Car seats...help!

[pinkfairy1684]

We're heading down in August with DS5 and DD2. We will be using Disney transportation from the airport and while on property (so car seats not needed). On our last day in the world, we will be renting a car and driving to visit my SIL in Tampa for a few days. I keep going back and forth about what to do about car seats! Bring our own (I imagine that it's a giant pain to lug bulky car seats around in the airport), rent (this freaks me out!), or something I'm not thinking of?....suggestions please!

 

[Gracie09]

you can order a booster and car seat from amazon. Probably around $100 for both. You can take them home or leave them behind when you leave. (You could donate them as well to a local charity but you would have to find one etc. so could take some time and work on your part).

 

[Momto2minniemice]

If you are flying you are able to check the carseats for free. I would suggest a good bag to put them in so they do not get dirty from the airlines. I would think you can add a yellow tag from Disney and just have them dropped in your room. Then on the way back drop a parent and children off at the curb for curb side check in and then take care rental car back. It is a little painful to bring the carseats but so worth it in the long run. To help carry them you are able to take the straps and turn the carseat into a backpack per say.
I think renting a car seat is a little gross and you never know if it was in a wreck or not.

 

[mel2014]

What type of seats do your kids usually ride in? Is your 2 yo front or rear facing? Would you feel comfortable with your 5 year old in a booster? Do you have plans to travel by plane in the future? If there's a possibility you'd use the seats in the future, you could always order seats online for delivery to your Disney hotel. That way you're only lugging them through the airport one direction. The Evenflo Maestro is a good forward-facing lightweight travel seat that converts to a high-back booster.

 

[Muskrat191]

The safest option is to bring your own car seats, and use them on the plane. We have a lightweight folding luggage cart, and we use bungee cords to attach the car seats to it. It makes it easy to move the seats through the airport. Lightweight seats are obviously easier (Evenflo Sureride, Cosco Scenera NEXT, Maestro), but I've taken heavier seats as well (Diono Radian, Clek Fllo). Even gate-checked car seats have been damaged by the airline.

 

[KrazeeK120]

The safest option is to bring your own car seats, and use them on the plane. We have a lightweight folding luggage cart, and we use bungee cords to attach the car seats to it. It makes it easy to move the seats through the airport. Lightweight seats are obviously easier (Evenflo Sureride, Cosco Scenera NEXT, Maestro), but I've taken heavier seats as well (Diono Radian, Clek Fllo). Even gate-checked car seats have been damaged by the airline.

If the 5 year old is in a booster (rather than a 5 point harness), they won't be able to use his seat on the plane.

If he's still in the 5 point harness, then yes, that will work.

 

[abinormal]

I have family who work in the airline industry and have heard enough to decide I won't ever check a car seat. If you don't want to use them on the plane, I like the suggestion to order inexpensive ones and leave them behind for donation.

 

[LMO429]

Not sure what it would be $ wise. But did you consider renting a car for your entire stay? If you are going to just buy 2 car seats to throw away that 100 dollars could be used to have a car the entire length of your stay at disney. You could bring your own 2 car seats on the plane and then use them in the rental car. I know its a pain to lug two car seats thru the airport but just a thought. It's so much easier sometimes to use a car at disney then deal with the buses. not sure what hotel you are staying at etc. but it would be worth it to price it out. also keep in mind the truck space of any rental you have..good luck its such a hard decision with the kids and car seats i feel for you lol

 

[brockash]

We're heading down in August with DS5 and DD2. We will be using Disney transportation from the airport and while on property (so car seats not needed). On our last day in the world, we will be renting a car and driving to visit my SIL in Tampa for a few days. I keep going back and forth about what to do about car seats! Bring our own (I imagine that it's a giant pain to lug bulky car seats around in the airport), rent (this freaks me out!), or something I'm not thinking of?....suggestions please!

For the 5 year old you could get a bumble bum seat, which would be much easier to pack and carry around. For the 2 year old, you'd have to take your own (pain in the butt), buy a new one and have it delivered to resort (kinda a waste) or rent one (seems like your comfort level isn't high with that.)

 

[Kerriowl]

For the 5 year old, you could consider buying a mifold. It is a booster, but it is tiny. It brings the seatbelt down to the child instead of lifting the child to the seatbelt. We have two that I keep in the car for when I am carrying extra kids and I plan on bringing them to Disney in June. For the 2 year old, I would bring the carseat on the plane. It is a pain, but it really is the safest, both for the seat and for the kiddo.

 

[pinkfairy1684]

Thank you for the replies!!! So much to think about.

you can order a booster and car seat from amazon. Probably around $100 for both. You can take them home or leave them behind when you leave. (You could donate them as well to a local charity but you would have to find one etc. so could take some time and work on your part).

This is what DH wants to do. I hate the idea of "wasting" money but I like the idea of donating.

If you are flying you are able to check the carseats for free. I would suggest a good bag to put them in so they do not get dirty from the airlines. I would think you can add a yellow tag from Disney and just have them dropped in your room. Then on the way back drop a parent and children off at the curb for curb side check in and then take care rental car back. It is a little painful to bring the carseats but so worth it in the long run. To help carry them you are able to take the straps and turn the carseat into a backpack per say.
I think renting a car seat is a little gross and you never know if it was in a wreck or not.

Yes, the ick factor and uncertainty of safety makes me nervous to rent!!

What type of seats do your kids usually ride in? Is your 2 yo front or rear facing? Would you feel comfortable with your 5 year old in a booster? Do you have plans to travel by plane in the future? If there's a possibility you'd use the seats in the future, you could always order seats online for delivery to your Disney hotel. That way you're only lugging them through the airport one direction. The Evenflo Maestro is a good forward-facing lightweight travel seat that converts to a high-back booster.

My two year old isn't actually 2. She will turn two a few days after we return from Disney. Currently she is rear facing (and 19 months old). My 5yo is in a high back booster. We don't travel by plane too much these days!

The safest option is to bring your own car seats, and use them on the plane. We have a lightweight folding luggage cart, and we use bungee cords to attach the car seats to it. It makes it easy to move the seats through the airport. Lightweight seats are obviously easier (Evenflo Sureride, Cosco Scenera NEXT, Maestro), but I've taken heavier seats as well (Diono Radian, Clek Fllo). Even gate-checked car seats have been damaged by the airline.

If the 5 year old is in a booster (rather than a 5 point harness), they won't be able to use his seat on the plane.

If he's still in the 5 point harness, then yes, that will work.

So here's the problem with using them on the plane...I decided to not purchase a seat for my littlest...as she will actually not turn two until a few days after we get back!!! Now I'm wondering if I made the right choice...but I couldn't justify the extra $400.

I have family who work in the airline industry and have heard enough to decide I won't ever check a car seat. If you don't want to use them on the plane, I like the suggestion to order inexpensive ones and leave them behind for donation.

What has your family said to make you not want to check a seat??

For the 5 year old, you could consider buying a mifold. It is a booster, but it is tiny. It brings the seatbelt down to the child instead of lifting the child to the seatbelt. We have two that I keep in the car for when I am carrying extra kids and I plan on bringing them to Disney in June. For the 2 year old, I would bring the carseat on the plane. It is a pain, but it really is the safest, both for the seat and for the kiddo.

Friends of ours have offered us their mifold, which I think I will do for my 5yo.

 

[Smittolis]

Mifold's are awesome, we have 3, 2 that we use and a 3rd as a spare to pop in our travel bag. They truly are a great little design and takes the issues out of bulky booster seats.

 

[abinormal]

To answer your question, because they aren't careful with them. They're treated as any other baggage - chucked around, dropped from high areas, they get lost. They won't replace them or pay for damage either.

 

[Smittolis]

Manufacturers suggest replacing car seats when they have been in any accident, the definition of 'accident' varies by manufacturer, and while it may be a little self serving to sell more units, there is definitely a 'fear' of the seat being compromised when bashed about. Having a car seat be tossed about by baggage handlers who have the mentality of 'its designed to protect people in a crash so it must be robust' is definitely something to worry about! We've taken them before out of necessity, but since that point we would either purchase new ones at our destination and then donate to a local charity / church upon leaving, or leave them with relatives for the next time! Now we take the Mi-fold's with us and don't have that problem ;o)

 

[disneyfan128]

I love using a Brica Roll 'n Go Car Seat Transporter; It basically turns your car seat into a stroller. When my son was 2, I found it much easier to have him in his car seat on the plane. With the Brica, I didn't have to worry about carrying the car seat all the way with me to the gate. I strap the car seat on the Brica and my son would sit down on it and we would go!
https://www.amazon.com/BRICA-Roll-C...eywords=brica+roll+'n+go+car+seat+transporter

 

[KalamityJane]

Buy the plane seat for your 2yo for your sanity - it's seriously worth it.

 

[Helene_C]

If you don't have a seat on the airplane for the younger one, I would order a Scenera and have it delivered to your Disney hotel ahead of getting a rental car. They are currently $35 and free shipping from Walmart - that may even be cheaper than renting from the car rental agency.

 

[sweetmama17]

I'd bring one car seat that they can both fit in. Have the 5 year old use it on the plane (he'll be more comfortable and less figity). Then use that car seat for the 2 year old in the car and use a portable booster for the 5 year old. That way you are only lugging 1 seat.

I will say that I wish I had bought the seat for our almost 2 year old (at the time) on our last airplane trip. He was that bad (but my oldest had done wonderful at the same age).

 

[Sabathamk]

Not sure what it would be $ wise. But did you consider renting a car for your entire stay? If you are going to just buy 2 car seats to throw away that 100 dollars could be used to have a car the entire length of your stay at disney. You could bring your own 2 car seats on the plane and then use them in the rental car. I know its a pain to lug two car seats thru the airport but just a thought. It's so much easier sometimes to use a car at disney then deal with the buses. not sure what hotel you are staying at etc. but it would be worth it to price it out. also keep in mind the truck space of any rental you have..good luck its such a hard decision with the kids and car seats i feel for you lol

I can definitely attest to this. The transportation at Disney is fantastic, however, it does take so much less time to drive. Our first trip we won (or I'd never have gotten the Disney bug) and had a rental vehicle in our winnings. We brought our seats on the plane and it was SO much nicer for the kids. We were going to use the shuttle at our hotel, but after doing it once, we decided to bite the bullet and pay for parking and had a much better remainder of our vacation. Our second trip relied solely on Disney transport as we stayed onsite, and we spent a lot more time on busses than our first trip, even though it wasn't as busy in the parks. If you are going to rent anyway, I'd rent for the entire vacation. It really does make a difference. You spend so much time in lines already, it is nice not to have to wait in line to go on transportation as well.

 

[Tink_83]

Thank you for the replies!!! So much to think about.



This is what DH wants to do. I hate the idea of "wasting" money but I like the idea of donating.



Yes, the ick factor and uncertainty of safety makes me nervous to rent!!



My two year old isn't actually 2. She will turn two a few days after we return from Disney. Currently she is rear facing (and 19 months old). My 5yo is in a high back booster. We don't travel by plane too much these days!





So here's the problem with using them on the plane...I decided to not purchase a seat for my littlest...as she will actually not turn two until a few days after we get back!!! Now I'm wondering if I made the right choice...but I couldn't justify the extra $400.



What has your family said to make you not want to check a seat??



Friends of ours have offered us their mifold, which I think I will do for my 5yo.

So the last time I flew with my dd I checked her car seat and it was fine when I got it back (I used two large, black garbage bags as well). Personally I would save my money but I don't know how long your flight is (I'm flying from VA so it's not a long flight if I fly). If you check it then you can have Disney pick it up with your luggage and at least when I flew they would check your car seat for free in addition to the bag but you'd have to check with your airline for that. Since your DD is almost 2 I'm not sure how long you plan to keep her in a rear facing seat but I'd say the worst case scenario is if you really think the car seat has been damaged by checking it when you get it back that you just get her the next one she was going to go to. But that's just what I would do.