Another Disneyland stroller question

[twowhat?]

I'm trying to decide if we should bring our BJCMD to Disneyland next month. We would just check it with any checked bags at the airport, and would have to buy a stroller bag for it (Cost: $50 maybe? Plus the cost of checking the stroller?) We would really only need a stroller at the resort, for walking to/from the park and for the kids to ride when they get tired.

The other option might be to rent a stroller...but I have no idea how easy/hard stroller rentals would be at Disneyland. And I know that if you rent in the park, then you won't have your stroller to walk back to the hotel (which would suck at the end of the day with really tired kids).

Opinions?

[elektra]

I can't speak to the airport part of things as I have never traveled with a double, but IMO, you should definitely bring it!
the Minis seem like the perfect DL stroller to me and you will be so glad you have it once you are there I bet. I would also just try and gate check the stroller as opposed to checking it as regular baggage. (Although hopefully someone can chime in about the doubles aspect- I have only ever gate checked singles that can fit through the conveyor belt thing at security.)

[georgiegirl]

I flew with a BJCMD without a bag for our disney trip. It worked out great.

I travel with our single BOB all of the time, and it doesn't fit through the conveyor belt for specurity. They always hand check it...swipe something on it and put it in a machine. No problems.

[citymama]

You definitely need a stroller for Disneyland. Rentals - I would avoid because everytime I went to pick up our stroller outside a ride I would see this sea of blue DL strollers - how do people recognize their own? Rather than spend $50 on a stroller bag, I would buy a cheap umbrella stroller you can gate check and not worry about. I bought a floor model Chicco umbrella at BRU for $25 over 5 years ago and it has made it through countless flights, zoo trips, DL, and 2 kids!

[daniele_ut]

I would say you definitely need the stroller. We drove to DL in November and brought my MBUJD and was SO glad to have it.

As far as renting, there are a couple of companies that will deliver right to your hotel and pick up there as well so you will have it to walk back and forth to the park. We would not have survived if we didn't have the stroller for the walk from HoJo.

This one has been recommended on the Dis Boards. They rent BJCM and Elites. We saw a bunch of them while we were there:

http://www.citystrollerrentals.com/Disneyland-Stroller-Rentals.html

[AshUVA]

When we fly (usually United), we check a stroller for free. Each ticketed passenger is allowed a stroller OR car seat checked for free. Or, if we want to use it in the aiport, we will just gate check it (also free). We bought a cheaper umbrella stroller with a durable bag for traveling because I've hear horror stories of friend's BOBs getting dystroyed by baggage handlers.

That being said, when we went to Disneyland in October, we rented one of their strollers. We did a day trip since we live within driving distance and still opted to rent. They are really nice, about $12 a day and you get a discount if you rent two at a time. I would have constantly been worrying about my BOB getting stollen if I had taken it. I think the DL strollers are more comfortable for DD than our umbrella stroller would have been. I heard somewhere the DL stroller are similar to BJCM. They give you name cards to put on the top so you can tell yours apart from all the rest of the rentals. I don't think they have doubles so you'd have to rent two. However, given the crowds, the double would me more difficult to manuever.

The only issue if you rent is getting to/from the park because you pick up the strollers by the main gate (very convenenient) and the just leave it by the exit when you leave. I ended up carrying my sleeping DD in my arms on the tram back to the parking garage.

[twowhat?]

Thanks, all!!! I think we will just bring ours. Is there anything I can do to guard against stroller theft? Do people use bike locks on their strollers? I can see us leaving the stroller in one area of the park, walking around, and then coming back to it.

[bisous]

I wouldn't bother using a lock, personally. People leave strollers ALL over the park. While there have been some publicized incidents of stroller stealing, I don't think the thieves would target your BJCMD. There are probably (seriously) dozens if not hundreds in the park at any given time. I frequently leave my stroller in one "land" sometimes for hours and haven't had any problems! I suppose it is a risk but one I'm totally comfortable taking.

[MamaInMarch]

I could be wrong but I think Disney actually has a policy that strollers can NOT be locked. Cast Members will rearrange them outside of attractions to accommodate more or allow for flow of traffic. I am sure it happens that strollers are stolen but I think it is pretty rare. I belong to a couple Disney boards/newsletters and it's never seemed to be an issue.