car seat- to bring or not?

[DisGirl819]

I'm going to Disneyland on Monday (WOO!) with DH and DD (8 months). We are taking a shuttle from the airport (LAX) to the hotel. They don't require a car seat for her, but said we could bring it if we wanted. Would you bring the car seat? The only time we would use it is on the shuttle as we are walking distance to the parks.

 

[kgc07]

I wouldn't bring one. We always stay in an airport hotel the night before flying out and use their shuttle to take us to the airport. We have never needed the carseat for DS.

 

[Minniemouse07]

If the shuttle is a bus or a larger van-like vehicle (the kind w/ seats that face inside and not forwards) then don't take the car seat since you can't use it in those type of vehicles.

If the shuttle is a passenger van w some kind of seat belt system available then I would take the car seat.

I always use the car seat on the airplane so it would be available either way!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

We're there on Monday, too! We're locals, staying at the GCH for a short anniversary trip. (I'm an ex-Missouri girl, too.) Look for us - we DL DISers love to meet up to say hi at the parks. I'll have Lime Green Mickey Heads on both my brown diaper bag and dangling off our stroller handles and may make another one. We also have a Duo Quattro in Aqua and Brown (but may also use our Lime Green Quinny Buzz).

Which shuttle company are you using? That would tell me what your choice should be. If it's a smaller vehicle one like Super Shuttle, Road Runner, or one of those, I might feel better about it. If you are coming in from LAX, then the drive is longer. That combined with how some of those shuttle guys drive around here - I'd take the seat. (I used to commute to LAX weekly for business travel and had to switch to using a town car because I would always get nauseous from the shuttle drivers.)

If you were doing the big Gray Line DL Express bus, you don't need the seat at all. Kind of up to you.

 

[candielips]

I would leave it at home. It will be just another piece of luggage to lug around as it sounds like your little one will not be using it.
When we flew to Mexico w/ our DD who was 1 at the time, we left it at home. There isn't even any place to strap it in on those shuttle buses.
And when we rented a vehicle we got a car seat from the rental company. Now the quality of the car seat they gave us in Mexico is another story.
Lets just say our DD was able to loosen the strap & climb out.
Good luck

 

[DisGirl819]

We're there on Monday, too! We're locals, staying at the GCH for a short anniversary trip. (I'm an ex-Missouri girl, too.) Look for us - we DL DISers love to meet up to say hi at the parks. I'll have Lime Green Mickey Heads on both my brown diaper bag and dangling off our stroller handles and may make another one. We also have a Duo Quattro in Aqua and Brown (but may also use our Lime Green Quinny Buzz).

Which shuttle company are you using? That would tell me what your choice should be. If it's a smaller vehicle one like Super Shuttle, Road Runner, or one of those, I might feel better about it. If you are coming in from LAX, then the drive is longer. That combined with how some of those shuttle guys drive around here - I'd take the seat. (I used to commute to LAX weekly for business travel and had to switch to using a town car because I would always get nauseous from the shuttle drivers.)

If you were doing the big Gray Line DL Express bus, you don't need the seat at all. Kind of up to you.

I'll keep my eyes out for Lime green mickeys then! I've never met a fellow diser. We are using supershuttle so yes it is the smaller vans.

 

[tanyaandallie]

If you will not be traveling in a bus or a big van with side facing seats, you need to bring the car seat with you. While in many states (including my own) 12 passenger vans are sort of exempt from car seat laws, it does not mean that a child is safe in them without a car seat. The opposite, actually, b/c these vans do not have good safety ratings.

If the van has seatbelt and ff seats, use your car seat.

 

[all4fun]

I'll keep my eyes out for Lime green mickeys then! I've never met a fellow diser. We are using supershuttle so yes it is the smaller vans.

I would definitely take the car seat since the van will have a seat belt system to strap it in with. Your child would not be safe without one should even a minor accident occur. Keep in mind you will also be traveling on highways between the airport and Disneyland Resort. We have taken a trip and used the car seat for the plane ride and the towncar ride between Disney and the airport, never using the car seat during the week long stay we were there except to get to and from the airport and on the plane...I never regretted it and would do it the same way again. Just google you tube NHTSA Crash Test of Unrestrained Infant and you will probably be convinced. Hope you have a magical vacation.