HUGE increase in rental stroller fees [merged threads]

[CleveRocks]

Effective April 6, 2008, prices for stroller rentals skyrocket.

A single will rent for $15/day ($13/day with multi-day rental discount), up from $10 ($8 with discount).

A double will rent for ... and no, this isn't a typo ... $31/day ($27 with multi-day rental discount), up from $18 ($16 with discount).

[Young@Heart]

OMG! That's just crazy!!! I guess we won't be renting after all. That's just not a price I'm willing to pay.

I wonder what the reasoning is behind this?

[goofy-4-disney]

on my last trip to WDW around new years i noticed a huge increase in the use of strollers in the parks making it hard to simply walk. there was quite a large number of kids who appeared to be ages 7 and up that really have no need to be in a stroller. imo this is an attempt to get rid of those people who take advantage of this. it just now leaves those who have small children that arent able to handle the walking to bite the bullet.

[dolphinmickey9170]

Well, there is always the other option of purchasing the strollers they have there. They were $40.00 in August of 2007. I'm not sure if they went up or not.

[magicofdisney]

That is just unbelievable. I'm curious to see how less crowded the parks will feel now that stroller usage is sure to lessen. We'll be there next week for a couple of days.

Just a couple of years ago, the single was $7 and the double was $15.

[ljv1975]

Yikes!! With the money you'd spend to rent for a week, you could buy a pretty nice stroller - brand new!

[KylesMom]

My guesses:
*They need a new "fleet" of strollers - and this is a quick way to get it;
*They can charge what the market bears & get away with it; and
*Goofy-4-Disney is right - stroller rental for the "older" kids has gotten out of control.

IMOP, we've seen kids upwards of 8-10 years old lounging in the strollers, and it may be Disney's way of getting things back under control. Especially at peak times, including the summertime, this may be their way of "stroller control".

However, I will say this: If you need the stroller, either bring it from home or rent one.

[merlinmagic4]

Yikes! We bought that red stroller mentioned above at Sea World in November but I think it was only 30.00. Where do they sell them at Disney?

I'll definitely buy one or bring one for my two year old.

Also, try not to judge the older kids in the strollers. That older child might have a medical condition that you can't see (perhaps kidney failure or post transplant.......) I got so tired of the looks of people (not too many but a few) who had no idea why my son would be "lounging" in the stroller. Sometimes I feel like I should hang a sign around his neck but it's really none of anybody's business. Judging others is destructive at best. Thank goodness I think he can make it through the parks this year so I won't have to deal with it although we'd probably have to rent a wheelchair at this age (11 and just over 100 pounds!) anyway and he would NEVER do that!

[moe513]

I think people will pay the price. We put our older child in a stroller because I find it safer. We dont have to worry about losing her in the big crowds because she is small and cant keep up. Ive never noticed any strange looks.

[Von-Drake]

I find it more convenient to take our umbrella stroller anyway. But it really woks with us, since our son has Autism. even though he is considered high functioning, unless we are in line for an attraction, he will go sit right in his stroller. It really helps us keep up with him and for those times when he starts getting a little overwhelmed, if we find a semi-quiet spot for him to recoup a little and relax from being over-stimulated.

[scootch713]

My kids are 6 and 8 and I am one of those who will pay for it. It is one of those things I have always termed "priceless".. haha.. guess it it is now "pricey"!

My daughter who is 8, doesn't actually ride it in... but the use of it to watch a show(like High School Musical) where she can sit in it, with a back to lean up against and be out of the sun, makes it worth it to me. I take my girls alone to WDW so any way I can keep them a bit fresher means the world to me.

[goofiecrazy]

Just another way to over pay for something that could be priced at a reasonable price.For the price of the stroller they sell you could get 2 of them at like Target or Wal-Mart.Its just crazy what the price is for everything and look at the economy how its going down hill.Thank god we decided to bring both our strollers in Sept. then renting one.

[Emme&TeddysMommy]

Wow that’s expensive. We are going this year and were going to rent a double stroller on the night we got to Fantasmic and MNSSHP to try and cut down on the stuff we have to carry out of the park when everyone is trying to get on the busses after the show and Halloween party. I have Irish twins under the age of two. Last year when we went we didn’t use Disney strollers because the baby was only 2 months old. I glad we spent the extra money last year buying light weight travel strollers with straps and a bag for travel, because I would be able to afford a Disney double stroller for 7 days.

[#1donaldfan]

I hope the reason is in an effort to reduce the number of strollers parked at attraction entrances.

This past July the entrance to Soarin was littered with strollers and while the building is HUGE, I didn't see that many children inside that were "stoller" ages.

[mook3y]

Wow. well... then i would have to say the best investment I made last year was buying too many double stroller "rental" coupons and bringing them home. With that kind of jump, it far out performs my 401k!

[Ian]

I suspect it's an attempt to reduce the number of strollers in the parks.

Hopefully they'll do the same thing with the motorized scooters, so I'll no longer have to be terrorized by The Scooter Mafia when strolling around Main Street.

[merlinmagic4]

Wow that’s expensive. We are going this year and were going to rent a double stroller on the night we got to Fantasmic and MNSSHP to try and cut down on the stuff we have to carry out of the park when everyone is trying to get on the busses after the show and Halloween party. I have Irish twins under the age of two. Last year when we went we didn’t use Disney strollers because the baby was only 2 months old. I glad we spent the extra money last year buying light weight travel strollers with straps and a bag for travel, because I would be able to afford a Disney double stroller for 7 days.

When we went to MVMCP the strollers were free so maybe they will be at MNSSHPP? I hope so

[MNNHFLTX]

I agree--that is quite a price hike. And while I understand the sentiment about cutting down on some of the stroller use, I think we have to remember that this puts an extra financial burden on the people who really do need the strollers (it would be the same if they increased the rental fee for ECV's too).

[Ian]

And while I understand the sentiment about cutting down on some of the stroller use, I think we have to remember that this puts an extra financial burden on the people who really do need the strollers (it would be the same if they increased the rental fee for ECV's too).

If it becomes too much of a burden, you can always bring your own stroller. That's what we do.

I mean in reality, renting strollers at WDW is nothing more than paying for convenience. It's not like it's some kind of necessary social service. Disney should charge whatever the market will bear for it and convenience services always cost more.

[biodtl]

Wow - that may be the deciding factor in my rent/buy dilemma. DD is 4 and I don't want lug our large stroller to WDW anymore, but I definitely want to have one in the park. I was thinking about buying one of the lightweight strollers that folds up easily (and small), but is still sturdy enough for a child her age and has storage. I wasn't sure I wanted to spend the money, though. But now, seeig that the rental would cost me an additional $45 ($104 total), I realize I can get a really nice one for a lot less and have it in the airports, too.

Hopefully they'll do the same thing with the motorized scooters, so I'll no longer have to be terrorized by The Scooter Mafia when strolling around Main Street.

I understand where you're coming from, but I hope they don't - they are already expensive enough and DH legitimately needs one (he fell 28 feet and landed on his feet so he can't walk distances), but we really don't need the extra expense.