Disney stroller help, 3 y.o. and 5 y.o.

[jenny.d]

We just found out we are going to WDW this summer. I got rid of most of my strollers due to their condition and lack of use at this point (the younger one wants to walk like his brother!) but think we'll need one for Disney. Should we rent? Buy lightweight single or double? Borrow? I plan to have one more baby so we could still use strollers in the future. My husband thinks it will be expensive to check strollers. Any experiences? And can we bring strollers on the plane if we need one for the airport? We've never traveled with our kids so we have no clue! TIA for any suggestions.

Jen

[hillview]

Wow. I can't imagine a world without strollers!

I like my Mac Quest for my 4 year old (45 lbs). You don't pay to gate check strollers. If someone has 2 you can borrow that might work. Both my kids (2 and 4) will fall asleep at Disney at some point so having one we can take off property is nice (for us it is onto the monorail that really helps).

Where are you staying?
/hillary

[jenny.d]

I know. It's funny. I had a Zippy for DS #1, sold it to buy a Phil and Ted's when #2 came along. I used it as my only stroller, bought it used anyway, and used the heck out of it. The front wheel kept locking because the latch rusted so I got rid of it this summer. I have a single jogger now, from DS #1, that's it. It's heavy and rusted from the beach. We use our wagon a lot for the two boys. I'd like to replace the Phil and Ted's when I have another (I kept the doubles kit) but don't know if that would be the best thing to bring to Disney. My sister has a double (Chicco I think). I wouldn't mind an buying an umbrella or two if needed.

[jenandahalf]

You can check a stroller in with any airline for free so long as you have a kid with you. At least I don't know of any that charge and I have taken mine around the world.

Usually you can take it up to the boarding gate, then you hand it in there and they put it in the hold of the plane, if you have the ticket desk put a 'deliver to door' tag on it you should get it at the other end right off the plane but they do sometimes ignore that and send it out with the other baggage.

[bubbaray]

Most airlines will allow you to gate check strollers at the airplane door.

I can't imagine Disney without a stroller. We went to DL (smaller than WDW) last April and our DDs were 5 and 2.5. They both used their strollers a lot. I'm a fan of 2 singles over a double for a number of reasons. Less cumbersome in crowds, can more easily manouver 2 singles, easiler to find stroller parking, and obviously if one child wants/ needs to go back to the hotel, the other parent and child can stay with the 2nd stroller.

[salsah]

You can check a stroller in with any airline for free so long as you have a kid with you. At least I don't know of any that charge and I have taken mine around the world.

Usually you can take it up to the boarding gate, then you hand it in there and they put it in the hold of the plane, if you have the ticket desk put a 'deliver to door' tag on it you should get it at the other end right off the plane but they do sometimes ignore that and send it out with the other baggage.


we recently travelled on airfrance and our stroller counted as one of our checked pieces. so we had to take one less bag so that we could take the stroller. if we wanted to take car seats, those would have counted towards the baggage allowance too. why? because our kids were both over 2 yrs old. if we were traveling with an infant (under 2 yrs of age), the stroller would not be included. they also did not offer the gate check service that i am used to with other carriers. we could check the stroller at the gate but they did not bring it to us when we got off the plane, we had to go to the baggage claim to get it. we were lucky that on one of our 4 flights, the crew agreed to keep our stroller for us on board in a closet. we didn't have that luck on the other 3 flights.

if i had known all of that before booking our tickets, i would have booked with another carrier.

so my adivce, call the airlines that you are considering flying with and find out what each one's policy is on strollers before you buy your tickets (or strollers).

[hillview]

we recently travelled on airfrance and our stroller counted as one of our checked pieces. so we had to take one less bag so that we could take the stroller. if we wanted to take car seats, those would have counted towards the baggage allowance too. why? because our kids were both over 2 yrs old. if we were traveling with an infant (under 2 yrs of age), the stroller would not be included. they also did not offer the gate check service that i am used to with other carriers. we could check the stroller at the gate but they did not bring it to us when we got off the plane, we had to go to the baggage claim to get it. we were lucky that on one of our 4 flights, the crew agreed to keep our stroller for us on board in a closet. we didn't have that luck on the other 3 flights.

if i had known all of that before booking our tickets, i would have booked with another carrier.

so my adivce, call the airlines that you are considering flying with and find out what each one's policy is on strollers before you buy your tickets (or strollers).

This seems to be common overseas and with overseas carriers. On American to London they let you gate check it in the States but then it comes out with baggage at baggage claim -- sucks.

I've traveled domestically with strollers on Delta, American, United, JetBlue and Virgin American and all allow gate check does not count against your luggage and they return it right when you get off the plane.
/hillary

[bubbaray]

Air France would be one of the very last carriers I would fly with children.... Right up there with Air Canada. And Quantas. Ugh. All are child un-friendly for various reasons.

[hillview]

Air France would be one of the very last carriers I would fly with children.... Right up there with Air Canada. And Quantas. Ugh. All are child un-friendly for various reasons.
Add Alitalia!
/hillary

[jenandahalf]

This seems to be common overseas and with overseas carriers. On American to London they let you gate check it in the States but then it comes out with baggage at baggage claim -- sucks.

I've traveled domestically with strollers on Delta, American, United, JetBlue and Virgin American and all allow gate check does not count against your luggage and they return it right when you get off the plane.
/hillary

Almost all of my stroller travel was outside of the US (mainly Europe) and we rarely had our stroller not returned to us at the gate or included as one of our checked pieces. Bizarre!

[salsah]

Almost all of my stroller travel was outside of the US (mainly Europe) and we rarely had our stroller not returned to us at the gate or included as one of our checked pieces. Bizarre!

yup, we flew overseas once on KLM (ugh! what a nightmare, won't do that again!) and when we gate checked the stroller they returned it to us at the airplane door (all four times). and it did not count towards our checked pieces.

[salsah]

Air France would be one of the very last carriers I would fly with children.... Right up there with Air Canada. And Quantas. Ugh. All are child un-friendly for various reasons.

no kidding! i wish you told me that earlier!

[jenny.d]

So I guess two singles it is. Maybe Volos. Any ideas on where to buy? I'll check CL and ebay first.

[bubbaray]

Got mine at Albeebaby. Easy transaction, good prices, had the specific color I wanted. HTH

[MamaKath]

Either 2 Volos or a P3 and the kids take turns in the seat and on the back steps.

[z-force]

I used a single jeep umbrella stroller for a 3 yo and it worked really well at Disney. This is a popular stroller. You could find one dirt cheap used.