Stroller Rental for 7 year old?

[mrsw94]

I'm hoping some of you amazing Disney fans can give me some advice. We'll be heading to DL in October with our kids 7 & 13 (eek...she'll be 13 by then!). Anyway, our 7 year old has ADHD and some anxiety issues. He doesn't always do well in crowds. This will be our first trip where he won't have the safety of a stroller to retreat to. (Our last trip DH ended up in a wheelchair, so he could sit on Daddy's lap).

I'm wondering if it might be a good idea to ether rent a stroller from, DL (not sure how big they are), or if I should look into purchasing one before we leave and bringing it with us. He's a little guy, just over 40lbs and less than 48 inches.
Any suggestions?

Thanks!!

 

[calilou]

We haven't needed a stroller the last couple of years but the ones DL rents seem like they'd definitely fit your son comfortably. They look roomy.

 

[offwithyourhead]

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/cognitive-disabilities/

This isn't EXACTLY your situation as I think it's geared more towards autistic guests, but it says "strollers as wheelchairs" here alongside mentioning that strollers are for rent, so I would give Guest Relations a call and ask what their size restrictions are if they have any. Then you can get the tag mentioned on that page so he can stay inside the stroller in lines if the queues cause him to panic.

 

[JenB1104]

You could also look into stroller rental companies that will deliver to your hotel. We did this at WDW for our tall (48 inches) 5.5 year old and it saved us. In my opinion you are not too old for a stroller at Disney. It saved meltdowns and allowed us to get from one place to another in crowds quickly. We got a Citi Mini that was designed for kids her size. It was so much better than the park strollers that you can rent. I am going to start researching rental companies in DL soon as we go there in November. Worth every penny for us!

 

[starshine514]

I would say yes to the stroller if you feel he needs it for the reasons mentioned. I'd say it would be unnecessary for a 7 year old without crowd anxiety (or other obstacles). At his size, I'm sure the ones they rent in the park would be fine. I've seen kids a good 8-10 inches taller than that in the rental strollers.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would get a Maclaren Volo umbrella stroller if they still make them. It's compact but comfy. The handle height was good for 5'3" me to 5'10" DH.

 

[disneydreamer74]

My DD8 is an Aspie and has anxiety issues as well. She needs the stroller to have her space from the crowds and for when she gets over stimulated. Trust me, people look at us like we are crazy driving around a big stroller, but I could care less if my daughter enjoys her trip. We rent from City Stroller Rentals. They have strollers that accommodate different weight limits and recline (disney strollers do not look comfy IMO) this time we rented the stroller for bigger kids and disable kids. It was difficult to navigate because it was larger, but so worth it for my DD's peace of mind.

 

[Lilly Belle 84]

I would look into a rental from City Strollers, we don't use a stroller at home for DS5, but at WDW and DLR it is a must for us. The DLR strollers cannot be taken from the esplanade. Don't underestimate the need for the stroller on the way back to wherever you are staying, especially if you're navigating lot's of people leaving at the same time, it can be very overwhelming!

 

[Tinker1972]

My son just turned 8 and is about the same size as yours..when we went in November, he sat in my niece's stroller a few times when he wasn't feeling well and he fit perfectly. He was quite comfortable and enjoyed the break! They rented the stroller from the park.