Stroller Help Needed

I need some help from the stroller experts at Intercot.

My DH and I will be taking our grandson for his first trip to WDW this October (he will be 1 year, 8 months old in October). We will be driving and really don't have room for his stroller (it's one of those travel systems), which takes up most of the trunk.

Do the rental strollers recline, in case he falls asleep?

What about Downtown Disney? I don't believe I've seen rental strollers there. Do we need to at least bring an umbrella stroller from home for Downtown Disney?

We've made about 13 trips to WDW since 1996, but haven't needed a stroller since our trip in 1990, so I haven't paid much attention to the details of the rentals.

Any help would be much appreciated.

(I know my post isn't very fancy! I've been a member since 03/2003 and read the boards almost every day, but I guess I'm kinda quiet/shy)

I have never been to Disney with kids. This September will be my first. But, from other posts and after asking my family and friends with kids. Purchase an umbrella stroller if you can't bring the Cadillac (thats what we call the huge travel systems) There are also some very lightweight compact strollers for maybe under $40 or so that have a basket underneath. Spending that much would be the same as renting a stroller for the week. The stollers for rent do not recline and are hard plastic. I don't believe there's any cushioning on the seats. So be warned that butts and necks will hurt when in the stroller too long or naps last for more than a few minutes. There is a small mesh sac under the handles but, they really don't hold much. And if you bring your own stroller, you're much less likely to have the stroller taken because of a mix up. Yours will be unique and not look like the rest. Hope this helps you!

The strollers at the parks do not recline - they are a hard molded plastic (except MGM which is a nylon mesh jogging stroller type). If you can find a way to fit his stroller in, I would really recommend bringing it. If you do rent, bring a blanket to put in the stroller to help make it a bit more comfortable - you can then use the blanket as a pillow to help prop them up if they fall asleep.
Also, you can rent strollers at Downtown Disney - they are available for rental at guest services. You are required to leave a deposit ($20), but it will be refunded when you return the stroller and present the original receipt.

i just wanted to say i love your screen name, Heidisney! My middle dd is heidi, what a cool idea!!!

Tracy

[ April 25, 2005, 08:26 PM: Message edited by: threeh ]

Thank ya'll so much for the replies!

I was hoping the rentals were cloth, not hard plastic, though I realize it is easier for Disney to keep hard plastic clean, not to mention dry, especially since they're mostly outside. Ya'll have some great ideas for what kind to bring from home. Looks like that's what we'll have to do. I'll feel much better knowing he's comfortable.

Tracy - Thanks for the screen name compliment! That's neat that your middle DD is Heidi. You still don't hear that name too much.

Thanks again everyone!

I would suggest going to Sears or Toys R Us and buying an umbrella stroller. Some recline, but even if you can't find one that does, kids fall asleep in them quite easily.

An umbrella stroller won't take up much space in the car and collapses easily while on Disney Transportation.

For a child that young, I wouldn't recommend the Disney strollers...they're really made for toddlers.

I agree with the umbrella stroller. On our last visit, we were needing two strollers and I didn't want to invest in another huge travel system (even though it is handy with cup holders, storage, etc.). At the Babies R Us, they sell a pretty nice umbrella stroller type for about $40 that collapses to practically nothing, reclines, and had a storage basket underneath. This was so much easier to maneuver through crowds and didn't take up a lot of space when not in use. We liked it so much, in fact, that it has replaced our original, more expensive stroller to take on outings! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

I agree with everyone! Definitely BRING a stroller, and if you are buying a new lighter one, try it out with your grandson first so that he is used to it. You'll be so glad you have this on the way in and out of the parks-- otherwise you will be carrying him very long distances!

I am sooooooooooo glad I came to Intercot with this stroller question. You guys are GREAT!!!! One less thing to worry about.

Great suggestion about the umbrella stroller and to buy the stroller ahead of time and get him used to it. That was actually one of my worries about the rentals...that it wasn't a stroller he was used to.

I agree...those rentals do not seem appropriate for someone his age.

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

We rented a stroller at the parks. Our girls at the time were 1.5 and 4. Renting was easy. Losing one was easy too. Ours was stolen three times. You go a location and get another one. Once someone was leaving the park and gave us theirs.
Our problem was when we left the park. We didn't have a stroller. At the time our youngest was vey gung-ho and could walk for a long time. But If I did it again I was take my our. Between 20 to 50 you can get a decent stroller to get you by for the week. Taking the larger one is tough. Ask the people trying to get on and off the monorails and buses. Many people get by with their own strollers. I'm actually looking at a picture of my daughter taken at AK and there are four strollers in the background and all are none rented ones. Good luck.

We found our light-weight umbrella strollers complete with baskets and canopies at the grocery store of all places! (And I only paid about $15 for each one.) They are heading down to WDW for their third trip in September. :D

We always (even in the days we rented) put something on the handle that we can spot in a sea of strollers. My personal favorite was a Pooh luggage tag we picked up somewhere in our travels...

I agree with everyone else on purchasing a stroller and taking it with you. On our trip last spring we bought an umbrella stroller. In December we took our jogging stroller. We were glad we did. This way we always had a stroller and never had to worry about a rental.

Also...we came out on top in the money category when we bought rather than rent.

Have fun.

Thanks again to everyone for your help!

It appears unanimous that the best way to go is to buy a lightweight stroller that is compact when folded.

One more thing to keep in mind - the WDW strollers are not only uncofortable (we rented one for our 4 year old) but the are also big which can make it very hard to navigate through a crowd.

Are the bigger strollers (non-umbrella type) allowed on the buses? We have one umbrella and one bigger one, but I was planning to bring them both because we have two kids. I like the extra storage capacity of the larger one, but I don't want to get there and find out I can't take it on the buses.

We had a double stroller on our last trip in 2001 - we rode the buses and monorail with it.

Don't forget one of those clear, plastic stroller covers. Store it underneath the stroller and your special little passenger will stay dry during one of those quick Florida rain showers!

We bought a double umbrella stroller at Toys R Us for our two kids...it's side by side and sort of bulky but it worked fine and we got it on the bus (stroller just have to fold up).

Just an option, but I know that Happy Limo rents them at a very reasonable rate. We're considering doing this for our next trip. We're going to just have them pick us up at the airport (skipping the Magic Express, my family is too impatient) There are some other places that rent baby equipment and will deliver it to your room.

I agree with everyone about bringing your own stroller. But on our last trip(Jan), when we got to Orlando our cheap umbrella stroller was missing a wheel! We ended up buying one in Downtown Disney for $40.00. It was a little pricey for an umbrella stroller, but it reclined, had a cover, nice handle pads and it folded up! It is still our best travel stroller. I tell you this, just in case your stroller won't fit in the trunk! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Actually,my husband and I are debating about bringing our umbroller for our son(3ys).I know he could probably do alot of walking and its good for him,but I don't want him to get too tired or he has to be carried [img]graemlins/crazy.gif[/img] it will be hot and we'll probably have a couple bags which the stroller is great for.I think I'm gonna try it the first day and see how he does!September 2005 Can't wait [img]graemlins/clappy.gif[/img]

One important thing about bringing an unbrella stroller - be SURE it has a canopy (sun cover!) also, bring a light blanket - like the ones they give out at the hospital. You can drape it over the canopy when kid is sleeping and works ok as a towel after a wet ride or play in splash foutain.

You can take larger strollers on the busses and monorail but they have to fold and they are just more to carry. You can get mesh bags that attach to the back of the unbrella kind if you need more storage.

I too recommend the plastic rain covers, quick thunderstorms are common and then everything can go under the plastic cover.

I would bring a stroller to Disney for any kid under six - and maybe even longer. Yes, walking is good exersice but there is SO much of it at Disney. It also helps contain a kid during crowded exits from fireworks and is a comfy place for them to sit at parades.

We're thinking of bringing our Jeep jogging stroller. Is this a bad idea? Is it too big? Is it likely to get swiped?

I'm worried about the flimsiness of an umbrella stroller. I'm hoping to use the stroller to store the diapers and stuff we have to carry with us.

Our son will be 15 months when we go.

Oh Goodness!!! I'm gonna have to print out these replies to remember all these wonderful tips...lightweight stroller with basket and canopy cover, plastic cover for rain, lightweight blanket! [img]graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

I do remember from our first family trip in 1990, we brought an umbrella stroller with us for our then 3 year, 10 month old DD. I didn't know if we needed a stroller or not, but brought it just in case. Boy, was I glad we had one. She would walk for a while and, when she got tired of walking, she would climb back in the stroller. She learned real quick how nice it was to ride and spent a bigger percentage of the time in the stroller.

Thanks again everyone!

I wouldn't really worry too much about it getting stolen. Until last year we took our full size Graco stroller to Disney - and let me tell you, that stroller traveled alot of miles over a four-trip period! It was great for DS because we could put it in the recline position and he could take naps whenever he got tired. It was great for us because we could put a collapsible cooler, lightweight blanket to drape over the top to protect him from the sun, spray fan, snacks, camcorder bag draped over the handle and anything else we needed in the bottom - oh yeah, lots of WIPES! [img]graemlins/rotfl.gif[/img]

My suggestion is to take what you are comfortable with. Many people have alot of good luck with the umbrella strollers, but it wouldn't have been a good choice for us. [img]graemlins/mickey.gif[/img]

Oh, and one other thing - birds love to "splat" on freshly washed stroller covers. The plastic cover (or cloth diapers) is a MUST! :D

[ May 13, 2005, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: KylesMom ]

we rented a stroller last time we went and the dd's were 3 and 5. we had the nicer umbrella stroller (did not take to disney) :cool: and used it until the wheels fell off!! about 40 new and worth every penny!!!!

as an aside..... my SIL wondered if we would rent one this time when kids are 6 & 8!! people don't really let kids that old ride in strollers do they??? she said she remembered having to carry her youngest (9) around for part of the day. i told her my kids were too old to be carried and way tooo old for stroller!!! guess i am a meanie eh??

On our last trip, I took a double stroller, even though I did not have twins. One seat was for my preschooler and the other seat helped carry our bags. The one seat folded down so my daughter could stretch out for a nice nap. We also eventually rented a stroller when my 5 year old son needed a rest.

If you buy an umbrella stroller get one of those clip on sunshades! Learned that lesson the hard way. [img]redface.gif[/img]

I have two kids and I found the double stroller rental to be just the ticket at MK. My kids (5&2 at the time) took a great afternoon nap and I am getting another one this year.

Yaaaaaaah!!!! More GREAT tips!!!!

Got another question: Do ya'll leave all the bags (camera bags, diaper bags, merchandise bags, etc.), in the stroller, when you leave it parked to go on an attraction, or do you take all these bags with you? This can really make you want to downsize how much is stuffed in the baskets!

Thanks again!

We send most of our merchandise back to the room...but what we have unless it's expensive, we leave. I don't carry a camera bag....I keep my cameras with me...when we had a diaper bag...we left that.

I've seen some good light weight strollers, try to get one that has a little tray for the little one. If not they sell snack cup/toy bars you can strap on. I would also suggest the mesh bag that you can strap on to the handles. They also make cup holders that snap-on to the handles. I was told that when I go down to bring a plastic table cloth to cover the stroller when you have to leave it outside in case it rains. Have fun.