So you’ve decided to take your family to Disney or Universal - YAY!! You’ve got some important decisions to make. One of the most difficult to decide is if you are going to take a stroller or not. Sounds simple but there are a lot of factors that go into the decision. Today, I’ll help you decide.
Your kids’ ages will play a lot into your decision. If you have an infant that you’re fine carrying in a sling, then you might get away with not pushing a stroller. If you have a toddler that has a hard time following the rules of holding hands then you may need the stroller just to make sure they stay with you at all times. An older child may be great at walking on their own and staying with you, but may lack the stamina to walk many miles in a day. If you think you’ll skip the stroller, be sure to do long walks ahead of time to get those little legs ready!
Here are my pros and cons for using a stroller:
Pros for Using Stroller:
Gives your child a ride and you can move quickly through the parks rather than dragging them along
You have a place to store your bag/food/drinks/souvenirs in the stroller storage
If you rent one outside the parks or bring your own, you can use it to get to the bus and to your hotel (you do have to fold it up on the bus)
Gives your child a place to nap while you shop/dine/wander the parks
If you have a kid that tends to dart off into crowds, the stroller can keep them right where you want them
When it’s hot, it’s nice to not have to carry a hot little body up against you
Pros for Going Without Stroller:
You don’t have to navigate the stroller through crowds
You can’t take strollers into most attractions so you have to take it to the parking area and find it when done with attraction - without it you can just jump in line for the attraction
You have to fold the stroller up when boarding Disney bus transportation - if your child is sound asleep, you may have to do this with one hand while holding your child so make sure it’s easy to fold!
Florida is notorious for thunderstorms that sneak up on you - you will probably need a rain cover if you have a stroller
Just one more thing to keep up with
You may not have a place to store your packages but remember if you stay on site, you can always have them sent straight to your resort
You’ll need to bring a bag (I’d suggest a backpack) to carry anything you might need. If it’s a hot day, you’ll want to bring lots of water!
Stroller rentals aren’t free - you’ll save a few bucks that you could use for a Dole Whip!
Don’t be afraid to call an audible and change your game plan when you’re there. If you get a few hours into your day and know that your child just won’t make it, go to the stroller rental!! It may cost you a few dollars more than if you reserved it ahead of time, but may save your sanity if you’ve got a toddler in meltdown mode.
I LOVED the last few trips we went on with no stroller. My kids are obviously older now and we didn’t need one but there’s something thrilling about graduating from the stroller days. Ask me tomorrow though and I may cry at the thought of not needing a stroller while I watch my oldest drive an actual car…
All families are different and have different circumstances. Call me and we can chat about your specifics and I can help you with your choice!