Going to Disney- Are We Better off Bringing Our Stroller or Renting One There?

We brought our stroller. It was nice to have it in the airport. We even had a double side by side (so it was big). We had no issues having it in the airport, and then we just gate checked it when we were getting on to the airplane (no fee).

Have a good time!!
D.

I know you can take your stoller right up to the plane. The ticket agent will give you a baggage claim ticket and you leave the stoller right where you get on the plane. There is no charge for it. Let me know what you find out about renting a stoller for Disney. I'm looking to take a 2 year old later this year. This will be our first trip with the family.

Hi D.- We just got back from Disney a few weeks ago. We had a great time!! And I am sure your family will, too.

My stroller was both the greatest thing ever and the biggest pain in the neck! :)

I have a double stroller front and back, not a side by side. It was great at the airport, we just wheeled the kids to the end of ramp, folded up the stroller and left it for the crew to put under the plane. When we got off the plane it was there waiting for us. We flew United down and US Air back, and neither airline charged us a penny.

As far as being in the parks, the stroller was awesome. The seats reclined, the kids could nap if they wanted. My stroller has tons of storage space for back packs and STUFF in general. It kept us very organized, and I could not have imagined being with out it.

THE ONLY BAD PART, was getting it on and off the crowded shuttle buses. They really pack people on those things, especially leaving the parks, and it was hard to manage tired kids, all of our stuff and the stroller. They make you fold it up to bring it on board.

The Disney strollers are expensive to rent, although they are sorta nice. Dont recall, from what I observed, if they reclined or not. They did have a storage net on the back. The one benefit would be that you dont have to take them on the bus, you would get a new one everyday at the park entrance.

One last tidbit...I friend of mine is a Disney Credit Card holder, and she said card holders get FREE stroller rental. If you can get a Disney Credit Card, even if you never use it, you can use the perk of free stroller rental.

If you really want a stroller in the airports, use could always bring a cheap umbrella stroller and then rent a nicer full size while you are there.

Have a great trip! Wish I was going back! :)

Hi D. - We were at Disney last October with a 4 yr old and 3 month old. We rented from A Baby's Best Friend (abbf.com) a double jogging stroller. It was the best thing that we did! It was extremely convenient, it was in our room when we got there and we left it there when we left. I do have to say that I also brought my Easy Traveller for the infant car seat. I don't believe any of the airlines charge for gate checking. Which again - is very convenient.
Good luck and wishing you lots of fun!

Hi D....just wanted to comment...
That Disney credit card that someone was talking about. We have that and have had it for a few years. You can only rent strollers for free at DISNEYLAND in california...NOT Disneyworld. We were so mad about that. And the Disney strollers do not recline at all...for your age kids it probably wouldn't be practical.
A stroller makes such a difference as far as stress goes. If the airline doesn't charge to take your own, I would just do that. I'm assuming it's a double jogger?? The only thing...we were just in Disney in October and my son was also 5 1/2 then and I really thought he wouldn't need a stroller...but I felt bad for him. He was so tired. You could pick the big guy up an inexpensive umbrella at Walmart or something, or actually at the entrance to the parks they sell a pretty nice umbrella and it was about $30 in the Magic Kingdom.

Hope you guys have a great time. I'm jealous. I love that place. Can't wait to go back!!!!!!!!! :)

If you bring the stroller, you can bring it through security and at the gate they tag it and take it at no charge. You would then wait for it at the airplane door to get it back once you land. I never rented the stroller, but have rented other items in orlando, such as high chair and toys and tub when my son was smaller. I would say if it's not too much trouble to drag the stroller through the security, then bring it. They always give you the cheapest stuff, and for what they charge you, you can buy one and leave it there. Have lots of fun.

Just got back from Disney World in Florida and unless you saved a small fortune to go I would bring your own. We did not bring ours and ended up having to pay $31 a day for the double stroller. This was in December and they told us they would be raising the price in January. The last time we went to Disney was in 2003 and it cost $7 to rent the double stroller. (It was $12 but when you brought it back you got $5 back). They didn't not do that this last time though. It royally sucked!!! We drove our car from NY to FL and didn't have the room for the double jogger in the car. I wish now that we would have brought it! The seat backs in the Disney Strollers do not recline at all so it was impossible to get my 20 month old to nap. I ended up having to carry her while she slept so she could rest her head. Just a little advice from a Mom who has been there! Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

Hi D.

I was there for Christmas/New Years and did not take a stroller. We bought an inexpensive one from a local Walmart which was light and easy to contract to get on and off the trolleys. The challenge with the park stroller is that it is expensive and you only have it at the park.

I stongly recommend you get a "quick-o, cheap-o" stroller and trash it at the airport. :-)

Have fun!

I go to Disney ever year with my two boys and always bring my own stroller. It is helpful to have it in the airport and does not cost us anything to check it. This way you know you have a stroller you like and don't have to spend any extra money. Trust me you will be spending enough just at the parks!

Good luck! I am taking my 9-month-old to FL in about a month and my husband is staying here in FL. I am bringing the stroller so that I have it in the airports and to carry "things" when getting luggage. Rental sounds good, but if your littlest one falls asleep in the airport you're going to have a long wait.

Call your airline and ask. Jet Blue allows infants under 2 to travel with a carseat, stroller and small bag without a fee. Others may charge as an additional piece of luggage.

Have fun!

We went to Disney in Oct. with our 5 year old and 3 year old. I actually posted here on Mamasource the same question before we went. Most people advised on renting so that is what we did. And boy am I glad we did!
1- They strollers they have are SO easy to move around the park and they are SO light. You barely notice you are pushing 80 pounds of kids! I could stear it with one hand and push with one finger if need be.
2- I didn't have to worry about it getting stolen. Not that it ever did. But if it had been I could have just gone and gotten a new one without paying anything more.
3- They were clean and comfortable enough. The kids could stretch out on it. Even my son (who is 4 feet tall) had no problem.
4- They have a great cover to shade the kids from the sun.
5- They had lots of places to store stuff.

Remember, at Disney you have to use the "stroller parking" whenever you want to go on a ride. You don't want to leave your own personal stroller there.

I know some people may say that they are a hard plastic material (which they are) but that was not a bad thing. They were always clean and I didn't see how they were any harder than my stroller at home.

You are going to have such a great time!!!!

Be sure you make a few reservations for dining now. Those places fill up fast!!

never had to pay to check a stroller or carseat at the gate and then it's there to use in the aiport. Makes keeping track of kiddies easier and the airline personel are usually good about handling stroller, carseats with care.

We went to disndy a few weeks ago and I definatly rent recommend that you rent. The strollers are really big and room and they have doubles. There either 10 or 15dollars a day. Have a great time.

You have 3 kids, and so do I. We went to Disney in November 08 when they were 7.5, 4.5 and 3 years old.

I would highly recommend you do what we did... bring a single (maybe you can Bjorn the baby through the airport and use it for the toddler) AND rent a double. We used them both. Even my oldest sat in the double--there is a lot of walking and they all will be exhausted! Hopefully your off-site rental place provides the same strollers as Disney--the super-durable ones! Also, you will ultimately end up bringing so many things with you that it is nice to be able to dump your bag(s) in there as well.

Have fun!

Bring your own. No fees at the airport, even for a big stroller (like mine -- a jogger that doesn't fold up so well). Save your money and spend it on something else.

BUT, I do echo Crystal's post. It is a big pain getting on and off the buses with a stroller, but in the scheme of things, its a small price to pay for having your own stroller to store things, have the kids relax in AND not having to pay for a rental.

I will give you another option- consider buying a very in expensive umbrella type stroller- that is what we did and when we left the parks on the last day we saw a family walking in and gave it to them.

Bring a stroller with you... you will need it at the airport. It's great... you can have the stroller with you until you board, and then when you land it's waiting for you. Don't do without it at the airport... Trust me. My mother-in-law had told me to rent one and I am glad that I didn't listen to her.

Absolutely have a stroller at the airport. I does not cost anything to check it at the gate.

And renting a stroller at Disney was the best thing we did. Everyone has one and they are all clearly labeled with your name.

Hi D.!
I just asked this same question a few weeks ago and got so many responses! We are going to Disney the last week of April! So Exciting!
What I've decided is to just bring our own stroller. From what I hear, the rental prices have gone up and there is no guarentee there will be enough strollers. They sometimes sell out. So, my 5 year old sometimes gets tired of walking, we bought a nice umbrella stroller from Target. Its one of the pricier ones, bigger umbrella for maximum sun coverage, bigger seat since shes a bigger kid and bigger storage underneath. It was a good investment since I also run a daycare out of my home so it will get good use.

I just don't want to risk them not having a stroller and having to pay for a new one each time we go to a park. God forbid they don't have one, I don't want to carry her around the park all day! LOL

Good luck and have a great time!!!

You will want a stroller in the airport. Assuming your jogging stroller folds up well, airlines let you check a stroller at the gate for no fee. Check with your airline to confirm. If your jogger does not fold up well, at least bring an umbrella stroller to the airport and gate check it, then rent the jogger while you are there. You will have lots of stuff to carry in addition to kids who might melt down and refuse to walk! Have fun!

I just went to Orlando and when we got off the plane they handed me my stroller and the wheel to it! I almost died! We checked it at the gate and they still broke it. They were nice and gave us one to use, but it was just a basic one. Hope yours makes it in one piece!

I haven't been to Disney but I have traveled with my son who is now 3. We usually take the cheap umbrella stroller so even if the airline loses or breaks we are only out $20. However, you may want a better stroller for being at the park all day.

bringing your ouw...germs and comfort.

We just got back from Disney and we were told not to bring our stroller because they have ones to rent at the park..BIG mistake! The strollers at the park are not comfy and the kids were unable to nap in them. It was a disaster! Bring your own!