What is the Best Stroller for Disney World?

If you are heading to Disneyland or Disney World with a toddler or pre-schooler, a compact travel stroller is a great idea to bring with you or hire once there. A pushchair or stroller can give a welcome respite for tired little legs walking miles around the parks.

This guide answers all your Disney stroller questions, including Should I bring a stroller to Disney? It also compares renting a stroller at Disney to elsewhere and the prices of renting versus buying a travel stroller.

You may even want to consider using a lightweight stroller for an older child, especially if you are intending on visiting the parks after a long flight and have jet lag plus the heat to contend with.

Strollers can be a great place to escape the sun whilst walking around, a convenient option for a nap, as well as a handy place to store all the bits you inevitably bring with you!

Can you bring your own stroller to Disney?

Yes – most likely. However, that doesn’t mean you should automatically bring your normal stroller or hire the biggest one. The Disney Parks have new stroller size regulations (May 2019), and with crowds to contend with plus shuttle buses and the monorail, you will need a stroller which is lightweight, compact as well as functional. 

What are the the Disney Strollers rules?

“Strollers that are greater than 31″ (79cm)  in width and 52″ (132cm)  in length. Stroller wagons are also prohibited”

So should I bring a stroller to Disney?

That’s a subjective question, but even the most energetic child can be exhausted from walking around the miles of Disney parks. Adults can often walk 20,000 steps in a day, and factor in the heat and jet lag and even a child that hasn’t used a stroller for a long time may want a break.

If you are have plenty of time to visit the parks and intend to just do half days at a time, you can likely get away without one for your 4 year old, but if you intend to stay all day, plus see the fireworks and parades, then having a stroller could come in very useful indeed.

Karen from Mini Travellers took her twins (4) and eldest daughter (5) and highly recommends taking a stroller. However Cerys, from Rainy Day Mum, offered a different view with her 4 and 5 year olds.

Best Single Strollers For Disney

There are plenty of compact travel strollers option whether you have a baby, toddler or pre-schooler. The lighter ones, do generally have less functions than the more robust pushchairs. (Some even fit on as cabin size luggage or as your carry on allowance.)

However, they make up for this by being easy to transport whether by plane to get to Florida (Disney World) or California (Disneyland) or if you are using the monorail, Disney Magical Express from the airport or even the hotel shuttle buses. You may find a travel stroller bag useful to keep it clean and to help lug it around.

I’ve listed the lightest strollers first.

GB Pockit Lightweight Stroller

This stroller is currently the world’s smallest and most compact stroller for travel. It weighs a mere 9.5 lbs making it the lightest stroller and folds down to 11.8 inches x 7 inches x 13.8 inches.  It’s narrow width means it is nimble and easy to weave amongst the crowds at Disney. You will need to buy a rain cover for any downpours and the canopy doesn’t offer much sun protection so you may wish to buy an umbrella to attach. It does not come with a bag or straps to carry and doesn’t recline.

But if you just need a temporary seat, then this one could do the trick. This cabin size stroller really comes into its own for plane travel too, so useful to have if you have any transit stops along the way to the USA.

What other readers of Flying With A Baby Say:

“Easy to fold, super right and comfy as much as it can be. We only use it when travelling by subway, bus and airplane.”

Pros

• Can be used as cabin baggage. It will even fit under the seat.
• Front wheels can be locked to a stationary position or left to swivel
• It’s really small!
• Did I mention how small it is?

Cons

• Only suitable for babies aged 6 months plus.
• Sun canopy does not offer a great deal of protection
• There is no recline option (unless you purchase the Pockit Plus)

UPPABaby G-Lite Denny

The updated version of the popular G-Lite is now reclinable and even lighter at 11lbs. It has lost the function to stand up by itself – but for the lightness that’s not a huge inconvenience.

The seat has a breathable mesh and the basket is very reasonably sized for an umbrella stroller. The large UPF canopy is an improvement with an additional pop out sun visor. Some readers have said it doesn’t offer another support for a younger baby.

A cup holder comes as standard. The price is also very reasonable for all the functions making it one of the best umbrella strollers. For more information and latest price for the UPPABaby G-Lite, see here.

Pros

• Very light
• Large sun canopy
• Can hold up to 55lbs
• Price

Cons

• A smaller recline than some.

GB Pockit Plus

The GB Pockit + is an upgrade from the original GB Pockit above and tweaks have it made it stronger, more robust, and even more practical for travel. This new version benefits from a recline function, a sun canopy whilst still folding up incredibly compactly; making it a lot more practical for an afternoon nap or protection from the sun.

It folds down in 2 simple steps and can be carried effortlessly via the attached handle. It is now considerably heavier at 13lbs/5.8kgs than its predecessor, but it is still a very lightweight travel stroller, which can be moved with one hand.

Another Flying With A Baby reader reports back that, “It is extremely lightweight – so you can not hang a bag over the handles and it’s one of the best compact strollers making it great for family travel”

For more information on the specifications and latest prices for the GB Pockit Plus, see here

Pros

• Can be used as cabin baggage. It will even fit under the seat.
• Front wheels can be locked to a stationary position or left to swivel
• It’s really small and often listed as the best stroller for airplane travel due to its size.

Cons

• Only suitable for babies aged 6 months plus.
• Sun canopy does not offer a great deal of protection but a bit more than its predecessor.

Summer Infant 3D Lite stroller

This is a popular mid way budget lightweight stroller for travel (13lbs/6.2kg).  An appealing feature is it reclines to a nearly flat position and is easy to manoeuvre.

A carry strap and compact fold helps make it easy to transport. It can used til your little one reaches 50lbs.

What other readers of Flying With A Baby Say:

“Portable, lightweight and pretty sturdy. We used it extensively on cobbled Italian roads, smooth US roads and Mexican roads as well.”

For more information and latest price for the Summer Infant 3D Lite Stroller see here.

Pros:

• Price
• Near flat recline
• Has  a variety of storage: A cup holder, pocket on the back, and storage underneath
• Provides more shade than cheaper umbrella strollers

Cons

• Legs can dangle a bit if child is tall.

BabyZen YoYo+

This is another stroller which meets most airlines cabin baggage allowances. It is not as light as the original GB Pockit for plane travel – but it weighs in at a very light 13lbs/6.2kg.– the same as the GB Pockit Plus. It is consistently rated highly as a contender for the best lightweight travel stroller.

It comes with a storage bag and a shoulder strap so you can easily carry the BabyZen on board one fo the Disney shuttle buses or monorail.

This compact travel stroller feels sturdy and is often used as a daily stroller because of all its features; including multi recline, a sun canopy, rain cover and generous under seat storage.

It is on the pricey end of the market but if it is used daily and used for travel, then it may save you from buying a separate travel buggy. These are quite popular in Europe because they fit through narrow doorways.

I have also seen it consistently recommended by parents when anyone asks them what the best travel stroller is.

This travel stroller is suitable for babies aged over 6 months, but you can buy a newborn pack as an additional feature. This pushchair can be used in parent-facing mode from birth and front facing from 6+ months up until 18kgs.

For more information on the BabyZen YoYo Plus, please see here.

Pros

• Easy to fold and unfold
• UPF 50+ sun protection canopy
• Reclinable
• Shoulder strap

Cons

• Quite pricey

Mountain Buggy Nano

The Mountain Buggy Nano consistently crops up as one of the best strollers for travelling.

At 13lbs, this lightweight stroller has a full-size, padded seat with an adjustable leg rest and multi-position recline.

The seat can almost go into a lie-flat mode, making it one of the best reclining strollers for travel and perfect for an afternoon siesta at Disney. However there is a newborn cocoon available as an extra, if you need.

Like the BabyZen YoYo Plus, this stroller comes with a carry handle and carry strap plus a travel bag – useful for getting on and off the hotel busses and the Disney mono rail.

The rain cover does need to be bought separately. It cannot fold one handed but feels sturdy.

What other readers of Flying With A Baby Say:

“We would be lost without our Mountain Buggy Nano. It has been on almost 50 flights in 18 months and is still in the best condition. Great recline too.”

For more information on the Mountain Buggy Nano, please see here.

Pros

• The narrow frame  is good for narrow streets  and doorways.
• Can be pushed one-handed easily.
• Reclinable
• Fits into overhead storage compartments (if permitted.)

Cons

• Cannot be folded with one hand.
• Can be a bit tricky down a set of steps due to the small wheels.

Babyjogger City Mini

This great day to day use stroller was highly recommended in a Disney Facebook group I am in. It’s travel-friendly – folds down super easily, is nippy and light– but feels much more solid and comfortable for the little ones as you wander around the parks.

 For more details on the Babyjogger City Mini, including the UV cover,  please click here 

Pros–

• Light – weighs 18.4 lbs
• Can fold with one hand.
• Easy to manoeuvre.
• Seat tilts back to flat for nap time on the go.

Cons-

•  I can’t think of any!

Best Double Strollers For Disney

If you are visiting Disney with twins or a toddler and pre-schooler, a double stroller is probably on your essential list! Double strollers are also allowed into Disney, as long as they meet the rules mentioned above. The good news is most double jogging strollers fall into these measurements. Including:

• Baby Jogger City Mini Double
• Baby Jogger City Mini Double GT
• Zoe XL2 Best V2
• BOB Revolution Flex Duallie 2.0, Revolution Pro
• Joovy Scooter x2
• Britax B-Agile
• Baby Trend Expedition Double Jogger
• Mountain Buggy Duet
• Jeep Destination Side By Side
• There are many more that do too!

Zoe XL2 double travel stroller

The Zoe is sadly not available in the UK, which is a shame as it’s not only a practical double travel stroller, but a super lightweight twin stroller for travel too. 

It is incredibly light at 16lbs, and meets the Disney World stroller size rules. Each seat reclines separately, but not completely flat. The sun canopy is generous for a travel stroller. For more information, & latest prices see here

Joovy Twin Groove Ultra Light Travel Stroller

At 26lbs this double travel stroller is still light and portable. It comes with 3 cup holders and each seat individually reclines.

Its narrow width means it easily meets the Disney strollers rules, whilst offering some sun protection too.   For more information and latest prices see here.

Baby Jogger City Mini Double Stroller

Like it’s popular single stroller model, the seats recline to near flat position and the adjustable canopy hoods offer peek through flaps.

This travel buggy is slightly heavier at 28lbs but can still be folded single handedly and is a good option if you are looking for a lightweight stroller for toddlers and older children at Disney which has lots of functionality. For more information and latest prices, see here.

Where can I find the cheapest strollers to buy for Disney?

Alternatively, may Disney visitors buy a cheap stroller from Walmart when they arrive and just leave it for the next guest. You can either visit Walmart yourself or order online and have the umbrella stroller delivered to you hotel. The cheapest strollers offer no sun protection, and are usually priced around $30 after tax.

CONSIDERING RENTING A DOUBLE STROLLER AT DISNEY?

You can rent strollers in the Parks.

How much are stroller rentals at Disney?

• Single Strollers (for children 50lbs or less) cost $15 daily or for Multi- Day (length of stay) $13 per day.

• Double Strollers (recommended for children 100lbs or less) cost $31 daily or for Multi- Day (length of stay) $27

A $100 USD credit card deposit is required for strollers rented at Disney Springs.

At Disney World, strollers can be rented at Disney Springs and within the Parks but they cannot be taken out of the area. When you move park to park, or to Disney Springs, you hand your receipt in exchange for a stroller. More details can be found on the Official Disney site.

RENTING STROLLERS FOR DISNEY

Other options are to rent a stroller from a stroller rental company in Orlando. This is usually a cheaper option than renting strollers from Disney World, particularly if you need one for a few days or more.

The strollers companies can deliver directly to you hotel and collect. As a rough guide expect to pay about $120 for 2 weeks for a rental stroller.

Jane from Our Little Escapades.com rented a double stroller from Kingdom Strollers for the two weeks they were at Walt Disney World. It was left with the hotels baggage services on the day she arrived. She just had to leave it with them on the day we left.

“Our daughter was three at the time of our visit and our son was 7. But a small seven. He has autism and we wanted the stroller to be a place he could escape to, to if it all became too much. He actually used it a lot more than our little lady as she wanted to walk everywhere!”

Consistently recommended companies for renting strollers for Disney are:

• Magic Strollers: (866) 866-6177
• Orlando Stroller Rentals: (800) 281-0884
• Kingdom Strollers: (407) 271-5301

Tips whilst using your strollers at Disney World and other theme parks.

• Tie something bright or recognisable to it. There are THOUSANDS of strollers at Disney World and many look the same. Make yours stand out. 
• Bring a sun shade and a rain cover – Florida is prone to quick downpours!
• Always use the designated parking pram spot, but don’t panic if it has moved. Sometimes Disney staff jig pushchairs around to make the area a bit neater. 

Sharing is caring!