How about I share both my experiences with you and then you can decide for yourself. On our first trip to the land where all wishes come true, we dutifully packed up our Jeep tandem. And I swore by it! My kids were 4 and 2 at the time. My 2-year old son spent a good amount of time in the stroller either by choice or coercion. When it was not occupied with a child, it was a great place to stow the giant diaper bag we brought with us. It was great for holding back the hordes as we staked out our viewing spot along parade routes. If we were parked somewhere, that front seat was a welcome respite for... me!!! On the downside, we had to get it off and on the monorail and the tram and the ferry and the trunk. My husband swears this one singular thing was the reason we were almost divorced in the Magic Kingdom in 2005!

Two years later, we went back. Admittedly, it was with much reluctance on my part. This time, we traveled light... no strollers at all. My kids were now 6 and 4 and with the energy reserves of bunnies. We traversed the parks, all 4 of them, for four consecutive 12 hour-days. We had no diaper bag. In fact, my hubby graciously lugged a small backpack and that was it. It was a really beautiful thing. We even managed to stake out spots for the nightime parade without the stroller blockade.

So if your kids have the stamina and you can trim down your accessories, I would leave the stroller at home. If you absolutely need one, rent them there. The double is around $18/day. The Disney models beat out a lightweight Maclaren for the purposes of parade stake-out anyway. Those things are like glorified shopping carts! If you don't want to pay the daily rental, they actually sell Kolcraft umbrella strollers there... for an outrageous $45 but hey, at that point, you're a captive audience. You're probably stuck with the meal plan too!

Most of all, don't forget what the Magic Kingdom is all about: the sweet fulfillment of your children's secret dreams... of meeting a mouse and wearing his ears.

I am an Industrial Design student at The Art Institute of Portland and I have a wonderful opportunity to redesign a stroller. I currently don't have children of my own, so I am asking for your help. I want to make sure my redesign is not only safe but functional as well. If you could answer my questions or give me any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

 So how about it, folks! Give Bonnie a few tips on your dream stroller by responding to her 10 questions.

So when we heard the buzz about Bullet Proof Baby offering a stroller for $599, we had to find out more. The product description:

A must for mobile baby protection, the Heavy weight bulllet proof stroller provides 100% protection against all modern ballistics including Armor Piercing rounds. It’s heavy enough to maintain stability even under a heavy barrage, and yet has light steering enabling the stroller to turn on a dime if required. For the smart urban baby... this stroller is the ultimate in style, comfort and extreme combat protection.

You’ve got to be joking?! Actually, they are! The site, www.bulletproofbaby.net is a spoof site set up to publicize Clive Owen’s new action film, Shoot Em Up, opening in September.

The film will probably be remembered for this quotable quote, “Who are you?” “I'm a British nanny and I'm dangerous.” At any rate, watch the sickly humorous bullet proof baby stroller product test on their website.

"I suppose I better explain. Brendan decided to rename his B.O.B. because everyone calls their B.O.B. strollers BOB so...CHUCK IT IS! For now on when you read about CHUCK, you'll have to know that that is Brendan's term of endearment towards his new stroller. I haven't come up with mine yet but I know Gretta is a good possibility."

— Nolan Taylor, June 29, 2007

In the U.S., lightweight travel strollers are a godsend. From a quick trip to the store to day-long outings, our landscape is well designed to accommodate baby wheels. This is not necessarily so across the Atlantic. Stroller mamas (and papas) who venture to Italy and France, for example, often find that they regret bringing a stroller at all.

The numerous steps and stairs and the narrow, crowded, cobblestone streets make it nearly impossible to use one. A few friends report that their umbrellas models ended up folded and carried! During our own tour of the Adriatic and Amalfi Coasts, we noted (and assisted) many a miserable parent with stroller.All of the picturesque quaintness of the hill towns along the coast is lost on a couple who is too busy trying not to tumble down 100 steps.

The big cities have a host of other challenges. One mom reports that Paris is just nor stroller-friendly. The sidewalks are narrow and without sidewalk ramps. There are no escalators to and from the public train stations or between platforms, just stairs. And the fare gates and turnstiles turn commuting with a baby and a stroller into a sick combination of Twister and Operation.

Avoid the nightmares and bring a baby backpack and/or sling instead. Both solutions provide hands-free transport options that are relatively comfortable for the carrier and the carried. The backpack is useful in airports, as you manage additional luggage. It also gives your babe an ideal balcony seat on the sights. Slings work best with infants and young babies, although some companies offer toddler slings too. Backpacks can be used until three years of age, after which your little tike could actually… walk! Novel idea!

Lightweight strollers are ideal for travel, in fact the umbrella-style models like most Maclarens are specifically designed for families on-the-go. But parents who are traveling by plane and gate checking their strollers should know that an airline may technically consider it a “fragile” item. This means that they are not liable for any damage or loss to your stroller.

This is what happened to a family traveling across the U.S. on American Airlines. Their stroller met them at their destination with a mangled frame and missing one wheel. Our own experiences, both domestic and international have been much more fortunate. Other than a few tears to the mesh of an under-seat storage basket, ours has weathered many a journey. With a 2-year old and a 1-year old, that was what made it possible for me to take them solo on a trip to Mexico!

An airline’s contract of carriage (available on their websites) specifically will specifically cite items for which it will take no responsibility or define as fragile. In the case of American Airlines, their list includes strollers and car seats. This is not necessarily the case with all airlines, but if you are checking in a $300 stroller (or anything other than clothing for that matter), it may be worth checking out the fine print.

"Based on feedback from retailers and consumers, parents have been waiting for the Bugaboo Bee, a stroller with Bugaboo functionalities and one-piece fold is a breakthrough."

Available in North America in September 2007, the company is certainly putting the buzz behind the Bee. The Bee has a height-adjustable handlebar, a seat that reverses, reclines and extends, and accommodates various car seats in a one-piece integrated design. Supporting the cushioned seat is a hard shell backrest (just like a real bee) for ventilation while anchoring the adjustable harness and providing an ergonomic fit. The innovative folding system allows for a chassis to fold semi-automatically in one simple motion. This stroller is equipped with a 4-wheel independent suspension system with, foam-filled rubber tires so your little bee can experience a bump-free ride. A unique swivel system allows a 360 degree turning radius. The oversized cocoon-shaped sun canopy envelops your precious cargo from the elements. The Bugaboo Bee accommodates a child from 0 to 37.5 pounds, is available in yellow, red, dark khaki, blue, and black, and retails for $529 (a bargain compared to the Frog!).

If you don’t have time to watch the clip, we’ll give you the low-down. Set to a modernized remake of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Flight of the Bumblebee,” the whimsical film shows a cityscape coming to life as a team of young, hip, and stylish fathers break into choreographed stroller nav, all the while demonstrating the buggy’s key features. Check out the one-handed fold! Check out the ease of “trunk storing!” Check out its infant-to-toddlerness! Check out the hot dads!

And dads, start working on your dance moves!