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If you are heading to Disneyland with kids, you may have questions about strollers. Like a lot of questions. Do you need one? Are they allowed in line? Where do you park them when you aren’t using them? Should you bring your own or rent one?
I have been doing strollers at Disneyland for seven years and kind of consider myself a bit of an expert about the matter. I have used single strollers, double strollers, and more. So let me answer all of your questions about strollers at Disneyland.
Will I Need A Stroller At Disneyland?
Many people (myself included) tend to ditch the strollers for the most part around the time their kids are three years old. I still use one for the twins when walking to get my oldest from school. When we venture out as a family though, and my husband is there, the stroller stays home. Zoos, parks, even the nature trail. We don’t use the stroller anymore.
But we definitely still use a stroller at Disneyland. In fact, I suggest parents with young children, up to the age of five, consider using a stroller at Disneyland. You walk miles and miles at Disneyland. And our kids tend to take nearly twice as many steps as us. By about 3/4 of the way through the day, their little legs are exhausted. You can always park the stroller while in a specific land, and then go back to get it before going to the next land.
Plus, I am not going to lie… It is kind of nice to have the stroller to put all the stuff in. You know what I mean. The backpack full of snacks. The bags of extra clothing for your kiddos. Even water bottles.
But basically, yes, a stroller is a good idea.
Would A Stroller Rental For Disneyland Be A Good Choice?
Maybe you no longer own a stroller, or maybe you don’t want to pack yours along or check it for the plane. I get it. For the first three years of going to Disneyland with our oldest, we packed our stroller, or gate checked it. It was a hassle. It either took up all the trunk space, or worse, got damaged under the plane (true story). Then we gave away the stroller. So then what?
We decided to start renting a stroller for our Disneyland vacations. It saved us having to bring a stroller, or buy one for an older child who did not need it.
What Should I Know About Disneyland Stroller Rentals?
Before you run out and buy a stroller, or reserve a rental, just hold on a minute! There are some super important things you need to know about Disneyland Stroller Rentals.
Disneyland Stroller Rentals – Renting from Disney
There are several options for Disneyland stroller rentals. The first option is to rent from Disneyland Guest Services. While this may seem convenient, there are a few disadvantages to renting from Disneyland.
- Disneyland stroller rentals are expensive. Stroller rentals from Disneyland are $15/day for one stroller or $25/day for two strollers. They do not have double strollers, so if you need two seats, you will be paying $25/day
- Disneyland is migrating to a hard plastic stroller. The pro to the new stroller is the weight limit is 60 pounds, and they are easy to wipe down. Both are pros. The cons are they do not recline, have awful storage, and are uncomfortable for kids
- Disneyland strollers may not leave the secured area. This is the two parks and Downtown Disney. So if you need to go back to a hotel (even a Disney one) you can not take the stroller.
Renting Strollers From City Stroller Rentals for Disneyland Vacations
The second option for Disneyland area stroller rentals is to rent from an outside company. While there are many companies that you can rent from, I use and love City Stroller Rentals. They are who I recommend renting from for several reasons.
- City Stroller Rental monitors their equipment for damage, recalls and more. I have seen equipment from other companies with bent frames, torn up seats and more.
- City Stroller Rental will deliver and pick up your stroller rental from your hotel. They deliver the stroller to bell hop and it will be waiting when you check in, and then you simply return it to the same location before you check out.
- City Stroller Rental cleans and disinfects their strollers to kill bugs,bacteria, and more. Seriously..they go all out to get rid of any yuckies that might be on the stroller.
- They have amazing strollers. These are strollers you can steer with two fingers if needed. They have single and double strollers. They have special needs stroller that can work for children up to 110 lbs as well. Basically age newborn to age 10 is covered.
- They also have other baby equipment you can rent, like pack and plays or bed rails.
- Finally, City Stroller Rentals strollers can leave the Disneyland resort. That means if you are within walking distance, you can push your child back in the stroller. Or if you want to spend a day at another theme park, you have a stroller to take.
- Their prices usually meet or beat Disneyland Stroller Rental prices.
How Do Strollers At Disneyland Work on The Tram and Shuttle?
If you are taking a stroller to Disneyland you might wonder how they work on the tram from the Mickey and Friends parking structure or the shuttles from the Toy Story lot. The two have a little bit different rules, so let me cover those for you.
Strollers at Disneyland on The Tram
If you are parking at Mickey and Friends parking structure you will most likely take the tram to and from the park. (Unless you are like us and choose to walk rather than waiting for the tram.) If you are taking a stroller, I have some tips you might like to know.
In most cases, you will need to fold your stroller up to ride in the tram. This totally sucks. Not gonna lie. Especially for those of us wrangling multiple kids, and also bringing a cooler of food, a diaper bag and more. So luckily, there is an option that does not involve folding the stroller.
The first row of the first and last cars on the tram do not require you to fold your stroller. You do need to remove all children from the stroller (yes, even if they are sleeping) but you can load the stroller with all your bags, water bottles, anything else, and just hold your little ones.
If you are using your stroller as a wheelchair (and it already has a tag for such) you may also be able to utilize the mobility vans. I have heard others have done this with strollers, but we have never tried.
Strollers at the Toy Story Lot
The Toy Story Lot utilizes shuttles to get guests to the park entrance. All strollers must be folded to get on the shuttle. Again, there are mobility vans for those with wheelchairs that could possibly be used if you are using your stroller as a wheelchair. See a cast member for more details.
Are Strollers Allowed In The Lines At Disneyland?
Disneyland lines are definitely a concern for parents, and they often wonder if they can take their strollers in line. In general, the answer is no. Strollers can not be used in the lines at Disneyland.
The only exception is strollers being used as a wheelchair. They can be enter lines that are wide enough (at Disney California Adventure this is most lines). If they are not able to fit in the line, see a Cast Member to learn where to go.
What Do I Do With The Stroller While Not Using It?
Strollers at Disneyland can be parked in stroller parking areas when you are in line or wandering the area. We often choose to park our stroller in Fantasyland and walk around since all the rides are so close together.
Stroller parking is usually marked (though there are a few places it is not). Disneyland has made a real effort over the last two years to move stroller parking to out of the way areas in most of the lands. Most stroller parking is now off to the side of the walkways, often in an area tucked out of the way.
While your stroller is parked, you may come back to find it is missing! OH NO! Don’t panic. Chances are a Cast Member simply moved your stroller to help keep the stroller parking organized. I suggest buying a Disney Balloon or ribbon to tie to your stroller to make it easier to find in the parking area.
Can I Lock My Stroller At Disneyland?
Yes, it is true, once in a great while, a stroller may be stolen from Disneyland. So a lot of guests want to know if they can lock their stroller. The answer is kind of.
You may lock the wheels of the stroller at Disneyland when parked. This will make it so the wheels can not turn. What you can not do is lock your stroller to Disneyland property.
But don’t stress, the actual chance of your stroller getting stolen is very small. There are hundreds upon hundreds of strollers in the park every single day, so even if one were stolen daily, the odds are in your favor. Like I said before though, if you come out and your stroller is missing, chances are a cast member moved it.
Can I Take A Wagon Instead Of A Stroller?
The technical answer is no. Wagons are technically not allowed in Disneyland. However, there are new wagons that have a push bar like the Keenz. These wagons are push only, and do not have a pull handle, and they fit within the required dimensions so they are allowed in Disneyland. Cast Members are still learning about these strollers, so you may have to talk to a supervisor if security says they are not allowed. If your wagon has a pull handle, you most likely will be turned away, even if it also has a push handle.
My Child Uses A Stroller In Place Of A Wheelchair. What Should I Do?
If you have a child that has mobility issues or other special needs that make him or her need to use the stroller as a wheelchair there are a few things you need to know.
First, stop by any guest service kiosk or guest relations at City Hall or Chamber of Commerce to get a Stroller as a Wheelchair tag. This tag will be attached to your stroller and is good for your entire visit (unless renting your stroller from Disneyland Resort directly, as that stroller will be turned in each day).
This tag allows you to take the stroller in the line on rides that can accommodate it. For other rides, it will allow you to use the wheelchair entrance. This is usually the exit. Some rides just allow entry through the exit, while others will issue a return time (comparable to a Fastpass or Disney MaxPass return time) for you to come back. To know if you should go to the exit, utilize the regular queue, or get a return time, simply ask a Cast Member.
Hopefully I answered all of your questions about strollers and Disneyland stroller rentals for your vacation. If you have a question I didn’t answer, drop it in the comments and I will respond with an answer.
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Hi Becca,
Is it possible to walk from either parking structure to get to the entrance instead of taking the tram or shuddle? If so which parking lot is best to park in?
Thank you in advance!
Carynn-
You can walk from both, but Toy Story is pretty far away (over a half mile). Mickey and Friends is about a 15 minute walk to the gates. You go through security at one side of Downtown Disney (near Disneyland Hotel) and walk through it to get there. It isn’t that bad if you are used to walking.
I hope that helps. I also have an article on Parking at Disnyeland that talks about this a little bit.