They see me rollin'....they hatin'.... for real.

I want to talk about STROLLERS. OH NO! Not the dreaded ’S’ word?!?!?! Yes ma’am. (Or sir).

Before I jump into my OWN thoughts on this matter, lets all remember that I am only pulling from 2 mom’s brains/lives. My sister and I. Also- putting out there that we might be sisters, but we have VERY different family structures, and 3 insanely different kids. Lindsey’s been learning on the regular, that between her oldest (Antonio) and mine (Marshall) that those were just 2 of the 99,999,999,999 different kinds of kids out there. Logan is definitely #3 in every sense of the word. He’s the 3rd kid in our ‘family’ and proving once again that each child is unique and special and their own person.

Now, back to strollers. I remember going to Disneyland when I was little. My mom took my 2 sisters and I, and our ‘nanny’. I use the term ‘nanny’ very loosely, b/c she was more or less just a college student babysitter/family friend who we brought along.

3 kids, ages 3-5-8. I don’t think that we had a stroller for my middle sister, but I vividly recall having a fabulous 90’s umbrella stroller for my youngest sister. We did the park from rope drop (but I doubt thats what it was called back in those days) to fireworks- and I remember getting back to the hotel room and not being able to sleep, because of how happy I was. It was pretty much the best day ever. As I’ve lived about 3 decades since then, my memories have faded some, and I cannot WAIT to be able to take my own little one to Disneyland someday- and relive some of those memories with him, but anyways I remember Lindsey being sound asleep in the stroller by the time the fireworks came. Even though she was 'old enough' to not need a stroller, the combination of the fun and walking and people and excitement, and somebody was POOPED by the end of the day. I think she slept through all of the fireworks!

Fast forward 30 years- and cross over the whole country to FL.

Lindsey started taking her older son to WDW when he was a baby- she and Tony took my parents the first couple of times, which was helpful (kinda) for the first time parents. But as they kept making trips to Orlando, they got in a nice routine of making sure baby had fun, but also mommy and daddy had fun too. They of course had the baby in a stroller.

I didn’t take M to Disney until he was 2. First of all, I hadn’t gone myself until then- and my first ever trip to Disney was when I was 35, I went along with Lindsey and Tony and Antonio- and it was awesome to see how they all just carried on as normal while we were there. Antonio was 3-almost 4, and having the stroller for him was a nice ‘break’ for him. He really likes having his own down time- and the parks are SO over-stimulating, that it would have been a disaster had they forced him to walk.

I’m not gonna keep going on with each trip since then, because it’s been quite a few. However we’ll catch up to now- Logan is 9 months- and Antonio is 6. They bring TWO strollers now, and the baby carrier. Logan LOVES being in the carrier- and it helps Lindsey take him on the majority of the rides he’s able to go on, without waking him (if he’s napping) or frustrating him more. Tony wonders some times whether they should bring the 2nd stroller- but as of now Antonio is still within the weight limit, and by the end of the day, ESPECIALLY during the summer- nobody wants whining kids, do they? Thats when the stroller comes in handy. Also, have you ever bought bottled water at the parks? Those things are $3-4 a piece! If you have a stroller, they come in handy for carrying around all sorts of extra bags that you don’t have to lug on your back. When Lindsey points those things out to him, Tony tends to agree and pack up the 2nd stroller. ;)

On to my situation. I am a single mom- and it’s typically only Marshall and I going to the parks. Anyone can tell you that it’s easy to get distracted by your cell phone- not to mention a whole park full of things to look at or shops to go into etc. For all of those reasons, plus the ones I listed above, I will keep bringing a stroller for M every time. He loves to be able to be ‘in the middle’ of everything- without having to actually be IN the middle. He loves watching the parade and the characters- from the safety of his stroller. Mama is thrilled to know that he’s safe and sound when she’s on her phone trying to get that next fastpass or dinner reservation, or snapping pictures of the cute new merchandise. He loves to take a little 'break' from ALL of the stimulation and just chill out with his snack and the ipad (yes, I bring it along for long park days). He even falls asleep sometimes, and we all know that tired kids are not necessarily as much fun to be around, amiright? Plus I can carry in food and drinks for us, since I love saving $- and not have to literally carry it on my back. I was fortunate enough to find a City Mini GT Jogger on eBay for a third of the price- and with the weight limit on those being 65lbs, my kiddo will be able to ride it for at LEAST another year or 2. ;)

Now- all of that being said- I don’t think it’s a BAD thing when parents don’t use strollers! For one, it’s sure to make everything not take so long- looking for stroller parking, folding it up to get on the bus or tram, etc. So to you parents who don’t use them- my hat tips to you! I’m sure some day M is gonna be like ‘ok enough with the stroller mom!’ Same as Antonio. When that happens Lindz and I will THINK about it. :) I know that as long as I’m taking trips just him and I- I will definitely be using a stroller as much as I can, if only for my own peace of mind.

I think that if you are on the fence about bringing a stroller, it’s good to look at all of the pros and cons, and then remember that worst case scenario and you DO bring it- but don’t use it? Well then, you can leave it in the car or in the room the next day. If you DON’T bring one and decide you made the wrong choice? Disney has stroller rentals at every park- so you’re in luck! Now- the rental strollers at the parks aren’t nearly as comfy/cushiony as your regular stroller- but for older kids they definitely get the job done! Also, there are several companies that will rent you a City Mini or comparable stroller if you’re coming to Orlando from out of town, and don’t want to bring your own.

In conclusion, you’re gonna be met with EVERY. SINGLE. OPINION. Some people are quite certain that you're doing the wrong thing if you are putting your 4+ year old in a stroller. I've heard comments like 'if they can walk, they don't need a stroller'. How about a LOT of those kids are the ones you see crying and whining at the end of the day about being hot and/or tired. Unless you're a local, or a seasoned theme park goer, you do NOT understand how much walking you're going to be doing during a day at a Disney park. More walking than you've ever required your child to do. If you want honest opinions, please don’t hesitate to ask your family, friends, other Disney group members, etc. However NOBODY knows your child and your family dynamic like you do- talk it over with your partner/spouse/other adults in your party, and do what works best for your trip! Don’t let the lack of (or addition of!) a stroller detract from the magic of your trip!