Howdy, Jill! Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel and asking your question!
My daughter is just a smidge younger and smaller than your daughter, but I have to say that I plan on using a stroller for her until she is about 15 years old. Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I do plan to use one for as long as possible! Touring the parks means a lot of walking and little legs tire quickly. I also find that when my daughter is walking around the parks she walks at a bit of a slower pace than I prefer (I like to get moving to my favorite
attractions!). More importantly, when the crowds are heavy or if it's nighttime, I feel far more comfortable knowing that she's secure in the stroller rather than walking. Finally, we love storing items like extra water bottles, change of clothes, and wet wipes in the stroller so it is really convenient in that way as well.
It's a great idea to take midday breaks for naps! We find these to be a necessity whenever we visit. We start our days early so by the afternoon we are ready for a rest and maybe some pool time. When our daughter is ready for a nap, it's much easier to use a stroller to head back to the hotel than to have to carry her if she falls asleep or to deal with a meltdown because she's overstimulated.
One thing to keep in mind if you use a stroller is that your child might need some time to run around and burn off some energy. Mickey's Toontown is one of our favorite areas to let our daughter explore!
Goofy's Playhouse and
Donald's Boat are perfect areas for preschoolers, so make sure to build this part of the park into your touring plans.
I hope this helps! See ya real soon!
-Linda M.