Thursday, October 12, 2017

How to Survive Disney, Part 1: Orlando Stroller Rentals

We just got back from a wonderful family vacation to Orlando, Florida a couple weeks ago.  We were there for ten days (yes, ten!).  We visited Universal Studios Orlando for the first two days, and then spent the rest of the time in Disney.
(I WAS COMPENSATED FOR THIS POST, BUT MY OPINIONS ARE ALL MY OWN.)

With three small kids (ages 5, 4, and 2), I was really worried about their ability to have the stamina necessary for that kind of long, walking-intensive trip.  With my concerns in mind, I started searching online for options for stroller rentals.  In my search, the rental company that seemed to be the most talked-about and have the most positive online presence was Orlando Stroller Rentals.  I did a little digging and found out that they had double stroller options, as well as singles that would hold kids up to 75 pounds. I could have taken my double stroller for Cache and Hazel and made Chloe walk...but she IS only five, and it was going to involve so many long days that I was SO glad to find a stroller rental option that would accommodate her height and weight comfortably, because she is pretty tall for her age.
I contacted them, and they were happy to schedule my rentals for me.  They were very communicative and easy to get a hold of, quick to respond to my questions via email and phone, and they even contacted me the day before our trip to make sure that everything was still on schedule.
It was so nice to not have to worry about getting our strollers gate-checked at the airport.  I have almost without fail had my strollers damaged while transferring them via airplane travel, and it was great to have the kids just walk through the airport and wear Hazel, and know that there were strollers waiting for us at our destination.
Orlando Stroller Rentals is a Walt Disney World Preferred Stroller Rental provider.  That means that they are allowed to leave the stroller with the bell service so that the strollers are ready for guests to pick them up when they check in at their hotel.  They have thorough safety inspections done on every stroller in between each customer.  Orlando Stroller Rentals has been renting strollers to families since 2008, and have only "high end" strollers in their fleet.  When your trip is over, you schedule a pick up time, and they come right to your hotel lobby.  It was a completely hassle-free experience.  I was really impressed with how well the company communicated with me on meet-up times over text message and phone calls.  They were prompt, polite, and efficient.  
Additionally, both strollers looked brand new.  Even though they were rentals, there was no sign of the many other families before who had used them for their trips, which I really appreciated, I was very impressed by how well-maintained they both were. 

I have had several people ask me since we got back how on earth we managed to squeeze so many things into our trip--park hopping, nap missing, tram riding, etc.  Immediately, my response is THE STROLLERS!  Without them, I'm positive that two days in, everyone would have been crying.  Hazel napped in her seat (which reclined completely back) almost every day of the trip at least once, and Cache (who doesn't even nap anymore), took several as well.  Even Chloe fell asleep one afternoon.  I seriously can't even describe how much these strollers made the difference in our trip.
SO, if you are planning a trip to Disneyworld or Universal Studios Orlando, do yourself a favor and look into Orlando Stroller Rentals!  Their commitment to their customers is awesome, and it will make your trip 180 degrees different from what it will be without it.  I wouldn't have changed anything about my experience with them.

Comment below if you have any questions.  I'd love to answer them!  Also, watch for my upcoming post about Orlando Stroller Rentals' sister company, Tanner Scooter Rentals, which (spoiler alert) also saved our bacon. 

No comments: