If you’re a parent, you know stroller life can be tough. Do the kids need a stroller? Will it be a hassle? In this article, we’ll review the good and bad of stroller life at Disney.
Navigating tight spaces, dealing with grumpy kiddos, and pushing heavy loads are just a few things that happen on an average day…
But when you’re living that stroller life at Disney, you can feel uncertain about how to best navigate your magical adventure with a wee one on wheels.
Photo: OrlandoWeekly.com
Beware the Strollerbeast!
As a former Animal Kingdom cast member, we used to joke that everyone should “beware the strollerbeast!” When walking from one location to another on a tight schedule, there were many times I needed to dance around crowds, sneak around families, or just slow down in heavy traffic.
This is my Wild African Trek Guide pretending to be a strollerbeast before we trekked a few years ago.
Keep in mind that everyone is going in all different directions at Disney. There are going to be people that stop and… just stop. For no apparent reason. And it will probably drive you 🍌 bananas. It’s ok. Take a moment to stop and notice your surroundings and the little details you may have missed without this unforeseen delay as a result of stroller life at Disney.
But watch your ankles. Strollerbites are no fun. If you get one, look for first aid or the nearest cast member for assistance! After visiting first aid in Animal Kingdom, may I suggest a stop at Dawa Bar in the event of a strollerbite? It’s a sure cure for what ails ya.
To Stroller or Not to Stroller
Every family is different. One way to determine if you need a stroller at Disney is to talk it over with the other grown-ups on your trip and your MickeyTravels agent. Often, agents have been there with their littles or can make recommendations based on what other clients have experienced. There are a few key things to keep in mind when considering your Walt Disney World vacation:
The average guest walks 10 miles a day when visiting Disney World!
There are so many attractions geared towards ALL ages -“any height” attractions can accommodate infants (carried by or sitting with an adult). So littles can go and have a great time.
How much does your child weigh and how long can you comfortably carry them?
Even if your child hasn’t used a stroller in YEARS, they may beg for one after walking through the parks all day.
BYOS (Bring Your Own Stroller) or Rent?
You can certainly bring your own stroller. Keep in mind wagons of any kind are not allowed at Disney (even “stroller” wagons). Any vehicle that can be pulled instead of pushed is prohibited.
There are a few special circumstances for Stroller Wagons, so you may see a couple in the parks, but they are rare.
Stroller Wagon inside The Land Pavilion
They are only permitted for special needs requirements and must have a “stroller = wheelchair” handicap tag like this one:
Stroller wagon special exception tag
At Disney, you can rent strollers for a daily fee. These cannot leave the parks, so remember that your kids walk in and out of the park (or you’ll be carrying them).
Disney strollers are hard plastic with 4 wheels with a shade and seatbelt, but they don’t recline.
Rentals from 3rd party companies can get you a similar feel and function to your stroller from home without having to pack it or bring it through the airport. You’re also able to keep that stroller with you at your resort, so no need to make the kids walk back to the car after a full day of park fun.
Depending on the age of your kids, you can also mix and match like this family did… the older kid thought he could hang with the grown-ups… but nope!
What Kind of Stroller?
The best kinds of strollers are ones that will work for you. Consider maneuverability. I like jogging-type strollers (like this one) because they are easy to push, have tight turning radii, and have considerable storage.
As a mom of twins, my favorite personal stroller is the double jogging stroller.
Pro tip: Grab a Busy Baby Bottle Bungee (attached to the outside handles of our stroller above) to keep drinks attached to the stroller. They are tight enough to hang on to almost any bottle, but easy enough to slip on and off for refills and quick rinses during the day.
Size Requirements & Folding for Transportation
Per Disney, Strollers must be 31” (79cm) wide and 52” (132cm) long or smaller. That’s most strollers on the market, but double-check yours to ensure it’s at least that small.
That doesn’t mean strollers can go everywhere. When waiting in line, strollers are not permitted. So be prepared for the little ones to walk or be carried even for part of the day. Your stroller also may get moved within stroller parking areas by Cast Members. This is to help squeeze everyone in! This is where a nametag for your stroller can help you pick it out in a crowd.
Strollers must be folded before boarding when using certain kinds of transportation like buses and trams. This can be extremely stressful and cumbersome if you have a bunch of stuff crammed in every pocket, so beware of over-stuffing the stuff throughout the day.
Double-wide vs. Single-Wide Strollers
On the Disney Skyliner, Monorail, and most boats… no folding required! Single-wide strollers are permitted to roll right on the Skyliner cars, but double-wide strollers must be folded and carried on. On this trip with our 15-month-old boys, we stayed at a Skyliner Resort.
Double stroller rolls right onto the Monorail.
Learn from my mistakes: I love our double stroller, but if I had known I couldn’t roll onto the Skyliner with my double-wide, I would have tried to get a double stroller with front and back seats instead of side-by-side.
Plan Ahead: Tips & Tricks
Rain, heat, cold, toddlers that think it’s fun to throw their water bottle on the ground repeatedly and laugh while you pick them up… all things you should consider when picking and packing your strollerbeast.
With all the hidden pockets, you can pack a lot into stroller life at Disney. BUT–you’ve got to remember, what goes in, must come out… probably before you fold it to get on a bus.
So your souvenir gifts, diaper bag, snacks, other accouterments, AND KIDS can fit… but may come tumbling out in the evening when you just want to get back to the room and get your bebe into a bed.
Naping!
If your child(ren) will nap in a stroller–that’s AMAZING. Ours napped a lot and one thing we did to help them sleep more: use basic binder clips to hold a baby blanket to the sunshade.
That way, we could fold the blanket into the sunshade when not in use, but drape it over the front of the sunshade when our boys fell asleep. They were not fans of the bright Florida sun shining on them!
The blankets (we had 2, but usually left one in the room) also helped when a cold snap came through for a couple days and we felt under-prepared!
A blanket clipped to the sunshade of our stroller, then draped over the front to shade sleeping toddlers.
Rain Rain Rain!
We had just a couple rain showers while at Disney with our toddlers. The thing that saved us was those binder clips and a cheap shower curtain.
We kept it folded up in one of the many pockets and only pulled it out when we had a quick shower one morning.
Stroller with shower curtain clipped to the sunshade to keep the rain off.
The Bear Necessities of What to Bring into the Parks
So what do you really need while you’re at the parks… the easy answer is “it depends,” but I won’t leave you hanging with just that! Depending on the age of your child(ren), some of these things may be irrelevant. Here are my MUST-have things for park days with little ones:
Diapers & wipes
Extra shirt and pair of pants per kid
Layers if the forecast calls for cooler temps
Refillable water bottle (insulated for nice cool water in the FL heat and leakproof–like this one)
Baby-sized blanket
Shower curtain or stroller cover if you have one already
BINDER CLIPS, usually 2-3 per sunshade, but any extras won’t hurt!
A family name tag to help ID your stroller! Here’s what ours looks like:
In Summary
Ultimately, whether or not to do the stroller life at Disney World (or Disneyland!) depends on your family’s specific needs, preferences, and child(ren). While strollers can offer convenience and comfort, they also come with challenges. Talk with others in your party and MickeyTravels agent so you’re stroller-wise.
Need help to decide if you need a stroller, which one, or how to maximize the magic with littles at Disney? I’d love to help you plan your next Disney vacation.
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