For those who fly cross country with multiple children-How?

[princessmorgan]

For those of you who fly from the west coast to Disney with young children, how do you do it? It is a 2 hour flight to Disney for us and we manage it fine. The kids do start to get antsy at the end. DH's mom has cancer and he wants the whole family to go visit her in Arizona in a couple of weeks. I have anxiety just thinking about it. If we get a non-stop flight it's 5 hours on a plane. Then another 4-5 hour drive to where they live from any major airport! The last time we made the trip we only had one child and I vowed never again. Please tell me there is a way to survive!

 

[KPetty725]

Try to book your flight at night when your kids would normally be sleeping. If that's not an option, book it over nap time. For the two older kids, a portable DVD player or a laptop that plays DVDs and the Fisher Price headphones for kids works wonders. My DD (2) fell asleep watching movies on our flight to Orlando. Don't take advantage of preboarding - instead, let them run around the gate until the final boarding call to get out as much energy as possible (and keep them from being cooped up for as long as possible). Also, get a few new toys that the kids have never seen before. That will usually get you through the first few hours b/c they'll be so into the new toys.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

We have about a four hour flight from here to WDW with a layover. We love our portable DVD player, and the kids have each gotten a DSi since our last trip. DS4 doesn't really do games, but he'll play with the cameras for hours if I let him! I think we may have just lucked out, and our kids are just good travelers. I've honestly never heard "Are we there yet?" in the last three years of traveling.

 

[StitchFanZ]

Don't take advantage of preboarding - instead, let them run around the gate until the final boarding call to get out as much energy as possible (and keep them from being cooped up for as long as possible). .

Or have one person stay with the kids and one person preboard to stow your stuff and install car seats if you are taking them and get their space ready.

 

[williamson_ja]

coloring books, movies, snacks, etc. We have a 6 hr drive to the airport, then a 4 hour flight. My dd does great every time. We started doing this when she was 3. She's 5 now and is still a great traveler.

 

[princessmorgan]

Thanks for the words of encouragement! The nonstop flight leaves at 7:30 p.m. our time, so I was worried that the kids wouldn't be able to get comfortable enough to sleep on the plane and then they would be especially moody and tired. And what do you do about food for that long? I know airlines have really cut back on things. I guess we could buy sandwiches in the airport though and have those ready. Older DD has a DS, so maybe I'll buy her a new game. We have a portable DVD player, too. O.k., maybe we can do this.

 

[princessmorgan]

We have about a four hour flight from here to WDW with a layover. We love our portable DVD player, and the kids have each gotten a DSi since our last trip. DS4 doesn't really do games, but he'll play with the cameras for hours if I let him! I think we may have just lucked out, and our kids are just good travelers. I've honestly never heard "Are we there yet?" in the last three years of traveling.

Wow, I'm jealous!

 

[princessmorgan]

coloring books, movies, snacks, etc. We have a 6 hr drive to the airport, then a 4 hour flight. My dd does great every time. We started doing this when she was 3. She's 5 now and is still a great traveler.

What's your secret? We sometimes visit family that's 2 hours away and we have a DVD player in our car. I bring snacks galore and everything else, but my children just are not good travelers. They love going places; it's the getting there they can't handle. Sadly, they get it from me.

 

[brymolmom]

Thanks for the words of encouragement! The nonstop flight leaves at 7:30 p.m. our time, so I was worried that the kids wouldn't be able to get comfortable enough to sleep on the plane and then they would be especially moody and tired. And what do you do about food for that long? I know airlines have really cut back on things. I guess we could buy sandwiches in the airport though and have those ready. Older DD has a DS, so maybe I'll buy her a new game. We have a portable DVD player, too. O.k., maybe we can do this.

We are going from upstate NY to LA in April (to Disneyland for the first time)! I have a 6 and 7 year old. IMO, you should DEFINITELY BRING food with you. I wouldn't even plan to buy it at the airport - just pack a bag with snacks and sandwiches (or bagels as is my favorite portable thing to bring on a plane - filling and easy - I buy them ahead of time and put cream cheese or butter on it and throw it in a bag). Then, after security - pick up some drinks. If you have the food already packed - then you won't need to worry about having 'another hand' to hold it or who is watching the kids while you're waiting in line at the airport. Be sure to pack carry-ons as light as possible if you think your younger ones won't wake up to walk on their own off the plane. Having to carry sleeping child(ren) plus a rolling bag plus a purse plus.....is tough to do. So if it is potentially sleep time (when my kids were younger) - I would keep it to a single backpack for me and one for dh - so that we could each carry a sleeping kid off the plane. And we would gate check the stroller - so we could put them in it right when we get off the plane.

Other than that - agree with DVD player - I plan to buy a brand new DVD that they haven't seen (Chipmunks - the squeakwel) and surprising them with that - I know it will keep their interest the whole time. We have one DS that they will share between them and I will be bringing books to read (told them that they ahve to read at least 2 books each themselves and then I will read them a few chapters of a chapter book too).

 

[Jdougherty]

DVD player is a must but I also like coloring books or magic wonder travel packs. DD has been traveling car and plane long distance for most of her life and while I was pregnant. She does great as long as she has the DVD player and some snacks. I'm having to buy another DVD player as she's beaten the one she has now up and I'm not sure how long it will last plus I need it to last longer than 2 hrs. DD is 2

DS is 4month and like his father just sleeps. no one evem noticed him the last flight.

 

[PJB71]

Hi

We have been traveling to Orlando from the UK everyear since my 2DD were 8months and 3yrs old.

Its a 9 and half hour flight and I used to have them a travel bag each filled with new little toys, books, travel games, crayons, etc that they only got to see once on-board.

I also take snacks, drinks, and little "Sweet Treats",its amazing how long a lollypop can last!!

Once they got a bit older they had there own pull along travel cases and we took portable DVD's, DS's etc.

I would urge you not to let the journey to put you off and try and focus on the trip ahead of you once you have arrived!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

It is very doable. Mine made it from Detroit to Honolulu for a wedding at your older kids ages and had made a few 4-5 housr flihts before that (and a 28 hour train ride). Just let them know this will be a loner flight so they are not expectin to et off as quickly as they are used to. You have gotten lots of good advice such as boarding at the final call and taking new toys and food. With the DVD player and DS you will need headphones or else to turn the sound off on the DS and also realize you cannot use these until you reach cruising alitude so it may be good to not mention them to the kids head of time so they are not clamoring to watch something as soon as they are buckled in.

Do not let them look at all the things you are bringing ahead of time or even all at once. Pull out one or two items at a time and try to alternate between different types of things and food.
Some favourite things of my kids at the ages you have (the office supplies were always off limits at home and they adored having free access to them on planesplus those are cheap, small and lightweight):
sticky notes (big mulitcolred packs)--fun to color on and stick all over the seat, tray table, window, etc. The one eyar old will like them too.
roll of masking tape major fun for the one year old and possibly even the three
magnadoodle
paperclips and a bar magnet (string the clips together, manatize them in piles, etc)
pipe cleaners watch that the one year old does not get ahold of these and poke an eye
magnetic paper dolls
square puzzles
polly pockets or other tiny sets
finger puppets
lots pf paper (multi colors if possible) and drawing supplies

For snacks, buy water and another favourite drink once throuh security (do not count on getting it when you want it in flight). Some of my kids' favourite plane foods (think not sticky or crumbly when possible):
string cheese
cheerios
grapes
raisins or craisens

 

[momto2js]

We travel often and most often it is me alone with my 2, who are now 1 and 3 The best advise I have is to skip the dvd player and download kids programs to you IPOD. It is smaller, lighter, and the batteries last a long time. On the next trip I'll need 2 but it is worth it.

New things are a good idea. I love to bring party blowers with us. Usually kills the first few minutes. If both are sleeping and I am alone with a carseat, I enlist help. Most of the time one flight attendant will help get a few things off for you.

It isn't lot of fun, but it is doable most of the time.

 

[detroitmama]

We're flying from Alaska to Orlando with 5 kids in two weeks, and I seriously haven't given it much thought. We have traveled so much with them over the years that I know what to expect and what to bring. As far as expectations go, I try not to expect them to be good or be interested in anything I bring, or else I end up disappointed and discouraged. Some flights they do wonderfully and I'm amazed, and others flights will go in my short list of worst days of my life. There is no way to know in advance what your kids will do, no matter what time you choose to fly, so I try to keep an open mind and the most important thing I can bring on the plane is lots of patience. Trying to schedule the flight during a time where they might be sleeping might work, or you might end up with cranky kids during the flight. Some people recommend drugging kids with benedryl to make them sleepy. If you try this, do a trial run in advance, because it made my kids extra hyper and cranky. Ugh.

For advice: bring empty water bottles/ sippy cups and fill these once you are thru security. Bring lots of snacks and try to eat a meal in the airport before you board the plane. Some airlines let you rent little DVD players and headphones - I know Alaska airlines does this. If not, bring one (or two) and headphone splitters if necessary. Bring an extra change of clothes for any children under the age of 7, and if you are traveling with a baby, maybe extra clothes for you as well (speaking from experience here.) Bring your own small blankets for any babies/toddlers. Definitely gate check your stroller if bringing one. Be the last ones to board the plane (you will still have PLENTY of time to stow your stuff, there is NO rush.) We always try to sit in the very back of the plane, that way we are very close to the bathrooms, and we disturb a smaller percentage of people. My husband likes to bring little disposable earplugs to hand out to passengers sitting nearby.... so far only one person in the last several flights has taken him up on it.

As far as items to bring to entertain kids - there has already been some great advice given. Little things that don't take up much room, little suckers that they can suck on during takeoff/landing. Lot's of baby wipes and extra ziplocks to hand out snacks. Books for older kids who like to read. The last flight (6 hours to Hawaii) I never heard a peep out of my 10 and 12 year olds because they were engrossed in books.

Anyhow, I think that going on vacation is so wonderful that any length of trip should be braved with kids.

 

[Coconuts]

I don't know how cross country people do it. We have @2hr 20min flight and our trip last September was TORTURE. That was the youngest we ever took a child on a flight before. My DD isn't getting on a plane again until she is at least 4. Period.

I kind of knew that she would be trouble, but was hoping for the best. Well, I didn't get anywhere near the best, and I probably did most of the suggestions listed by pp. Bottom line: it all depends on your kid.

 

[princessmorgan]

Thank you, thank you for all the suggestions! I am going to try all of them and am going to be as prepared as possible. I bit the bullet and bought the tickets, so there's no going back!

I will just hope for the best. I think I worry so much about the other poor passengers on the plane. Even if my children screamed the whole way I could handle it, because they are my children, but I don't want others to have to endure it. I just hope they fall asleep some of the way. For little ones, is it better to bring their car seats or I'm thinking they could lay across my lap to sleep?

 

[NHdisneylover]

Thank you, thank you for all the suggestions! I am going to try all of them and am going to be as prepared as possible. I bit the bullet and bought the tickets, so there's no going back!

I will just hope for the best. I think I worry so much about the other poor passengers on the plane. Even if my children screamed the whole way I could handle it, because they are my children, but I don't want others to have to endure it. I just hope they fall asleep some of the way. For little ones, is it better to bring their car seats or I'm thinking they could lay across my lap to sleep?

That is a hueg topic of debate on these boards Personaly, with my own kids I prefered NOT to brin the carseat for several reasons:

When sitting in the carseat a child is pushed much further forward and this makes it VERY easy for the child to kick the saet back in front of them.

The carseat sends the signal that this is "jsut like the car" to a little one. really young kids may think they can talk in the slightly elevated tones kids tend to use while trying to hold a conversation with the driver from the rear seat (instead of the hushed tones appropriate to air travel), be confused as to why they have to stay put for so long (car trips tend be much shorter than flights), may not understand why they cannot have the DVD player or other eletronic as soon as they are buckled in, etc. I found the different seating arrangement to be a good cue to teh little ones that this IS diffferent.

The car seat is very confining and I do not think it is fair to limit the movement of a little one THAT much for the amount of time a flight takes.

Car seats are very difficult to deal with in the airport and going through security when you already have your hands full with the kids.

 

[princessmorgan]

That is a hueg topic of debate on these boards Personaly, with my own kids I prefered NOT to brin the carseat for several reasons:

When sitting in the carseat a child is pushed much further forward and this makes it VERY easy for the child to kick the saet back in front of them.

The carseat sends the signal that this is "jsut like the car" to a little one. really young kids may think they can talk in the slightly elevated tones kids tend to use while trying to hold a conversation with the driver from the rear seat (instead of the hushed tones appropriate to air travel), be confused as to why they have to stay put for so long (car trips tend be much shorter than flights), may not understand why they cannot have the DVD player or other eletronic as soon as they are buckled in, etc. I found the different seating arrangement to be a good cue to teh little ones that this IS diffferent.

The car seat is very confining and I do not think it is fair to limit the movement of a little one THAT much for the amount of time a flight takes.

Car seats are very difficult to deal with in the airport and going through security when you already have your hands full with the kids.

Thanks for the input. I never thought it of like that. I was just thinking the little ones (my 1 and 3 year old) would have more head support to fall asleep in. I do have those massive Britax car seats and I can definitely see them kicking the seat in front of them.

 

[DrummerBoy523]

We have 2 boys. The oldest DS7 is a rule follower and has been flying since he came out of the womb. We regularly flew from California to Indiana - a 4.5 to 5 hour plane ride coupled with an hour's drive to the airport at the start of the trip and waiting, etc. He's used to it. When he got a bit older, we told him he HAD to wear his seat belt because it was the law. That was all he needed to hear.

Our youngest DS2.5 is a rule breaker and this upcoming trip will be his first in his own seat. We going sans the car seat and hopefully we can prepare him for the flight enough prior to the actual flight. I'll bring a laptop with some Disney stuff on it to get them pumped up.

To those of you PPs who have mentioned iPods for videos - isn't the screen kind of small for the kids? I know I wouldn't want to watch a video that small.

 

[brergnat]

We have 2 boys. The oldest DS7 is a rule follower and has been flying since he came out of the womb. We regularly flew from California to Indiana - a 4.5 to 5 hour plane ride coupled with an hour's drive to the airport at the start of the trip and waiting, etc. He's used to it. When he got a bit older, we told him he HAD to wear his seat belt because it was the law. That was all he needed to hear.

Our youngest DS2.5 is a rule breaker and this upcoming trip will be his first in his own seat. We going sans the car seat and hopefully we can prepare him for the flight enough prior to the actual flight. I'll bring a laptop with some Disney stuff on it to get them pumped up.

To those of you PPs who have mentioned iPods for videos - isn't the screen kind of small for the kids? I know I wouldn't want to watch a video that small.

Wow...your kids are just like mine. My oldest is 5.5 and very "by the book". So much so that on his first plane trip last year, we told him beforehand that he had to stay in his seat and keep his seatbelt on. He sat down, buckled up, and didn't MOVE the entire flight (it was only an hour, but still...he is NOT known for sitting still.) He quietly hugged his stuffed dog and looked out the window. It was the longest I've ever NOT heard from him.

I am worried about our trip in about 4 weeks, because we ARE flying from CA to WDW. And, my younger son is a MONSTER, to put it lightly. I did get an ipod touch for Christmas and have it loaded with LOTS of kid apps, as well as some of DS's favorite Disney movies and Little Einsteins eps. He LOVES my ipod. He will sit there and play the games and watch videos all day if I let him, which I don't, but which I WILL on that 5.5 hour plane trip. The regular video ipods are really small, but the ipod touch is a good size. I even enjoy watching stuff on it. But, it cost $300, so...

I am really, really, really hoping he doesn't tantrum. He has a tendency to do that when he can't do what he wants.

Luckily, he goes to preschool and rides the bus home every day. I have talked to his driver and we agreed to take him OUT of the harnessed seatbelt and have him "practice for the plane" by sitting on the seat with JUST the lapbelt, so he can be used to that. He's almost 4, so I don't want to take the carseat on the plane this time, since we won't need it while there.