opinion that the stroller is a must! My daughter just turned 5 in September and my son will be 11 in a couple of days and when we have gone on Vacation especially to huge theme parks such as Disney it is a must! My daughter was rip roaring ready to go but after all the hours you spend there walking everywhere she was so tired and it came in sooo handy. With the huge amount of people going I dont think it will be a problem if you want to go on a ride, I'm sure someone will watch the stroller. I know that some of the parks do offer strollers there but some of them do not or they were already rented out by the time we got there. I was very happy that I brought my own, that way I knew how much space for storage I had for water bottles and snacks and toys of course. =) I hope that this helps you think about your fabulous vacation & I hope your family has a great time.!! Keep us posted... J.

I took my daughter (2 at the time) to disney world and even though the stroller was big bulky and at times a hassle with just the 2 of us it was a god send. She also walked majority of the time but when she got tired it was easier to put her in the stroller than to carry her through the park. They did have rental strollers but (if i remember correctly) not very comfortable. You also have extra storage for all that you may buy while there.

Have fun my daughter loved it.

Hi J.,

I actually worked at WDW 2 years ago, and although I admittedly didn't have a child at the time, I spoke with many of the guests after their days at the parks. I would DEFINITELY bring a stroller with you. Occasionally it can be hard to maneuver through the crowds, but it will definitely be worth it. Your daughter will be very tired (likely your other children will be too, even if they won't admit it). You will want to bring quite a few items with you into the park, and carrying them all day will be draining for you, especially if you end up carrying a kid (or two or three) as well.

Most of the rides/attractions have places near the entrance or exit that are designated as "stroller parking". You aren't going to want to leave anything valuable (like a camera) in the stroller, but you also aren't going to want to haul the bag(s) full of stuff such as snacks, changes of clothing, etc. onto the rides with you, either. Even better if you have a member of your family that isn't participating in the ride to watch your belongings.

Other advice - most of the rides let you do a parent swap so you can trade off the kid(s) without having to wait in line again. If Fastpass is still offered, do it, just don't zigzag all over the park all day - you'll end up very tired. If you are staying at an actual WDW Resort hotel, take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours and the free shipping of anything bought in the parks back to your room so you don't have to carry it around the parks or worry about it getting lost (just don't wait till the last day of your vacation to do it since it can take 24 hours for delivery).

You may also want to schedule your day around having "nap time" or at least a rest time midway through. Spend a few hours at a park, then go back to your rooms to rest for a few hours and go back. That way your kids will be able to stay up late enough to watch the fireworks and shows that are later in the evening without being as out of sorts as they might be if they missed a nap and have already spent 8 straight hours at the park.

Most importantly - have a wonderful time! Disney is truly magical! Let me know if you have any other questions I can help you out with!

I would bring the stroller. You can even bring it right in the plane with you too. When you board, the flight attendant will set it aside and store it for the flight. No extra work on your part...and it's nice to have in the airports, etc. We like it for the sole fact of carrying all of the stuff we buy.