When visiting a Walt Disney World® theme park you’re going to be walking. A lot. For youngsters, that often means twice the steps of the average grown up.
To stroller or not to stroller? That is the question.
My simple answer is… stroller. If you’re at the point of wondering if you need a stroller or not then the answer is yes. You will want a stroller. By the end of the day at a Disney World theme park you will ALL want someone to magically push you out of the park and back to your resort.
A more complete answer might include some qualifying factors. First, you know your children best. Are they the “push through and go go go until they crash” kind of kid? Or, are they more like my little one who walks for about 15 minutes and then says her feet are about to fall off because they hurt so bad? Obviously, a child in the “feet are going to fall off” category would benefit from a stroller. And you, the parent, will also benefit from not having to hear about said feet falling off. When we attempted to go even a little while without a stroller we had a lot of piggy back rides, shoulder rides, hip holding, whining and crying (from the kids and the adults).
Another benefit to the stroller is that you are containing the child. They have a built in seat for parades and shows. They are easy to keep track of so you don’t end up losing anyone. (With 3 kids we are on zone defense, so keeping on kid in the stroller helped us keep track of everyone.) And, you don’t have to do the thing where you’re holding their hand and draaaggggiinnnggg them along as you walk.
The good news is that Walt Disney World ® Resort is used to having families with kids in the parks. That’s kinda their thing. Add in some fine Disney service and you’ll find that there are ample stroller parking spots all over the parks. And, in fact, there are Cast Members who have one job and that is to keep the strollers neat and tidy.
As you may be able to tell by now, I’m a big fan of strollers in the parks. We used one long after my daughter was out of the normal stroller at home stage. I believe she was 6 1/2 at the time of her last trip with a stroller and 7 when we did our first stroller free Disney trip (which included a lot of hand holding and counting of children).
If you have decided that a stroller is the way to go then the question becomes – do I rent one or bring one from home? There are pros and cons to both options.
Bring from home –
- Pros: Doesn’t cost you anything. You know how it works, folds up and down and it already has random snacks the kids have dropped in there so you know they may find a rouge goldfish cracker for a snack at some point during the day.
- Cons: It takes up valuable trunk/car space if you drive to Florida. Or, if you fly then you have to lug it through the airport along with your luggage, backpacks, kids, stuffed Mickey Mouse and blankets (because you KNOW the kids need to each bring their own Mickey and special blanket).
Rent –
- Pros: You pick it up at your resort (or, at the airport) and use it as you would your own stroller for the length of your stay. When you are leaving to go home you drop it off at your resort. They are quality strollers that are just like the ones you have for yourself back home. They are cleaned and sanitized between each rental with the highest quality detergents and cleaners around (see FAQ page here).
- Cons: Cost. It may take you a few tries to get the hang of opening and closing the stroller. There is no chance of rouge goldfish crackers for the kids to snack on.
If you decide that renting a stroller is the way to go then Orange Grove Travel Company highly suggests renting from Kingdom Strollers. A leader in the stroller rental business in Orlando, Kingdom Strollers has a strong history of reliable, clean, and professional stroller rentals. We can help you get your stroller rental set up so all you have to do is show up at your resort at the designated time and pick it up from the friendly Kingdom Strollers representative and then return it in the same way.
You may notice that we did not suggest renting a stroller from Disney directly. There are several reasons, but mostly it’s because they are the hard plastic strollers that are not at all comfortable for the kids, they are more expensive to rent that the quality strollers from Kingdom Strollers, and you have to pick them up and return them at the parks at the end of the day. I don’t know about you, but the stroller came in MOST handy at the end of the long day as we were walking back to the bus or monorail to get to our resort. Thinking about having to CARRY my hot, tired, (and, possibly cranky) child doesn’t sound very magical.
Be aware that there are a few rules Disney has regarding strollers. If you opt to bring a stroller from home, be sure to check out the size dimensions in the photo below to be sure that your stroller meets the requirements. ALL parts of the stroller must fit in the box. Everything from wheels to handlebars. Note: All Kingdom Stroller rentals meet the size requirements set by Disney.
Are you ready to talk about your vacation hopes and dreams? Click the button and we can start talking about your options. Talking with us costs you nothing and you have zero obligation to book a trip right now. We can get the conversation started so you can make plans whenever you are ready!
Note: Photos were taken before the new health and safety policies that began in 2020 at Walt Disney World® Resort.
