Stroller at Disney

That age? I'd say they're big enough to walk and take breaks when they're tired. You'll need more breaks to sit down than they will...lol.

People do get/rent strollers - but it gets kind of nuts as the kids get older.
Kids have the energy to walk and you don't need to be a pack mule - keep what you carry around to a bare minimum.
Everyone should have a fanny pack and carry their own junk.
Take breaks if they get tired but walking is good for everyone.

http://toobigforstroller.tumblr.com/

Google 'too big for stroller' and select Images.
It's freaking hilarious but kind of sad too that so many do this and either don't know or don't care how ridiculous taking this to it's illogical extreme really is.

Go the first day without a stroller and rent one on day 2/3 if you need one. Some parents hate maneuvering the stroller through the parks and have children who would prefer to walk. Other families like the stroller and it is more enjoyable for everyone if you don't have a complaining child.

Personally, I loved having a double when my kids were 1 and 4. Both rode in the stroller a lot. When they were 5 and 8 we still needed a stroller for the younger one. The crowds made her very anxious and she loved having the security of the stroller. We all had a better time b/c of it. With that said, my friend went at the same time and her child was perfectly fine with walking.

I say play it by ear and see how things go. You could bring an umbrella stroller like others have said, but I personally prefer pushing the Disney strollers around (they are easy to control).

Will your kids sit in a stroller? There is no way either of my kids would have sat in a stroller by the age of four. They would have been horribly embarrassed.

You could really go either way. You could go without on the first day and see how they do. I like having one because I put all my stuff in there, too (snacks, water, etc).

**Please don't judge older kids in strollers. You have no idea why they need one. My middle son is 6.5 and would need a stroller at Disney. He has a complex heart defect (has already had 3 open heart surgeries) and walking Disney would be nearly impossible. And, he 'looks' perfectly normal.

Someone said the rental strollers look bulky and difficult to maneuver. They're actually super easy to maneuver!

The first time that we went to WDW, our youngest was five, and we did not use a stroller. It would never have occurred to me to have a stroller, because he had not been in a stroller since age 2.

Definitely bring or rent a stroller!!!
The place is huge. Even adults get tired of all the walking/standing!
Please get a stroller for your little ones. One that will accomodate both.
Kids will not get to enjoy the actual place when they are tired.
And once you spend the money & time to get there you want to have an
enjoyable trip.
Little legs cannot handle the walking. (160 acres)
When I went (wearing sensible shoes by the way), I was tired.

Two more tips:
-put your kids in matching colored shirts (for example red shirts) so they'll be easy to spot & keep an eye on in the sea of people.
-wear comfy walking shoes like tennies. For everyone!

I wouldn't dream of doing it without a stroller - not in a million years. The kids get cranky, and you're loaded down with a cooler and 3 water bottles, and then the kids want to be carried. There is a ton of walking at Disney, and the kids will be standing in line after walking to the rides and from the trams or monorail. There are plenty of much older kids in strollers so your kids won't stand out. If you don't want to rent one, see if you can borrow a couple of umbrella strollers from friends, or pick something up at the local consignment shop before you leave home. You could also get one stroller and let the kids take turns standing on the back while they other sits down. Some kids are content with that although it makes the pushing a little harder.

We love Disney, but the food is expensive and the lines can be long for restaurants and snack bars. Having some food with you is a time-saver and a money-saver. Yes, you can sit anywhere and take a break, but in my experience kids don't want to do that - they want to go to the next ride and it's hard enough if there is a 30 minute line.

We always tied a bright ribbon or some strands of bright yarn around the stroller handle too - it made it much more obvious for others coming out of a ride so they didn't take our stroller from the "stroller parking" area.

You only have 3 days and will want to see as much as possible, so ruining the first day shouldn't be an option. Just my opinion.

First, if you haven't already done so, I suggesting buying the book "The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland" (unless you're going to WDW, but I believe they have a version for that too). It has a lot of tips and tricks to think about before you head out on your Disney adventure (like, start taking walks NOW to get your kids used to walking). Also, switching off. If you don't know what this is, PM me (or get the book, since that's where I found out about it!)

We went when our girls were 3 and 5, using a stroller. Needed it as the 3yo ended up taking a nap for a part of the afternoon.

We went again when our girls were 5 and 8, no stroller. They did all the walking, until it was time to head back to the hotel. If we sat down for a late dinner for longer than 10 minutes, one or both fell asleep. Hard - the sleep of the dead - asleep.

We went again this summer, with friends... five kids aged 12, 9, 8, 6, & 5. This time we stayed at the DLR hotel, so we just went back for naps. No strollers.

As others have said, you need to judge your own children's abilities. Will they get cranky with all the walking? If so, a stroller might be beneficial to you. Do you turn into sherpa-mom with all the carrying? Then a stroller might be beneficial to you. If your kids are active walkers, and light on the cargo, you can make it much quicker through crowds without a stroller.

Good luck and have loads of fun!

If anything, a single. Strollers are hard to maneuver through the crowds and make it difficult when you find a ride that you want to get on and yours (with all your items on it) are parked with 50 others at the entrance of the ride. We went "lean and mean". Fanny packs and only the absolute necessities. Get a locker for any extras you might buy. Have fun!!

We too our kids at ages 8, 6 and 3.5 and brought a single stroller for the youngest. By the second day, my oldest was begging for a turn! It's EXHAUSTING for kids - the excitement alone wears them out; then add in the heat and all the walking and standing in line and they're POOPED :)

I would say definitely bring a stroller. Worst case? Your kids walk the whole time and you have a place for all your water and snacks :)

Just wait and see if you need it. We went when my youngest was three and a half and it was completely unnecessary. Plus you can't take it into any of the lines or attractions, which is the only time your child would want to sit down anyway. You can always rent one there if you really need it but I imagine if your kids are in good physical shape and you take enough breaks throughout the day you will be fine. Have fun!!!

I think a stroller is essential at parks like Disney--there is enough walking and standing to wear out an adult, much less a young child. When a 5-year old is hot, tired, and cranky (as inevitably WILL happen if you make a full day/evening expedition), it makes life SOOOO much better for everyone when s/he can just sit down and ride a bit. If the kid doesn't use it, the adult can stow bags, snacks, and water in it. I never felt difficulty in navigating with it, and I never regretted taking it. We brought our own in the trunk of our car (drove from NW GA), so I have no information on the cost to rent one, however I would think it will be worth it.

You can rent them inside the park so try a day without one and see how they do. Most kids want to walk but if your children are not used to walking at least two miles everyday then they will be tired out at the end of the day. Plus its nice to have something to cart around your stuff (like backpacks, etc.).

Most people don't realize how large the 4 Disney parks are and that most people (adults & children) and just not used to doing that much walking for 2, 3, or up to 5 days in a row.

We bought a light weight, easy to maneuver stroller when my daughter was 7 for disney. I found it a convenient place to put our stuff. We tied brightly colored ribbon to it so it was always easy to find when we came out of an attraction. (The rental strollers look to be bulky and tough to maneuver. I recommend you bring one of your own and the kids can take turns)

We went when our kids were 2, 4, and 6. The first night we were only going to be there a couple of hours so we got a single for the 2 year old...we brought our ticket to the man and he gave us a double,said Merry Christmas (it was just before), and told us to rent doubles for the rest of our trip. BOY!! He was spot on. Our kids all used the stroller at different times and it came in handy so much. It was worth the money to get it.

Our 2 year old was the only one who still used a stroller at all, but Disney is a LOT of walking and waiting. The kids also had a place to nap if they got tired. It was so worth it.

If your kids aren't huge, they will fit totally fine and erally enjoy getting a break. So *I* would get the double when I first get there each day and use it. You'll be glad you did.

I would get a stroller, more specifically a double. You'll be thankful for it, not only when the kids get tired of walking, but aren't ready to leave yet; but also because you can put your bags in it if the girls aren't tired yet. One of them convinces you to buy a stuffed animal? In the stroller. Stop at the gift shop on the way in, instead of the way out? In the stroller. It just makes things so much easier.

I went when my kids were 4 and 6 almost 7 and I rented a double city mini. There is tons of walking and the kids are overtired to begin with, long days not typical of being home and it was a lifesaver as snacks and food are so expensive I put food snacks, drinks etc in the strollers and still had a backpack for more gear, which I often tossed in the stroller while going on rides. It really was a lifesaver and easier to get through crowds than trying to drag slow walking kids who are over excited and/or cranky. There is a stroller area at every ride which made it easy to park while riding. And the kids enjoyed sitting and looking around as we walked and it went so much smoother as they could rest and had more energy and even napped in them. I guarantee you will do and see more if you have the stroller unless your kids are really used to walking long distances for most of the day, which some but most kids are not. And like I said this isn't like being home they go to bed later, are up earlier and are overtired. I strongly recommend getting one. My kids are 6 and 9 and I would probably get a single at this point for Disney because they have more stamina now and could take turns if needing to rest. I would never consider a stroller for just a day trip anymore but back then I often still took a single for trips to the zoo and such. It is a great place for snacks and drinks when going for a long day. But for disney there is no doubt in my mind a stroller makes it so much better. You could get or bring two singles if you and hubby may want to split up at any point, but the double worked fine for us. If we split up one of the kids walked whichever was less tired at the moment. the first day the kids will have more energy but by days two and three you will all be thankful for the stroller. Have a wonderful trip. Oh and I did not rent through disney. I rented thru another place which I liked better.

my hubby and I rented 2 singles. Our kids were actually 4 and 6 at the time. TOTAL LIFESAVERS!!!! We carried all of our snacks, waters, toys, coats, camera bag, etc....in them. The singles were nice because we could go separate ways if needed and they were easier to push. Also, the best part is I was able to sit in them too. :) A few times I found myself sitting in one waiting of my hubby and daughter to get off a ride. I had a lot of parents think that was a great idea. :)

Our kids were 4 and 6 when we went last spring. We rented a double stroller. Our 4 year old got pretty worn out. He crashed a couple of times and napped for a short time in the stroller. Our 6 year old was almost too big for it. She rode in it a little bit, usually at the end of the day. It was nice to have the stroller to put our backpack and water bottles in. It was also nice when we were in bigger crowds to put both kids in the stroller so we didn't have to worry about losing them in the crowd. On the first day aren't it for all three days. You get a little bit of a savings when you get it for multiple days. You don't have to stand in line as long to get the stroller after the first day. If you park hop you don't have to pay extra. Your rental is good at all the Disney parks and Downtown Disney. I thought it was worth it.

Rent a double. You'll be thankful. We did the same for my kids - even though they were past the "stroller stage". They used it to sit down while standing in lines, to rest while we had snacks...etc. Plus, you have a place to store all your junk.
We rented a double down there. We got a pristine City Jogger - I was expecting something beat up... It was somewhere around $150 for the week. Will totally do it again this year.

I would take the wait and see approach. You may decide that it is convenient and easier for you or you may not.

We did Disney several times as our daughter was growing up and sometimes it was convenient to rent a stroller. It is not that much $$ and sometimes well worth it if you have a tired child.

We usually did not rent at Magic Kingdom because we always stayed at the Polynesian so it was easy to just grab the boat taxi or monorail back to our hotel and have rest time, or get what we needed.