Welcome back to planDisney, Kristen!
As a mama to older Mouseketeers, I love that you sent this question my way. It was a great trip down memory lane – and I’m going to be honest: in a lot of ways, I miss
the stroller days! Cupholders for our coffees, a space to stash the sweatshirts and water bottles, and a spot for my kiddos to rest when they got tired or a little, ahem,
hangry. (Okay, and for when I was hangry and just needed a few quiet moments of pushing a resting child through
EPCOT with a bag of popcorn and a beverage in that cupholder.)
Kristen, my family always chose to rent a stroller on our Walt Disney World Resort vacations. We found it so easy to have a stroller delivered right to our Walt Disney World Resort hotel, use it for the week, and then return it – no need to worry about cleaning any spills or dealing with it at the airport! I’ve always had a great experience using Kingdom Strollers, but there are plenty of other companies offering this kind of service, so my advice is to read reviews and find the right fit for your needs. Many companies offer resort hotel delivery (you will need to meet the delivery driver at a designated spot), and I definitely recommend selecting a company offering this service. Some even offer stroller pick up at Orlando International Airport.
Our go-to model to rent was the City Mini, because that was the same stroller we had at home and the one-handed fold is so easy for bus riding, but most companies have multiple options to suit your needs. I found the rental strollers to be much more comfortable and easier to steer than the models available at the theme parks, and I found a weekly rental more cost-effective than
renting a stroller at the parks. Plus, the theme park strollers are available on a first-come, first-served basis and I didn’t want to deal with the uncertainty of that. Just be sure the
size and dimensions are within the limits set forth in the Park Rules.
I absolutely recommend going ahead and renting a stroller for the week rather than waiting to see if one is needed. The theme park days can be long and tiring, and it’s so nice to have the stroller for those moments when someone really just needs a rest and a snack. Plus, even if your little guy wants to walk right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A., you can stash your backpack or shopping bags in the seat and still have a handy-dandy rolling cupholder. Stroller parking is easy and won’t take up too much time. Can you tell I’m very much of the “bring the stroller” mindset?
One last quick tip, Kristen: bring along something fun to make your stroller stand out in the stroller parking lot. Many Guests use balloons or ribbons, and many rental companies offer “license plates,” which are signs they attach with your family name. One trip, we chose the name “Dole Whip Family,” which made our stroller easy to spot (and my daughter loved looking for it)! I’ve even seen strollers decorated with LED light strings - get creative and have fun with it!
I hope this helps you select the right ride for your little guy. Have so much fun strolling and freewheeling throughout the Walt Disney World Resort on your upcoming visit, and please come back and see us if we can help with any more questions as you plan and dream.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn