Do I Need a Stroller/Wagon

[nickmiller70]

Hey everyone! I am searching for advice and will welcome any opinion on this.

Here's my situation: My family is planning a Disney World trip in October. We have been before, but haven't been in over 5 years. I have three kids that will be 12/9/7 when we travel. We are staying on-site (Port Orleans) and are using a Disney Dining Plan

What I want to know is, Should I bring a stroller or wagon on this trip? We have always had a young enough one that a stroller was necessary for the day, but with the kids being older, I don't know what to do. I don't think any of my kids will "need" a ride at any point, and I'm definitely leaning more towards collapsible wagon at this point than a stroller. But is something like this over-kill to carry stuff/kids, or is this smart planning? Like I said, we've always taken something in the past, but besides the walking aspect, we also had the supplies needed for young ones. We won't have any of those and what we are planning on taking will definitely fit in a small backpack. I just need some advice from parents of kids that are around my kids age to help make the decision.

 

[Sara_H]

My thought would be no. When we went last year my kids were 7 and 9 and we did not have a stroller (not even sure if wagons are allowed). My 7 year old walked the entire week just fine until the last night where she ended up receiving a piggy back ride. We carried what we needed in a backpack (a Jansport one so not small but not huge either). We had plenty of room for snacks, water, cameras, pin necklaces (because of course the kids couldn't just wear them). It was really nice to finally not need a stroller...no need to locate the stroller parking!

 

[brownjars]

I wouldn’t hesitate to bring one if you think you need it. I voted depends, because I think it matters how hard you plan on going during the week. If you plan on walking 10 miles a day (easy to do at Disney), and your 7yo isn’t used to that, you will run into problems.

My last trip was with 5,9,11. Obviously the 5yo used it, but occasionally the 9yo would take a quick sit break in it. We are the 10 miles a day type.

I like to put bags under stroller as well, but that is personal preference. Ponchos alone is one of the bags. Or bag of light jackets. I wear a backpack too.

 

[karen4546]

Hey everyone! I am searching for advice and will welcome any opinion on this.

Here's my situation: My family is planning a Disney World trip in October. We have been before, but haven't been in over 5 years. I have three kids that will be 12/9/7 when we travel. We are staying on-site (Port Orleans) and are using a Disney Dining Plan

What I want to know is, Should I bring a stroller or wagon on this trip? We have always had a young enough one that a stroller was necessary for the day, but with the kids being older, I don't know what to do. I don't think any of my kids will "need" a ride at any point, and I'm definitely leaning more towards collapsible wagon at this point than a stroller. But is something like this over-kill to carry stuff/kids, or is this smart planning? Like I said, we've always taken something in the past, but besides the walking aspect, we also had the supplies needed for young ones. We won't have any of those and what we are planning on taking will definitely fit in a small backpack. I just need some advice from parents of kids that are around my kids age to help make the decision.

I think your children will be fine with no stroller. btw...

• Strollers must be 31” (79cm) wide and 52” (132cm) long or smaller.
• As a reminder, wagons are not permitted in our parks. Stroller wagons will also no longer be permitted.

 

[22Tink]

My kids quit using strollers at about age 5. They were good to walk. I knew Disney’s rental strollers were always available if absolutely necessary but we never needed them. You know your kids best though!

As mentioned above, wagons and stroller wagons are not allowed into the parks.

 

[TwinkleKS]

Wagons aren't permitted anyway ... and I'm pretty much anti stroller over the age of 5 (unless medically necessary). My kids are now 8, 10, and 10. It has been at least three years since we used a stroller. In March we took my 4 year old niece and she didn't need a stroller either. We just finished at DC trip with two days of 7+ miles of walking and the three kids were all fine. In most cases I think kids can go a lot longer than we give them credit for. Also, who the heck wants to carry a bunch of crap with them?!? That is also my philosophy. I take a small crossbody for my phones because I'm always on call, but that's it.

 

[verleniahall]

Wagons are not allowed

 

[Brett Wyman]

Id just Amazon a throw away umbrella stroller or two to your hotel so its there when you get there. Just check the weight limits.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Wagons got banded starting May 2019

 

[NYCgrrl]

Hey everyone! I am searching for advice and will welcome any opinion on this.

Here's my situation: My family is planning a Disney World trip in October. We have been before, but haven't been in over 5 years. I have three kids that will be 12/9/7 when we travel. We are staying on-site (Port Orleans) and are using a Disney Dining Plan

What I want to know is, Should I bring a stroller or wagon on this trip? We have always had a young enough one that a stroller was necessary for the day, but with the kids being older, I don't know what to do. I don't think any of my kids will "need" a ride at any point, and I'm definitely leaning more towards collapsible wagon at this point than a stroller. But is something like this over-kill to carry stuff/kids, or is this smart planning? Like I said, we've always taken something in the past, but besides the walking aspect, we also had the supplies needed for young ones. We won't have any of those and what we are planning on taking will definitely fit in a small backpack. I just need some advice from parents of kids that are around my kids age to help make the decision.

Given the ages of your children and stated use for the stroller I can't imagine what you would need it for. Sounds like your stroller and wagon days are over what with not needing them for infant to toddler supplies. The interesting thing about most children at your age range is they are NOT interested in carrying anything so no need to assemble or carry a bunch of stuff that will only hold you back at the security lines, and make you uncomfy on Disney transport. There is a poster who rarely eats in the parks and uses a stroller to carry the family's food but you have not mentioned that as a possibility.

*Edited to add* The children I've traveled with at WDW range in age from 8 to 13 to date.

 

[Tink_83]

I would say the 7 year old is the only one i would consider a stroller for and I would do an umbrella stroller for the limited use it would receive. That’s just me personally. As already noted wagons are not permitted including the stroller wagons.

 

[VAfamily1998]

I have 4 kids that are each about 2 years apart. The last time we used a stroller, the youngest was 18 months (so others were 3, 5, and 7.)
The next time we went to Disney, the kids were 3, 5, 7, and 9 and we did not use a stroller.

Unless a stroller was medically necessary, it would not occur to me to use one for kids over the age of 3 or 4.

 

[danielocha30]

Backpack will be enough, new policy don’t allow wagons anymore, you will be surprised how much you will enjoy to be stroller free

 

[Best Aunt]

We took my nephews when they were 7 and 9. The seven-year-old would have been mortified at the thought of a stroller.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

If asking for opinions- no reason at all for a stroller for kids those ages.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

To be fair, wagons were never allowed. The Keenz stroller wagon was a workaround because you could push it, but they closed that loophole.

 

[sparkle78]

I vote for depends. Yes, a 5-7 year old can walk around the park for 6 or 7 miles. But if you go from 9 am to 9 pm, ( closer to 10 miles) do you want to deal with a crabby kid at 6 pm? We used ours to hold all the rain gear and jackets underneath. We would park it by Tomorrowland for several hours, then give them a little rest as we went over to Adventureland. I also liked having it to wheel a tired kid through the fireworks/ end of night crowd to get out of the parks.

 

[OpieDoodle]

I think it depends on the kid. If they're super active and use to heavier walking then you probably won't need one. If they're not a active kid you may want a stroller. Strollers usually fly free with kids anyways so I would bring a cheap umbrella stroller for your room. Try the first day, if you don't need a stroller GREAT if you do then you're not at the mercy of renting or purchasing one down there.

 

[YawningDodo]

You'll get a lot of strong opinions in response to a question like this, as I think you've already seen!

I would just ask yourself which would create a bigger hassle/problem on your trip and plan accordingly:
Worst Case Scenario #1: You need a stroller but didn't bring one, and you have to either rent a Disney stroller each day or pick up a cheap umbrella stroller from Walmart outside the property line.
Worst Case Scenario #2: You went to the trouble of bringing a stroller all the way from home and you don't need it, so it sits in your hotel room and then you have to haul it back home again at the end of the trip.

Give me your gut reaction: which of those sounds more likely to throw a wrench in your trip? I suggest basing your decision on that.

 

[lovin'fl]

1st off....no, OP, you don't need a wagon or stroller
2nd off...was there May 20-22 and saw wagons still being allowed in the parks. That whole rule thingy was a farce.