Carseat on ME and Disney Transportation

[ericarae1024]

Will be traveling with my 4 month old in a couple weeks. We have the graco snugride 35 carseat and stroller frame. I am pretty sure on ME we will have to take him out of carseat and place underneath, but what about on transportation to the parks? We will fold up the stroller frame obviously, but can he stay in carseat and we hold it down in floor between our legs maybe? Then it just snaps into stroller frame. Its such a hassle to get him in and out of that seat.

 

[dudspizza]

Will be traveling with my 4 month old in a couple weeks. We have the graco snugride 35 carseat and stroller frame. I am pretty sure on ME we will have to take him out of carseat and place underneath, but what about on transportation to the parks? We will fold up the stroller frame obviously, but can he stay in carseat and we hold it down in floor between our legs maybe? Then it just snaps into stroller frame. Its such a hassle to get him in and out of that seat.

Many park buses have seating the faces inward. You would have your child in a car seat with people standing all around him/her. Not something I would do. The back of the busses have 2x2 seating, but the space at your feet is very cramped, not enough room for a car seat.

Duds

 

[ccgirl]

On the busses, I would have the carrier on your lap and not on the floor. I wouldn't risk someone stepping on him. The busses can get pretty packed and it's easy to lose your footing if you are standing.

 

[Minniemouse07]

You cannot use car seats on DME and WDW transportation. There are no seat belts (or anchors) to secure a seat to.

That said, I wouldn't use a car seat and stroller frame at the parks. A regular stroller would be less bulky and to be honest, I don't know if you would be allowed to have the car seat on the bus (not saying you definitely can't, just that I don't think you can).

To be honest, I don't think I would want my child on the floor of a crowded bus, even in an infant seat...so easy to be stepped on!

Plus...those Snugride 35's are ginormous...I definitely wouldn't want to be hauling that around the parks!

Maybe you could get a carrier (Ergo, Beco, etc) and just use a regular stroller?

 

[seashoreCM]

A combination stroller frame and rigid seat unit is equivalent to:
1. An unfoldable stroller,
2. A piece of luggage,
3. A bassinet
4. An item purchased at a gift shop

We know that #2 is not legal to have on the bus but #3 is legal when the child is occupying it continuously.

 

[goofy4tink]

A combination stroller frame and rigid seat unit is equivalent to:
1. An unfoldable stroller,
2. A piece of luggage,
3. A bassinet
4. An item purchased at a gift shop

We know that #2 is not legal to have on the bus but #3 is legal when the child is occupying it continuously.

What the heck??? I'm not sure what exactly you're saying here.

I would really just get a more compact stroller for this trip. Much easier to haul around. As others have said already, those buses get very full. You don't want to be putting the baby, in the seat, anywhere near the floor and chance someone stepping on it or worse yet, falling over onto it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You won't be able to fasten the carseat onto a bus seat, and an unfastened car seat just plain isn't safe. You also won't be able to have an 'open' - i.e. noncollapsed - stroller on the buses.

Get - borrow, or purchase inexpensively - a stroller with which you can travel easily.

 

[CarrieR]

OP, have you purchased a seat for your child on the plane? If not, you'll need to check (or gate check) the car seat, which opens it up to a host of damage. As a car seat tech, I consider a seat that has been checked the same way I do one that has been crashed -- the stresses that have been placed on it are unknown and it's possible, even likely, that it will not protect your child in the event of a crash.

Between that and the hassle of the seat in the parks, I would get a good umbrella stroller and a good carrier. If I were taking the 4mo old I watch to WDW, I would take a stroller and my BabyHawk, and leave the carseat out of it.

If you're using the carseat on the plane thumbsup2 if you are, it's definitely much safer that way!) then I would just leave it in your room and use only the stroller in the parks.

HTH.

 

[Magicbus]

If it's what I think it is, it might work. If it's a three piece setup, a stroller, base for the carrier, and the carrier. The infant can remain in the carrier if it's the type that has a handle and you carry it like a basket, but you will have to separate it from the base and collapse the stroller. The only rule I'm aware of is that a child can't stay in a stroller and strollers must be folded. I don't think there is any rule about leaving babies in the basket type carriers. If there is I need to be made aware of it.

 

[goofy4tink]

If it's what I think it is, it might work. If it's a three piece setup, a stroller, base for the carrier, and the carrier. The infant can remain in the carrier if it's the type that has a handle and you carry it like a basket, but you will have to separate it from the base and collapse the stroller. The only rule I'm aware of is that a child can't stay in a stroller and strollers must be folded. I don't think there is any rule about leaving babies in the basket type carriers. If there is I need to be made aware of it.

Was kinda hoping you would be along to give us some help here.

 

[linzbear]

OP, have you purchased a seat for your child on the plane? If not, you'll need to check (or gate check) the car seat, which opens it up to a host of damage. As a car seat tech, I consider a seat that has been checked the same way I do one that has been crashed -- the stresses that have been placed on it are unknown and it's possible, even likely, that it will not protect your child in the event of a crash.

Between that and the hassle of the seat in the parks, I would get a good umbrella stroller and a good carrier. If I were taking the 4mo old I watch to WDW, I would take a stroller and my BabyHawk, and leave the carseat out of it.

If you're using the carseat on the plane thumbsup2 if you are, it's definitely much safer that way!) then I would just leave it in your room and use only the stroller in the parks.

HTH.

ITA with this. Hauling an infant carseat around the parks just sounds like a nightmare! You'd have to take the baby out of the seat to go on rides, and leave the carseat out in the open, and if the baby's asleep you're just sitting around waiting for the baby to finish their nap.

Much better off with a good carrier like a BabyHawk, Ergo, Beco, etc. Don't get/use a Bjorn - your back will be killing you if you use one of these walking so much! They are terrible for long term carrying. Using one of those you will be able to get on rides with a sleeping kid or awake kid, and they'll be secure and high up able to see everything, too.

 

[rdevine10]

When my dd was 9 months old I kept her in a sling for the bus (and honestly a lot of the parks - it was easy to get on many rides with her like that). Then we had a stroller as well (it was a double), with my older child in it. I wouldnt bring an infant car seat, its too bulky and I wouldnt want to contend with it on the bus (and it seems a bit unsafe on the bus too).

HTH!

 

[Liv's Mommy]

I did not read all the previous replies. However, when we were just there in Sept/Oct I saw a lot of parents bring their babies on the bus in the carrier type car seats. I remember one father had the baby on the floor by where the door opens for the wheelchairs to go in and out. Of course it would depend on how crowded the bus was as to if I would feel safe with my baby on the floor. I think that I would try to put the carier on my lap if their is enough room.