Stroller for older kids

[veggirl]

I'm looking for advice on strollers for older kids. DD(8) and DS(6) haven't ridden in a stroller for a long time but I'm considering it for summer WDW trip because I've heard it's a lot of walking and I'd much rather push a kid then carry one or listen to non-stop whining about walking. But it's hard to think about a stroller with an 8 year old...

So if we go for it, I'm thinking we'd just do the Disney ones because those should fit the older kids. Reading through the threads I'm thinking single because people seem to indicate doubles are harder to maneuver in the parks.

But I'm really interested in others thoughts/advice on the topic, this will be our first trip to the parks! Thanks!

 

[imthemamahere]

Oh goodness. You're opening a can of worms by asking people about strollers for older kids... From what I've seen, some people have REALLY strong opinions about this topic.

To answer your questions, I'd say that, given the ages of your kids, I'd do a Disney stroller based on the day and your kids' energy level/needs - perhaps you won't need one on Day 1 of your trip, when everyone has energy to spare, but as the vacation wears on and the kids are a bit footsore before the day even begins, rent one and see how it goes. (Some 6 or 8 year olds will refuse to get into a stroller. Others are perfectly happy to climb in and rest their aching feet. You know best what your kids will do!) If that's what it takes for you to have a sane, whining-free trip, go for it. A single is definitely easier to maneuver. Remember that the Disney strollers are all identical - probably wise to bring something bright (scarf, ribbon, etc) to tie to the handle so you can spot it among all the other Disney strollers in stroller parking.

Have a magical trip.

 

[mjkacmom]

They could take turns pushing each other...

 

[veggirl]

Thanks @imthemamahere! I searched several pages on strollers and didn't see anything about older kids but perhaps that's why! Thank you for the advice and I like the play it by ear idea too!
Mine wouldn't mind riding in a stroller, they'd probably just argue about who gets to ride and for how long!

So are their some parks that strollers are more recommended at, some less needed?

 

[howaboutme]

We're going on our first family trip later this summer and we will rent a double. We will have a 2.5 yr old and a 7 yr old. Our youngest does not ride in a stroller typically at home and of course our oldest has not in many years. However, we believe the strollers will be used quite often. If not, at least we will have a place for storage.

Do what's best for your family and take what people say here with a grain of salt.

 

[JaimeK]

Epcot is enormous, I possibly could see using a stroller there.

But a MUCH MUCH better option is to get the kids walking more before your trip. If your kids are healthy there is no reason why they shouldn't be able to handle walking a few miles each day. BUT, if they are not used to it then you're more like to get tired feet and whining.

 

[veggirl]

Epcot is enormous, I possibly could see using a stroller there.

But a MUCH MUCH better option is to get the kids walking more before your trip. If your kids are healthy there is no reason why they shouldn't be able to handle walking a few miles each day. BUT, if they are not used to it then you're more like to get tired feet and whining.

I do want to get them more in the habit of walking a couple miles to help get them used to it. Is a couple miles a day enough to prep kids? I thought I read somewhere it's more like 10 miles a day!
For now I'm planning on both, walking to get kids used to it and stroller as backup to keep the day magical for all

 

[JaimeK]

I don't think my kids had really walked more than 1.5 miles at a time, other than hikes, but we walked often, and that was enough. There were 6 and 8 for our last trip.
It can be up to 10 miles day, but it's often less. And it's not like walking 10 miles straight. You have breaks to eat, rides, shows. I do try to minimize criss-crossing the park. I also don't plan to be in the park from open to close - and in the rare case I do then the following day with be an easy day to sleep in, swim, go out in the later afternoon for a while.

 

[veggirl]

Thanks @JaimeK that was super helpful info!

 

[veggirl]

We're going on our first family trip later this summer and we will rent a double. We will have a 2.5 yr old and a 7 yr old. Our youngest does not ride in a stroller typically at home and of course our oldest has not in many years. However, we believe the strollers will be used quite often. If not, at least we will have a place for storage.

Do what's best for your family and take what people say here with a grain of salt.

I was considering double for storage too! Not having to carry a backpack would be nice!

Thanks everyone for the opinions on this! I understand it's controversial and I really value hearing all perspectives!

 

[DSLRuser]

Your kids are capable of a great deal things if you just give them a chance. Have them walk, take breaks if you must. But do not coddle them and put them in a stroller. If they get too tired, time for a break. Ever see the movie Wall-E. yeah. get your kids up and walking as soon as possible.

Disney as a parent becomes so much more fun when you lose the burden of having to push a stroller.

All kids are different, but we kicked my girls out of their stroller when they turned 3. Never had an issue.

 

[veggirl]

Disney as a parent becomes so much more fun when you lose the burden of having to push a stroller.

@DSLRuser can you tell me more about this? Is it just the physical burden of the stroller? Does it limit where we could go? We haven't had one in awhile but used to have a BOB so perhaps the Disney strollers are just heavier / harder to move around and I'm not giving that factor enough weight?

I'm not concerned about the coddle aspect, I think our everyday home life sets that example not a week in the parks. I can see how lots of strollers with bigger kids in the park could be seen as a correlation to society in general these days. But I know my children and family and I want to make the decision based on that. It's ironic because my children have been raised as independent kids with a lot of responsibility from an early age and are outside playing constantly. I know they could walk it, I know they are capable but my worry is the complaining. Everytime we've gone somewhere where there is a lot of walking they both complain. And they are active kids, DD did a triathlon at age 6! And complaining really gets to me, especially complaining when at amazing places... of course that's my issue! I'm good at holding limits during everyday life but on vacation, on this maybe once in a lifetime vacation, I want to enjoy. I really think that's what's pushing the stroller thing for me. But I think in the meantime I can work on walking and on the complaining! Maybe I'll feel differently in a few months. Maybe we'll just have to try it without and see how it goes. But really that not knowing what it will be like is why I value everyone's thoughts on this! Thank you!

 

[howaboutme]

Your kids are capable of a great deal things if you just give them a chance. Have them walk, take breaks if you must. But do not coddle them and put them in a stroller. If they get too tired, time for a break. Ever see the movie Wall-E. yeah. get your kids up and walking as soon as possible.

Disney as a parent becomes so much more fun when you lose the burden of having to push a stroller.

All kids are different, but we kicked my girls out of their stroller when they turned 3. Never had an issue.

I personally don't believe anyone on these boards are qualified to comment on anyone's parenting style. I think we should just give objective advice based on pros/cons on stroller use. If we stick to that, this won't be such a hot topic.

 

[kohlby]

At 6, my eldest didn't have the choice but no stroller. The baby was in the sling and the 3 year old of the moment was in the stroller. We did 7 different theme parks (4 Disney) over the course of a week and he did an amazing job. This was a kid who used to complain about walking 10 feet. We told him we would stay in the parks each day as long as everyone was doing well and he made sure he was never the reason we left. Since he is the oldest, he had to keep up with my husband and I who don't exactly walk slowly. I had meant to prep him before with extra walking but we had a record cold winter and there wasn't a chance to do it. I was amazed at how well he did.

At 6, my middle child could have taken turns sharing the stroller with the 3 year old. She's petite but has amazing endurance. She didn't need it at all and would have been fine without it at 5.

At 6, my youngest didn't have a Disney trip. He had one at 5 and really needed the stroller, but due to his sensory issues - not due to endurance. We did a 6 day Universal trip this past winter and he did great without the stroller. (He was 6 then). We're doing Disney in the fall and I'm quite comfortable that he will be just fine without a stroller.

From reading these boards, it seems like 5 is the age where half the kids still need the stroller for Disney and half do not. I wouldn't get a stroller at 6 and 8 just because some say it's a lot of walking. I'd consider your specific children. Yes, there are some 6 year olds who need strollers at Disney, but not all do so consider your child.

Another option is to budget for possibly renting a stroller from Disney. Start out your trip without. You'll figure out if they need one. It's also possible they won't need one at the start of the trip, but will by the end. If you do rent, I would stick with the single because it's rare a 6 and 8 year old to need a stroller most of the time. They can take turns.

*We've brought our stroller for many, many Universal/Disney trips. We started going with my eldest was 3. On our last with-stroller trip, our Eldest was 11. (And youngest 5). We did our first no-stroller trip to Universal and it was so freeing not to have to go get the stroller or watch so carefully when we walk. I really liked not having to worry about it. I thought I'd miss having a place to put my stuff. We were able to travel with one single small backpack for the 5 of us and it was really easy. I'm looking forward to our first stroller-free Disney trip.

 

[msmama]

My son last used a stroller at age 5 because that's when he outgrew it. He was 50 lbs, the weight limit on the stroller was 50 lbs. I'll tell you, I came home EXHAUSTED and HURTING from having to push that darn stroller around all the time - and I had a quite good stroller!! (Walking wise, he would've outgrown the stroller earlier, but I kept at it until I did because he had some sensory issues he was still working on outgrowing and the stroller gave him a safe space for down time).

The Disney strollers are big and bulky. You will work harder pushing 2 bigger kids around in a disney stroller than you will wearing a backpack.

My son is almost 8 and on his 5th trip without a stroller and he has never ever once complained about his feet hurting or his legs being tired or anything actually having to do with walking in the parks. If we're out late (which we're normally not - we usually head back to the resort at around dinner time) then we do often have to take breaks or just sit somewhere for awhile instead of riding rides. During the xmas party last year, he did fall asleep on the ground while waiting for the parade to start. But he always bucks up to walk back to the busses at the end of the night.

 

[DSLRuser]

I personally don't believe anyone on these boards are qualified to comment on anyone's parenting style. I think we should just give objective advice based on pros/cons on stroller use. If we stick to that, this won't be such a hot topic.

Then people need to stop asking for opinions. Be a parent. Make a decision and stick with you decision. If you ask open ended questions, expect honest answers.

 

[DSLRuser]

@DSLRuser can you tell me more about this? Is it just the physical burden of the stroller? Does it limit where we could go? We haven't had one in awhile but used to have a BOB so perhaps the Disney strollers are just heavier / harder to move around and I'm not giving that factor enough weight?
!

Yes. Ang just know I was not picking on you ar assuming you are / were a bad parent. Just giving my opinion since you asked for it.

Having done disney for years with a stroller, being able to not have one is just so refreshing. You loose the stress of being able to close the stroller down fast enough getting on the buses. You dont worry about people thinking you are too slow or your stroller is too big.

We all know disney is uber crowded now a days. So much easier to grab your childs hand and walk single file through the crowds versus worrying about chopping people ankles off, or someone falling over or into you kid in a stroller.

While I do miss the days of being able to stuff all kinds of stuff into our stroller, it is nice to know at the end of an attraction, i am not forced to go back to the holding area and find my stuff. wondering where it was moved too. You just learn to pack smaller and keep it all in a back pack. keep that back pack on you.

And i am firm believer in pushing your kids and finding their limit. Having them walk at disney age 6 can teach them it is ok to be active. May make them a beter runner for soccer, or have the stamina to do a 5k race at age 7 versus sitting inside playing video games.

When they complain they are tired, work with them to go just a little farther. it is ok to be tired, but life still has to carry on. when you get older, and you get tired from work, the grass still has to get cut.

 

[Camshell]

If you don't take a stroller and want to get them into "Disney" shape before the trip I would recommend practicing standing too (in addition to walking). For my family I found it uses different muscles to stand for longer periods of time. I find we stand a lot a Disney for different things. I practice standing when watching TV, eating at our kitchen island, reading, etc. at home.

 

[pammascio]

I'm a big believer in the stroller. We live in the city and walk everywhere but Disney is its own level of exhaustion. Having the stroller means I can move a lot faster than if I'm waiting for little legs to try and catch up. It also gives my son a place to rest and maybe even nap. On our last trip to Disneyland he fell asleep in the stroller after the fireworks and I was able to spend an hour alone in the park wandering and shopping without being rushed. It was wonderful!

 

[quagmire0]

Play it by ear and see what your kids can handle. You can always rent a stroller on demand at the parks. (And I'd agree that you want the parks ones that can hold bigger kids - other rental strollers have a 50lb limit, along with a height limit). We'll be going in June with a 9yo, 6yo, 4yo and a 11mo. We may rent a double for the younger ones, but the older two are on their own. The real downside to not doing a stroller is that if you're into doing touring plans it is much more of a challenge to get everyone from point A to point B quickly.