So, you’re taking your family to Walt Disney World. If any of your families are like mine, that means now is the time to start planning – serious planning. Lists begin immediately, dining reservations are made, clothes shopping begins, etc. One of the other big discussions in our household is which stroller(s) to bring. For some people, a stroller is a stroller. You don’t care if you have an umbrella stroller or the one your neighbor let you borrow – if your kid can sit in it and it rolls, it will work. If that’s you, more power to you. For some of us, however, the stroller is one of the single most important items we take on a trip.
Why is your stroller so important? Well, for our family it’s important for many reasons. First, we want our children to be comfortable. Many of our trips are during warm times of the year and tired children equal cranky children, which equals cranky parents. Who wants to be cranky at Disney? Second, we have to lug that thing all over the place – on and off planes, buses, boats; through restaurants, stores, airports, hotels; up and down stairs; etc, so we want it to be as easy as possible. Third, we want it to be functional since it not only carries our kids, but it ends up carrying diaper bags, a cooler, extra clothes, and if you’re traveling with friends or family, everything they brought into the park too. Fourth, we spend a lot of time in the parks and we do a lot of walking. A stroller that is easy to push and maneuvers through crowds and stores easily is important. Fifth, did I say it’s hot and you have to lug that thing around a lot?
Our series of articles about choosing a stroller is not going to end with the unveiling of the “single best stroller in the world that every single family should take to Disney.” Sorry. Every family and every trip is different. We’ve taken four trips with children in the last three years and each time we have taken a different stroller. Each time required something a little different and each time we learned something new. We hope that we’ll be able to give you some things to think about that might help you decide on the perfect stroller for your family.
You’ll notice in the future articles that I reference “which stroller to take.” Well, this is because we have five strollers in our house – I told you strollers are important in our family. I won’t get into the discussion of why we have so many, but I will say that each has a defined purpose. Do you have to have that many? Now, for most families, one stroller is enough. However, as we just discussed, a stroller on a Disney trip can be very important and having the right stroller can make it easier. So, whether you’re a one-stroller family or a multi-stroller family, you do have options if you decide the perfect stroller is not one you own. You can always rent, you can borrow if you have a willing friend or family member, or you can buy. I know you’re all thinking, “I could be so lucky.” Again, you have options so please don’t just dismiss it. We’ll cover renting, borrowing and buying later.
Next, we’ll look at planning for the actual trip: plane, car, or boat (if you’re a pirate). We’d love to hear how you plan for and decide what stroller you take to Disney!
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