The Joovy Scooterx2 made Disneyland the happiest place on Earth

When packing for Disneyland this month, there was one thing I was really stressed about. Not clothes or shoes or something else we could buy once we got there, what I was mostly worried about was how we would get around with kids. Planes, cars, buses, taxis, trams and more are great for traveling to Disneyland, but what would we do with three kiddos once we got to the park? Side note: No, we didn't steal a baby. We were watching a friend's son during the conference and needed something that would be versatile enough for our older two, but also could be used for the little guy when we had him alone without his stroller.

And, even with our two, we’re still very much in the naps stage {or, at the very least, rest and downtime} during the day. With a schedule that had us out from early morning until well after midnight, we knew that a stroller could easily make or break our trip. Whatever stroller we brought would need to be versatile enough to go all day long and comfortable enough for them to sleep in when necessary, but it would also have to be easy enough to push and maneuver for hubby’s and my sake.

We knew we would be pushing a Joovy double stroller, but then the question was whether we go with the super Qool new double {see what I did there?} or if we wanted a more traditional side-by-side. Pictured: Joovy Caboose Vary Light, Joovy Scooterx2 and Joovy Qool

In the end, we decided side-by-side was the way to go with two children who would be hopping in and out and would definitely argue over seats if one had a better vantage point than the other. But, while side-by-side seating was clearly better in terms of fairness, I was worried that going this route would make it difficult to get in and out of stores and tight areas.

Thus, I started to do some research and I found the Joovy Scooterx2. It seemed to fit all of our needs and the reviews all said that it was easy to maneuver in stores and doorways, so it was decided we would push a brand new stroller for our trip. If you know me and my family and how much we walk, you will understand why this was crazy exciting to me. The only decision left was which color to go with, and we decided that a bright orange stroller would it impossible to miss, even in a sea of strollers. We went stroller-less for the first part of our trip since we were having the Scooterx2 delivered to the hotel, and when the big box was delivered to the Disneyland Resort Hotel for us I think we all were cheering. We all couldn’t wait to pop it together and hit the park, and luckily it was only a few minutes after we snipped the zip ties {with our handy finger nail clippers since none of us had thought to bring scissors} and we had it together. Within minutes of pushing the Scooterx2 out of our hotel room and into the elevator, I knew my fears of side-by-side strollers were unfounded. Not only was it nimble and easy to push, it was not nearly as wide as I was picturing. It fit easily in every doorway we tried, even in restidential doorways and doors with the huge push handle that comes out into the doorway. Never once did I feel like I couldn’t get somewhere I wanted to or that it hindered our fun having such a big stroller. And, the kids loved that they could hop in and out throughout the day and still get to experience Disneyland like big kids… but with a big orange safety net of having a bed on wheels for when they inevitably got tired throughout the day.We pushed the Joovy Scooterx2 roughly 40 miles just at the parks alone and with each mile I was extremely grateful we had gone with the double wide stroller. In addition to being much more fair than a stacked stroller, there were some huge benefits to going with the wider stroller.

First, it gave us a much bigger basket than a single wide. It swallowed backpacks, souvenir bags, blankets, purses, cameras and more with room to spare. Second, it offered sun and rain protection to both children. With a huge hood that cocooned the kids and gave them a place to escape the elements, it was perfect day or night. In the heat of the day we could still keep the sun off the kids with a light, breathable blanket, and at night we could cover them with a fluffy blanket and they would be sleeping within minutes. Third, they could entertain each other. While they have their moments of bickering as most siblings do, they call each other “best buddy” and they play fairly well together most days, so I hate to separate them. Even when we’re just around town they are happier together, so the idea of them not being able to giggle together about all things Disney seemed like a very big missed opportunity for sibling {and pseudo-cousin} bonding. Fourth, both kids had ample legroom. Unlike our double stacked stroller which uses basket space for legroom on the bottom seat, the Joovy Scooterx2 allows bigger kids to comfortably ride together even when the stroller basket was completely full. This leads me to my next rave… Fifth, the storage areas {and there are many} are accessible, even with both children in the stroller. Since legroom and storage space is separate, there’s no worrying that sleeping kids are going to prevent access. I can’t even tell you how much easier it was to store my purse and SLR camera in the hidden recesses of the basket of the stroller knowing that I could access it any time I wanted. Sixth, side-by-sides are more stable. I didn’t have to worry about what child got in first or stress that my son would fall asleep on the bottom while my daughter felt like walking, because the Scooterx2 was never in danger of tipping with unbalanced weight. And, with two kids hopping in and out throughout the day, this was a huge plus.

Seventh, an even weight rating for both seats. Whether you are a parent of twins {or children who are similar sized} or you are a parent of vastly different sized kids, you will love not having to restrict who sits where and give seating charts. Eighth, both seats recline fully. Stacked strollers don’t offer full reclines because the design prohibits full movement of the seat, but with a side-by-side it’s not an issue. With both seats functioning independently, it made it easy for one child to nap and the other to be up sightseeing.
Ninth, you can buy one blanket and it will cover both kids. Or, you could not pay park fees and remember to bring one from home, but you get the idea. One blanket, two kids. Less to store, less to buy, less to have dragging on the ground.

Tenth, it was so maneuverable that it even when it was loaded up with suitcases to run through airports it handled like a dream… even 1-handed. This was especially important when our connecting flight had us running outside the terminal in San Francisco and again through security with two sleepy kids and large amounts of luggage in order to not miss our flight home. I really cannot stress enough how much we loved the Joovy Scooterx2 for Disneyland and how great it's been for an everyday stroller now that we're back home. A lesser stroller would have meant the difference between grumpy kids and grumpy adults during some very long days. And, every parent knows that that right there makes all the difference in the world. Check out Joovy.com to see the full line of Joovy strollers and juvenile gear for every stage. Whether you have one child or a crew, you are sure to find the perfect stroller for you and your family.