Best MCO to WDW transportation with toddler?

[Princesca]

I booked Mears, but am second-guessing myself. We are two adults with a toddler. I originally went with the bus option because I felt safer in a big bus without a car seat, but now I see you can get a car seat with an Uber. Obviously, we're also trying to reduce our potential germ/virus/whatever exposure every way we reasonably can, while still going to WDW, so there's some appeal in not being on a bus like that. (But we're taking a bus later in the trip to Port Canaveral.)

Anyway... best transportation option for toddler safety? I looked into buying a light car seat but that's more than we can wrangle and the harness ones are not approved for his size. He's really big for his age but still not big enough for that, I don't think.

 

[Best Aunt]

I booked Mears, but am second-guessing myself. We are two adults with a toddler. I originally went with the bus option because I felt safer in a big bus without a car seat, but now I see you can get a car seat with an Uber. Obviously, we're also trying to reduce our potential germ/virus/whatever exposure every way we reasonably can, while still going to WDW, so there's some appeal in not being on a bus like that. (But we're taking a bus later in the trip to Port Canaveral.)

Anyway... best transportation option for toddler safety? I looked into buying a light car seat but that's more than we can wrangle and the harness ones are not approved for his size. He's really big for his age but still not big enough for that, I don't think.

Maybe you know this, but it's not like every Uber driver has a car seat. I believe Uber with a car seat is a booking category, like UberX and UberXL. They are not always going to be available. I believe I read that it remains as a category but new drivers have not been allowed to sign up to drive that category.

Depending on your personality, you might not want to be at the airport just hoping that an Uber with car seat is available -- you might prefer to book something which you know will work for your toddler.

You can look into towncar services, to see if they have car seats. That probably will cost more than the Mears bus for you.

 

[js]

I can tell you when we just traveled with my grandson, we booked a limo from MCO to resort and asked for a car seat (FlTours).
From resort to MCO, we used Panda and he was excellent and had a car seat. I got the name from these boards.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you want to save money... use the Mears Bus (CON: exposure ro more people, slower)
If you want privacy and a guarantee of car seat... use a town car service. (CON: More expensive)

I would not count on a ride share having a car seat.

ETA: A 3rd option is to bring your own car seat (get a travel bag for it if necessary), you can use it on the plane also, and rent a car. I remember doing that when DS was about 2. Between the two of you, you should be able to wrangle that.

 

[jimmymc]

All airlines will allow you to check a car seat for free, and that's how we always travelled when I was a kid.

Uber does have a separate car seat category; I'm not sure if Lyft does. Either would be fine if you bring your own.

 

[Lmans77]

How big is your toddler? What car seat does he use at home? When we went in August, my toddler was 2 years, 3 months. I wanted him in a seat for the plane because technically its the safest and my wiggly 2 year old wouldn't have done well in a plane seat only. We used a cosco scenera but he is almost outgrown it so not good for big kids. We used Mears to the resort and had no problems. Only used the seat for the plane. Mears gets my vote for ease.

If you really want to not take the bus, I would rent a car and bring a seat that you also use on the plane. Don't check it because many times they get destroyed underneath. Also I wouldn't trust that Uber would have a car seat, and beyond that, you don't know its history and I would be particular about installing it myself.
If you are comfortable forward facing in the car, you can get some really good travel seat that fit bigger kids. If you want to rearface, there are still some options.
My baby is now 2.5, rear faces at home still, but our next travel seat will probably be a Grace Tranzitions and we will forward face him for that. He is currently 30 lbs and average height.

Ask if you have any questions.