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Kingdom Strollers Review
This post is sponsored by Kingdom Strollers. We were provided with a free rental in exchange for an unbiased, candid review of their service. All opinions and pixie dust are 100% our own.
Last year we hit the Disney Parks for 5 days. Landon (5 months old at the time) was pushed around in our single stroller while Lily (then 5 years old) pounded the pavement with us. We knew that she was tired by the end of each day and on more than one occasion Bob ended up carrying her from the hotel lobby to the room. Buying a double stroller just for a week in Disney was simply not something we were interested in doing or funding.
When this year’s trip rolled around, I was asked by several friends and readers if we were renting a double stroller this year. My answer was always no, I figured since we didn’t use one last year there was no need to think about it this year. That’s when my curiosity got the best of me and I started to search online for reviews of Orlando stroller rental companies. I saw a bunch of different posts that included children around Lily’s age using these strollers. So that got me thinking – are the conveniences of renting a stroller for a Disney vacation worth the price?
When I asked readers on my Facebook page to recommend a stroller rental company, the majority overwhelmingly suggested Kingdom Strollers. Kingdom Strollers is based in the Orlando, FL area. They offer several stroller models to choose from (in both single and double models). These strollers are not your bargain bin umbrella strollers. They are high-end stroller models from well-known brands including Bob, City Mini, SummitX3, Mini GT and Liberty models.
What does it cost? Rentals start at just $40 for 1-3 nights and go up to $140 for 19-21 nights.
What are some reasons I should consider renting a stroller, even if my kid doesn’t usually use a stroller anymore at home?
:: A place to sit when they are tired. Walking around theme parks all day is TIRING. As a grown adult I get tired. So I KNOW that my kids are tired. Give them a break and throw them in a stroller! Bonus: they might even fall asleep and get in a nice nap! We found that our City Mini Double had a fabulous recline allowing BOTH of the kids to get some shuteye during our days and nights at Disney.
:: Sun protection. We bring hats, sunscreen, etc with us into the parks but the oversized sunshades (especially on some of the City Mini model like the one we rented) provided an incredibly nice, shady retreat for the kids. Between keeping them out of the sun and giving them a place to rest, we were able to spend more time enjoying the parks than if we went without the stroller.
:: Safety. It’s rare to get to a theme park and find anything less than crowded walkways with people everywhere. Having the stroller was a great way to keep both kids safe, out of the crowds and ensure they didn’t get trampled (especially after the fireworks or parades when crowds seem to peak).
So let me tell you about our experience with Kingdom Strollers.
When I was first browsing their site, I noticed a claim that most emails are answered in 10 minutes or less. I thought that was nearly impossible to be true. Then in less than 2 minutes, there was my response. IMPRESSIVE. (And yes, it was an original, not canned, response, specific to my question!)
Moving right along.
We chose to rent a City Mini Double. We liked the look of the stroller from the rental site and we especially liked the large sunshade. This stroller is recommended for kids up to 50 llbs and 44″ or shorter. Lily is only about 40 lbs but right about at that height cutoff. She fit the stroller well and never once complained about being uncomfortable. In fact, she was THRILLED when we told her we were renting a double stroller.
I had to no idea what to expect as far as cleanliness goes. Let me tell you – our rental showed up in FANTASTIC shape. I NEVER would have guessed it was a rental. Kingdom Strollers washes and disinfects every stroller after every rental. I was incredibly impressed by the quality of our rental.
When you rent your stroller from Kingdom Strollers, you get to specify the date, time and Disney resort for them to deliver to. They deliver to MANY Orlando-area hotels and delivery is FREE. (FREE!!!) We stayed at Bay Lake Tower and we arrived at our resort with only enough time to change our clothes and get back down to the monorail for our dinner reservations at the Polynesian. So AFTER our dinner, we took the monorail back to the Contemporary and found the Bell Services desk. Our stroller was in the back waiting for us, brought out by a hotel employee. Both kids were only too happy to kick back in their new ride as we walked back to our room!
One of the advantages of staying at Bay Lake Tower is that you can walk to Magic Kingdom right from your hotel. Um, HUGE PERK ALERT!! Yes, there is a walkway that takes you right from your hotel, past the bus pickup area, right into the ticket gates of Magic Kingdom. So on our first morning in Florida, we were able to load both kids in the stroller IN OUR HOTEL ROOM and march them right on into the theme park. It doesn’t get much easier than that, friends!
Quick word about the City Mini Double – Oh WOW, did we fall head-over-heels for that stroller! Lightweight, roomy, seats reclined, folded easily, steered like a DREAM. We watched time and time again as other people navigated their Disney-rented strollers (rented AT the park… hard, molded plastic, no recline, big clunky tires). They looked uncomfortable and I can’t tell you how many people we saw get their strollers lodged in the trolley tracks up and down Main Street USA! Our stroller glided effortlessly over every surface!
Another quick tip – We realized very quickly just how popular Kingdom Strollers is – there were many other visitors with the very same City Mini Double. I highly recommend putting something on your stroller to make it stand out from the others when you’re searching for it in a stroller park area. We had a gawdy plush heart that Lily had bought for Bob for Valentine’s Day, LOL, that ended up in our hotel room (we arrived in Disney on 2/14). Onto the stroller it went – and we never had a problem finding it in the crowd!
Our stroller gave the kids a safe and shady spot to watch parades, eat snacks, etc. But my FAVORITE story with our stroller was at the Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party.
Landon was so darn tired that he could not keep his eyes open. It was almost 9 pm and he was DONE. As we waited in line for the dessert party to start letting people in, we wondered if we had made a big mistake and were going to have to juggle a sleeping kid during fireworks.
When we made it to the hostess desk, we asked if by any chance we could bring our stroller in. THEY SAID YES! (We were so used to the usual Disney mantra “go park your stroller over there” at that point. So Bob ran back for the stroller and the little Mister got to snooze his ever-loving heart away. Kid wakes up when you step on the creaky floorboard on our steps. Same kid SLEPT THROUGH THE ENTIRE DAMN FIREWORKS SHOW. Go figure.
But here’s where the true Disney-stroller-magic kicks in. Fireworks had ended. Parks were starting to clear out. We were able to drink another cup of coffee before they started closing down the dessert party. This was a nice chance to let some of the initial crowds empty out of the parks. Lily was exhausted and couldn’t wait to hop in the stroller to be driven back to our hotel.
She settled into her seat and we were off. And because we were within walking distance to our hotel, both kids were sound asleep as we glided into our hotel room. If that ain’t magic, I don’t know what is.
Next day – Epcot. From the glorious sunshades keeping the kids shady (okay, Landon’s pasty little legs required some extra sunscreen :D ), to the fact that we could push the stroller RIGHT ONTO THE MONORAIL (no folding up required), to the convenience of pushing the stroller right onto the Epcot lake ferry as we went back and forth from the World Showcase to the rest of the park multiple times, THE STROLLER ROCKED!
And when the time came, to *sniff* return our stroller on the morning of our departure, it could not have been easier. We dropped it off at the same Bell Services desk where we had picked it up. The folks at Kingdom Strollers come and pick up your stroller rental, you do nothing else!
It’s also worth noting, that our stroller came with a rain cover (included at no extra cost) which we somehow lucked out weather-wise and never had to use. You can also see that it came with a drink holder on the back. That came in very handy, especially for the umpteen bottles of water we drank.
I can tell you, with a resounding “YES, YES, TOTALLY 100% WORTH IT!” I was so surprised at how much we used our stroller, how convenient it was for BOTH of our kids (and Bob and my sanity). The stroller was in impeccable shape, the communication from the company was swift and professional and friendly. I’m not sure when we are planning to head back to WDW. Hopefully in 2017. If Lily is still able to fit this stroller comfortably, we will absolutely be renting the double again!
And you don’t just have to take my word for it – here is a sampling of the rave reviews my readers had to share regarding THEIR experiences with Kingdom Strollers!
We used them in the summer of 2013 and had a great experience. We stayed off Disney property and the stroller was waiting for us at the resort when we arrived. We rented a double City Mini and it was a life saver in the parks; even my seven year old rode in it a few times. The price was the best we found and we will be using them again when we return to Disney later this year.
– Jennifer
We used them in January of 2014 and had a great experience. They were super friendly and easy to deal with. The stroller was waiting at our hotel when we arrived and was very clean. My son took some of his best naps in that stroller which really helped us make the most of our time there. I would definitely recommend them and plan to use them again on our next trip.
– Kelly
We arrived at Disney with our girls, almost three and five with one cheap umbrella stroller.
After less than a day in the parks, we caved and called Kingdom Strollers. The double BOB was there waiting for us at our resort the next morning, and our princesses happily rode around the rest of the week.
– Emily
I love Kingdom Strollers!! Matt the owner makes himself easy to reach. The strollers are top notch and look brand new! I love the variety of choices as well. Great company to do business with. They are the only stroller company I refer to my clients!!
– Teresa