Bugaboo Donkey3 vs UPPAbaby Vista V2 | Stroller Comparison | Magic Beans

Planning your family or expecting a second child? What about twins? At Magic Beans, we know that looking at double strollers can be intimidating, especially if you are expecting your first child (maybe even twins!) and/or anticipating two children under three years old. Well, we’re here to compare two of our most popular single-to-double strollers, the Bugaboo Donkey3 and UPPAbaby Vista V2, so you can make the best decision for your lifestyle and family!

While both of these strollers come with overnight-sleep safe bassinets for use when baby isn’t sitting up on their own yet, UPPAbaby’s bassinet is fully independent from the rest of the stroller, whereas the Donkey3 bassinet and seat use the same metal frame. This means the bassinet for the Donkey3 is easier to store away when not in use, but does require you to swap the seat fabric onto the frame when you are done using the bassinet (this is a fairly easy process and you can always stop by and have an expert do it for you - once we’re open, of course!)

A common concern we hear from parents is that the Donkey3 seems larger and more cumbersome than the Vista V2. However, at 23.6 inches wide in single mode it is actually more narrow than the Vista V2, which comes in at 25.7 inches wide - the Vista is deceptively wide! The Donkey3 expands to become a side-by-side double that is 29 inches wide and can still fit through a standard single doorway (Full disclosure: if you live in a city with older buildings like us in Boston, you may find some doorways have been grandfathered in and are not “standard size”). The Vista V2 becomes an in-line (one in front of the other) stroller as a double instead of a side-by-side. This allows you to keep the width of a single stroller in double form. As a double, it has a length of 39 inches compared to the Donkey3’s 33 inch length, making for some wide turns.

The Donkey3 and Vista V2 are similar in weight with the Donkey3 weighing in at 27.5 pounds as a single and 31.5 pounds as a double versus the Vista V2’s 27 pound single and 33 pound double. 

With a sturdy aluminum frame, the Donkey3 can hold up to 50 pounds in each seat. This makes it ideal for twins as well as siblings and you don’t have to worry about configurations being off-limits to you due to your child’s weight. The Vista V2 can hold 50 pounds in its main toddler seat and 35 pounds in its smaller Rumbleseat and is more suited to siblings than twins, although twin configurations are certainly possible. 

Arguably, one of the best benefits of the Donkey3 is that you will always be able to see both of your children when they’re in the stroller. They will always be within arm’s reach and you won’t have the kids fighting over preferred seating positions or one kicking the back of the other’s seat. The new addition of peek-a-boo windows in the canopies also allows you to see the kids regardless of which way they are facing. Also, keeping the seats side-by-side lowers the stroller’s profile. Someone under 5’6” might have a hard time using the Vista as a double, since the toddler seat sits MUCH higher than the Rumbleseat. Great for tall parents, but you might want to test it out if you are not vertically blessed.

One of the benefits of the Vista V2 is its compact fold and large basket. The basket allows you to take almost anything with you throughout your day and although you do have to remove the Rumbleseat to fold it, it folds smaller to fit in your trunk or store away in a closet out of the way when not in use. It takes a few more steps for the Donkey3 to get ultra-compact, but is it not impossible.

As far as care and maintenance goes, both strollers are pretty simple. They both have foam-filled tires so they are puncture-proof and don’t require to be periodically filled with air. UPPAbaby recommends spot washing or gently hand washing their fabrics while Bugaboo says you can machine wash the Donkey3 fabrics for a deeper clean. They both have a 2+1 year warranty for a total of 3 years of coverage (just make sure you register your stroller!)

Still not sure which stroller is the right one for you? Have any questions? Reach out to us anytime via email at questions@mbeans.com. We’re always happy to talk shop! You can also contact our Baby Gear Gurus via phone (866-600-BEAN) during business hours (M-F, 9 am-5 pm EST), by utilizing the Product Expert Chat on our website, or by scheduling a video consultation. Finally, get all the advice you need by visiting our YouTube channel!