HAs anyone bought or taken a portable DVD player for the kids for the airplane?

[PaulaSue]

Layovers and the unexpected is my big reason to want to get one. THank you again for all the helpful advise!!!!

For the smaller Disney theme ones can you get extra batteries for those?

 

[jtopp]

best investment ever. Buy a splitter for headphones at Radio Shack or Circuit City, and don't turn it on until the pilot clears it's use. We had the children watch the newest disney promotional video, so they knew exactly what they wanted to do

 

[MrsPete]

Santa brought one of these about three years ago, and we used it quite a bit. Our car doesn't have a built-in DVD player, but this unit fits perfectly between the two front seats so the kids can both watch from the back seat. Other vacation benefits: you can take it into the hotel room, and it also plays music CDs. My husband is the type who loves his kids, but needs some separation time every day; he loves to take the DVD player out on the balcony and watch a grown-up movie.

Sadly, our original player bit the dust. We bought a second one (Polaroid brand) and it isn't quite as nice as the original one -- it seems a bit more "flimsy". They have come down in price since we bought the original one. Both of ours have been able to play two movies before needing a re-charge, and they've both come with power cords for the car and the house. Both of ours have had two separate headphone jacks, which is fine for our two children. If you have more, you can buy a splitter at RadioShack, so you could potentially split your sound four ways.

 

[2 princes 1 princess]

We just got back from a 2 week trip, and we used our dvd player on the plane, in the hotel room one rainy evening and in the rental van when we drove to the beach. My husband didn't want to bring it, but we used it so much, he was so glad we packed it in the backpack. Ours is the Duraband one from Wal-Mart with 2 screens. I bought about 6 headphones from the dollar store because my kids always break the headphones no matter how much they cost. I paked the extra headphones in the suitcases. We wnt through 4 sets of headphones on this trip. (only 4 bucks lost)!
We never had aproblem with security, and as long as it was charged, it lasted the flights.

 

[PaulaSue]

Thanks for the tip about the dollar store too!

 

[lil' princess]

love it, can't live without it for travel! i know people that take them everywhere... restaurants, parties, etc, i couldn't do that! but for the two or so hour long flight, it's a lifesaver. make sure the battery is charged up and then just take along some of the favorite dvd's. we bought ours at best buy after some research--- it's their brand, cost about 150.

 

[powellrj]

ours was taken out of its case and checked by security at the Indy airport, but it was not big deal. They just took the tub it was riding in on the belt, off the belt and took it to another area and 2 people opened it and checked it out while we stood and watched. It took all of 2 or 3 extra minutes and was no big deal.

 

[DreadpiratK]

If you're looking for an inexpensive one, e-cost has the audiovox with a 5" screen for only $94 right now. Smaller screen, but if it gets broken or lost on the trip, it's less of a loss.

We're planning on taking ours for the plane ride down, it's only two hours, but it should help keep the older kids occupied. Most also come with patch wires that allow you to hook them up to a TV, so if your hotel room has a tv with RCA video jacks, you can play movies on the TV instead of the small screen while there. Good for winding down at night, or resting in the afternoon, maybe.

 

[crl]

Best money we ever spent. We use it in the car all the time. And the lady next to DD on our last cross country flight said that DD was the most well behaved child she's seen in a long time. We purchased the car plug in and bring the plug for the wall and use it to play soft music at the hotel at night to drown out those other strange noises.

We started with a laptop. Worked ok, but our 2 yr old wanted to play with the keyboard and could hold it in the car. Now she LOVES her "tv" that she can hold. Well worth the money since we travel long distances a lot.

With three kids, you could buy one and always rent one at the airport if needed. Or if you see yourself needing two often, buy two. It's worth the money. My DD even uses hers at the doctor's office while I have appointments.

 

[lil' princess]

i didn't think about using it for soft music. good idea, i was wondering what i was going to do since DD needs restful music to wind down

 

[Delilah Bleu]

I have been considering purchasing a 7 inch screen and hope to catch a good sale after Thanksgiving. Are the extra batteries expensive? We are coming from CA so the flight is about 6-7 hours. My DD is 8 and generally entertains herself but I am trying not to overpack (since we have to carry it all). Thanks for the information.

 

[gabbysmom04]

do you have to use headphones on the plane? I am flying alone this wed with my dd1 she has never worn headphones and I am afraid she would get upset with them on. Could I just keep the volume low?

 

[kumquat]

One thing about security. Make sure that you are not low on batteries. My teachers daughter was flying to london and had her laptop with her. Well the batteries where low so there was a red light. This caused her to be question for long enough to miss her flight. However, this was only about one month after 9-11.

 

[Windy City Heather]

do you have to use headphones on the plane? I am flying alone this wed with my dd1 she has never worn headphones and I am afraid she would get upset with them on. Could I just keep the volume low?

We keep the volume off. Just watching is still enough to keep my dd happy.

 

[littleprissboutique]

The first trip my DD took to Disney she was 11 mo old. She was asleep before the plane took off. Well, last year we decided to buy her a Video Now Jr. ( she has become quite the wiggle worm on plane's LOL ) Well when we took off she was wanting her MOOBIE.... I tried my best to explain to her that we had to wait until we got up real high for her to watch it ( the rule with electronics--which I dont understand LOL ) When we got it out for her she never made another sound. Watched the whole way. I really like the Video Now Jr, because it has colored buttons. My daughter can do it by herself. She was 26mo last year when we got it for her. We have since flown and she always reminds me to get her dvd player.---so sad that she does not call it her MOOBIE anymore...

We are going again in Jan and it will be right there with us..... Along with her earplanes ear plugs... She will not get on a plane without them....LOL she is so funny... Now I have to buy them for me. She wants mommys ears to be ok too...LOL

Kids are they not wonderful!!!!!

 

[grlzmom]

do you have to use headphones on the plane? I am flying alone this wed with my dd1 she has never worn headphones and I am afraid she would get upset with them on. Could I just keep the volume low?

I dont know what all the airlines policies are on this but I have been on a plane where someone without headphones was told to turn the volume off. She didnt have headphones and her son went just about nuts (preschool aged).

My kids have always thought the headphones were such a neat thing when they were little. Maybe your dd1 will love them.

Good luck on your flight!!!

 

[littleprissboutique]

We always use Delta and have never been asked to turn down the volume on Kaylee's Video Now Jr. It is not that loud anyway. We have never used headphones becasue Kaylee wears the earplanes. But, like I said we travel with Delta, and they are always super nice about letting Kaylee watch her dvd player.

 

[PaulaSue]

Hey We are going in Jan too! The 15th to 21st.

What is the Video Now Jr? I never heard of it. How big is the screen? How long does the batteries last? Where to purchase it?

 

[littleprissboutique]

We are going Jan 22 - 28th.

You can purchase the Video Now Jr at Walmart. It is in color with a 2 " or so screen. It costs 49 bucks and has great battery life (6 hours or so. takes 4 double A) This only used the Video now Jr discs.. They have ---The wiggles, Seasame Street, Blues Clues, Bob the builder, Clifford the big red dog, and a lot more I cant remember. Each dvd is about 30 - 45 min long. These dvd are plastic and flexible ( so your toddler or young child cant break them or scratch them. Kaylee loves hers, because she can use it by herself... Very kid friendly and if she broke it we are not out big bucks for the other DVD travel systems. But, they are very durable!

 

[jencav5]

My kids are older-12, 10, & 8, and I find it easiest to bring their gameboys. The newer ones-GBA play games or videos and you can use headphones. I usually treat them to a new game or movie right before the trip-they can't have it until the plane. I've also brought personal DVD players before, but the batteries do die out after a few hours on those. Also, the smaller the screen the better IMO, as there's not a lot of room on the plane. The gameboys take regular batteries, so you can have extra on hand just in case. My DS (8) also likes the Pixter. It is an electronic, hand held, drawing toy. It also has software to plug into it, so you can have Barbie, Spongebob, etc... backgrounds.