Tips about Epcot and Strollers

Having just returned from an exhausting, yet wonderful week in Disney, I'd like to share with your readers what we found to be our "saving grace". Our girls are 5 and 7, yet we decided to bring along an umbrella-type stroller for each of them. We used them to haul carry-on luggage to the gate of the plane, easily gate-checked them, and brought them into the parks all seven days of our stay. They fold so easily and are so light, that getting on and off the bus was quick and simple. The girls rode in them almost all of the time. This not only saved time (we walked at our pace, not theirs), but we knew where they were at all times! They in turn saved energy by riding (and occasionally napping). We were always able to spot them easily in the stroller parking, unlike ALL those park rentals! The best part was that at the end of each day, when the girls (and we) were most tired, we didn't have to return our strollers and then make the long trek to the bus pick-up! So many people commented on how they wished they had thought of the "outside the park gates" traveling around. We used so many of tips from ALL EARS® and AllEars®.net that we wanted to share our tip! - The West Family of Massachusetts

I brought my own stroller from home, but I was meeting family who live in Florida. We decided to rent a double stroller so the cousins could sit together. My daughter loved sitting with her cousin, but by midday she wanted back in her own stroller. WHY? Those new strollers in MK, Epcot and AK are HARD. She wanted the comfort of her soft stroller. Here is my tip! If you do plan on renting one of these strollers, bring a blanket so you can soften it up a bit. Remember none of the strollers recline. - Suzanne

Whenever possible, park your stroller under a designated shelter. We parked both of ours outside during the Country Bear Jamboree, and were surprised by a total drenching shower that left about a quarter-inch of rain in our belongings and two very soggy toddlers for the rest of the day! - Mark Brown

Rent a double stroller for your "big" kid. If you've got an older child (4, 5, 6, or even 7) who's too big for a regular stroller from home, rent a double stroller for him/her. They offer plenty of room for a larger child and hold more weight than a single rental or a regular stroller. Plus, you've got a handy place to carry sunscreen, drinks, snacks, rain ponchos, etc.

Last summer, we rented one at all four parks for our then 5-year-old daughter, and it made all the difference in the "World". They were worth every penny we paid for them. We could cover a lot more ground and our daughter was able to rest and get some relief from the sun. We're heading back to WDW this summer, and our now 6-year-old has already asked to make sure we'll rent strollers for her again.

Only one caution: as of July 2000 when we visited, the double strollers at Disney's Hollywood Studios had a canvas divider to make two separate seats, meaning there was no room for a big kid to stretch out. We ended up trading the double in for a single (we were cheerfully refunded the price difference), but that was a little too small. This year we'll skip the stroller at Disney's Hollywood Studios. - Beth Peter, Waukesha, Wisconsin

EDITOR's NOTE: The Stroller FAQ has photos of strollers from each of the 4 main Theme Parks. http://allears.net/pl/strol_faq.htm

Back when we used to travel to WDW with a nice stroller, I'd bring a ski lock. (A ski lock is like a cable-style bike lock, but thinner and smaller so it is easier to carry in your pocket.) When we went on a ride, we'd leave the stroller locked by running the wire through two wheels so no one could roll it away. If a Cast Member needed to move the stroller, they could still pick it up and carry it. - Jean Pugh

Summer is approaching, and along with that the summer WDW rain spells. I thought it might be a good time to share this tip. If you will be touring the park with a stroller in tow, be sure to bring some type of plastic cover for it. Some baby supply stores sell covers made specifically for this, but we found cheap ponchos from the dollar store to work well, too. If you park your stroller outside to go into a show or ride, cover up your stroller. That way, if one of those famous rainfalls creeps up, your stroller won't be soaked when you're ready to put your little prince or princess back in it. - Lauren Swedenborg

EPCOT - On every trip to Epcot we try to collect different things from each country, but I'm beginning to run out of space. So this year we decided to collect candy from each country. We usually picked up two different candies at each country. The only country that did not have candy was Morocco, so we bought a pastry. It's a tasty treat that you can enjoy at the park and later at home. I took some to my family and we had a contest to see what country they thought the candy came from. So, in essence it's a treat, collection, and later a game, but only needing short-term storage space. What a fun, tasty thing to do -- my family enjoyed it! - Kelly Adkins

EPCOT - On every trip to Epcot we try to collect different things from each country, but I'm beginning to run out of space. So this year we decided to collect candy from each country. We usually picked up two different candies at each country. The only country that did not have candy was Morocco, so we bought a pastry. It's a tasty treat that you can enjoy at the park and later at home. I took some to my family and we had a contest to see what country they thought the candy came from. So, in essence it's a treat, collection, and later a game, but only needing short-term storage space. What a fun, tasty thing to do -- my family enjoyed it! - Kelly Adkins