Child Booster Car Seats in Rental Cars

[northeast_minnie]

Hi all

This is the first time I have ever posted on here - so hope I am in the right place.

We are travelling to Florida in October with out 5 year old DS (it will be his first trip) while he does not need a car seat/booster on the plane we are taking one for when we get to Florida. As far as I know this does not count as a piece of luggage - am I correct in this.

My question is is it worth buying a cheap booster seat and leaving in Florida and not bringing it home or just taking our own and returning with it.

Any answers will be greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

We rent a child seat for our daughter (aged 10 months, 20 months and 32 months on each of our trips so far) and each time it has never been a problem - not expensive to rent and saves lugging one around. Have not looked into buying one so I can't comment on that I'm afraid.

 

[orangetiggs]

We arevtaking ourntwo car seats from home for our trip in oct

 

[chocomochamouse]

We have just booked car hire for our trip in oct and enquired about a booster seat for our 9 year old. We were told by the car rental company that they are not required for children over 4 years old. I also checked this with a friend who is a regular traveller to WDW with her children who are 5 and 9 and she said the same thing.

However, I am not sure if mine was still 5 whether I would choose NOT to use one - down to personal choice, I suppose!

 

[dixonsontour]

I take DD's with us - think I put it in the case on the way out and separately on the way back.

I'd take your own.

I have seen the trunki backpacks for kids - basically a backpack that can be used as a seat or a bubble bum - inflatable car seat. Not used either so can't recommend.

 

[northeast_minnie]

thanks for all the advice

Think at the minute we are going to take our own booster seat - I would be happier with my DS using it.

Thanks

 

[cliveywolves]

Personal choice but we take our own booster seat, DD use to it for comfort and you going to have to pay extra from a hire company

 

[GlendaONeill]

We got a booster seat in Walmart for our 5 yo for about $14 in June. We left it in the villa.

 

[suzybear6]

We took our own booster seats for DD & DS last October. They were free and not part of our luggage allowance with Virgin. If you are flying with a different airline you will need to check it out with them.

While it is tempting to not bother taking your own, and buy one over there you then have the issue that you have to drive with your LO in a car without a booster seat until you get to a supermarket.

Driving in a strange country on the wrong side of the road after a long and tiring flight is obviously going to be one of the most riskiest journey's you are going to make and I for one would not want to risk my child not being safely in a booster seat for any journey but especially that particular journey.

If you do take your own seat then it's a good idea to wrap it up in some sort of plastic sheeting before you get to check in. We had been told that they provide plastic bags for you to put them in but we weren't offered any at Gatwick and it was all done in such a rush we forgot to ask. If it had been raining when the plane was loaded or unloaded, our seats would have got rather wet. Coming back there were plastic bags on our seats but I can't for the life of me remember at what point they were pout on the seats!

Luv Suzy

 

[alibeau]

For our first trip with LO's we hired the car seats with the car - learnt from that costly mistake, it is only $x amount of dollars per day but it soon mounts up

For the next trip we took two of our own booster seats in a sports bag but it was just one bag too many!!

For our last couple of trips we have used two Bubblegum inflatable booster seats. They are well made and very good quality but are not as substantial/high as a normal booster seat but now that our girls are 7 & 5 (and tall with it!) these seats are perfect for us. Not sure they would be enough of a boost for a smaller five year old though

I certainly wouldn't travel without boosters, we use them at home so I wouldn't feel happy not using them on holiday.

HTH,

Ali

 

[northeast_minnie]

thanks for all the advice - we will definitely be taking our own booster seat.

Thanks Suzybear 6 for the advice about taking a plastic bag to put the booster seat in for on the plane (it is something I would not have thought about)

93 days and counting

tracey

 

[paulfoel]

We rent a child seat for our daughter (aged 10 months, 20 months and 32 months on each of our trips so far) and each time it has never been a problem - not expensive to rent and saves lugging one around. Have not looked into buying one so I can't comment on that I'm afraid.

Not expensive? Last time I looked you could but 2 or 3 new ones with the money it cost to rent some tatty battered one from car hire place.

 

[loobzuk]

we've hired them previously but this time will take our own for DS (7). DD is 10 and only a couple of inches shorter than me so she's tall enough to not have one in the UK but we still have it because she likes the drink holder! We thought that this time we'd take one for DS and if it gets lost or damaged it won't matter because he could have DD's when we get back. For us it's more of a comfort factor, legally they don't need them US but the seat belts cut across their necks and can cause soreness.

 

[buzz for boys]

We take our own as it fits in the bag nicely with dd pushchair!!
She is a tiny 5 year old and I wouldnt feel comfortable having her just sitting on a seat!
Have you considered taking a pushchair if you lo is only 5 he will probably welcome the chance to take a break?

Louise xxx

 

[northeast_minnie]

thanks for all the replies - we are definitely taking our own car booster seat for our DS. He will be 6 for our trip but he is quite a tall 6 so there is no way we would be able to put him in a pushchair - think Daddy might have to put him on his shoulders a few times though.

70 days and counting

 

[RDP]

I take DD's with us - think I put it in the case on the way out and separately on the way back.

I'd take your own.

I have seen the trunki backpacks for kids - basically a backpack that can be used as a seat or a bubble bum - inflatable car seat. Not used either so can't recommend.

We have got a Trunki Boostapak for our DD (6). We found it was excellent when we used it last year and we'll certainly be using it again this year when we go. She was able to take it on the plane as hand luggage full of all the things a 6 year old girl needs on a flight !! It then doubled up as her car seat when we arrived in Florida. We found doing this meant we didn't need to carry a bag full of toys etc for her and a separate car seat. Have a look on their website www.trunki.co.UK. There's a short video on there showing how it works. Have a great trip.

 

[paulfoel]

What is the law in florida with regards to child booster seats in cars anyway? I heard it was dependant on height mainly.

Our DS is a tall 7 year old...

 

[dixonsontour]

sheriff.org/safety/carseat.cfm

Age 6 plus are legal with just with a seatbelt under florida law - law is more lax than uk.

I think UK is over 135cm without a booster.

My DD is only 5 so not had issue yet but think I will go by what I do in this country so if DD uses a booster in UK I will take one to Florida.