Disney Transportation and Toddlers

[luvitmoreachtime]

Ok, We have all these laws that your child has to be in a car seat until they are 21, lol or 6, whatever... and we are going to take our wild 2 year old on a bus without so much as a seat belt. Am I the only one that wonders about this. We really want to use the transport system to save on parking costs but is she safe?

 

[GEM]

Well, first of all, if you are staying on-site, parking is free for you at all of the parks.

That said, we took our one year old on many busses on our May trip and we didn't really worry about it. Kids in major cities use public transportation all the time. We have also used busses, subways, etc. all over New York with our little guy. I guess because busses are so much larger there is less of a risk. I would, however, never take him in a taxi without a carseat.

 

[luvitmoreachtime]

i did not know that parking was free if you stayed at the resorts. I knew parking at the resort was free. Thanks for info.

 

[GEM]

Yep, if you have your Disney resort parking pass in your window, parking is free at all the parks, waterparks, etc.

 

[DisneyDW]

I thought about this too. On mass transportation - WDW buses are considered this - carseats are not required by law. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is safe though. We did it - just because everyone else does but it still bugged me and I would have been so overcome by guilt if we would have been in an accident and anyone would have gotten so much as a scratch. I think accidents are uncommon or we would certainly hear about them. It is very convenient and my kids (2&4) really liked riding. But my oldest questioned why no seatbelt or carseat!

 

[luvitmoreachtime]

im glad im not the only one who worries, lol. You do hear about kids getting thrown around and hurt on school buses because there are no seat belts and we have had them flip over in our area so I do think about it. There have been several news articles on the safety of school buses. But even if we use our car, we have to ride the trolley to and from the parking lot and that thing is crazy itself sometimes.
Last year my husband and I were wondering if the driver was going to flip it over or something.

 

[BevS97]

we had a really scary experience on the tram from the car park at MGM - my Dh and I had our daughter between us (she was 3), and DH had a backpack on the seat next to him - we went flying around a corner so fast that the backpack flew of the seat at great speed and went flying out of the tram - if my dd had been on the outside rather than DH then I am sure she would have flown out of the tram too.

I have to say it put me off trams after that, and we tend to walk from the car - when you have a stroller then it seems just as easy to walk as fold up the stroller and deal with the bags.

We do use the buses sometimes, but I like the convenience of the car, and I am also a bit wary about no seatbelts

 

[Deb & Bill]

Originally posted by BevS97
we had a really scary experience on the tram from the car park at MGM - my Dh and I had our daughter between us (she was 3), and DH had a backpack on the seat next to him - we went flying around a corner so fast that the backpack flew of the seat at great speed and went flying out of the tram - if my dd had been on the outside rather than DH then I am sure she would have flown out of the tram too...

That's why they always tell you to put smaller children between adults and do not allow them to sit on the outer seat space.

 

[fizz13]

I do remember on quieter days /times we could keep our kids in their strollers on the bus. I f you put the brakes on and line it up eith the back against the window, this can be safer than sitting them on a seat. We have to do this on buses in the uk all the time and as long as the brakes are on, its pretty safe,
Claire

 

[JaxCon]

Mine are going to freak about having no seatbelts. And this is going to mess up mommies rule about the car not moving unless everyone is buckled!

But it is the norm on buses.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by JaxCon
Mine are going to freak about having no seatbelts. And this is going to mess up mommies rule about the car not moving unless everyone is buckled!

But it is the norm on buses.

I worry like crazy about stuff like this, too, and we have the same rules, but just be sure tot ell your kids, matter of factly, that it is idfferent on buses. They will be less confused if you give them a straight answer.... and since there aren't seatbelts, they can "see for themselves" that it is going to be a no seatbelt ride.

My kids were fine with it, and I am fanatical in the car.

Hope that helps.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by fizz13
I do remember on quieter days /times we could keep our kids in their strollers on the bus. I f you put the brakes on and line it up eith the back against the window, this can be safer than sitting them on a seat. We have to do this on buses in the uk all the time and as long as the brakes are on, its pretty safe,
Claire

It is generally safe on a mild, safe bus ride, but if the bus stops short enough (qucikly and hard) the stroller *will* go flying, even with the brakes on, just the same as an adult body would be tossed by this.

Not trying to be controversial, just don't want anyone to get a false sense of securtiy on this. Hope that helps.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I've heard some of the bus drivers ask people to take their children out of the stroller on board the bus because it is a violation for them to move the bus with a child in a stroller.

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Originally posted by Deb & Bill
I've heard some of the bus drivers ask people to take their children out of the stroller on board the bus because it is a violation for them to move the bus with a child in a stroller.

I'm not surprised. They will fly if the bus makes an abrupt enough movement. Think of how carefully they strap in wheelchairs and other devices.

 

[Simba's Girl]

Just a word of warning...if you do take Disney Transport. Try and avoid having her sit at the very back of the bus, and if she does hold onto her tight. We were in an accident on a Disney Bus last October and if it hadn't been for MIL holding onto my very petite 4yo at the time we would've spent the trip in the hospital. BOTH MIL AND DD went flying!!! We were sitting at the very back of the bus...

 

[luvitmoreachtime]

Thank God she was safe. What a memory of Disney for a child to have. I will make sure we hold her tight and keep her on the inside.