Car seat/stroller embarkation

[mmps108]

We are a family of 11, two kids are 3 years old. We are using Happy Limo (15 passenger van) to get to the port from WDW and back to the airport so we need our car seats. We will both have strollers too. We'll probably keep the strollers since it will be nap time while we are waiting for our room but can we ditch the car seats when we give our luggage to the porters? Or do we have to haul them to lunch, etc?

Thanks!

 

[DHofShmoo]

We are a family of 11, two kids are 3 years old. We are using Happy Limo (15 passenger van) to get to the port from WDW and back to the airport so we need our car seats. We will both have strollers too. We'll probably keep the strollers since it will be nap time while we are waiting for our room but can we ditch the car seats when we give our luggage to the porters? Or do we have to haul them to lunch, etc?

Thanks!

If you want to trust the handling of the car seats to the porters, it's your choice. I'll just point out that they are often less than gentle handling those checked bags. This is one of the staging areas where the bags onboard wait to be taken to the rooms (yes, they basically toss the bags into the pile)

 

[Weedy]

The luggage is loaded onto large carts and they use a forklift to load it onto the ship. Not always a gentle way to move things.

 

[MunFam]

There is no way I would give them my car seat. It is recommended that you replace your carseat after a minor wreck because of potential structural/frame damage. The way they handle the luggage is WAY more traumatic than a minor car wreck. I've been T-boned and not broken wine bottles (groceries) in the car, but they sure break wine bottles in the luggage!

 

[mmps108]

YIKES! Thanks, everyone! We'll keep them with us.

 

[anricat]

There is no way I would give them my car seat. It is recommended that you replace your carseat after a minor wreck because of potential structural/frame damage. The way they handle the luggage is WAY more traumatic than a minor car wreck. I've been T-boned and not broken wine bottles (groceries) in the car, but they sure break wine bottles in the luggage!

Not to totally derail, but this isn't entirely true. It depends on the car seat manufacturer and their guidelines. After I had a minor accident, I called our car seat manufacturer (Britax) and their guideline was airbag deployment. If airbags deployed in the car, replace. So really, for them, minor accidents didn't necessitate replacement.

Now, in terms of giving DCL car seats, I wouldn't do it. Have you checked to see if you can rent seats from the shuttle company? Hauling them around until your room is ready at 1:30 is going to be a bummer. Storing them is also going to take a fair amount of space.

 

[mmps108]

Not to totally derail, but this isn't entirely true. It depends on the car seat manufacturer and their guidelines. After I had a minor accident, I called our car seat manufacturer (Britax) and their guideline was airbag deployment. If airbags deployed in the car, replace. So really, for them, minor accidents didn't necessitate replacement.

Now, in terms of giving DCL car seats, I wouldn't do it. Have you checked to see if you can rent seats from the shuttle company? Hauling them around until your room is ready at 1:30 is going to be a bummer. Storing them is also going to take a fair amount of space.

My sister in law and I are pretty crazy about car seat safety and we don't trust any car seat the shuttle company would provide. And, seeing how they handle the luggage, I think we'll just keep them with us. I know it will be annoying to drag them around but we have those backpack bags that allow us to wear it or drag it by wheels. We'll make it work. I appreciate the feedback from everyone.

 

[rwthompson82]

We brought a car seat travel cart with our britax seat instead of a stroller. Great for the airport and was easy to move around the ship until your room is ready and at debarkation.