Booster ? and backpack

[nycdisneygal]

Taking my 6 yr old for a few days in march. My husband can't come and the other adult with me cant help carry much so I will be mostly managing stuff for us 3. So trying to plan what to do about a car seat to get to the airport in NYC (she currently is in a car seat). I am thinking of getting a highback booster which i can either take apart and put the larger part protected in clothing in check in bag and the bottom in carryon or put whole thing in bag for gate check (so I have to lug around). What are your experiences? We are checking in bags so theoretically for 3 of us I can probably put both pieces in carry on??

Other question are what are nice small backpacks for kids? I thought if we dont rent a stroller I will have her carry some of her stuff in the parks. Saw some cute little minnie ones. ANy favorites that are easy for your kids to carry around?

 

[teawar]

I’ve been going to WDW with our now 9 year old since she was 2 and I don’t know how we would have made those early years without a stroller. At 5 is when we stopped using it. We normally covered 7-13 miles a day depending on the park and we are fairly fit/athletic people.
Is your child used to carrying a backpack? Will you end up having to carry it? What are you having your child carry in it? Just questions to ponder…every family is different. We always bring 1 backpack that has some snacks and all of the “park stuff” in it.

 

[nycdisneygal]

I’ve been going to WDW with our now 9 year old since she was 2 and I don’t know how we would have made those early years without a stroller. At 5 is when we stopped using it. We normally covered 7-13 miles a day depending on the park and we are fairly fit/athletic people.
Is your child used to carrying a backpack? Will you end up having to carry it? What are you having your child carry in it? Just questions to ponder…every family is different. We always bring 1 backpack that has some snacks and all of the “park stuff” in it.

No she is not. She wouldhave her water bottle and other snacks and stuff. I am seriously thinking of renting a stroller. We often use it to store our stuff in too! Its going to be hard If I have to carry her. We havent been in over 2 yrs with her so we did have a stroller then! we usd to use the stroller rental - may do that...

 

[DeeBee3]

If she is big enough, I highly suggest that booster seat instead of car seat. I am lucky in that the person who gets us to the airport has kids so he often just brought his car seats or held ours until we got home. We never used one on plane or at Disney.

Stashing the booster in your bag is your best bet if you don't have an alternative.

Also highly suggest stroller as you mentioned. My oldest is 8 and she occasionally took a break in it last August. It works out for "speed" in situations where you get caught in torrential rain.

Would not suggest the kid backpack unless she really wants to carry one. It can get hot and feel extra heavy walking around. You will end up carrying it.

 

[sponica]

Not sure what the rules are in NY (I really can't remember) but would the mi-fold work in your situation? https://mifold.com/

We bought one for our 5.5 year old for transportation to/from the airport. It folds up ridiculously small.

I wouldn't go with the backpack for a 6 year old, just knowing my 5 year old, I can barely get her to carry her backpack to/from the car at dropoff/pickup from her before and after care program. I know I'd be carrying that backpack. I say rent the stroller.

 

[LYSE]

Just check the car seat on it's own, it doesn't count against your bag allowance and it handled more carefully...supposedly. In order to lug it around buy a car seat cart/trolley ours allowed the kid to ride in their car seat while you moved both around. the cart folds up and can be checked or fit in another piece of checked luggage.

For the stroller, my just turned 5 year old can go without but that involves picking her up a lot, I would rent or buy a cheap one when you arrive.

I would not count on a 6 year old to consistently carry anything

 

[dez1978]

Bubble bum booster... Fits in a backpack.

 

[SLThomas318]

We use a hiccapop uberboost... same concept as the bubble bum. Game changer in terms of travel and not having to lug a carseat. We looked at the mi-fold, bubble bum, and hiccapop... all great travel booster options... our kids fit best in the hiccapop.

I would def bring or rent a stroller... even just to help store any extra stuff. I feel like Disney is one of those places where I would rather have it and not use it a ton, then NOT have it.

We like the pottery barn back packs... they have different sizes and usually have fun Disney/Star Wars prints. BUT I would never expect the kids to carry anything in the park... we tried letting them use them once in the airport and it ended up being more bags for ME to keep track of

 

[AuntieL]

I'm traveling solo and my son will be 5 - at home he is still in a 5 point harness and that seat is a BEAST. For travel only I bought a booster and a bag for travel it doesn't count as a luggage allowance - I'm hoping to gate check. If he acts too crazy in it I'll just have to pick up a 5 point booster at Walmart. I ended up buying a City Mini used on FB Marketplace for $100 (same price as renting it would be) specifically so I can use in the airport. My son carries a LL Bean backpack specifically the Junior Bookpack.

 

[sarac87]

We just got a WhizRider vest, which routes the seatbelt instead of boosting the rider. It folds up really small, and we'll probably throw it in our park bag so that we can hop into an Uber, if needed.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Bubble bum booster... Fits in a backpack.

I second this! We used this on two trips last summer and it worked well!

 

[Feberin]

I also recommend Bumble Bum or similar. That way you can deflate and not worry about it.