Hi Katie!
I am delighted that you brought this question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel. Is your house a little crazy with excitement about your first visit to the Walt Disney World Resort? Mine would be. Since my girls are twins, I am quite familiar with the double stroller. When the kids get older, it gets tough pushing kid weight plus stroller around! We first brought our girls to Walt Disney World when they were five and I was determined not to bring or rent a stroller. So we planned our day into manageable segments. We arrived at the parks early, rode rides, ate lunch, and headed back to the resort in the afternoon for a nap (parents and grandparents included).
Of course, you know your children best! You can always try
Stroller Rental one day and see how it goes. By the time they were 7-years old, my children were running through the parks with the best of us (have to make those
Fast Pass+ reservations!). I also suggest that you plan rides and restaurants in the same general area. For example, if you are riding rides in Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, eat lunch at
Be Our Guest Restaurant. If you have made or plan to make
Dining Reservations at Be Our Guest, remember that you can pre-order food for breakfast and lunch. Doing so can save valuable time.
Yes, it is a lot of walking, but, with some planning, it is totally manageable. The good news is that you can always take some time to enjoy the pool at your resort. Life can be beautifully simple at 5 and 7!
You will have a truly magical time. Happy planning!
-Donyell