Losing sleep about flying with my kids for the first time

[lprifogle]

I wish I could be really excited about going to disney with my family for the first time. My husband and I have been several times but this is the first time for my kids.
I am nervous about flying with them...they are very well behaved and I think they will be fine on the plane. I am worried about lugging the car seat with us for my DS (2), how the pressure changes will effect their ears,seat assignments and everything else you could possibly think of to worry about.

Also I have recieved all my luggage tags for ME and my little booklet full of vouchers etc. (we leave in 13 days) I feel like I am still missing something because even though all this stuff says my flight info I don't have a flight confirmation number and have no idea what I need to take to the airport with me to make sure we have no problems getting on the plane.

If anyone can ease my mind that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DebbieB]

I wish I could be really excited about going to disney with my family for the first time. My husband and I have been several times but this is the first time for my kids.
I am nervous about flying with them...they are very well behaved and I think they will be fine on the plane. I am worried about lugging the car seat with us for my DS (2), how the pressure changes will effect their ears,seat assignments and everything else you could possibly think of to worry about.

Also I have recieved all my luggage tags for ME and my little booklet full of vouchers etc. (we leave in 13 days) I feel like I am still missing something because even though all this stuff says my flight info I don't have a flight confirmation number and have no idea what I need to take to the airport with me to make sure we have no problems getting on the plane.

If anyone can ease my mind that would be greatly appreciated.

Which airline are you flying? Did you book through Disney Travel?

 

[twinsplusone]

I have only been on a few flights and my dh once when he was a kid and it was a 45 min flight. We took our kids (8,6,6) to WDW for the first time in 2009. I felt the way you do. My best advice is to leave plenty of time to get through security and to find your gate. As far as the plane, will your little one drink from a bottle? that would help with the change in pressure. Bring lots of little things to snack on. that always made my kids content and occupied. Have a great time!

One cool thing I saw in the airport was a carrier for a carseat. It was a frame with wheels that the carseat sat on and you can strap the child into the carseat and use it as a stroller through the airport and then on the plane. the parents pulled it behind them like a suitcase. It was a nifty little contraption.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Pack a backpack for each kid with NOTHING but amusements for them (no food, sippy cups, diapers, etc...that all goes in YOUR bag). Make sure you have some well loved items as well as some new shiny things to grab and keep attention. My kids LOVED the travel DoodlePro (used to be MagnaDoodle) at that age. Dd played with one for over an hour on a car trip at 18mo once (she's now 9yo!).

I usually switch it up w/ some board books, magnet sets, Little People, and Thomas Take Along Trains as well as a few character sets from the Disney Store. You could also try some pipe cleaners.

As far as the car seat. Practice installing it with a seat belt in your car (even though the plane will only have the lap portion of the belt). This will give you some familiarity with where the belt path is and make you more comfy w/ the process.

Talk to the kids about going through security. Have one parent go through, then the kids (they can walk from one parent to the other), and the second parent corrals the rest of the stuff through the scanners. Know that the car seat and stroller (collapsed) need to go through the scanner...basically everything including your shoes and any stuffed animals the kids may be carrying.

About 40min before the plane is due to leave, change any diapers. Depending on the length of your flight you may be able to make it until after you land before another is needed. I would pack an extra change of clothes in your carry on for both 2yo AND YOU!

Once boarding starts send one parent on w/ preboarding (if available) with a few bags and the car seat. Let the 2yo run around burning off steam until the last minute. This allows everything to get done w/o your family standing in the aisle while the car seat gets situated.

As far as ears and air pressure changes. Make sure you have some small favorite snacks and a sippy (I love the disposables for trips... can wash and reuse as needed but I'm not upset if I lose it! ). As long as they are swallowing they should be fine (mine have never had any problems... ds and dd have flown at 18mo, 2yo, 2.5yo, 3.5yo, 4.5yo, 6.5yo, 7yo, 8yo).

I would contact your travel agent if you have any questions about your flight. Depending on your airline, you may just have an "eticket" and all you need to do is check in at a specific number of hours before your flight (usually 24) and print out your boarding passes.

Anything else just give a yell!

 

[lprifogle]

thank you so much for all the helpful info. It really has started to put my mind at ease a little bit. I think they will be fine and I was already planning on doing a lot of what you suggested but it all still just makes me nervous!!!
I didn't think about the fact that i would have to put the strollers and the car seat thru security. It makes sense but I had just never thought about it....it will help to know that I need to do that.

 

[debster812]

thank you so much for all the helpful info. It really has started to put my mind at ease a little bit. I think they will be fine and I was already planning on doing a lot of what you suggested but it all still just makes me nervous!!!
I didn't think about the fact that i would have to put the strollers and the car seat thru security. It makes sense but I had just never thought about it....it will help to know that I need to do that.

Something else really important, if your kids bring any 'friends' along (stuffed animals, loveys, blankets, etc) that will HAVE to go through the X-Ray machine as well. DS flew for the 1st time when he was 5, and had his Teddy Bear with him. I had totally forgotten about it, and the security agent at TF Green airport was SPECTACULAR about calming him down while Mr. Bear took a ride through the tunnel!!!!

 

[kdfogliano]

It will go smoothly,
and you are on a flight to orlando to chances are there will be a few kids on the plane.

Whenever one of mine has a meltdown I would turn to the folks giving me dirty looks and say to them "i know you are annoyed by this, but it is stressing me out 1,000,000 times more than it is stressing you out" It bothers me that other adults think that I like to here my kids make a scene!!

Also, I always bring treats that i dont let my kids have on a daily basis, like lollipops and stuff like that

And bring a DVD player!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

You said one child is 2..how old are any others? If possible, you may want to do a 'pretend' security run. Set up an area on a table that is the security belt. Let the kids put their 'treasures' up there and watch as they 'move' down the belt, into the tunned and come back out on the other side. Let them know they will have to take off their shoes and walk barefoot through the 'archway'....scanner...without mom or dad with them.Always a good idea to have slip on shoes on. Makes security much easier, especially with kids. Kids always do better with some knowledge beforehand.

As for what to bring....some toys, books, crayons, coloring pages..whatever you think they might like to occcupy themselves both at the gate and on the plane. Plenty of finger snacks are a must. You can buy drinks once you get through security, so that's not an issue.

The other thing that I always impressed upon my dd was this....flying on a plane is a very big deal. You need to sit down and not try to get up, it's the same as riding in the car. If you really have to use the bathroom we can do that, but then it's right back to your seat and down you go. You are not allowed to stand up in your seat, you are not allowed to poke at other people on the plane or kick the seat in front of you (my dd has very long legs!!!), you are not allowed to yell and scream. I have never had an issue with my dd when flying. She has been flying since she was 3, and is now almost 17. Sure, she has been scared when flying, but we dealt with it. There was the time, a month or so after 9/11 that her teddy bear got taken away from her. We had checked with the airline several times to be sure she could fly with him..as she had many times before. Not an issue we were told. We flew down to Orlando with no issue...Corduroy Bear sat in her lap. But, the checkin for home was a nightmare. They told her the bear has to be checked..no carryon items were allowed..period. I tried to ask why the gentleman ahead of us was allowed to bring a briefcase through. Entirely different thing I was told. Yeah, easier to hide something in a teddy bear I guess. My dd was horrified, she had never flown with her bear before and the sight of the many armed people in the airport wasnt' making this flight any easier....and then she got patted down. But, we made it through and she is all the better a flier for it.

Stuff happens when flying..flexibility is key. Be prepared for the unexpected. Let your kids practice before hand. If at all possible, head to the airport so they can see it all before flying..but this isn't always possible.


You won't need to bring ID for the kids unless one of them is flying on your lap. ID isn't needed for those under 18 and paying for a seat. You can gate check your stroller..let them know that at the gate. You hand it off as you board and it is waiting for you as you get off the plane. Practice settling the car seat using just a lap belt before you get to the airport.
Be sure you have your 3-1-1 baggie all set. You don't want to have any liquids or gels hiding out down in your carryon bags...that isn't going to make your experience better. If you aren't sure about what can and what can't go in your carryon, go to the airline website and check it out.

Bottom line??? Don't worry and stress about this. While many of us are seasoned travelers (my dd travels better than most adults I know), we still realize that there are people out there that aren't experienced in getting through security. We aren't swearing at you under our breath if you take a bit of extra time with your kids. Anyone who is in a huge hurry is just going to have to take a chill pill. Perhaps they should have left a bit earlier. Always leave plenty of time to get through security...it's so much better to have an addlt 30 mins to fill at the gate than it is to have to stress about not making it in time due to lines at security. And I've seen that happen....people yelling that their flight is going to board in 10 mins and they need to get up to the front of the security line. I seldom pay them any mind. Just take a deep breath and get your family through without stressing. It's just not that big a deal.

 

[sargenca]

If at all possible, head to the airport so they can see it all before flying..but this isn't always possible.

This is great advice. We did a mini-trial run to the airport this weekend with our DD4. Although my husband and I have flown many times, this will be the first time with our daughter. The visit got her SO excited about flying for our upcoming trip this weekend.

For me, it was helpful to see all of the unorganized, bogged down families slugging through the airport with multiple bags over their shoulders, kids everywhere and over-stuffed strollers! I figured if they can make it through the airport - we can too!!

Good luck! I feel your pain

 

[#1SonofMIannie]

try taking some small trinkets with you in your bag and gift wrap them. when he gets restless or fusses, whip out the present and he will be amazed by the wrappings and distracted by the "new" toy. Traveled from Detroit to Boston and it worked wonders with my 3 amigos

 

[scdak]

If the kids are at an age where coloring still entertains them, search the internet for printable disney coloring pages and print some out, they might enjoy those even better than a regular coloring book and it helps build the excitement about the trip. Like others have said, small trinkets are great as little surprises through out the flight, easy to find in Dollar Tree or other dollar stores, Party City, Target, Walmart etc. Snacks that take a long time to eat are good too such as M+M's, Skittles, trailmix etc . Someone mentioned a DVD player and that works great, buy a new Disney movie as a surprise for them, but please remember the headset.

 

[lprifogle]

my DD is 4 and I am not as worried about her because I can talk to her and really tell her what is going on. She has always had a long attention span so she will be able to keep herself entertained for the whole flight.

You all have been such a great help to me. The "Disney Community" is really a one of a kind breed of people. I was telling my husband last night that it just warmed my heart to see that people would take that much time to give me advice. You all have definitely calmed my nerves for now and I will be thinking about your advice when I board that plane in 10 day.

 

[goofy4tink]

Hope you have a wonderful trip. Try not to stress over the whole flying thing. It will be fine. And welcome to our wonderful DIS community!!

 

[GranddadTom]

I feel your stress in planning such a big vacation. If would be stressfull if you were driving but add the flying part and the load really gets heavy. It's a little like planning a wedding. Don't get so wrapped up in the details that if one little thing doesn't go exactly as planned, you explode. Try to keep your focus on the big picture and accept that the road to that goal may go through some towns you hadn't planned on visiting. I make a short list of the things that really need to go right (bring kids, pack the tickets, meds, credit cards, IDs, etc) and I run through these as I leave the house. Not having those will ruin the vacation. Forgetting the toothpaste will not. Have fun - you're going to DisneyWorld!

 

[cwnhokie]

We went the first time when our boys were 4 and 2. I was stressed and so prepared with backpacks full of snacks, books, lollipops for the pressure etc. They both fell asleep, one before take off, and we had to wake them when we landed. I did take carseats for both of them because I wanted them to feel like they were in a car, with no option of getting out and moving around. Getting through security is a bit of a challenge, just leave plenty of time. We also gate checked the strollers and laid the carseats over the top of the stroller.

 

[momto3pirates]

I just wanted to add a couple of things...make sure everyone uses the bathroom prior to boarding the plane. It is quite a wait once you get on the plane, until you are allowed to get out of your seat.
Also, my middle DS had terrible ear pain with our first flights when he was 5. We started using Ear Planes and have had no trouble since. I don't know if they really work, or if it is just a placebo effect, but he does not complain anymore. He makes sure they are in his carry-on bag when we pack.
Have a great trip!

 

[At World's End]

If you don't want to carry your carseat around the airport, you can get a collapsable luggage cart for about $15 from WalMart. You can use the LATCH clips to attach the carseat to the cart. You could even strap DD into the seat and push her through the airport in it.

You will have to install the carseat in the window seat. If you want to avoid worrying about DD kicking a stranger in front of you, have one parent sit with DD, and have the other sit with you other child in the row in front of DD.

To make life easier, use backpacks as your carryon bag/diaper bag, etc. Before going through security, pull out your 3-1-1 bag and put all loose stuff (toys, etc) into the backpack. That way when you go through security you have fewer things to be fumbling with.

We always bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it at the water fountain. Add an individual packet of lemonade/kooliad and you are set.

 

[Julylady]

You have received a lot of good advice. We just traveled to WDW in August with my two nieces ages 8 and 5. We have been taking them since they were just babies. They are pros now!

A couple more ideas.

1. When you go through security have one adult go first, then the kids, then the 2nd adult last. You never know when someone will be pulled out for additional screening. You don't want the kids to go first and then the adults to be stopped.

2. About a week before the trip we let each kid pick out a new small toy like Polly Pockets or little animals. They know they cannot open them until they get on the airplane. This practice is now a tradition that they really enjoy.

3. If you bring new toys, open them all at home so that you don't have the packaging with you on the plane. We always put them in small ziplock bags.
Same thing with markers or crayons. The box stays home and we just take the crayons in a zip lock bag. Also...you don't need to take the entire box of markers. We let each girl pick three.

4. Save some of the new stuff for the trip home. I always put a few things away in the checked luggage so they have a new toy for the return trip.

5. We pack both fun snacks and heathy snacks and alternate. We have had good luck with cheese sticks, small oranges already peeled, snack bags of carrots. Don't forget napkins.

6. If you take a portable DVD player make sure that your child is used to using it with the ear phones. You won't be allowed to have the sound on in the plane. My brother/sister in law always have the kids use ear phones with the portable DVD player even in the car so this wasn't new to them. I don't think to this day they know that the player has sound. Again....if you take DVDs along put them in a soft case and leave the plastic storage cases at home.

7. We never take anything that is "full size." For example, my oldest niece has a large stuffed tiger that she would want to bring. We went out and got a small replica and told her that it was her tiger's "son." The small tiger got to go on the trip while the big one stayed at home and "babysat" her other animals.

8. When you leave the plane make sure you check around that you haven't left anything behind! Losing a special stuffed animal or toy can be a heartbreaking way to start a trip.

Pack a lot of patience for the air travel. We always need it!