We parents depend on our strollers. We spend hundreds of dollars to thousands of dollars to help us carry our children and all of their accessories. But when it comes to planning trips to Disney Parks, we have a decision to make. This week, the Parents Panel shares our opinion: Do you take your own stroller or rent one? Do you have a favorite stroller? Which is it and why?
Elizabeth Peterson lives in Southern California with her husband and two kids.
I always bring my own stroller to Disneyland because it’s just easier for me. I have two toddlers and usually try to get by with one stroller if I have someone else with me. If it’s just me, I use my double stroller (Disneyland does not rent double strollers). I see my strollers as rolling storage units. I can put all the snacks, sippy cups, blankets, changes of clothes, diapers, hats—you get the picture—in, on or clipped to the stroller.
I’m a huge fan of the BOB Revolution Jogging Strollers (link) I have a single and a double. They are really comfortable for the kids and super smooth and easy to push for the parents. I like to hang a few stroller hooks on it, which is good for hanging jackets and bags. I also frequently tie a helium balloon to the stroller to make it easier to spot in the sea of strollers. The other reason I really like to have my own stroller is that, at the end of the day, the kids are tired and it’s nice that they can be in their stroller. If you rent, you have to turn it in as you leave the park. Then, you have to walk to the trams or parking or hotel stroller-less. In fact, I often skip the tram and just walk to whichever lot I’m parked in. Finally, if you go to Disneyland as often as we do, the cost of renting strollers can really add up. Bringing your own stroller is a way to save some cash.
You can follow Elizabeth’s adventures on her blog (link)
Parenting in the Parks columnist Adrienne Krock’s three boys are now 11, 8, and 5. They’ve been visiting Disneyland since they were each just weeks old. Adrienne has been a day camp counselor and teacher. Now she’s a mom and a Cub Scout leader and has been a Disneyland Annual Passholder for 14 years.
I am long on the record as being a big fan of bringing my own stroller to the parks for one simple reason: Rental strollers stay inside the parks.
I want my stroller with me all day long, no matter where I go. The longest walks of our day are to and from the parking structure or hotels. Those are the times when we need our stroller the most. At the end of a day at the parks, my little ones wanted to rest, not walk. When we carry our own bags, we don’t want to be carrying a child, too. Obviously, with our own stroller, in addition to carrying our children, we more easily tote our goodies, too, from sweatshirts to water bottles. We save money on both rental strollers and lockers with our own strollers.
My stroller does not merely carry my child when he is tired. I can corral him in the stroller when crowds are big and I need to know where he is. My stroller becomes a convenient cart at airports and hotels, too.
Over the years I have owned several strollers, but by far my favorite, which we have used the most and will take with us to Walt Disney World this fall, is our Maclaren Triumph (link). This stroller rocks hard. It folds up and then in half with a strap to carry over a shoulder when we need to. It is lightweight but sturdy, with a decent sized basket.
MousePlanet columnist Lisa Perkis says her proudest accomplishment in life is being a mom to Emma, 15, and Charlotte, 12. She has also taught preschool for 19 years in her hometown of San Diego. She and her family visit Disneyland as often as possible and have had annual passes for 12 years. Lisa writes:
It’s been quite a few years since I had the pleasure of taking a stroller to the parks so I can’t speak to the best brands and the most new-fangled gadgets on the market right now. However, reading the question brought back a lot of memories of a simpler time when our family used to pack up everything but the kitchen sink and take the baby to Disneyland. I know many new parents long for the day when they can ditch the stroller and junior can walk all day, but, frankly, I miss having the stroller as a companion at the park. Where else can four jackets, two hats, a sack lunch, water bottles, and souvenirs be stowed so easily? Our stroller used to resemble a mobile home by the time we finished packing it with all our stuff from home. I also miss having a nice little space for a little one to check out for a while and awake in a happy frame of mind. If only I had something like it for my 15 year old—I expect it would be too much to wheel around in crowds, however.
Back in the day, the stroller hood would go up and my toddler would lay back and ahhh…at least an hour of peace. We were one of the first families to buy a Sit-N-Stand stroller when we had a toddler and a baby to wheel around. The thing weighed about 50 poiunds and could not turn a tight corner to save itself, but both kids could have a nice rest from the walking and crowds. I always knew where they were since I was behind the wheel and controlling the direction. Now they beg to ride attractions by themselves and suggest I hang out on Main St. with coffee until they get back. Humph.
Nowadays, I hand a backpack to each of the kids and they pack what they need and are responsible for it. They are even big enough to carry my things as well if I ask nicely. I know when I was a new mom I could scarcely picture a day when such a thing could happen. Trust me, it happens much, much faster than you think. So the next time you find yourself cursing your stroller as you are trying to fold it in time for the tram or a trip on the Railroad, remember: It’s over in a heartbeat. Enjoy those stroller days, whichever one you choose to bring to Disneyland.
MousePlanet columnist Chris Barry and wife Diane, “the marathon-running graphic designer who loves to garden and is a big Tinker Bell fan,” are raising 10-year-old Samantha, who “shares her father’s love of Disney and her mother’s love of art,” and twin 7-year-old boys, Casey and Alex, who “consider Mickey Mouse’s house their favorite place.” Chris shares his opposing opinion:
This topic has come up several times with my friends and all the other people who ask this “expert” his opinion. I’m rock solid on this one. Rent, rent, rent. Maybe a little background would help. My daughter was 4 when we first took her to Walt Disney World, and she was in a rented stroller the whole time. I’m not ashamed to say that she was in the Disney strollers until she was 7. On that trip, she fit into a double stroller just fine. We have predominantly gone to Orlando in August and I think I speak for many of us out there when I say that on a 98-degree day in the parks, I’d like a big stroller for myself. That said, my daughter was always giving her all in the parks and she was a trooper. The stroller was the only thing between her and a total collapse. She deserved a sweet ride.
The same goes for my twin 7-year-old boys. They’ve been in the Disney strollers since they were 4 and, on our upcoming fall long weekend, they will be again, for probably the last time. The Disney strollers are easy to maneuver, big enough to fill with souvenirs and have really become part of our experience. My daughter still loves to color our nametag each year. I get them little battery operated handheld fans that they can hold while they’re rolling along and they seem like they enjoy the ride. It really becomes their own little world.
Now, on the flip side, I do see the negative. At 1 a.m., after Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the walk from the turnstiles to the Disney busses can be painful for us parents. (I would love a stroller drop-off out there, but that’s asking a little much, isn’t it?) I suppose the walk out to the parking lots is worse. The same can be said for the walk back to our room, usually in Alligator Bayou at the Port Orleans Riverside, from the bus. I can see the benefit of having my own stroller there, but those moments don’t outweigh the convenience of the Disney stroller rentals. I bring enough stuff down there with me. The idea of lugging a stroller with me from home has always turned me off. Folding and unfolding as I’m waiting in line for the Disney busses isn’t for me either.
I’m a little disturbed by the recent price increases of stroller rentals, particularly the doubles, and I’m just about done, age-wise, with strollers. As long as the price was figured into the budget from the get go I’ve been an advocate of renting. Leave yours at home and let Disney take care of it.
It’s your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting on the Parks section of our MousePad discussion board, and share your best tips for what you bring when you’re at the Disney theme parks (link), or send your suggestions via e-mail (link). Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
Next time: What techniques and strategies have you used to conquer attraction fears?
