Do I Bring Car Seats to WDW?

[WDW4TheGirls]

I will be traveling in November with a 6yo and 4yo, one will be in a booster seat and one in a regular car seat at that time. We are flying into Orlando, taking Magical Express to stay within the park, and not renting a car. Do I need to bring my car seats with me for any reason?

 

[thepeach80]

I would bring the 4yo's seat for the plane as it's safer for her, but other than that, you won't need them. The worry wart I am though would bring them both just in case you do decide to go somewhere though. You can't use the booster on the plane and there are no seatbelts on the ME.

 

[dhardawa]

I wouldn't bring either if you are 100% sure you won't be driving. I took my daughter's car seat on the plane when she was four and it put her face so close to the seat in front of her that it terrified me. Since then, we have flown without a car seat.

Dana
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician since 6/02

 

[buckler]

Since there won't be any seat belts on the bus, I'd agree to leave the car setas at home.

But, please reconsider your 6 year old not using a booster seat. He/she may not be big enough for just a seat belt yet. Many parents allow their kids to stop using a booster too early because the kids "don't want to sit in it".

From the American Academy of Pediatrics web site:
"Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your child correctly, he should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age. "
Link: http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

If the shoulder belt is hitting the child's neck or throat or the lap belt is across their stomach they are too small to ride without a booster. My child is 4' 4" and I just double checked the fit with and without a booster. The booster is definitey safer because it keeps the lap belt lower to the hip area instead of across the stomach.

 

[pooh4evr]

Leave them behind you don't want to have to lug them through the airport!- we won't be taking ours in Dec!

 

[mericletwins]

I wouldn't take them. We have done the same thing with kids that age and did not take them.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Leave them home.


The seats...not the kids!

 

[jodifla]

Since there won't be any seat belts on the bus, I'd agree to leave the car setas at home.

But, please reconsider your 6 year old not using a booster seat. He/she may not be big enough for just a seat belt yet. Many parents allow their kids to stop using a booster too early because the kids "don't want to sit in it".

From the American Academy of Pediatrics web site:
"Remember, seat belts are made for adults. If the seat belt does not fit your child correctly, he should stay in a booster seat until the adult seat belts fit him correctly. This is usually when the child reaches about 4' 9" in height and is between 8 and 12 years of age. "
Link: http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

If the shoulder belt is hitting the child's neck or throat or the lap belt is across their stomach they are too small to ride without a booster. My child is 4' 4" and I just double checked the fit with and without a booster. The booster is definitey safer because it keeps the lap belt lower to the hip area instead of across the stomach.

your lecture seems unneccessary if you reread the OP. The said one child was in a booster, the other in a regular carseat.

 

[buckler]

your lecture seems unneccessary if you reread the OP. The said one child was in a booster, the other in a regular carseat.

You're right! I'm not sure how I misread the post. My apologies.

ETA: just realized I somehow interpreted a regular car seat to mean just a seat in the car, not a child safety seat. I really should have had my caffeine earlier this morning. I even spelled the word seats wrong!