4 year old

[EmmMOM2]

Will my 4 year old need a stroller?
I hope their are some parents out their with experience on this age. We are bringing our comfy single with us for our younger child, but would we need to rent one for our 4 year old, or could he handle walking?
I was thinking about an umbrella stroller but i think his weight (40lbs) exceeds most of those.

[Belle1217]

I would bring a little stroller with me. It is alot of walking, sometimes I wished I had a stroller I was able to find a very lightweight almost like a stroller for our last trip. It was very handy. If folded up and locked itself and then there was a strap so you could carry it on your shoulder. When we go this year my son will almost be 5 and I am still taking it.

[biodtl]

I would use a stroller, too. At 4, it's a lot of walking - especially when they see their sibling riding. Look around for good deals on lightweight strollers that have larger capacity - I got a great deal on ebay on a silver cross micro v2, which is only 9 lbs. We'll be taking it in Oct for our 4 year old.

Another option is one of those standing boards or seats that you can attach to your existing stroller - if it's possible for the kind you have.

It might seem like an expense to buy a stroller or accessory, but compared to the cost of a rental it would be worth it. I figured out that it would be over $100 for us to rent and I paid $57 for the stroller I mentioned. Even with shipping, it's a savings.

[KylesMom]

When DS was 4, a stroller was an absolute must. Even though he was getting too long for his Graco stroller, I can't imagine doing the trip without one. I would hesitate to rent one based on new rental rates, however. If he currently does not have a stroller, I'd take him to the store to see what you can find that'd fit his leg span. He'll be much more comfortable, and so will your arms and back!

[Stormer]

Especially in EPCOT. There is a lot of walking there. Even my 6 year old get tired walking around WS.

My 4 year old is big so I bought a Maclaren on Ebay. It folds up small like an umbrella stroller, but holds 50 lbs.

[Giselle]

I just got back from DW with my 4 yr old and a stroller was necessary. She couldn't make it from the bus stop to the stroller rental without being carried. Also it keeps them from running off. But when there was a crowd i.e. parade/fireworks it was IMPOSSIBLE to push the stroller through the ECVs and dbl wide stroller jams!!. I had to ditch it and pick her up. So if you anticipate a crowd, you might want to skip it for that event, The ride on idea sounds great.

[mudpuppysmom]

We took our stroller with us until DS was nearly 5 and he used it. The last time we took it with us, we mainly left it in the room and promised each other that if we saw DS getting a bit pooped one of us would go back and grab it. We used it only ONE night and it was not DS's fault -- it was ours....we did not want to listen to him grumble about walking more that night.

That said, you know your own kids.......and even if they do walk a lot or are very active at home.....be prepared for several miles each day. Walking adds up let me tell you! I took a pedometer with me one trip and most of the time we walked between 10-12 MILES per day, yes MILES. We stayed at Shades of Green that trip and yes we walked to the Poly almost every morning and we do spend many days at Epcot, but still -- it's a lot of walking.

[scootch713]

It is a must for my just turned 6 year old. She never needs one elsewhere, but it is great to have one there to keep her out of the sun a bit and a bit more refreshed... definitely rent or bring one. Rental prices have recently increased dramatically, just fyi.

[Dakota Rose]

My DS will be nearly 5 when we go in January and I'm planning on bringing a stroller. Ideally, I'd like to find a double stroller since we'll have a baby too. But, he's already 44 lbs ....

[cal5755]

Last September I brought one for our 4 yr old DD... she never used it though and we left it in the room after the first day. I would bring one just in case but don't be surprised if it doesn't get used that much.

[madi47]

I have to say that my DD who just turned 7 still uses one in the world. That is the only plave she uses one. Lets face it- it is a lot of walking and the kids get really tired.

[Mickey91]

If you are driving, I would bring one. My 10 year old still wishes she could fit in a stroller by the end of the week. Especially for AK. If you are flying, wait til you get here and buy one. If you are renting a car, you can get an umbrella stroller at Walmart probably cheaper than renting one for one day at a park. If you aren't renting, you can buy one at Disney for around $40 unless they went up also.

[kathiep]

On our last trip, my 4 year old used one. He did spent some time walking but we were so glad we had it in the later parts of the day.

[crltkcagle]

On our last trip my middle son was 4 and he definetly needed a stroller. My oldest was 6 and he got in it too! We rented the double stroller and stuck all three kids in that sucker!

[minnie-mouse]

Definitely bring or rent a stroller for your 4 year old. It is a lot of walking for them. It will also save you time being able to move faster between ride locations wtih the 4 year old in the stroller. Not to mention, it really helps at the end of the day when they are tired and cranky -they can rest in the stroller and give you a break.

[illini]

This depends on your child, how you tour, and the time of year that you go. In general, I'd say absolutely. But we also are with the poster who said they went 10-12 miles a day. We tend to go commando (touring, that is-- I promise we all wear undies!). My kids are all active and in good shape, but that's a LOT of walking for a lot of days in a row, and possibly in the heat.
But if you take it really slow, you might not need one.

[Disney Doll]

In general I think it depends on the kid and on your plan of attack for the parks. I hate bringing a stroller and I try to avoid it if I can. I have taken a 4 yr old with no stroller. It was great, but we went in Feb when it was not hot and we take lots of breaks throughout the day. I would try it without and then you could always rent if you need to. At least you would know the rentals are big enough to accommodate an older child.

[wire0monkey]

My son was almost 5 when we went at the end of last summer. We took one stroller for our 2.5-year-old son. I really didn't want to deal with two strollers all day. At the end of the day, the almost-5-year-old was frequently too tired to walk out and wanted to be carried or ride. We'd take the 2.5-year-old out of the stroller and put him on our shoulders and put the almost-5-year-old in the stroller.

[Fryguy]

My DS will be nearly 5 when we go in January and I'm planning on bringing a stroller. Ideally, I'd like to find a double stroller since we'll have a baby too. But, he's already 44 lbs ....

When we went last year with our 5 year old and 1 1/2 year old (at the time) we used a Caboose stoller. It is long and not wide. It allowed one child to sit in the front and the other to either stand or sit in the back.

It was perfect for those long nights when they wanted to see the fireworks and then passed out.

I would suggest bringing one if you can.