Car rental with toddlers??

[Picabo]

My plan for the past year has been to stay at the Poly for our first family trip. (Mostly b/c the girls will still need strollers and that would be much easier to use monorail to get to MK and EP AND b/c we will plan to return to the resort at least some of the days for the girls to nap and/or recharge their energy)

But, with the economy as it is, I find myself trying to cut corners. So I'm thinking of using one of our "Getaways" with Interval International and staying at a timeshare property for at least part of the time. But from what I can tell, it's a good $15 per day PER car seat to rent them. Bringing them frmo home is not an option. (We have 2 Britax and no way in heck am I going to add those onto the list of things to lug through the airport along with 2 toddlers and strollers, etc.)

So just wondering what is the least expensive way or rental company to get car seats? For long-term driving I would probably not use rental car seats but since we would only be a short drive to the parks - I'll do it. But wondering what's the least expensive way to do it - OH and how much is parking onsite at disney??

 

[EthansMom]

I can't really help much with car rentals except to say that the one time we had to rent a car seat from one (forgot DS's in our car), it was NASTY (dirty and not as sturdy as ours at home).

However, a few ideas... Are you going for Christmas break? Are you aware that Christmas to New Years is THE most busy and expensive time of year to go to WDW? You could save a lot of time (waiting in lines) and money if you could go change your times slightly (early Dec. is very nice as is the time between about Jan.2 till Presidents Weekend).

Also, while the Polynesian is nice and the convenience of the Monorail is great, you could save quite a bit of money just by downgrading to a Moderate Resort. The WDW bus system is very reliable and it doesn't take that long to get from your resort to the parks on the busses. Plus, the convenience of staying on-property is really great.

If you downgrade to a Moderate, you could still use Magical Express, which means you don't need carseats.

I hope these ideas help!

 

[puffkin]

I would strongly suggest bringing your own car seat or not renting and using Magical Express. I have never heard one good thing about the rental seats....they are expensive and nasty is the general consensus. Plus, I have seen many times where someone has shown up and there are no carseats available, even though they have a reservation. Then what would you do? I have shown up in Orlando when there are NO CARS even with National we had to wait until they could process a car and bring it up from the return area. Crazy....I would NEVER travel without my own carseat. We used to use the Britax Marathon (he is in a booster now) too and it is a pain to lug around but we were glad to have our own. We checked it with our luggage in a carseat bag so at least we didn't have to lug it to far in the airport.

 

[katied]

I have done rental car car seats. Travelling on my own with DS, sometimes there is simply a limit to how much I can safely manage and keep an eye on DS. So, I've rented from National in Orlando. Their car seats have been fine (normaly, they have an entire section with stacks of them in plastic wrap. If I don't like the first one I grab, I pick another - I open first right there so I'm not walking back and forth). Car seat rental in Atlanta has not gone well for me, nor has it in San Jose, but Olrando has been OK. The car seats thru National are the low end Cosco brand ones - I think they run $40 - $50 at Wal-Mart. The car seat rentals to top off to a max - I think for National in Orlando, the max charge is about $49.99. So, this may be the lowest cost option vs. brining your own. If you want more option, one adult could stay at the airport with the kids while the other runs to Wal-Mart or something and buys your own car seats. Not sure you'll actually save much money, but it could give you another choice.

Keep in mind, sometimes the rental car car seats do not have the LATCH attachment, so it's good if you know how to install a carseat without LATCH. Otherwise, you will be very frustrated.

Parking - I think it's $12/day. Free if you have an AP.

 

[laughinplace199]

I've lugged 2 Britax seats through airports before, so I understand where you're coming from. You might consider purchasing smaller car seats for your travels. I'm not sure how old your kids are, but we purchased a Cosco Scenera for our DS (he's in a Britax seat in our car). The Scenera was recommended by several people here on the DIS. It's smaller and lighter than the Britax seats, but it's still very safe. Plus, you can buy these seats at Target for about $50 each. That's probably cheaper than renting car seats from the car rental company.

 

[Picabo]

However, a few ideas... Are you going for Christmas break? Are you aware that Christmas to New Years is THE most busy and expensive time of year to go to WDW? You could save a lot of time (waiting in lines) and money if you could go change your times slightly (early Dec. is very nice as is the time between about Jan.2 till Presidents Weekend).

Also, while the Polynesian is nice and the convenience of the Monorail is great, you could save quite a bit of money just by downgrading to a Moderate Resort. The WDW bus system is very reliable and it doesn't take that long to get from your resort to the parks on the busses. Plus, the convenience of staying on-property is really great.


I hope these ideas help!

Thanks! We are actually going early December and got a great deal at the Poly and it's only slightly more than staying at a Mod. So for the extra $20 or so per night - it's worth it just to stay at Poly and have the convenience of the monorail and TTC being nearby. Otherwise, I'd easily stay at a Mod property! We're not on the dining plan and we're dreaming of lots of character meals so that's why were were considering staying offsite was to justify all the TS meals we want to do! haha With our timeshare we can stay offsite for about $300/WEEK so it's a huge savings over ANY hotel but I still am just thinking that with the hassle of car rental and car seats and travel back and forth, etc - maybe just suck it up this trip and save the cheaper trips for when the kids are older and don't need car seats and can handle staying at the parks all day.

I have done rental car car seats. Travelling on my own with DS, sometimes there is simply a limit to how much I can safely manage and keep an eye on DS. So, I've rented from National in Orlando. Their car seats have been fine (normaly, they have an entire section with stacks of them in plastic wrap. If I don't like the first one I grab, I pick another - I open first right there so I'm not walking back and forth). Car seat rental in Atlanta has not gone well for me, nor has it in San Jose, but Olrando has been OK. The car seats thru National are the low end Cosco brand ones - I think they run $40 - $50 at Wal-Mart. The car seat rentals to top off to a max - I think for National in Orlando, the max charge is about $49.99. So, this may be the lowest cost option vs. brining your own. If you want more option, one adult could stay at the airport with the kids while the other runs to Wal-Mart or something and buys your own car seats. Not sure you'll actually save much money, but it could give you another choice.

Keep in mind, sometimes the rental car car seats do not have the LATCH attachment, so it's good if you know how to install a carseat without LATCH. Otherwise, you will be very frustrated.

Parking - I think it's $12/day. Free if you have an AP.

Thanks for all that great info!!! The hassle of sending DH to go pick up 2 seats and then install them after a long flight to Orlando is probably not going to fly with him (or the kids) too well. But it is a good idea to just BUY them since they are probably cheaper than renting.

I've lugged 2 Britax seats through airports before, so I understand where you're coming from. You might consider purchasing smaller car seats for your travels. I'm not sure how old your kids are, but we purchased a Cosco Scenera for our DS (he's in a Britax seat in our car). The Scenera was recommended by several people here on the DIS. It's smaller and lighter than the Britax seats, but it's still very safe. Plus, you can buy these seats at Target for about $50 each. That's probably cheaper than renting car seats from the car rental company.

Almost thinking we could just buy them and haul them TO Disney and then just leave them there when we go home. haha Same cost as a rental I suppose just the extra hassle of lugging them in the airport.

 

[RahRah573]

While not the car seat we use regularly, the EvenFlo Big Kid Car Booster Seat works great for travel.....high back or, if your kids are bigger, just the booster bottom....I think we paid $40 for it. The big reason we use this car seat is it breaks down - base, back and 2 arms - and goes into the suitcase (booster bottom on bottom of suitcase, 1 arm at each end of suitcase, things - clothes, shoes, etc. - on top and around those, then the back laid on top of it all, suitcase zipped up)......makes it simple to get the car seat to wherever we're going without much fuss - when we get to the car rental place and find our car, I simply get the suitcase in the trunk, unzip and take the parts out, put them together and put the car seat in the car. Very easy, very lightweight and super easy to get back in the suitcase to take it home!

 

[Picabo]

While not the car seat we use regularly, the EvenFlo Big Kid Car Booster Seat works great for travel.....high back or, if your kids are bigger, just the booster bottom....I think we paid $40 for it. The big reason we use this car seat is it breaks down - base, back and 2 arms - and goes into the suitcase (booster bottom on bottom of suitcase, 1 arm at each end of suitcase, things - clothes, shoes, etc. - on top and around those, then the back laid on top of it all, suitcase zipped up)......makes it simple to get the car seat to wherever we're going without much fuss - when we get to the car rental place and find our car, I simply get the suitcase in the trunk, unzip and take the parts out, put them together and put the car seat in the car. Very easy, very lightweight and super easy to get back in the suitcase to take it home!

WOW I will definately look into this!!!! Thanks!

 

[Bluetickmom]

This post made me think of a question, for those of you who check your carseats, do you worry about how they are handled?

I am also in the car seat predicament but for a trip to Houston. My girls are both in high back boosters, so I know we can't take them on the plane but I don't trust the baggage "tossers" with them either.

They say if your car is even barely hit you should replace your carseats, but wouldn't the seats getting banged around through checked luggage do the same damage?

 

[RahRah573]

This post made me think of a question, for those of you who check your carseats, do you worry about how they are handled?

I am also in the car seat predicament but for a trip to Houston. My girls are both in high back boosters, so I know we can't take them on the plane but I don't trust the baggage "tossers" with them either.

They say if your car is even barely hit you should replace your carseats, but wouldn't the seats getting banged around through checked luggage do the same damage?

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/ChildRestraints/ReUse/RestraintReUse.htm

That link is to the recommendation for replacing car seats after crash types (minor, moderate and severe).

So far I've packed the car seat that breaks down for a few trips, so six round-trip flights.....so far I haven't had any reason to think it was less safe upon arrival than it was when I packed it - it's fairly well padded with everything I pack around it and looks none the worse for wear than when it went in the suitcase......when I've removed the cover to wash, there are still no cracks, dings or any damage as far as I can see......and I think the biggie for us is that it isn't the car seat we use routinely, we purchased it only for travel, so it doesn't get used a lot, so limited wear and tear from use. When we are on vacation, our "car time" is usually to-from places nearby and fairly limited - sometimes we don't even need the rental car, but have it "just in case" we need it if it's a good deal.

Last September was the first trip where DS specifically didn't need to be in a car seat in FL (he'd just turned 4 and in FL a seatbelt alone is considered restrained), but I brought it with us anyway - he likes it and I think it positions him better in the seat with the seatbelt position where it should be on him.....I'll bring it again this coming September for the same reason too!

But I do think you have a valid point and if someone is packing a car seat, they should look for damage before assuming it's a-okay!

 

[RahRah573]

WOW I will definately look into this!!!! Thanks!

If you look around you can probably find it for less if you use an online coupon or it's on sale!

 

[RahRah573]

It looks like you can rent one too:

http://www.abbf.com/pricelist.html

The above company has car seats and/or high-back boosters $30-$45, depending on length of stay. Haven't used them, but that might work too?

 

[Bren's Mom]

While not the car seat we use regularly, the EvenFlo Big Kid Car Booster Seat works great for travel.....high back or, if your kids are bigger, just the booster bottom....

Just to clarify. The Evenflo 'Big Kid' is NOT a car seat with a harness, it is a booster seat only. OP, this seat is not appropriate for a 2 or 3.5 yo.

You would be better off buying 2 Cosco Sceneras. They come in carrying cases. They're very lightweight. You can also rest them on the stroller and walk through the airport that way if your kids are going to walk. Then install and use them on the plane. Both kids will be comfier and safer that way.

 

[Picabo]

Just to clarify. The Evenflo 'Big Kid' is NOT a car seat with a harness, it is a booster seat only. OP, this seat is not appropriate for a 2 or 3.5 yo.

You would be better off buying 2 Cosco Sceneras. They come in carrying cases. They're very lightweight. You can also rest them on the stroller and walk through the airport that way if your kids are going to walk. Then install and use them on the plane. Both kids will be comfier and safer that way.

Ahhh - thanks for clarifying.
Does anyone know if ABBF can meet at the airport to deliver car seats if you rent frmo them?

I'm thinking onsite is just EASIER right now.

 

[EthansMom]

Ahhh - thanks for clarifying.
Does anyone know if ABBF can meet at the airport to deliver car seats if you rent frmo them?

I'm thinking onsite is just EASIER right now.

I've gone several times with my kids when they were younger (now 7 and 5) and staying onsite is much more convenient with little ones.

I highly recommend Port Orleans French Quarter, if you're looking to downgrade. It's by far the smallest of the WDW resorts with each room no more than a 5 minute walk from the bus stop. Also, on occasions when POFQ shares a bus with POR, POFQ is the first stop for pick-ups and the first stop for drop offs. My kids LOVED the whimsical themeing. Also, there is a boat that can take you straight from the resort to Downtown Disney where there is loads to do on an evening when you might not feel like going back to the parks (Ghiradelli chocolate for ice cream, Goofy's Candy Shop for candy, Lego Store, McDonald's, World of Disney Store, etc...).

Last year was the first time we'd ever taken Magical Express (we'd always rented a car) and I couldn't believe how fast and easy the process was. We were halfway to our resort when I said, "We wouldn't even have a rental car by this time yet!"

I hope this helps!

 

[dhardawa]

I would never recommend renting car seats from anyone. This is the checklist for whether a used seat is safe or not. A rented one will fail at the first question.

Here is my recommendation. Purchase two Go Go Kidz Travelmates. Check your stroller. Attach the Travelmates to your car seats, put the kids in the car seats, and pull everyone through the airport. This way you are guaranteed to have safe seats at your destination.

Either that or just stay at the first hotel and use the Disney transportation.

 

[annacali]

We travel several times a year so we have two SafeGuard Go seats for my girls who are now 6 and 4. They are portable 5 point harness forward facing only seats from 20-60 pounds and convert to backless boosters to 100 lbs. They fold up to the size of a backless booster so I can get 2 of them in my XL LLBean rolling duffel (in their carry cases) and check them but they would each fit in an overhead bin too. They install in less than a minute (must have latch and a tether hook but have never run into a problem in rentals with this) and my girls love them. Can't use them on the plane (need latch).

High safety ratings too...as good as the Britax we have for daily use at home.