Double or two single strollers?

[disneygirlie11]

W have a trip planned for October. I'll have my son who will be 2 months from being three and my daughter who will be 20 months. I'm debating whether to take 2 single strollers, a double stroller or a sit n stand. There will be 5 adults with us. My thinking on 2 singles is if we want to split up, take one child back to the room for a nap, etc than having two strollers would be easier. However, the almost 3 year old may not use it much so we will be pushing around an empty stroller often. The argument for a double is obviously only one person will have to push a stroller, they will be able to play with each other, cheaper to rent than 2 singles, one person can take both children. I have never used a sit n stand, but I was thinking of it as an option since my son will be almost 3, he will probably be walking quite a bit, but he won't be able to sleep in it if needed.
Sorry for the long explanation!
For those who have taken 2 young children, what is your suggestion? Thanks!!

[southerngirl]

We just got back from a trip with DD (1) and DS (4.5). DS has always been a big walker on our WDW trips. He has actually pushed his stroller himself on more trips than he has ridden in it. But, we decided to rent a double stroller through Strollers and Groceries for our trip, and, boy, did we LOVE it! The stroller was light-weight and easy to turn, and it was so much easier than having two strollers. We ran into several families who had "stroller envy" when they saw us and remarked about how much they wished they'd rented a double stroller and not messed with two separate strollers. It's quite the hassle to get two strollers on and off a bus, boat, etc.

Whenever we needed to split up, we would generally park the stroller in a central location, and DH would take one child to do one thing (usually a ride that DD was too small to ride) while I took DD to do something else. We thought we would be taking a lot of midday breaks, but DD actually feel asleep a lot in the stroller, so we didn't do a lot of splitting up for naps. And, when DS wanted to walk, he walked, but there was no pushing around an empty second stroller, plus lugging our bags, etc.

[AgentC]

I didn't vote because I am torn. It really depends on how you plan to do the parks. I think you are going to find opinions on both sides.

My kids are 2 1/2 years apart and I've been taking them since they were infants.
I have rented some really lovely double strollers (side by side City Minis usually. If you don't have your own Strollers & Groceries have great ones). They are easy to fold, fairly light weight and not terribly wide so there are very few problems fitting in anywhere. I have also brought my own double stroller which is more of a mall stroller and it did not work great at Disney.

We usually have 2-3 adults, so one double stroller is ideal. We generally don't split the kids up because both were quite comfortable sleeping in the stroller. But since you will have 5 adults, 2 strollers might be better since it does give you more flexibility.

I personally wouldn't do the sit and stand if you are going to be in the parks late since if your 3 year old falls asleep you would be stuck carrying a child.

[Strmchsr]

As you explained, it's almost a 50-50 issue. I guess I'd go with the double as the idea of pushing an empty stroller wouldn't be very appealing to me. I would also suggest you check out Strollers and Groceries (under Intercot Sponsors). I've heard lots of good things about them and they are a LOT cheaper than renting a stroller directly from Disney (I could buy 2 or 3 strollers for the cost of renting one for a week from WDW).

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

If the child isn't using the second stroller you can use to put purchases and other bags in I saw do two singles....

[1DisneyNut]

Get two umbrella strollers. They are light weight and easy to fold up and manage at the parks. We carried a big double once and we were ready to smash it with a hammer after getting it on and off the buses a couple of times. Before the next trip we bought a couple of disney print umbrella strollers and used them on probably at least 10 trips. After using them, there is no way on earth I would ever take a full size stroller again. You could probably even buy some of them at a local store (walmart or a souvenir store) once you got down there and still be cheaper than renting a full size.

[BrerGnat]

I spent 5 years figuring out the best answer to this conundrum. My boys are 20 months apart. We lived VERY close to Disneyland from the time the oldest was born until he turned 7. Once my second son was born, I went through ALL the options you listed on various visits to Disneyland.

First of all, do NOT even consider a Sit 'n' Stand when your oldest is only 3. If there is even a MINISCULE chance he will fall asleep one day in the stroller, this is not a good option. This was our first choice, because our 2 year old "never" slept in his stroller. We thought we were so smart. On our FIRST trip to DLR with the sit n stand, my older son climbed into the front seat while I was feeding the baby, and proceeded to fall asleep in a stroller for the first time in his 23 months of life. He slept for 2 HOURS! It was miserably hot that day, so I had to spend those two hours holding the baby while both kids slept. Awful. Awful. Awful. I put the Sit n Stand up for sale as soon as we got home that day.

Double Stroller: Can be a good option, but there are caveats.

1. It's difficult to maneuver one of these in gift shops and into bathrooms. Bathrooms, in particular, are cramped. You will often have to take the whole stroller in there, especially if you are changing a child.

2. They are also cumbersome to get on/off transportation.

I had a few double strollers. The ONLY one that worked well at Disney was the Combi Twin Sport. This stroller is narrow, easy to steer, and it folds up in a very neat way, ends up being roughly the size and shape of a golf bag,and has a nice shoulder strap. The entire stroller weighs well under 20lbs.

My choice, though, for the BEST option that will last you several years is the 2 separate folding umbrella strollers, but invest in good ones! Don't go the cheapie route. We had Maclarens (WELL worth the cost). I should have just bought these from the beginning. Honestly.

It is so much easier to have each parent pushing a child. You can cover more ground faster, take a break with one child who might need it while the other one can still be off doing something with the other parent. It's easier to get them on/off buses (they collapse with one hand, and can be carried on your shoulder like a bag, while you carry the child in the other arm). They are small and don't take up much space in bathrooms...you can roll them right into single stalls with you most of the time. Overall, just the easiest option. Plus, once your older child n longer needs a stroller, you will still have a usable option since you will have two separate strollers.

[kakn7294]

I see the pros and cons of going with 2 singles vs a double but personally, I'd go with 2 nice umbrella / ultra lightweight singles since you have adequate adults to push strollers. Or go the route of taking a regular single and an umbrella single. If your regular design permits, when not in use, you could fold the umbrella up and place it in the basket with it sticking up through the handle.

Another suggestion: velcro wire ties (velcro straps made to fasten wires together - available at home improvement stores) are great for fastening 2 strollers together (to make 2 singles into a "double") for when 1 adult might be responsible for pushing both strollers.

[peemagg]

When my nieces and nephew were ages 13 months and 2.5 years, we took the 3 of them to Disney. We took 3 Combi single strollers. It worked great. They were easy to push and the kids took naps in there comfortably.

We took them back last year and they were 5 and 6. We took only 2 strollers this time and used the same ones from the previous trip.

I voted for the single strollers, but if you can get a smaller double stroller that isn't too wide, then that might be a good option too.

I like the Combi strollers for they are light weight like a umbrella stroller, but have the comfort and features of larger strollers. I have also seen good things about the City Mini strollers. In fact if I was to rent one, that would probably be the one I went with if I couldn't get a Combi stroller.

[Disney Doll]

I have experience with all 3 options.

1. I hate the sit n stand. Even my 5 year old will occasionally cat nap in a stroller at Disney so I think for the amount of strolling you do at the parks both kids need an actual seat. For that reason we never brought our Sit n Stand to WDW. Honestly, it was a bit bulky and not a stroller we used very often.

2. We liked two singles. I recommend a good quality umbrella style like the Graco Ipo or Chicco Lightway. Sometimes my youngest would fall asleep or I would stop at the Baby Center to nurse and we would split up so DH could take the older one on rides. Mostly we stayed together, but it was nice to have that option and it did come in handy a few times. Plus, singles are so easy to navigate. Sometimes I get frustrated with a double because you can't always fit easily in restaurants or shops.

3. I had a Baby Trend double which we used on our first trip as a family of 4. It had all the bells and whistles I thought would be necessary. However, it was bulky, ridiculously cumbersome, and did not fit in the trunk of our "mid-sized" rental car. I hated it. It was just too big and too hard to maneuver.

Last year I bought a Graco Ipo double which I used on our trip this past Dec. DH was only joining us for a few days so I was going to be by myself with the kids a fair amount. It's a very slim side by side so it fits easily through a standard sized doorway. I prefer the side by sides because they are easier to steer and easier to control. It was a great stroller and I wouldn't hesitate to bring it to WDW again. However, pushing a double can be exhausting for the amount of walking you do at Disney so plan to trade off on pushing duty.

4. My conclusion is that two singles or a double can both be good options, but only if you have the right stroller. I would never ever for any reason bring a full-sized stroller whether double or single.

[1DisneyNut]

One thing I forgot to mention in my first post is please whatever you do, do not bring one of the full size strollers with the big wheels over about 4 inches in diameter. It is extremely and I mean extremely annoying when someone brings one of those huge bulky full size strollers with the 8 inch wheels on the bus and takes the skin off of your shins and arms as they drag it down the isle. I was on a bus once and a guy tried to bring one of the jogging strollers on that has the really big wheels that are about 12 inch diameter....the bus driver would not allow him on with it citing safety concerns. He told the guy that he would have to wait for a handicap bus so it could be strapped down like a wheel chair.

[disneygirlie11]

Thank you for all of the feedback! Brergnat, what type of maclarens do you recommend? I had looked at getting one when I had my first child, but never ended up deciding which style to get before I found out I was pregnant again! Haha

[jonahbear2006]

Ugh, we did two single strollers once and you couldnt pay me to do it again. The castmembers move the strollers and they never end up together, the buses are a mess with two strollers leaving the kids to fend for themselves so mom and dad can handle the strollers, and why separate them anyways? I think doubles are more comfortable than maclarens. I almost always buy a new stroller for a trip...its worth it to have a new stroller and i see it as a lot cheaper than renting one but never again will i do two singles nor will i do a stroller not equipped to carry things in a basket. I went without the kids last week and really missed the basket and the cup holders on the stroller.

[1DisneyNut]

Ugh, we did two single strollers once and you couldnt pay me to do it again. The castmembers move the strollers and they never end up together, the buses are a mess with two strollers leaving the kids to fend for themselves so mom and dad can handle the strollers, and why separate them anyways? I think doubles are more comfortable than maclarens. I almost always buy a new stroller for a trip...its worth it to have a new stroller and i see it as a lot cheaper than renting one but never again will i do two singles nor will i do a stroller not equipped to carry things in a basket. I went without the kids last week and really missed the basket and the cup holders on the stroller.

I never experienced any of the problems you describe. We always had the strollers ready for the bus when it arrived and actually had to prod the kids to get on the bus as usual. The umbrella strollers take all of about 5 seconds to fold up anyway. We carry a backpack in with us to keep all of our stuff in along with drinks and snacks. To me putting everything in a basket in the bottom of a stroller was always aggravating trying to dig it out. Also, my backpack has pockets on each side for water bottles to keep them handy.

I guess it is just a matter of personal preference but I would never carry a full size stroller on a vacation again. I find them extremely burdensome but then they are pretty much anywhere you take them. I can not describe how happy I was when the kids got big enough we didn't need them at all anymore.

[Tri Minnie]

I just wanted to give a shout out to Strollers and Groceries. We have 3 children (the oldest is 4 1/2) and have experienced Disney using all kinds of stroller options. This past trip we rented a double from Strollers and Groceries. The price was reasonable, the grocery delivery fee was waived, and it was so much easier than bringing our own. We also brought a single for when I wasn't wearing the baby or the oldest needed a rest. We will most likely choose this option again!

[disneygirlie11]

Did they waive the grocery fee bc you rented a stroller also?

[Strmchsr]

Did they waive the grocery fee bc you rented a stroller also?

Yes. If you order a stroller they waive the delivery fee for groceries.

[Buttercup]

The only thing I don't like about umbrella strollers (the cheap ones) is they don't recline. So when your kid falls asleep, they slump over forward.
We've always gotten a double stroller - rented a few times from Orlando Strollers and Kingdom Strollers, and this year, we're renting from Strollers & Groceries! Just a single this year -- my son is old enough to walk on his own now. The size of strollers from these places are perfect for the parks - you'll see a ton of people with them down there.
And yeah, a big no to the Sit & Stand or the Disney World stroller rentals.

[Tri Minnie]

Yes. As Strmchsr mentioned the delivery fee for our grocery order was waived because we ordered the stroller. The sunshade offered good cover, and we loved the cup holder and provided rain canopy.

[Gator]

I'm telling you right now that you want the double stroller. You want both kids in it going from attraction to attraction. This brings a lot of control to that older child - it prevents a lot of dragging around and keeping an eye on the child. Plus, the two have fun together sitting side by side. I can't imagine how we would've done it with just one single, or having two singles. And on the bus system, you want only one piece of equipment besides all the other stuff you have to bring for the kids.