Blog Post,  Children,  Planning

Strollers at Disney World

Strollers and Disney World: 32,158 steps. That’s almost 16 miles! That is how many steps my Fitbit tracker told me that I walked on my last day at Disney this past trip. True, I was there from open to way after close (but that’s a different story) and ran around like a crazy woman trying to get everything done… but nevertheless, at Disney, we walk A LOT. The average person walks 10-12 miles spending a full day at Disney. Now, we know that’s tough on our adult feet, but what about the kiddos? This is why finding the best strollers for our families is so very important. Here, I have a list of your options and hopefully I can make it a little less stressful.    


Bringing your own Strollers for Disney

Strollers Disney
Nicole Ellington

Pros: So bringing your own can be super convenient, and not to mention cheap (no rental fees, and if you are flying, most airlines will check your stroller for free right before you board). Also, you already know your stroller. You know how your child sleeps in it, you know how to recline it, and you know how to fold it up. Bringing your own stroller can eliminate the stress of extra fees and the stress of a learning curve.  

 Cons: Lugging it around can be a major problem for some. You have to fold it up every time you go on one of the Disney buses to and from the parks. Also, a Disney trip puts tons of wear and tear on your stroller. Think of all of those miles that you are putting in (10-12 a day!!), plus your children climbing in and out all the time, and all of the food spills they might have on it. There is also the weather to consider… it rains A LOT in Florida, and you almost always have to leave your strollers outside while in the parks. If you don’t have a stroller rain cover, the cloth on your stroller will take a long time to dry and no one likes a soggy stroller.  

UPDATE: Disney now has a new rule as of May 2019- All strollers MUST follow this guideline-

  • Strollers larger than 31” (79 cm) in width and 52” (132cm) in length are not permitted. Stroller wagons are also not permitted.


Renting Strollers from Disney

Disney stroller, rental stroller
@adventuresbyDrennon

Pros: Renting from Disney does have a few nice pluses. Disney strollers are incredibly sturdy. They can accommodate older kids that might not usually need a stroller. Maybe during the middle of your vacation, you might notice that your older child who you didn’t think needed a stroller seems tired and run down. What’s great about Disney strollers is that you now have the connivance of going to rent one as soon as you need it.  If it rains or if food spills on it, it’s very easy to clean because they are plastic. Just take a paper towel and wipe that bad boy down. Also, you don’t have to lug it onto buses, trams, or any other form of transportation because Disney doesn’t allow you to take it out of the park.    

Cons: One of the biggest cons is that Disney strollers are very bulky. They are essentially bulldozers on wheels. (Okay, not really, but you get the point). Also, they aren’t very comfortable. The hard plastic that makes them so easy to clean also makes them hard to sleep in. They also do not recline which can also be hard for nap time. Babies do not do well in these strollers because, well… they weren’t made for babies!

The worse part about these strollers is that there is no storage! There is no place to store your leftover Mickey Pretzels, cotton candy, popcorn, that cute coffee mug that you just had to have….oh yeah, and I guess diapers, wipes, and all of your other kid essentials. The Disney strollers also all look the same! If you do rent one, be sure to tie something to your stroller so that you can easily I.D it out of the sea of strollers. Here is what you can expect to pay… (prices are subject to change at any time)              

Single Strollers- For children 50lbs or less            

  •  -Daily: $15            
  •  -Length of Stay: $13 per day              

 Double Strollers- For children 100lbs or less            

  •  Daily- $31            
  •  Length of Stay- $27 per day  

You can pre-pay for the number of days (length of stay) you are planning to need a stroller and save some money. You will receive a receipt that you show to the cast member at the rental station and then you will receive your stroller. It also works this way if you are park hopping. You will leave your stroller at one rental station in one park, and then pick up another one at the next park.    



Buying your own Strollers for Disney while you are there:

Pros: Sometimes, if you find a good deal, purchasing a stroller from either Target, Walmart, Amazon, or another retailer can make sense. (If you are picking it up in-store, you would have to take your own car or taxi to pick it up. Walmart and Target are only a few miles away.) You could also have it delivered to your resort! (For free shipping from Target- Spend $35 or more, or use your Target Red card.) Now, you don’t have to worry about carrying it through the airport, or taking up room in your already very packed car.

Cons: If you don’t have it delivered, going to go pick it up can be a hassle. It will take time out of your vacation. Also, if you do get it delivered to your resort, Disney might charge you a convince fee. Call your resort to find out how much that would be.   So if you do purchase a new stroller while you’re at Disney, then what do you do with it when your vacation is over? There are a few options.

  1. Take it home. Now you have a new stroller filled with Disney memories
  2. Leave it in the resort’s laundry room with a sign on it that says ‘free’. I have seen this done multiple times and it has really come in handy for some families
  3. You can join a Facebook group called Disney SUPER Fans Recycle, Share & Swap and give it to them. In the next bullet point, I will explain more about this group.
Nicole Ellington


Disney Super Fans Recycle, Share & Swap

   Before I get into my pros and cons list, let me first tell you a little bit about this group. It’s a group of almost 16,000 people that have all come together on Facebook to help families have a little more magic by sharing the items that they no longer need. And strollers are a big item. The group has in their possession some strollers that people can borrow while they are vacationing at Disney. There are a whole set of rules, so please visit their Facebook page and read them to get a feel for the group.    

Pros: The strollers are free! (best. pro. ever). From when you pick it up, to when you drop it off, the stroller is free of charge. Unlike renting a stroller from Disney, you can bring it in and out of the parks. If you purchased a stroller while you are at Disney, and have no more use for it, donate it to this group. They will be more than happy to take it.    

Cons: There is really no guarantee that you will get your stroller. When you go to sign up for one, there might not be one available for you to borrow. If there is one available for you to borrow, there is no 100% guarantee that it will get to you. This group is run by volunteers and Disney vacationers, so sometimes things get lost in the shuffle of the magic.    



Disney Stroller Rental Companies

Nicole Ellington

There are many, many companies that you can rent strollers from, but I am only going to cover 4 popular ones.

  1. Orlando Stroller Rentals-https://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/
  2. Kingdom Strollers- https://www.kingdomstrollers.com/
  3. Magic Strollers- https://www.magicstrollers.com/
  4. ScooterBug- https://scooterbug.com/orlando/

   Pros: (UPDATED) These strollers will be high quality, maybe even better than the one you have at home. This is great because you will be putting tons of miles on these babies. Strollers from all four providers also come with rain covers and parent consoles. They all also have different styles of strollers, so you can find the perfect stroller for your needs. They all have pretty decent reviews too, so you know that you will be happy with your service.    

UPDATE: The first 3 companies use to be able to drop off and pick up at your resort without you having to be there. Unfortunately, this is not the case anymore. Disney has just recently updated their stroller terms and conditions. The ONLY company that can now drop off and pick up at your Disney Resort without you having to be there is ScooterBug. Click here to read more about them! For the other three (and any other companies) you will have to schedule a pickup/drop off time to meet up with them.

Cons: Insurance is not included in the price of your stroller, so you will have to purchase this on top of the price of the stroller (which I HIGHLY recommend you get).  

  Just as a side note, each stroller company has its own way of cleaning and disinfecting these strollers. If that is something you would like to take into consideration, visit their websites for more information. Since my son has food allergies, I needed to make sure that if we rented a stroller from one of them, that my son’s allergen would not be all over the stroller from a previous user. The companies that I contacted eased my mind and assured me that they properly disinfect the strollers after each use.  

Nicole Ellington

As you can see, you have tons of options available. One trip, bringing your own stroller might make sense, and the next trip, maybe renting one from Disney is what’s practical for your family. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s a good fit for you and your family.

How do you handle the stroller situation while at WDW? Do you rent? Bring your own? Something else? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment down below to let me know your thoughts! Share this post on Facebook or Pinterest, thanks!

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Strollers Disney
Strollers Disney

I'm a lover of all things Disney! I have an adorable son named Andy (after Toy Story), and an amazing hubby named Aaron. For my family and I, Disney isn’t just a hobby or someplace we casually go when on vacation, it's a way of life. We try to go back 'Home' twice a year. My hope for this blog is to help families navigate their crazy, magical times through Disney and reach their Disney Dream!

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