Robert Niles
Editor
Robert Niles

Vote of the week: Do you bring a stroller, or rent one?

August 22, 2008, 1:10 PM · One of the greatest days any parent can experience is that day, which usually passes unnoticed, when your child no longer wants be schlepped around in a stroller.

C'mon parents: You know the drill. Park the car, run around and open the trunk. Unload and unfold the stroller, locking every joint into place. Get the kid out of the car seat and into the stroller. And when you're finally ready to head home, do everything again in reverse.

At a theme park, it's even worse. You have to find a place to store your stroller at every attraction, and it takes up space in the trunk with all the other junk you collect at the park. (And if you're flying to the park, that's one more piece of luggage to gate-check.)

That's why many families choose to rent a stroller at the park, instead. More space in the car. No hassle getting through the front gate. No worries about loss or damage.

But, ow, the price!

So, parents, what is your strategy?

poll by twiigs.com

Tell us how you deal with strollers in the park, and which parks are most "stroller"-friendly, in the comments.

Replies (14)

coasterdude
Writer
Anthony Murphy
August 22, 2008 at 1:40 PM · It has gotten extremly expensive at WDW to rent a stroller now!
Gu_Man
Andy Guinigundo
August 22, 2008 at 2:06 PM · Just had a baby (#3). The darn strollers cost a fortune to begin with. There are $20 umbrella strollers but are - well - $20 strollers; you get what you pay for. The price goes up from there even hitting 4 digits for some really fancy ones.

So to spend all the money buying one, the thought of plunking down $30 or more to rent one makes me queesy. But of course we've tried it. It was nice going from Magic Kingdom to then MGM not having to lug it around. But in all it wasn't too bad carrying around a compact stroller...

mbotwin
Mitchell Botwin
August 22, 2008 at 2:23 PM · When I was renting strollers, 20 years ago it was not so bad, now I'm renting adult strollers which is an even worse cost.
nenacoqui
Iris Hernandez
August 22, 2008 at 2:28 PM · I always bring mine along. The rented strollers tend to be way too uncomfortable for my girls, oh, and renting a double stroller at Disney before I was an employee...shoot me please. THank god they are free for the castmembers that do use them. No child can get a decent nap on those strollers, you cant lean them back and they are hard as hell.
dickk
DICK KNOEBEL
August 22, 2008 at 4:24 PM · Single child strollers at Knoebels rent for $4.00 per day. Two child strollers rent for $10.00 per day.
Gu_Man
Andy Guinigundo
August 22, 2008 at 7:40 PM · Mr. Knoebel - why does the double cost more than twice a single stroller? Whatever the answer, this is part of the reason we still need places like Knoebels! The prices don't jump up $3 every six months.
rafaelandtoni
rafael g
August 22, 2008 at 10:08 PM · i hate the big strollers at theme parks, you don't need that. when i take my 2 year old, we take the cheap stroller. if it is too crowded for the stroller, we pick her up and carry the stroller. but those big one annoying.
jfs123
rick stevens
August 22, 2008 at 11:11 PM · I have to agree with everyone. The rental strollers are not "top of the line", but do you really need to bring those jogging strollers to a theme park. I remember back to the stroller days and did bring my own. It was a simple umbrella stroller that was easy to maneuver and did not take up a whole lot of room. I will probably become one of those adult stroller participants in the future, but hope to be a considerate park goer. Don't you hate getting clipped in the heels by either a childrens or adult stroller....just saying.
bluesrider
Writer
Derek Potter
August 23, 2008 at 6:03 AM · It makes little sense for me to pay to rent one when I can stick my stroller in the back of the van and be done with it. Mine unfolds and folds quite easily, and as long as you are organized, than entry to the park isn't a big deal. Strollers aren't the most fun to bring around, but they do have the storage for all of that "stuff".

The only time I may rent one is if we are flying in, but quite honestly I don't see that happening while my kids are that young, so I spend zero dollars on rental and more on other stuff.

marcelamartinez
Marcela Martinez
August 23, 2008 at 6:31 AM · I think that at this moment, it was extremly expensive to rent a stroller. If you are going to spend one week having fun at WDW, it's much cheaper going to Wallmart for example, and buy one not so good but one which is useful for the vacations. Even if you have to thrown it away before returning home. I think that may be, with the ticket ammount, WDW could give us the possibility of getting at least one free stroller! They are not going to loose money.
jammin
Jeff M
August 23, 2008 at 5:13 PM · When I go with family whether for business, or pleasure we bring our own. The stroller offered at parks do not provide the comfort or storage space I get with our own. My kids prefer their own stroller, so that decides why we dont spend the money on rentals.

FYI - my kids are age 3 and 4.

timmerwoj
Tim W
August 24, 2008 at 12:09 PM · it is way too expensive but you are paying for convenience of not having to bring one if you are flying or take one in the car or bus.
strykr927
Don Neal
August 25, 2008 at 5:57 AM · We have done both depending on the circumstances but we bring our own most often. It folds up small and is nice to hang stuff on and such. However my youngest is now 5 so it's becoming less and less of a problem.
cahorwitz
Christina Horwitz
August 25, 2008 at 9:49 AM · I always bring my own. It's cheaper (the airlines aren't counting it towards checked baggage - yet!) and the parks charge an arm and a leg )except Knoebel's, easier to manuever, more comfortable, and much cleaner - some of those rentals are so disgusting that I wouldn't want my son sitting in them. Plus we are major Disney park hoppers so it much more convenient for us to just to have it in tow.

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