If you’ve ever done Disney with a stroller, you know it can be a love/hate relationship. On one hand, it’s your mobile command center. It’s the place where you can store everything, your kid(s) can rest, and it’s probably the reason you can make it from early morning to fireworks without a meltdown. On the other hand, it’s one more thing to navigate through the crowds, fold up for buses, and occasionally have to search for in a sea of hundreds of other strollers.
I’ve been pushing strollers (singles, doubles, and recently both) through Disney for years and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I want to share more about where to get your stroller, what’s actually worth packing in it, and why I have zero shame that my 6yr old is still riding around in one. Let’s break it down so you can decide the best stroller setup for your family.
And if you’re already looking for help in planning your next Disney trip with littles, be sure to reach out to me here, and we can get started! Additionally, follow along on my Instagram page – @theorganizeddisneymom – because I regularly share realistic, mom-centered tips and tricks for making the most of your Disney vacation.
Stroller Options: Renting Versus Bringing Your Own
One of the first decisions you’ll want to tackle is whether you will bring your own stroller(s) from home or rent one when you get to Disney. It’s important to choose what you think will be best for your own sanity here, while considering factors like your travel logistics, how many strollers you need, and what your comfort preferences are.
You are able to rent a stroller in the parks and at Disney Springs. They have both single and double options available with the pricepoint of $15/day for a single and $31/day for a double. You also have the option to rent for the duration of your stay at a discounted price. When utilizing this option you will return your stroller at the park exit each night, but simply show your receipt the following day to pick one up again upon your arrival.
Renting directly from Disney is a great option if you don’t really need a stroller the whole time on your trip, but you like to have one for the kids just in case. You also don’t need to worry about navigating transportation with a stroller. However, that is also a potential downside. If you’ve got tired kids at the end of the night who are passed out in the stroller, you’ve got to wake them and carry them to the bus / boat / monorail / or however you are getting back to your resort. The other major downside is that these strollers are not plush and comfortable. They’re functional, but made of hard plastic and contain minimal storage space for your things.
Another option is renting from a third party company who will deliver a stroller to your resort. There are many companies that offer this service, but two of the most popular are Scooterbug and Kingdom Strollers. These companies offer a variety of options, including singles, doubles, and even jogging style strollers. The price points vary based on the type of stroller and duration of rental. (*Note that for Kingdom Strollers you need to be present at your resort to meet the driver for delivery and drop off, whereas Scooterbug will just leave the stroller at bell services for you to pick up when you arrive and you’ll return back to bell services when you leave.)
Renting from an outside company is a great option if you don’t want to travel with your stroller, but still know it’s going to be a necessity during your trip and you want something comfortable for your kids. Since you get to keep it with you for the duration of your trip, you have it for days when you’re in the parks but also days when you might be doing other activities like resort hopping. While it does take a little more coordination to set up your rental in advance, most times this process is seamless.
Let me share that for my family personally (with kids ages 6, 4, and 2) we travel with our double stroller. For me, it’s about the peace of mind of having my youngest ones contained as we navigate through the airport. And then we rent a single jogging stroller for my oldest from an outside company and have it delivered to our resort. This is a mix of both options, but it’s what works best for us.
If I had to rank the options, I would say that renting from an outside company or bringing your own are usually the top picks. Sure, in-park rentals have their place, but they’re not my go-to stroller solution. The most important thing to consider, though? Make sure your stroller matches your family’s pace, your kids’ needs, and your trip length.
What to Pack in Your Stroller (and What to Leave Behind)
When you’re parking for your park days, I know it’s tempting to want to bring all the things. I’ve been there too. The “just in case” pile turns into 30 pounds of extra stuff and then your stroller tips backwards when your kid stands up!
The truth is this: you don’t need to pack the entire contents of your minivan in your stroller. My husband often likes to remind me that we’re not venturing off into the wilderness. You’ll be thankful when you just bring the essentials and leave the extra behind because Disney days with littles are already enough work. Let’s keep your load manageable (literally).
Here are some items on my “Essentials Only” stroller packing list:
- Snacks. Always snacks – I don’t know about your kids, but mine are seemingly bottomless pits. And a hangry toddler (or grown up) is a one-way-ticket to meltdown city! We do a grocery order to our resort for many of my kids’ favorite snacks and bring them with us into the parks. We save money and keep everyone happy. We love Disney snacks too, but $7 Mickey pretzels add up fast!
- Reusable water bottles – This is especially important when traveling during the warm months of the year (which in Florida are the majority of
them). You can keep everyone hydrated without buying bottled water all day. Refill with ice and water for free from most quick service dining locations.
- Ponchos – If you follow me on social media, you know the running joke that I’ve packed the same ponchos for Disney since 2021 and have never used them. Don’t ask me how. And yes, I’m knocking on wood as I type this. But the truth is, it rains often in Disney. My theory is that Newton’s Law is in effect and as long as you have them with you, you won’t need them.
- Portable phone charger – Between booking Lightning Lanes, taking pictures and videos of everything, mobile ordering and more, your phone battery likely won’t last all day. Capturing the memories is worth it to me, so I always make sure to have an extra charge.
- Sunscreen – We lather up in the morning before we head to the parks, but again the heat in Florida is very intense and you can’t make it all day without reapplying. If you don’t plan on going back to your resort mid-day where you can re-apply, be sure you have some on you for applying in the parks.
- Empty reusable tote bag – This is perhaps my greatest Disney mom hack. I take an empty reusable tote bag and keep it folded under my stroller (often this is where I stash the ponchos that I never use). And then at the end of the night when we are loading up to head back to our resort, which might require folding the stroller depending on transportation, I toss everything in here. Rather than juggling the kids, the souvenirs, the popcorn buckets, the water bottles, the snack bag, etc. I just stash it all and toss the bag over my shoulder.
- Diapers and extra underwear – My youngest wears diapers, so packing those and wipes is still essential for my stroller. In addition, I pack one backup pair of underwear for each of my older two. Accidents happen and underwear are one thing I would change if necessary. However, I’m not of the mindset of packing an entire backup outfit for each kid. If they get wet, it will dry. If they spill something, I’ll wipe it off. I’m definitely more go-with-the-flow here, but I don’t think it’s necessary to bring multiple outfits to the park each day.
Packing a stroller that is easy to manage, easy to get through security, and easy to break down at the end of the night is going to save your sanity. The less you have to juggle, the easier your days will be!
How to Make Sure You Can Find Your Stroller
Picture this: You park your stroller outside “it’s a small world” along with a few dozen others, enjoy the ride, and then come back to…a literal sea of strollers that look like yours. And here’s a fun twist: Cast Members often move strollers around to keep walkways clear and organize the area, so even though you swear you parked it next to the trash can, it could be halfway across the parking area by now.
If your stroller doesn’t stand out somehow, you’re about to spend precious minutes of your park time playing “Where’s Waldo: Disney Edition.”
Here are a few easy ways to make your stroller stand out (without spending a fortune):
- Use a bright tag or ribbon – tie something colorful like a bandana, luggage tag, or even neon colored hair scrunchie to the handlebar. Make sure it’s something unique that you can easily spot from a distance.
- Attach a name tag – you can make your own or order a customized one online, but make sure it’s laminated to avoid damage in the rain or in the case of a spill.
- Clip on decoration – I’ve seen families use flower leis, small stuffed animals, or even balloons to make their stroller stand out. Just remember not to use anything too bulky or expensive in case it gets damaged or lost.
These tips may seem simple, but an easily identifiable stroller is more important than you think. You can easily locate your stroller in the event it gets moved while you’re on the ride. It also prevents accidental stroller mix-ups (which can happen). Keep in mind that strollers rented from the parks are all identical, and many of the rental companies use the same nondescript styles too, so make your stroller identification extra obvious for more peace of mind.
Yes, My 6yr Old Still Uses A Stroller (and No, I’m Not Sorry)
Let’s just get this out of the way now – yes, my 6yr old still uses a stroller at Disney.
No, he doesn’t use one at home. No, he’s not lazy. And no, I don’t really care what any judgemental eyes think about me when they see it.
Here’s the truth (coming from a Disney mom of 3): Disney is not your average “walk around the neighborhood” type of day. On a typical park day, I average between 15,000-20,000 steps. That’s a full blown endurance event for little legs (and even mine too sometimes).
Letting my oldest utilize a stroller in the parks does a few things. First, it allows him to save his energy for more fun stuff! I’d rather he have the stamina to enjoy dance parties, character meet and greets, attractions and more than spending all his energy trudging from one end of the park to the other (and sometimes back again).
It also speeds up our days. Disney days are jam packed. If we can move more efficiently between attractions and keep tired legs at bay, it makes the day smoother for everyone. Not to mention the fact that Disney is so visually stimulating that my kids are constantly looking everywhere except for the walkways! The number of kids wandering and not paying attention who walk into me each trip is countless, so I make sure my kids aren’t doing that to others.
Having a stroller is a safe space for my kids to eat a snack on the go, grab a quick nap, or escape the blazing sun for a little. It’s also a lifesaver at the end of a long park day when they’re all exhausted. Instead of lugging my 50lb kid back to the resort along with everything else, the stroller does the (literal) heavy lifting for me.
Sure, I’ve caught the side-eye from people before, especially because I have a taller than average child who just barely fits in the stroller, but here’s my take on it. Those people don’t know my child, they don’t know our trip strategy, and they’re not the ones who would have to push through the meltdowns and dragging feet when he can’t keep up.
The way I see it, Disney is about making the days work for your family. If a stroller for your older kid makes it happen, then do it. No regrets. Even if your kid only uses it part of the time, it’s still worth having!
Disney Transportation with Strollers
With the multitude of ways to get from Point A to Point B, it’s helpful to know what you can expect when utilizing Disney transportation with your stroller. Below is a helpful list of transportation options and whether or not you have to fold your stroller on them:
- Bus – strollers must be folded
- Monorail – strollers can stay upright
- Skyliner – strollers can stay upright
- Magic Kingdom Ferry Boat – strollers can stay upright
- Smaller Resort Boats (Friendship Boats) – it depends on whether or not any wheelchairs or scooters are riding at the same time, as they get priority for the larger open areas in the back of the boat. But if you’re the only larger item, the stroller can stay upright
- Parking Lot Trams – strollers must be folded
What Works For You
Here’s the bottom line: there is no one “right” way to do strollers at Disney. Whether you bring your own, rent from the parks, or rent elsewhere, the right stroller is the one that keeps your kids happy and your days running smoothly.
Over the years I’ve learned that families who thrive at Disney aren’t the ones trying to prove something by skipping a stroller for their kids. They’re the ones making intentional choices to match their family’s needs. Sometimes that looks like a lightweight umbrella stroller and other times it means a double stroller with ample storage space for snacks, ponchos,
and plush Mickeys. And other times? It means confidently pushing your “big kid” around and not giving a second thought to what anyone else thinks!
Disney days are long, magical, exhausting and unforgettable! But they’re always better when you remove any unnecessary stress. A stroller is a simple way to do just that.
If you’re looking for more honest mom truths like this, that’s exactly what I’m here to do. As a Smart Moms Travel Agent, a big part of my job is to help you get the most out of your Disney vacation, no matter what that looks like to you. From stroller strategies to park day plans to Lightning Lane gameplans, and all the little decisions in between. I’ll make sure your Disney trip is a success from the ground up. You can click here to enlist my help for free!
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