Flying with toddlers to WDW

[Spork3127]

My wife and I will be flying to Orlando with our almost 3 year old son and using Magical Express. Basically, he's in the midst of potty training, so we'll likely be taking only pull ups/easy ups since we won't be washing clothes/training underwear unless we absolutely have to. Here's our current "plan" and I was looking for opinions on the best way to handle everything.

We will be checking a total of 3 bags (1 for me, 1 for my wife, and 1 for our son) and a small stroller for use at WDW. Here's where it starts to get interesting. Delta carry on allows for 1 personal item and 1 carry on bag. My carry on will be my camera bag which is considered a personal item. My wife's will likely be a diaper bag of some sort with a tablet for our son to keep him entertained in the terminal and on the plane.

Now comes the best way to get the pull ups/easy ups to WDW. Would it be best to cram the previously mentioned diaper bag full of them or utilize a small suitcase that we can easily pack them into? My thinking is that the small suitcase would allow us to use it on the return trip for the souvenirs that I'm sure we'll bring back since we'll likely have far fewer pull ups/easy ups. The 2nd bag wouldn't be a huge inconvenience since our flight lands in Orlando at 2:25 and we should arrive at POFQ well past the 3:00 check in time. In theory, we should be able to drop our things off at the room upon arrival.

Another option is cramming our sons bag with the pull ups/easy ups if there's enough room and put a handful of them in the diaper bag that my wife will have.

This is his first flight and obviously our first time flying with a potty training toddler, so just looking for opinions. Thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

You each get one personal item/one carry on. What about a third bag for your son with his pullups? Or just order some online and have them shipped to the hotel?

 

[goofy4tink]

Each paid seat gets one personal item, one carry on bag. So.....you can carry the camera bag as a personal item. I would have your wife get a bag that's fairly small and put anything you guys may need for the plane ride in it....tablet, snacks, toys, some pull ups.
That leaves you with 3 carry on bags.....get a rolling suitcase, that will fit in the overhead bin, and fill it with the pull ups. Be sure to also have a carry on bag with a change of clothes for everyone, as well as any toiletries you may need to start your vacation....in 3oz or smaller sizes in your 3-1-1 baggie. You each get to have one of these baggies, so you should be able to take a goodly amount with you.
I say to pack extra outfits in a carry on bag because airlines do misdirect checked bags. It doesn't happen all the time, but it can happen. And if it happens to you, you will have what you need for that first 24 hrs in your carry on bags..so it won't be a vacation disaster!!!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

First, your child is not a toddler, he is a preschooler.

Take a small suitcase as a carry-on and fill it with Pull Ups. If you are only carrying on a camera bag, that is a personal item (fits under the seat). The suitcase can be your carry-on.

 

[Alesia]

Do you really need 3 checked bags? I can everything we need for 10 days in 1 suitcase and our carryons.

 

[Spork3127]

Ordering some to be delivered to POFQ is definitely an option that I hadn't thought of. We would just have to figure out how to get the ones we don't use back home.

Thanks for the suggestion about multiple carry on's, but I don't know if it will be doable given the luggage that we currently have is full sized bags and 1 carry on size.

First, your child is not a toddler, he is a preschooler.

Take a small suitcase as a carry-on and fill it with Pull Ups. If you are only carrying on a camera bag, that is a personal item (fits under the seat). The suitcase can be your carry-on.

First, your correction about my son has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of this thread. I'd like to recommend that you do some research as there is a ton of information and varying opinions on that topic. Google is a wonderful resource that you might want to consider for future research.

Secondly, and to get back on topic, the plan we're discussing is to take a carry on sized suitcase for everything of his. I probably should have been more specific about my camera bag. I'm an avid photographer, so my bag is a full sized back pack that won't fit under the set, so it will be in the overhead compartment.

Do you really need 3 checked bags? I can everything we need for 10 days in 1 suitcase and our carryons.

Currently, we only have full sized suitcases and one carry on sized and finances don't merit buying new luggage for as little traveling as we do when what we have works. My son and I could probably get by with a carry on each, but with it being his first flight and our first with a child, my main goal is to avoid having to keep up with multiple carry on items, personal items, and the kiddo, especially if DME can alleviate some of that.

I'm thinking that we can fit his clothes for the week and pull ups/easy ups in the lone carry on sized bag that we have and avoid checking it. I need to do a trial run to check though. If that works, that would get us down to 2 checked bags. and 1 carry on bag wouldn't be terrible

 

[ebradley23]

This is how we have traveled with our son when he was in diapers:

One checked suitcase each for me and my husband with all our clothes. I carried a diaper bag which doubled as my purse (my personal item) My husband would carry a laptop (his personal item/equivalent to your camera bag). We would do one rolling carry on with my son's clothes. We would check a box under my son's ticket for consumables such as diapers, snacks, etc. We would trash the box when we arrived to save room. We would be using up the consumables, so there was no need for it on the trip home.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

one piece of advice when you pack your checked bags have clothes for everyone in each bag. that way if one bag does not make it on your plane, you will have clothes for everyone and not have to either find a way to a store or pay Disney prices to get you thru until the missing case catches up with you. one idea on the pull ups that we have done put enough to get you thru flight and that day plus 3 extra ,see above. put the rest of them in a checked bag leaving room things gotten at Disney. hope this helps

 

[FCDub]

Don't worry, OP: lost*in*cyberspace never misses the chance to come in and correct someone over inconsequential things.

 

[Woodview]

One thing that has not been mentioned is Electric Plug Caps.

The covers that block off the Socket pins .

Your 3 year old just might find plug sockets interesting .

A child is a child ..... and needs lots of clothes & toys.

............................

I think that lost*in*cyberspace has given far more good advice And information in his 10,110 postings than a lot of others

Keep posting and informing people ..... lost*in*cyberspace

 

[maxiesmom]

How about sending a box of stuff down ahead of time? Pull-ups, clothing, snacks.

 

[goofy4tink]

First, your child is not a toddler, he is a preschooler.

Take a small suitcase as a carry-on and fill it with Pull Ups. If you are only carrying on a camera bag, that is a personal item (fits under the seat). The suitcase can be your carry-on.

Do you really need 3 checked bags? I can everything we need for 10 days in 1 suitcase and our carryons.

Don't worry, OP: lost*in*cyberspace never misses the chance to come in and correct someone over inconsequential things.

Seriously you guys!? Who cares if he's a toddler or a preschooler.....only thing that matters is whether or not the child has a seat or is a lap baby. Other than that, wording has no relevance here. Geez. And what does it matter how many suitcases a family uses? I can pack really well....do 5 days in a carry on bag. But my dh? Not a chance!!! When we travel, we have two carry-on bags, and two checked bags! If a family with a toddler/preschooler wants to use 3 bags, I can truly understand. DME will take care of the bags for them.
And as for correcting someone goes? Well, seems to be a lot of that going on lately....by many posters!

So....with all this in mind...can we please stay on subject here? Lets try to put ourselves in others' shoes. There's no need for snarkiness or sniping. Thank you all so much for your anticipated cooperation!!!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Seriously you guys!? Who cares if he's a toddler or a preschooler.....only thing that matters is whether or not the child has a seat or is a lap baby. Other than that, wording has no relevance here. .....

Words always have relevance.

 

[goofy4tink]

Words always have relevance.

Usually. But, that particular wording has no relevance to what is being discussed. It was obvious that the OP wasn't bringing a lap baby. A seat was purchased for the child. So....doesn't matter whether or not the child is a toddler or a preschooler. Not sure where the cut off is for being a toddler...most definitions seem to make it 2.5 yrs. Are we really going to quibble over a difference of 6 months? Besides...what does it matter. It, again, bears no relevance to the discussion. Not unless we're talking about lap babies.

 

[tjmw2727]

What about doing a delivery from garden grocer or wego shop?

When my kids were young we had water, milk, fruit, cereal and other things we knew the kids would eat delivered along with diapers and wipes and even disposable sippy cups! It was a lifesaver to have breakfast in the room, pack a few healthy snacks and some fun snacks to have on hand without waiting in line (goldfish crackers, cheerios etc) as well as saving $ on water milk and juice. Then just pack what you need for the first 24 hours in your carry on bags and check the rest!

We have used both and had great service from each, even with the delivery fee it was always worth it to us.

 

[Alesia]

Seriously you guys!? Who cares if he's a toddler or a preschooler.....only thing that matters is whether or not the child has a seat or is a lap baby. Other than that, wording has no relevance here. Geez. And what does it matter how many suitcases a family uses? I can pack really well....do 5 days in a carry on bag. But my dh? Not a chance!!! When we travel, we have two carry-on bags, and two checked bags! If a family with a toddler/preschooler wants to use 3 bags, I can truly understand. DME will take care of the bags for them.
And as for correcting someone goes? Well, seems to be a lot of that going on lately....by many posters!

So....with all this in mind...can we please stay on subject here? Lets try to put ourselves in others' shoes. There's no need for snarkiness or sniping. Thank you all so much for your anticipated cooperation!!!

My point was that if they don't really need all of those bags for their stuff, they could use one for the pull ups. I wasn't being snarky - I was trying to be helpful in pointing out that they may need fewer bags than they think.

 

[NJlauren]

I would get an order from garden grocer, and have it include the pull ups, you can also add milk, snacks and water to have for the hotel and to bring to the park.

Then you can stuff in whatever is left over (just the pull ups not the milk) in whatever spare space you may have going home.

Or send a box of stuff home,anything you purchase and the extra pull ups.

For the flight they have these window clings at the dollar store kids love them, just another toy suggestion for the plane, I know not what you asked but it was recommended to me here and we love them!

 

[charmed59]

Once you are checking one bag you might as well be checking 3. Especially if DME is doing the bag wrangling. It's easier to get a little one through the airport with less carryons.

That said, the happiest little flyers I've seen do have their own little cute back packs, presumingly full of their toys and snacks for the plane. They seem to love to pull them if you don't want to carry them.

That leaves more room in the diaper bag for pullups, that day's clothes or swimsuits, and anything else you need for arrival day.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I would consider either shipping some items down ahead of time (including the pull-ups) or ordering from a grocery delivery service. I doubt we'll fly with our son before he's potty trained, but if we do, that's what I would do. I've learned very quickly that diapers take up a ton of room!

 

[goofy4tink]

My point was that if they don't really need all of those bags for their stuff, they could use one for the pull ups. I wasn't being snarky - I was trying to be helpful in pointing out that they may need fewer bags than they think.

I know! My point is that different people feel they need to use more bags. My elder dd has to pack everything she owns.....juuuuust in case she might possibly need something!!! Drives me nuts.