Car seats

[ThreeRingCircus]

I have never flown with children before. How do car seats on the plan work? My kids will be 2, 5 & 6. Should I bring car seats for all, none or just the little one. Also, how do car seats work on ME, can we even use them?

 

[amylevan]

Booster seats are not certified for aircraft use. So if your 5 and/or 6 yr olds are in boosters, no.

We personally do not bring carseats for a 2 yr old either, but that point is debatable. We don't need them for a car since we use ME and Disney transportation and they are just too heavy to wrangle in the airport. But our kids have always sat fine in the seat with the lap belt on. Not all kids will.

They do make a harness called "CARES" that you could take for your 2 yr old that would be a lot lighter to travel with but would still restrain a young one better than a lap belt.

And no, no carseats on ME.

 

[maxiesmom]

The vast majority of Magical Express buses do not have seat belts, so there is no way to even belt a car seat in place.

Any car seat you use on the airplane has to have a sticker on it that it is certified for use on airplanes. Otherwise you can't use it. Car seats also need to go by the window. The thinking is that in case of emergency no one is trying to climb around the car seat in order to evacuate.

How would your 2 year old do in their car seat? Will they be happier? Or will they fuss and try to kick the seat ahead of them? If you can't have a family member sitting in front of them that may be a headache you will have to deal with. Not too many passengers would be happy having their seat repeatedly kicked for a few hours.

 

[CourtneyL]

I would bring the seat for the 2yo and use it on the plane. The older two should be ok in just the plane belt. Are they over 40lbs? I've heard that kids are generally ok to use just the plane belt once they are over 40lbs.

 

[ThreeRingCircus]

I honestly don't know if she would do better or worse in the car seat. She does ok in the car but her brother and sister are also in car seats. She likes to do everything her brother and sister do I can see a huge fight with her being in a seat and them not. I like the CARES restraint. Hopefully a friend has one we could borrow.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have never flown with children before. How do car seats on the plan work? My kids will be 2, 5 & 6. Should I bring car seats for all, none or just the little one. Also, how do car seats work on ME, can we even use them?

I would bring a car seat for the 2 year old, but (esp depending on your kids' size) the regular belt may be enough for the 5 and 6 y/o. You could always look into the CARES harness if it's an option for your children as well.

Most buses - charter and public, so ME included - won't work with car seats so I believe they make you put the car seat in the storage under the bus.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Car seats are not allowed on ME regardless of whether your particular bus has seat belts or not. They must go under the bus.

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you had three kids in seats, you would have to have kids in three different rows which might be a huge issue if you only have two adults. I would lean toward a seat for the 2 year old. I would (assuming a three seat row), put toddler in seat at window, one parent and one kid in that row. In the row in front of these three, put one parent and one child , with one of these in front of the toddler. If you need boosters for your older girls for any part of the trip, you can gate check them, or check them as luggage. Depending on their size and maturity level, I might would consider doing a backless booster for them.

 

[Autumnslight]

We'll be travelling with our three year old daughter, six year old son, and our friend and her six year old son. We're renting a car, so we'll need to bring our car seats. Normally, both boys are in high-back boosters and our daughter is in a car seat with a five point harness.

Our plan for the trip is to take backless boosters for the boys, and check them, since they can't be used on the plane. Even though they're normally in high-back boosters, we feel that they'll both be okay in backless ones, which will be easier to take along.

For our daughter, we're bringing her car seat on the plane. A friend is lending us a little cart thing with wheels that we can strap the seat to, so we can just roll it through the airport. It'll be a lot easier to keep her in her seat if she's buckled into her car seat!

 

[maplevale]

When we flew with ODD at 3 we put her in a seat - it was AWESOME because she was strapped in and couldn't get out. It really only took me (at 22 weeks PG) about 3 minutes to install her seat. Because she was used to it she knew she had to stay in it and was comfy (she could sleep and wasn't laying on me the entire flight - we saw several other kids about the same age all over their parents!)

We are taking a seat for our 2.5 year old this winter. She is like your youngest and needs to be just like big sis. I see your point on wanting to be like the olders - but I am hoping the fact that they have different types of seats in the car - that it won't be as noticeable (we are in 2 rows as well so one parent with each kid). If it is a disaster I will just gate check on the way home.

My 5.5 year old - is pretty tiny. An airplane seat belt at it's tightest was still pretty loose on her in May. I can't imagine a seatbelt holding a 2 year old in case of turbulance. I would try the CARES but there is nothing between the legs (so the kid can slide under and out - and my DD has done that in our old stroller!)

 

[lnv1122]

To me putting a carseat in is just more work for you I used to be a nanny and I traveled all of the time with 3 kids an trying to hook up a convertible carseat with 3 kids was an absolute pain them when you when you land you have to unhook it and drag it down the aisle not to mention lugging it all around the airport. Now I have my own DD 2 and she has flown since she was 3 months and we have never used a carseat. Also I checked with Disney and they will not allow you to bring the carseat on the bus it must be stowed underneath. So IMO it's not worth it but I'm also a momma that believes in doing what makes you feel most comfortable and makes you feel like your babies are safe! Have a great trip!!!

 

[msmama]

You know your child best.

I took a car seat one the plane once and it was a NIGHTMARE. It ended up with him on my lap and an empty carseat taking up another seat. We had better luck with the CARES or just the seatbelt.

 

[momsully]

We fly alot and I always bring a car seat on the plane for DD2. She sits in it the entire flight and just hangs out. She will fall asleep or color or play on the ipod touch. Although it is heavy to carry through the airport it is so much easier to have her sit in something she is familiar with vs. trying to get her to stay in just the seatbelt.