bring a car seat for our 1 yr old?

[lmschwabby]

We're scheduled on the 12/4 Magic for our first Disney cruise. Our children are 6, 4 1/2 and 1 yr old. We'll be flying into town the a.m. of 12/4 and taking Disney's transportation to the port. I'm wondering if we need to bring the 1 yr old's car seat - altho we won't be using it on the flight - will it be necessary (i.e. safer) to use the seat on the Disney transportation? and will there be other opportunities to use it? We'd love to leave it at home but I'm a bit worried about the safety of traveling via bus to the port. Isn't it about a 45 minute ride? thanks for your help!

 

[lbgraves]

I believe that the DCL busses do not have seatbelts so the car seat would be pointless. With 5 people, you may want to look into getting a towncar to take you to the terminal. I have read that after 3 people, the charge of transfers is about the same....or you could save money.

 

[SuzPasq]

Any chance I can convince you to put your two younger children in carseats both on the plane and in a car with seatbelts on your way to the port? It's so much safer....

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by SuzPasq
Any chance I can convince you to put your two younger children in carseats both on the plane and in a car with seatbelts on your way to the port? It's so much safer....

I agree, I would never fly with my child not in her car seat...my daughter was over 4 last cruise and she was still in her car seat on the plane and the car to the port.

 

[dis-happy]

I wouldn't bother dragging it along. If it were a 5 hour plane flight and your 1 year old needed to sleep and be contained, yes, I would bring it. But you'll have a short flight from Kentucky, a trip on mass transit where you can't use the car seat, and then a small stateroom where you'll be tripping over it.

If your 1 year old isn't ticketed for the plane ride and the plane is full, he/she will have to sit on your lap anyway. As far as safety goes, I always ask myself how often there's a plane crash where the child in the car seat survived and no one else did. Not a big chance statistically. However, it seems outrageous to me that seat belts are not required on school busses.....but I digress.

Since you are not breaking any laws, I would leave it at home and not feel guilty about it. If you're worried about him bouncing around on the bus, you could use a babysling that will keep him/her attached to you.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by dis-happy
I it.

I always ask myself how often there's a plane crash where the child in the car seat survived and no one else did. Not a big chance statistically. However, it seems outrageous to me that seat belts are not required on school busses.....but I digress.

The car seat would be more for bad turbulance than a crash...with just turbulance that baby can be thrown up against the ceiling or into the seats in front of you if you loose grip on him.
I don't know what state you are from but school busses here all have seat belts. My daughter gets on the bus every day and buckles her seat belt.

 

[dis-happy]

That's interesting about the school busses--NY sounds on the ball. Most states exempt school busses from having to have seat belts and the argument from school bus manufacturers is that the busses are safer without seat belts. Go figure.

If the 1 year old is not ticketed, there may not be an empty seat for the car seat. Again, I always flew with my child in a babysling, so even with turbulence, he/she wasn't bouncing away. And truthfully, I have logged lots and lots and lots of flights over the years as a coast to coast traveller, and although there were some rough moments now and then, turbulence never injured anyone on one of those flights. Yes, it COULD happen, but statistically, not that much of a concern. I'm not trying to argue that it couldn't happen, but sometimes you need to put it into perspective. Kids die on the playground too, or from stray bullets, or falls from bicycles or choking or---you get the idea.

The booster seats that most 4 1/2 year olds use in cars are not approved for airline use, so unless you are hauling a Britax Huskey, (plus another full sized car seat for the baby in this instance), you wouldn't be able to use it.

JMHO

 

[SuzPasq]

If the 1 year old is not ticketed, there may not be an empty seat for the car seat. Again, I always flew with my child in a babysling, so even with turbulence, he/she wasn't bouncing away. And truthfully, I have logged lots and lots and lots of flights over the years as a coast to coast traveller, and although there were some rough moments now and then, turbulence never injured anyone on one of those flights. Yes, it COULD happen, but statistically, not that much of a concern. I'm not trying to argue that it couldn't happen, but sometimes you need to put it into perspective. Kids die on the playground too, or from stray bullets, or falls from bicycles or choking or---you get the idea

The booster seats that most 4 1/2 year olds use in cars are not approved for airline use, so unless you are hauling a Britax Huskey, (plus another full sized car seat for the baby in this instance), you wouldn't be able to use it. >


But getting a ticket *is an option. I've travelled frequently with my children, and done a bit of international travel as well. While I agree that accidents can happen anywhere, I prefer to control the things I can--using a carseat is one of those things.

We used our son's five point harness booster seat on planes until he was 5, at which point the lap belt fit him properly and he was over 40lbs. I just wouldn't feel comfortable taking a chance with a one year old not being restrained on a plane or in a car.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by SuzPasq


We used our son's five point harness booster seat on planes until he was 5, at which point the lap belt fit him properly and he was over 40lbs. I just wouldn't feel comfortable taking a chance with a one year old not being restrained on a plane or in a car.

That is what I use...my daughter is going to be 5 in 2 weeks and weighs 32 pounds so she is still small enough to use the 5 point harness..of course its getting harder and harder to keep her in tehre with "johnny doesn't use a car seat" and "Sallys mom doesn't make them sit in a car seat" ...but thats a totally different thread LOL...

 

[SuzPasq]

That is what I use...my daughter is going to be 5 in 2 weeks and weighs 32 pounds so she is still small enough to use the 5 point harness..of course its getting harder and harder to keep her in tehre with "johnny doesn't use a car seat" and "Sallys mom doesn't make them sit in a car seat" ...but thats a totally different thread LOL...


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What is the law in NYS now? In GA., we are behind the times, and the law just changed--now all children under 6 must be in a carseat or booster. We're fortunate in that my almost 7 yo goes to a really great (private) school where almost all of the parents keep their kids in boosters until they are 8. He's not once mentioned not wanting to use a booster, and he's still in a harness!

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by SuzPasq

What is the law in NYS now? In GA., we are behind the times, and the law just changed--now all children under 6 must be in a carseat or booster. We're fortunate in that my almost 7 yo goes to a really great (private) school where almost all of the parents keep their kids in boosters until they are 8. He's not once mentioned not wanting to use a booster, and he's still in a harness!

I like your law better! here its.....Children less than age 16 must wear seat belts when they are in the front seat or the back seat. Children under the age of four must sit in certified safety seats.
So at age 4 they can sit in the regular car seat with just a seatbelt on so its tough to keep them in their car seats until the recommended age of 8 when other kids are out of there at 4....last time my daughter said to me "Emilys mom doesn't make her use a car seat" I just replied that "Emilys mom must not love her as much as I love you and I want to keep you safe"...that has worked for awhile now LOL.

 

[jodifla]

To the original poster: If you're not going to be in a car at any point, or have a seat on the plane, then you really won't have any use for a car seat.

 

[lmschwabby]

thanks to everyone for some great suggestions (and things to think about)!