Carseats?

[Runnergal]

Hi! We will be taking our first cruise ever- 4 nights on the Dream this Thanksgiving with our 4 dc, including a 2yo and an 8 mo. We are planning on spending 3 nights in WDW before the cruise. Would you bring carseats for the little ones? I like the idea of being able to keep them somewhat contained on the plane, but we won't need them once we arrive since we weren't planning on renting a car, so the idea of schlepping them and then storing them on the ship sounds like a pain. (are the rooms on the ship even big enough to store 2 carseats?) What does everyone do in this situation? Thanks!

 

[Ndfor22349]

Kidsflysafe its a harness for kids faa approved. Child minimum weight of 22lbs. Would take the place of one of the car seats. We just got one and will be using it on the 19th.

 

[KPetty725]

Hi! We will be taking our first cruise ever- 4 nights on the Dream this Thanksgiving with our 4 dc, including a 2yo and an 8 mo. We are planning on spending 3 nights in WDW before the cruise. Would you bring carseats for the little ones? I like the idea of being able to keep them somewhat contained on the plane, but we won't need them once we arrive since we weren't planning on renting a car, so the idea of schlepping them and then storing them on the ship sounds like a pain. (are the rooms on the ship even big enough to store 2 carseats?) What does everyone do in this situation? Thanks!

Having flown (and cruised) multiple times with infants and toddlers, I would recommend NOT bringing them. The seats on plans are so small now that most car seats barely fit and if the person in front tries to lean back their seat, it's all over. We just held our daughter for the 3.5 hour flight and everyone was happier. Let's face it - everyone is confined! Our daughter saw the flight as just extended playtime with mommy, daddy, and sister. We made it clear to the toddler that riding on the bus without a car seat was ok because the buses were bigger than regular cars but she still had to sit still on the seat or she would be forced to sit in my lap. She was thrilled that she got to sit in her own seat and barely moved the whole trip between WDW and Port Canaveral!!

There is room for the car seats in the cabin of the ship. You could put one under the desk (if you move out the little stool thingie) and one on the desk or you might could stack them on top of your luggage in the closet (depending on how much clothing you're bringing). That being said, you're better off bringing a folding stroller that can slide under the bed than car seats. The Dream is huge and, although you'll spend what feels like hours waiting for elevators, a stroller can be a lifesaver when shuttling two inevitably tired and cranky kids from one area to another!

 

[manateesmom]

Yes, I would bring them. It's very challenging keeping a 2 yo restrained for a flight without a car seat. It's also unsafe in the event of turbulence. Since we started flying with DS when he was 5 months old, he's always had his own seat and his car seat to restrain him. Turbulence does happen and if the plane suddenly bounces it is highly unlikely you'd be able to hold onto little ones.

 

[DillWaters]

We've very successfully used the CARES Child Aviation Restraint System. It's about $65 on Amazon. It is compact enough to toss into a carryon (6 inches when folded up, 1 pound at most) and is great for keeping the little ones in place. It also discourages the child from climbing around in the seat, getting up, etc.

 

[Disney52303]

I think it depends on the 2 year old. My DD was fine and would sit in her seat. My son, on the other hand.... He brought his seat when he was 2! As a baby we just held him the couple times we flew with him.

I would second the airline harness if you really want something. I would not want to store carseats in a stateroom... I assume you will have a double stroller which will be big enough!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[jmb910]

We also use the CARES harness system. A word of advice, though ...

We bring a piece of no slip (think foam shelving paper for kitchen cabinets or things that go under rugs) for the kids to sit on. They work great when the airline has leather seats and the harness still holds them in safely. This way they aren't sliding down as much.

 

[lanejudy]

... I assume you will have a double stroller which will be big enough!

You definitely do NOT want a double-stroller on the ship. The hallways are rather narrow and often partially blocked by the stateroom hosts' carts and room service trays out for pick-up. I recommend a "better" umbrella-style stroller - folds easily, reclines if needed. A double-stroller definitely won't work on the ship, and even many "regular" strollers are bulky.

Carseats - that's personal preference as to what you feel is best for your family and safety. You can stuff them into the closets, under the desk or at the end between the desk and wall/verandah (may depend on your stateroom layout). At the least, you can store them in the bathtub when not in use.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[jmb910]

Another thing, too, is are you staying at WDW after the cruise is over? If so, you can have the hotel transfer them to your next hotel and store them for you. We have done that with strollers and suitcases.

We do bring our carseats with us, but only because we rent a car to get to and from the port. We always rent with Budget who let you store your carseats there if you are renting with them before and after.

 

[Bfreitag]

This won't help you once you are on the ship, but this has been a lifesaver for me more than once!

http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Tod...5052&sr=8-8&keywords=latch+strap+for+car+seat

It's a strap that uses the LATCH system on carseats and attaches the car seat to your carry on luggage. Not only does it alleviate lugging the carseat around, but it also can serve as a stroller in the airport. I strapped it to the luggage, strapped my son into the carseat, and pulled the whole contraption through the airport!

I cruised with our extended family when my son had just turned 2. I didn't bring a stroller on the ship because we had enough hands to carry him if he got tired. If we didn't have extra family members, I could definitely see a need for a stroller.

I think it's up to you as to whether or not you use them on the plane. My son won't sit still without being buckled into the seat. It completely depends on your children's personalities.

 

[MScott1851]

I have brought my 'travel' car seat (a cheapo Cosco Scenara) on the plane every time I have flown with my DD, starting when she was just a few months old and most recently this last fall for our trip when she turned three. It was invaluable on the plane, because its EXHAUSTING to try and hold a child for two + hours, and she knows that when she's buckled in, it's go-time and there's no getting down & playing/funny business. We brought some bungee cords & strapped it to our rolling carryon to get it through the airport.

 

[manateesmom]

While this may not be helpful to OP, for anyone else reading, we chose our carseat with travel in mind. Radian XTSL (Diono has a new name for it, I think). The seat folds up so it's flat and you can slide it under a bed. It comes with one carry strap, and you can buy another so you can wear the seat like a backpack. DH is designated pack mule to wear the seat. It's big and heavy, but high enough weight limits for extended rear facing and harnessing, the only seat we need until DS is in a booster.

For little one, the "baby bucket" style carseat is handy for carrying baby, and the nicer umbrella strollers will haver adapters so you can strap the bucket to the stroller.

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

While this may not be helpful to OP, for anyone else reading, we chose our carseat with travel in mind. Radian XTSL (Diono has a new name for it, I think). The seat folds up so it's flat and you can slide it under a bed. It comes with one carry strap, and you can buy another so you can wear the seat like a backpack. DH is designated pack mule to wear the seat. It's big and heavy, but high enough weight limits for extended rear facing and harnessing, the only seat we need until DS is in a booster.

Yep, we love our Radians. One of the safest seats on the market, rear-faces to a high limit, extended LATCH use, and you can top tether rear-facing. And it also folds for travel . It's heavy as heck but DH carries one and we strap the other one to a roller bag.

 

[chimpwars]

I always travel with the kids in car seats. It's just easier and I am more comfortable with them in a seat in case of turbulence or an emergency
Are you staying in a hotel precruise? I would call if you are and see if you can store the seats there in the luggage room. We did this in Jan for our cruise out of Galveston, I called prior and they were very accomodating with no issues at all